To the very last Colman maintained his unhopeful attitude, in spite of the steady enthusiasm of the author's friends, who, after dining together at a tavern, had, under Johnson's generalship, proceeded in a body to the theatre, determined to make a stubborn fight for the piece. But, according to the best accounts, there was no necessity for any advocacy, hostile or otherwise, for, "quite the reverse to everybody's expectation," the play was received with the utmost applause." Even Horace Walpole, who sneered aristocratically at its "lowness," and wrote flippantly about the author's draggled Muse, could not deny that it succeeded prodigiously." "All eyes," says Cumberland, "were upon Johnson, who sat in a front row of a side box, and when he laughed everybody thought himself warranted to roar. 1 In the mean time, the poor author, who had not dared to accompany his party to Covent Garden, was wandering disconsolately in the Mall. Here he was discovered by a friend, who pointed out to him that, in the event of any sudden alterations being required, his absence from the theatre might have serious results, and prevailed upon him to go there. "He entered the stage door," Cook 66 1 Memoirs of Richard Cumberland, 1807, i, 368. tells us, "just in the middle of the 5th Act, when there was a hiss at the improbability of Mrs. Hardcastle supposing herself forty miles off, though on her own grounds, and near the house. 'What's that?' says the Doctor, terrified at the sound. 'Psha! Doctor,' says Colman, who was standing by the side of the scene, 'don't be fearful of squibs, when we have been sitting almost these two hours upon a barrel of gunpowder.'"1 Goldsmith, adds Cook, never forgave Colman this gratuitous piece of malice. The success of "She Stoops to Conquer' was thoroughly deserved. It was an immense improvement upon its predecessor. Compared with Croaker and Lofty, Tony Lumpkin and Mr. Hardcastle are as characters to characteristics, while Mrs. Hardcastle, Hastings, Young Marlowe, Miss Hardcastle, and Miss Neville, are far beyond the Honeywoods and Richlands of "The Good Natur'd Man." Whatever there may be of farcical in the plot, vanished before the hearty laughter that the piece raised on its first appearance, and has raised ever since. "I know of no comedy for many years (said Johnson) that has answered so much the great end of comedy making an audience merry. 1 European Magazine, September, 1793, p. 173. That such an inexhaustible bequest of mirth should have come to us from a man tortured with nervous apprehensions, and struggling with money difficulties, is a triumphant testimony to the superiority of genius over circumstance. It is consolatory to think that, in spite of every obstacle, "She Stoops to Conquer' was acted for many nights, and, besides being twice commanded by royalty itself, brought its author, at his benefits, the more substantial gratification of some four or five hundred pounds, to which must be added a further amount from the publication of the play in book form. CHAPTER XI A libellous attack and its sequel; dining out at Oglethorpe's and Paoli's; "The Grumbler "; more task work; Grecian History"; " Dictionary of Arts and Sciences"; "Retaliation"; epitaphs on Garrick and Reynolds; epitaph on Caleb Whitefoord; last illness; dies, April 4, 1774; buried on the 9th in the burying-ground of the Temple Church; Johnson's epitaph; memorials and statue. WHILE the "news-paper witlings" and pert scribbling folks "1 vied with each other in exulting over the glorious defeat, by "She Stoops to Conquer," of the allied forces of sentimental comedy, and amused themselves by planting arrowy little epigrams in the sides of Mr. Manager Colman and Mr. Staymaker Kelly, insomuch that the former implored the author" to take him off the rack of the newspapers," there were not wanting those who, on the other hand, essayed to disparage Goldsmith himself. In The London Packet of the 24th of March appeared a letter signed "Tom Tickle," headed by the motto "Vous vous noyez par vanité," and attacking him venom1 Postscript to Retaliation. ously at all points. He was charged with puffing his own productions: his "Traveller" was said to be "a flimsy poem, built upon false principles; his "Good Natur'd Man," a "poor, water-gruel, dramatic dose; "his" Deserted Village," "easy numbers, without fancy, dignity, genius, or fire;" and "She Stoops to Conquer," a "speaking pantomime " and " an incoherent piece of stuff." Lastly, he was enjoined to "reduce his vanity," and to endeavour to believe that, as a man, he "was of the plainest sort; and as an author, but a mortal piece of mediocrity."1 "an There is little doubt that the dealer of this stab in the dark was Goldsmith's old enemy, Kenrick, and the mere abuse which it contained was of little moment. But towards the beginning of the letter, where Goldsmith is accused of being a very Narcissus for pleased contemplation of his personal advantages, it goes on: "Was but the lovely H-k as much enamoured, you would not sigh, my gentle swain, in vain." This, it must be admitted, was unpardonable, and Goldsmith was justly indignant. According to Cradock, to make matters worse, he dined with the Hornecks in Westminster al1 Prior's Life, 1837, ii, 408, 409. 2 Ibid., ii, 408. |