ease. 231 At said) even cheerful. Dr. Turton, a second physician who had been called in, remarking the disorder of his pulse, asked if his mind was at "No, it is not," was the reply. These were the last words he spoke. On the morning of Monday, the 4th of April, 1774, after a longhoped-for sleep, he died in strong convulsions, having lived forty-five years and five months. The announcement of his death came like a shock upon his friends. Burke burst into tears; Sir Joshua laid aside his pencil for the day; and a deeper gloom settled upon Johnson. Brick Court other, and humbler mourners, to whom he had been kind, filled the little staircase with their sorrow; and, as he lay in his coffin, a lock of his hair was cut from his head for the "Jessamy Bride" and her sister. On Saturday the 9th, after some discussion as to a public funeral, which was abandoned on account of the state of his affairs, he was buried quietly in the burying-ground of the Temple Church, none weeping more profusely over his grave than his old rival, Hugh Kelly. Two years later, a monument, with a medallion portrait by Nollekens, and an epitaph by Johnson, the 1 It is still in the possession of Mrs. Gwyn's repreJessamy Bride" was painted by story of which must be read in Boswell, was erected to him in Westminster Abbey at the expense of the Literary Club. Johnson's Latin for he refused to 66 disgrace" that timehonoured fane by English, ran as follows: OLIVARII GOLDSMITH nullum quod tetigit non ornavit: affectuum potens, at lenis dominator; Amicorum fides, Lectorum veneratio. Natus Hiberniâ, Forneiæ Lonfordiensis Nov. xxix. MDCCXXXI. Objit Londini Ap. iv. MDCCLXXIV.1 1 Croker translates this as follows: Of Oliver Goldsmith -a Poet, Naturalist, and Historian, (who left scarcely any style of writing untouched, and touched nothing that he did not adorn;) of all the passions, whether smiles were to be moved or tears, a powerful yet gentle master; in genius, sublime, vivid, versatile; The date of birth, it will be seen, is inaccurately given. Many years after this monument had been erected in Westminster, a tablet, now removed to the triforium, was put up in the Temple Church by the Benchers. But the exact spot where Oliver Goldsmith lies is not known, although a flat stone marks it conjecturally, and is perhaps more piously visited by pilgrims than either of the other memorials. In January, 1864, a full-length statue by Foley, the Academician, was placed in front of Dublin University.1 in style, elevated, clear, elegant - the love of Companions, the fidelity of Friends, and the veneration of Readers, have by this monument honoured the memory. He was born in Ireland, at a place called Pallas [in the parish] of Forney, [and county] of Longford, on the 29th November, 1731. Educated at [the University of] Dublin, and died in London, 4th April, 1774." 1 "Retaliation (see p. 225) was published on the 19th April, a fortnight after its author's death. In June followed "Animated Nature," and in 1776 "The Haunch of Venison," to which were added two songs from "The Captivity," an oratorio written in 1764, but not published as a whole until 1820. CHAPTER XII Portraits of Goldsmith; testimonies as to character; money difficulties and "folly of expense;" alleged love of play; of fine clothes and entertainments; generosity and benevolence; alleged envy and malice; position in society; conversation; relations with Johnson; conclusion. SOMETHING of Goldsmith's personal ap pearance will already have been gathered from the foregoing pages, and more particularly from the letter to his brother quoted at the beginning of chapter iv. He was short and stoutly built. His complexion was pale or sallow, and he was deeply scarred by the smallpox. His scant hair was brown, his eyes gray or hazel, and his forehead, which was rather low, projected in a way that is easily exaggerated in some of the copies of his portraits. Yet his features "if we may trust one who knew him though "plain," were "not repulsive, certainly not so when lighted up by conversation." Another witness, Mrs. Gwyn, says that his countenance bore every trace of his unquestionable benevolence. His But what vex'd me most was that d―'d Scottish rogue, With his long-winded speeches, his smiles, and his brogue; And, ‘Madam,' quoth he, 'may this bit be my poison, Pray a slice of your liver, though may I be curs'd, 'I don't care if I keep a corner for 't too.' 'What the de'il, mon, a pasty!' re-echoed the Scot, 'Though splitting, I'll still keep a corner for thot.' We'll all keep a corner,' the lady cried out; 'We'll all keep a corner,' was echoed about. While thus we resolv'd, and the pasty delay'd, But we quickly found out, for who could mistake her ? Had shut out the pasty on shutting his oven." As a piece of graphic, easy humour Goldsmith has not often bettered this. The references to Johnson and Burke, the side-strokes (perfectly perceptible to Lord Clare) at Parson |