Goldsmith

Oliver, a British author; born in Pallas, Long ford, Ireland, where his father, the Rev. Charles Goldsmith, held the living of Kilkenny West in connection with the Established Church, Nov. 10, 1728. In June, 1744, he was entered as a sizar at Trinity College, Dublin. In 1749, shortly after his father’s death, he left Dublin, and was advised by an uncle to prepare for holy orders. When the requisite two years of probation were over, Goldsmith made application to the Bishop of Elphin, but his application was refused. He then became tutor in a family, but soon lost his situation on account of a dispute with the master of the house over a game of cards. After this episode he thought of sailing for America, but after taking out his pa age allowed the ve el to set sail without him. The same uncle who had tg him a istance before now gave him £50 to go to Dublin to Goldsmith study law, but he had scarcely arrived in the city when he lost the whole sum in gaming. In spite of his repeated imprudences he was once more succored by his uncle, who supplied him with means to go to Edinburgh to study medicine. Here he remained 18 months, during which he acquired some slight knowledge of chemistry and natural history. At the end of this period he removed to Leyden, again at the expense of his uncle. After studying in that university for about a year he left it in February, 1755, and with only one clean shirt and no money in his pocket, to make the tour of Europe on foot, and actually traveled in this way through Flanders, part of France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. It was probably at Padua that he took a medical degree, as he remained there six months; but his uncle dying while he was in Italy he was again obliged to travel on foot to England, and reached London in 1756 with a few pence in his pocket. The story of George Primrose in the “ Vicar of Wake field ” has been supposed to be autobiographical and perhaps too much stre has been laid upon this theory by those who have attempted to construct a narrative of Goldsmith’s travels. Certainly we owe many lines in the “Traveler ” to the poet’s own experiences. A fellow collegian, Dr. Sleigh, a isted him and recommended him as an usher to a school. He remained but a short time in this situation and then took lodgings in London to fol- Jow the profe ion of an authoi. In 1764 he appeared as a poet by the publication of his “Traveler.” The celebrity which this poem procured its author was the cause of his introduction to the most eminent literary characters of the day. In 1766 appeared his well-known “ Vicar of Wake field,” which at once secured merited applause. His poetical fame was greatly enhanced by the publication of his “ Deserted Village ” in 1770, for which he could hardy be induced to take the proffered recompense of £100 ($500), till satisfied that the profits of the bookseller could afford it. In debt for upward of $10,000, and more truly lamented than any literary man of his generation, he died in London, Eng- Jand, April 4, 1774.