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The Freemasons' Magazine, Nov. 1, 1793: Page 36

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    Article ANECDOTES OF DR. GOLDSMITH. ← Page 6 of 8 →
Page 36

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Anecdotes Of Dr. Goldsmith.

and a ballad-singer happening to sing his favourite air of " Sally Salisbury" under the window , he exclaimed with some passion , " How miserably this woman sings ! " " Pray , Doctor , " says he lady of the house , " could you do it better ? " "Yes , madam , " said he , " and the company shall be judges . " He instantly began ; ivhen singing with some ear-and no inconsiderable degree of pathos

, he obtained the universal suffrages of the company . Such were the peculiarities of Goldsmith , which only served as little foils to his talents and moral character . Of the former the public has long since judged ; and of the latter , those who knew him best can best speak in his praise . He was so humane in his disposition , that his last guinea was the general boundary of his

munificence . He had two or three poor authors always as pensioners , beside several widows and poor housekeepers ; and when he had no money to give the latter , he always sent them away with shirts or old clothes , and sometimes with the whole contents of the breakfasttable ; saj'ing , with a smile of satisfaction after they were gone , " Now let me onl I have eat a much heartier breakfast

y suppose than usual , and I ' m nothing out of pocket . " He was always ready to do services to his friends and acquaintance by recommendations , & c . and as he lived latterly much with the great world , and was much respected , he very often succeeded , and felt his best reward in the gratification of doing well .

Dr . Johnson knew him early and whilst he was struggling with his poverty , and always spoke as respectfully of his heart as of his talents . Goldsmith in some respects conciliated this good opinion by almost never contradicting him , and Johnson in return laughed at his oddities . Goldsmith in excuse for this Used to say , " There ' s no chance in arguing with such a man ; for , like the Tartar horsey if he does not conquer you in fronthis kick from behind is sure to

, be fatal . " In his pleasantries before Johnson , however , he had less restraint , and used to say and do many things cum privikgio . As an instance of this , whilst they were at supper one night iete ~ a-tete at the King ' s Head , Holborn , on rumps and kidneys , Johnson observed , "Sir , these ramps are pretty little things , but then a man must eat a great many of them before he fills his belly . " " Aye ,

but , " says Goldsmith , " how many of these would reach to the moon ? " "To the moon ! aye , Goldy , I fear that exceeds your calculation . " "Not at all , Sir , " says Goldsmith , " I think I could tell . " " Pray then , Sir , let us hear . " " Why one if it was long enough . " Johnson growled at this reply for some time , but at last recollecting himself" WellSirI have deserved it ; I should not

, , , have provoked so foolish art answer by so foolish a question ;" In summing up the whole of our Poet ' s character , we cannot better accomplish it than in the two following portraits of him ( one in t'erse and the other in prose ) , written by an intimate friend immediatel y after his decease ^ and . which were both esteemed faithftd likenesses : ^

“The Freemasons' Magazine: 1793-11-01, Page 36” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 29 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/fmm/issues/fmm_01111793/page/36/.
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Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
LONDON: Article 1
THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE: OR, GENERAL and COMPLETE LIBRARY. Article 2
A GENERAL CHARGE TO MASONRY. Article 7
A CHARGE Article 11
ON FASHION. Article 18
ANECDOTE OF PHILIP I. KING OF SPAIN. Article 20
COMMENTS ON STERNE. Article 21
THE ANTIQUITY OF DRINKING HEALTHS. Article 28
ANECDOTES OF DR. GOLDSMITH. Article 31
CHARACTER OF SIR ANTHONY BROWN. Article 38
ANECDOTES OF DR. JOHNSON, &c. Article 39
PRIVATE ANECDOTES OF ILLUSTRIOUS FRENCH CHARACTERS. Article 46
HOPE. Article 53
SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JAMES HESELTINE, ESQ. G. T. Article 56
TO THE PRINTER OF THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE, Article 58
THE HUMBLE ADDRESS OF THE MOST ANTIENT AND HONOURABLE SOCIETY OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS, RESIDENT IN THE COUNTY OF LINCOLN. In GRAND LODGE assembled. Article 58
OF MAN's HAPPINESS. Article 59
A TALE. Article 60
ON THE STUDY OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES. Article 64
THE CRUELTY OF A FATHER. Article 65
A VIEW OF THE PROGRESS OF NAVIGATION. Article 69
THE CHOICE OF ABDALA: Article 74
STRICTURES ON PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS. Article 79
POETRY. Article 82
TO ARNO. Article 83
STANZAS Article 84
PROLOGUE TO THE WORLD IN A VILLAGE. Article 85
FOREIGN OCCURRENCES. Article 86
MONTHLY CHRONICLE. Article 88
Untitled Article 91
Untitled Article 91
Untitled Article 91
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Page 36

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Anecdotes Of Dr. Goldsmith.

and a ballad-singer happening to sing his favourite air of " Sally Salisbury" under the window , he exclaimed with some passion , " How miserably this woman sings ! " " Pray , Doctor , " says he lady of the house , " could you do it better ? " "Yes , madam , " said he , " and the company shall be judges . " He instantly began ; ivhen singing with some ear-and no inconsiderable degree of pathos

, he obtained the universal suffrages of the company . Such were the peculiarities of Goldsmith , which only served as little foils to his talents and moral character . Of the former the public has long since judged ; and of the latter , those who knew him best can best speak in his praise . He was so humane in his disposition , that his last guinea was the general boundary of his

munificence . He had two or three poor authors always as pensioners , beside several widows and poor housekeepers ; and when he had no money to give the latter , he always sent them away with shirts or old clothes , and sometimes with the whole contents of the breakfasttable ; saj'ing , with a smile of satisfaction after they were gone , " Now let me onl I have eat a much heartier breakfast

y suppose than usual , and I ' m nothing out of pocket . " He was always ready to do services to his friends and acquaintance by recommendations , & c . and as he lived latterly much with the great world , and was much respected , he very often succeeded , and felt his best reward in the gratification of doing well .

Dr . Johnson knew him early and whilst he was struggling with his poverty , and always spoke as respectfully of his heart as of his talents . Goldsmith in some respects conciliated this good opinion by almost never contradicting him , and Johnson in return laughed at his oddities . Goldsmith in excuse for this Used to say , " There ' s no chance in arguing with such a man ; for , like the Tartar horsey if he does not conquer you in fronthis kick from behind is sure to

, be fatal . " In his pleasantries before Johnson , however , he had less restraint , and used to say and do many things cum privikgio . As an instance of this , whilst they were at supper one night iete ~ a-tete at the King ' s Head , Holborn , on rumps and kidneys , Johnson observed , "Sir , these ramps are pretty little things , but then a man must eat a great many of them before he fills his belly . " " Aye ,

but , " says Goldsmith , " how many of these would reach to the moon ? " "To the moon ! aye , Goldy , I fear that exceeds your calculation . " "Not at all , Sir , " says Goldsmith , " I think I could tell . " " Pray then , Sir , let us hear . " " Why one if it was long enough . " Johnson growled at this reply for some time , but at last recollecting himself" WellSirI have deserved it ; I should not

, , , have provoked so foolish art answer by so foolish a question ;" In summing up the whole of our Poet ' s character , we cannot better accomplish it than in the two following portraits of him ( one in t'erse and the other in prose ) , written by an intimate friend immediatel y after his decease ^ and . which were both esteemed faithftd likenesses : ^

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