His further career must be rapidly abridged. After much compiling for Newberry, which in cluded an excellent 'History of England' in letters, he published, in December 1764, his first long poem, 'The Traveller ; or, a Prospect of Society.' Its sweetness of versification, its simple language and the beauty of its descrip tions at once distinguished it as the best poem since the death of Pope. Its popularity drew attention to its writer's other work, and a volume of his collected essays followed in 1765. Upon these came 'The Vicar of Wake fiel,' 1766. Its success, strange to say, was only gradual, but it continues to this day; and its inimitable types, its happy mingling of Chris tianity and character, its wholesome benevo lence and practical wisdom are not likely to be forgotten. The Primrose family are citizens of the world.
Goldsmith's next triumph was on the stage. In January 1768 he managed, after many vexa tions, to get a play produced at Covent Gar den. This was 'The Good Natur'd Man,' in which he attempted to combat the insipid °gen teel° comedy made popular by French models and the novels of Richardson. His efforts were only partially successful, though his profits were sufficient to enable him to move into fresh chambers in the Temple, ence, in a maze of miscellaneous Thook-bu ing,° he sent forth, in May 1770, another a still more beautiful descriptive poem, 'The Deserted Village.' It was received with enthusiasm, and speedily ran through three editions. Three years later, though always hampered with task-work, he crowned his achievements with the comedy of 'She Stoops to Conquer.' In the interval which had elapsed since The Good Natur'd Man,' ((genteel° comedy had passed into the °senti mental° stage. But Goldsmith's bustling piece, skilful in construction and brimming with humor and character, gave a knock-down blow to the lachrymose drama, which was eventually dispatched by Sheridan. A few months later, in April 1774, Goldsmith died, and was buried in the Temple burying-ground. The Literary Club, to which he had belonged, erected a tablet to him in Westminster Abbey, with a well-known epitaph by Johnson. 'Retaliation' and the
'Haunch of Venison,' two of the happiest of his lighter p tical efforts, were published post humously.
Goldsmit had many weaknesses. He had few physical advantages; and he was both sen sitive and self-conscious. But he had the best heart in the world. "Let not his frailties be remembered,° said his rugged old mentor, Johnson; the was a very great man.° He was also a very great writer. To have died at 46, after 30 years of purposeless "eddying round and round,° the author of two admirable didactic poems, an unique novel and a comedy which still holds the boards, to say nothing of his essays and familiar verse, which are models in their way, is certainly to deserve a high position in the work of his century—a position which he retains to-day in virtue of his sim plicity, his kindliness, his humor and the in definable gift of genius. See SHE SitioPs TO CONQUER; VICAR OF WAKEFIELD ; DESERTED VIL LAGE, THE; TRAVELLER, THE.
Bibliography.— Goldsmith's life has been written by Prior (1837) ; Forster (1848-71) ; Washington Irving (1844-49) ; William Black, (English Men of Letters' (1878) ; and Aus tin Dobson, (Great Writers' (1888; revised American ed., 1899). His "miscellaneous works" were first published in four vohimes (1801), with the so-called (Percy Memoir.' Then, in 1820, came a "trade edition," followed by Prior (1837), and Cunningham (1854-55). The fullest modern edition is that of Gibbs in
Standard Library) (5 vols., 1885•86). There are editions of the poem by Mitford (Aldine series' (1831-95) ; Bolton Corney (1845), and in the