and safe dwelling. Both were, by principle and habit, Stoics; yet Johnson with the greater merit, for he alone had very much to triumph over; further, he alone ennobled his Stoicism into Devotion. To Johnson Life was as a Prison, to be endured with heroic faith; to Hume it was little more than a foolish Bartholomew - Fair show-booth, with the foolish crowdings and elbowings of which it was not worth while to quarrel-the whole would break up and be at liberty so soon. Both realized the highest task of Manhood-that of living like men; each died, not unfitly, in his way: Hume as one with factitious, half-false gayety, taking leave of what was itself wholly but a Lie; Johnson as one with awe-struck yet resolute and piously expectant heart, taking leave of a Reality to enter a Reality still higher. Johnson had the harder problem of it, from first to last; whether, with some hesitation, we can admit that he was intrinsically the better-gifted may remain undecided. These two men now rest-the one in Westminster Abbey here, the other in the Calton Hill church-yard of Edinburgh. Through life they did not meet; as contrasts "like in unlike" love each other, so might they two have loved and communed kindly had not the terrestrial dross and darkness that was in them withstood! They were the two half-men of their time; whoso should combine the intrepid candor and decisive scientific clearness of Hume, with the Reverence, the Love, and devout Humility of Johnson, were the whole man of a new time. [See "Characteristics of the Age:" Scepticism of Hume.]

BOOKS OF REFERENCE.

Boswell's "Life of Johnson."
Stephen's "Life of Johnson," edited
by Morley in the "English Men of
Letters" Series.

Macaulay's "Life of Johnson."
Macaulay's Essay on Croker's Edition

of Boswell's "Life of Johnson." Carlyle's Essay on Boswell's "Life of Johnson."

Walpole's "Men of the Reign of
George III."

"The Cumberland Memoirs."
Albert Barnes's "Miscellaneous Es-
says."

| Hazlitt's "On the Periodical Essayists. ́
The Gentleman's Magazine, 1739-1784.
Taine's "History of English Litera-
ture."

OLIVER GOLDSMITH

(1728-1774).

PORTRAITS OF GOLDSMITH.

THE following lines were written by Mrs. Piozzi (Dr. Johnson's friend) after having seen Sir Joshua Reynolds's portrait of Goldsmith:

"From our Goldsmith's anomalous character, who
Can withhold his contempt, and his reverence too?
From a poet so polished, so paltry a fellow!
From a critic, historian, or vile Puchinello!

From a heart in which meanness had made her abode,
From a foot that each path of vulgarity trod;
From a head to invent, and a hand to adorn,
Unskill'd in the schools, a philosopher born.
By disguise undefended, by jealousy smit,
This lusus naturæ, nondescript in wit,

May best be compared to those anamorphoses
Which for lectures to ladies th' optician proposes."

PERSONAL APPEARANCE.

The general cast of Goldsmith's figure and physiog nomy was not engaging, and the impression made by his writings on the mind of a stranger was not confirmed by the external graces of their author. In stature he was somewhat under the middle size; his body was strongly built, and his limbs-as one of his biographers expresses it-were more sturdy than elegant. His forehead was low, and more prominent than is usual; his complexion pallid; his face almost round, and pitted with the small-pox. His first appearance was, therefore, by no means captivating; yet the general lineaments of his countenance bore the

stamp of intellect and exhibited traces of deep thinking; and when he grew easy and cheerful in company, he relaxed into such a display of benevolent good-humor as soon removed every unfavorable impression. His pleasantry in company, however, sometimes degenerated into buffoonery; and this circumstance, coupled with the inelegance of his person and deportment, often prevented him from appearing to so much advantage as might have been expected from his learning and genius.-WASHINGTON IRVING.

COMMENTS.

That man is a poet.-THOMAS GRAY.

No man was more foolish when he had not a pen in his hand, or more wise when he had.-DR. JOHNSON.

An inspired idiot.-HORACE Walpole.

Here lies poor Goldsmith, for shortness call'd Noll,
Who wrote like an angel, and talk'd like poor Poll.
DAVID GARRICK.

Of all solemn coxcombs, Goldsmith is the first, yet sensible -but affects to use Johnson's hard words in conversation.-DR. WARTON.

He was a friend to virtue, and in his most playful pages never forgot what was due to it. A gentleness, delicacy, and purity of feeling distinguished whatever he wrote, and bore a correspondence to the generosity of a disposition which knew no bounds but his last guinea.-SIR WALTER SCOTT.

Think of him reckless, thoughtless, vain, if you like—but merciful, gentle, generous, full of love and pity. His humor delighting us still; his song fresh and beautiful as when first he charmed it; his words in all our mouths; his very weaknesses beloved and familiar; his benevolent spirit seems still to smile on us; to do gentle kindnesses; to succor with sweet charity; to soothe, caress, and forgive; to plead with the fortunate for the unhappy and the poor.-W. M. THACKERAY.

To be the most beloved of English writers, what a title that is for a man!-Ibid.

There was in his character much to love, but little to respect. His heart was soft even to weakness; he was so generous that he quite forgot to be just; he forgave injuries so readily that he