192 GOLDSMITH. Critical Review, who in vain remonstrated on the singu larity of the application. On entering the coffee-room, the bailiff paid his respects to him, and desired that he might have the honour of immediately attending him. They had scarcely entered Pall-Mall, in their way to his lordship, when the bailiff produced his writ. Mr. Hamil ton generously paid the amount, and redeemed the Doctor from his captivity. In 1765, he also published his beautifully simple and pathetic ballad of “ The Hermit;” and in the following year, his “Vicar of Wakefield,” which had lain in unme rited neglect in the hands of Mr. Newberry, was first printed; the established reputation of i t s author, now recommending i t t o that general perusal which i t merited, and which i t still claims from every reader o f genuine simplicity and humour. His reputation being now fully established a s a novelist, a poet, and a critic, h e turned his thoughts t o the Drama, and composed his comedy, “The Good-Natured Man,” which h e a t first offered t o Garrick, who, after a long fluctuation between doubt and encouragement, finally rejected i t . I t was therefore taken t o Covent Garden, where i t was accepted b y Mr. Colman, and presented first time, o n January 29th, 1768. This piece kept possession o f the stage for nine nights, but did not meet with that encouragement and applause which his friends had ex pected. His profits, however, together with the sale o f the copyright, produced him 500l. with which,-and some money reserved from the sale o f his “Roman History,” h e was enabled t o purchase and furnish elegantly, a spa cious set o f chambers o n the first floor, a t No. 2 , Brick court, Middle Temple. His pen was now frequently employed o n introductions and prefaces t o books compiled b y others, a s “Guthrie's History o f the World,” and Dr. Brooks's “System o f . Natural History.” I n his preface t o this latter work, h e s o f a r excelled i t s author i n the graces o f a captivating style, that the bookseller engaged him t o write a “History 1
