having at this period formed an imprudent female attachment; which, but for interposition of some of his friends, was likely to have terminated in marriage.

One of the qualifications which ensured popularity among fellow-students, but often dangerous to the possessor from the temptations to which it leads, was the talent of singing a good song. His voice, naturally tolerable, acquired more power by cultivation, and by a little taste and skilful management became very agreeable. In London, to a late period of life, he amused his friends with Irish songs, exhibiting much of the peculiar humour of his country. A taste for music formed an additional recommendation, though perhaps with no considerable knowledge of it as a science.* He played tolerably well on the German flute; it is recorded that even at this time whenever vexed by temporary annoyances he had recourse to this instrument, and blew it with a kind of mechanical vehemence till his equanimity of temper returned.

Early in 1747, his father, whose character he took pleasure in sketching in several of his productions, died; the induction of his successor, the Rev. Mr. Wynne, taking place in the March of that year. The wealth of the family, never as we have seen great, or as he himself hints, well husbanded, necessarily suffered a serious diminution:

* See "Of the Opera in England," "Schools of Music," Works, vol. i., and various passages in his writings.

the means of the widow were little more than sufficient to provide the necessaries of life for the other branches of her family; remittances to Oliver therefore ceased, and his prospects became darker than ever. In this situation it would have been necessary to have withdrawn from college, but for the occasional contributions of friends, among whom his uncle Contarine formed the principal; these were from their nature limited, and perhaps irregular. His difficulties were consequently considerable, during the whole of his subsequent stay in the university, and no doubt often occasioned that state of "squalid poverty" of which Dr. Wilson speaks. In this situation a constitutional buoyancy or, as he phrases it in another place, "a knack at hoping," kept him from despair; but, when combined with the reproaches of his tutor, rendered frequent despondency and depression unavoidable. Under such circumstances, he was more than once driven to the necessity of pawning his books, until the stated supply arrived, or some friendly hand interposed to release them; when on such emergencies Beatty would lend him others for the purposes of study. The disposal of the books coming to the knowledge of the tutor, he, in addition to bitter taunts and reprehension, said that he was like the silly fellow in Horace Mutat quadrata

rotundis.

There is, we are assured, no stimulus to inge

* Communicated by his son, the Rev. Mr. Beatty.

nuity like distress. Goldsmith was now taught for the first time to draw upon his resources in a mode which, however beneath the dignity, was not inappropriate to the calling of the future poet. This was the composition of street ballads, to which Beatty* knew him frequently to resort when in want of small sums for present exigencies. The price of these was five shillings each, and all that he wrote found a ready sale at a shop known as the sign of the Rein-deer, in Mountrath Street. None of the names of these verses were recollected at the time Mr. Beatty related the fact to his friends, but popular occurrences commonly supplied the subjects. Poor as they may be supposed to have been in character, from the remuneration received, and the class for whom intended, he is said to have exhibited for his offspring all the partiality of a parent, by strolling the streets at night to hear them sung, and marking the degree of applause which each received from the auditors.

* Communicated by his son, the Rev. Mr. Beatty.

+ Mr. Crofton Croker is now making an extensive collection of the ballads of Ireland; and it is just possible that by peculiar allusion or phraseology, something of Goldsmith may be detected.

CHAP. III.

RIOT OF THE STUDENTS.-SENTENCE UPON GOLDSMITH AND OTHERS.ABSENTS HIMSELF FROM THE UNIVERSITY.ANECDOTES.-TAKES THE DEGREE OF B.A.-HIS FATHER.

In May, 1747, a riot of the students of Trinity College in which he took part, had nearly involved him in more serious difficulties than any yet experienced, although his tutor* (for such was the character of this gentleman) was said to have encouraged privately what he was afterwards. called upon to punish in his corporate capacity. A few of the particulars are given by Dr. Wilson, in the postscript to the letter to Malone already quoted :

"Several scholars were expelled for raising a sedition and riot in the city of Dublin. 'Twas occasioned by a report that a scholar had been arrested in Fleet Street. To revenge this supposed insult, a numerous body of scholars rushed into town under the command of Gallows Walsh,— who in those days was controller-general of riots,explored the dens of the bailiffs, conducted the prisoners in triumph to the college, and pumped

* Communicated by Mr. Webbe, author of "Travels on the Rhine, in Switzerland, and Italy."

them soundly in the old cistern. In those days of primitive simplicity, the pumping of constables was a very fashionable amusement. The commander then proposed breaking open Newgate, and making a general jail delivery. The enterprise was attempted, but failed for want of cannon. Roe, who was the constable of the castle, and was well supplied with artillery, repulsed the assailants; and some townsmen, whose curiosity induced them to become spectators of this futile attempt, were killed in the action.

"Goldsmith, though not a principal, was present at the transaction, and was publicly admonished for aiding and abetting the riot,-in the words of the sentence, quod seditioni favisset et tumultuantibus opem tulisset."

In a portion of the juvenile correspondence of Edmund Burke lately discovered, and of which the writer has to regret he had not the use on a previous occasion, another account of this transaction appears, written by a fellow-student, afterwards the Rev. William Dennis, LL.D., Rector of Dunmore in the diocese of Tuam.* This gentleman was, with a few youthful friends in college named Hamilton, Mohun, Buck, Brennan, and one or two more, a member of the debating society formed by Burke-private in its nature, and

* To this was added that of Clare and Clonshambo, in the diocese of Kildare, through the interest of Burke. The correspondence is in the hands of his grandson, Mr. W. Crawford, now a member of the English Bar, and to whom I am indebted for the perusal of this and many more letters.