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in the attic story of the college to some gay youths and damsels from the
city。
While Oliver was leading at Dublin a life divided between squalid
distress and squalid dissipation； his father died； leaving a mere pittance。
The youth obtained his bachelor's degree； and left the university。 During
some time the humble dwelling to which his widowed mother had retired
was his home。 He was now in his twenty…first year； it was necessary that
he should do something； and his education seemed to have fitted him to do
nothing but to dress himself in gaudy colours； of which he was as fond as
a magpie； to take a hand at cards； to sing Irish airs； to play the flute； to
angle in summer； and to tell ghost stories by the fire in winter。 He tried
five or six professions in turn without success。 He applied for ordination；
but； as he applied in scarlet clothes； he was speedily turned out of the
episcopal palace。 He then became tutor in an opulent family； but soon
quitted his situation in consequence of a dispute about play。 Then he
determined to emigrate to America。 His relations； with much satisfaction；
saw him set out for Cork on a good horse with thirty pounds in his pocket。
But in six weeks he came back on a miserable hack； without a penny； and
informed his mother that the ship in which he had taken his passage；
having got a fair wind while he was at a party of pleasure； had sailed
without him。 Then he resolved to study the law。 A generous kinsman
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
advanced fifty pounds。 With this sum Goldsmith went to Dublin； was
enticed into a gaming house； and lost every shilling。 He then thought of
medicine。 A small purse was made up； and in his twenty…fourth year he
was sent to Edinburgh。 At Edinburgh he passed eighteen months in
nominal attendance on lectures； and picked up some superficial
information about chemistry and natural history。 Thence he went to
Leyden； still pretending to study physic。 He left that celebrated university；
the third university at which he had resided； in his twenty…seventh year；
without a degree； with the merest smattering of medical knowledge； and
with no property but his clothes and his flute。 His flute； however； proved a
useful friend。 He rambled on foot through Flanders； France； and
Switzerland； playing tunes which everywhere set the peasantry dancing；
and which often procured for him a supper and a bed。 He wandered as far
as Italy。 His musical performances； indeed； were not to the taste of the
Italians； but he contrived to live on the alms which he obtained at the gates
of the convents。 It should； however； be observed that the stories which he
told about this part of his life ought to be received with great caution； for
strict veracity was never one of his virtues； and a man who is ordinarily
inaccurate in narration is likely to be more than ordinarily inaccurate when
he talks about his own travels。 Goldsmith； indeed； was so regardless of
truth as to assert in print that he was present at a most interesting
conversation between Voltaire and Fontenelle； and that this conversation
took place at Paris。 Now it is certain that Voltaire never was within a
hundred leagues of Paris during the whole time which Goldsmith passed
on the Continent。
In 1756 the wanderer landed at Dover； without a shilling； without a
friend； and without a calling。 He had； indeed； if his own unsupported
evidence may be trusted； obtained from the University of Padua a doctor's
degree； but this dignity proved utterly useless to him。 In England his flute
was not in request： there were no convents； and he was forced to have
recourse to a series of desperate expedients。 He turned strolling player； but
his face and figure were ill suited to the boards even of the humblest
theatre。 He pounded drugs and ran about London with phials for charitable
chemists。 He joined a swarm of beggars； which made its nest in Axe Yard。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
He was for a time usher of a school； and felt the miseries and humiliations
of this situation so keenly that he thought it a promotion to be permitted to
earn his bread as a bookseller's hack； but he soon found the new yoke
more galling than the old one； and was glad to become an usher again。 He
obtained a medical appointment in the service of the East India Company；
but the appointment was speedily revoked。 Why it was revoked we are not
told。 The subject was one on which he never liked to talk。 It is probable
that he was incompetent to perform the duties of the place。 Then he
presented himself at Surgeon's Hall for examination； as mate to a naval
hospital。 Even to so humble a post he was found unequal。 By this time the
schoolmaster whom he had served for a morsel of food and the third part
of a bed was no more。 Nothing remained but to return to the lowest
drudgery of literature。 Goldsmith took a garret in a miserable court； to
which he had to climb from the brink of Fleet Ditch by a dizzy ladder of
flagstones called Breakneck Steps。 The court and the ascent have long
disappeared； but old Londoners will remember both。 （A gentleman； who
states that he has known the neighbourhood for thirty years； corrects this
account； and informs the present publisher that the Breakneck Steps；
thirty…two in number； divided into two flights； are still in existence； and
that； according to tradition； Goldsmith's house was not on the steps； but
was the first house at the head of the court； on the left hand； going from
the Old Bailey。 See 〃Notes and Queries〃 （2d。 S。 ix。 280）。） Here； at thirty；
the unlucky adventurer sat down to toil like a galley slave。
In the succeeding six years he sent to the press some things which
have survived and many which have perished。 He produced articles for
reviews； magazines； and newspapers； children's books which； bound in
gilt paper and adorned with hideous woodcuts； appeared in the window of
the once far…famed shop at the corner of Saint Paul's Churchyard； 〃An
Inquiry into the State of Polite Learning in Europe；〃 which； though of little
or no value； is still reprinted among his works； a 〃Life of Beau Nash；〃
which is not reprinted； though it well deserves to be so （Mr Black has
pointed out that this is inaccurate： the life of Nash has been twice reprinted；
once in Mr Prior's edition （vol。 iii。 p。 249）； and once in Mr Cunningham's
edition （vol。 iv。 p。 35）。）； a superficial and incorrect； but very readable；
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
〃History of England；〃 in a series of letters purporting to be addressed by a
nobleman to his son； and some very lively and amusing 〃Sketches of
London Society；〃 in a series of letters purporting to be addressed by a
Chinese traveller to his friends。 All these works were anonymous； but
some of them were well…known to be Goldsmith's； and he gradually rose
in the estimation of the booksellers for whom he drudged。 He was； indeed；
emphatically a popular writer。 For accurate research or grave disquisition
he was not well qualified by nature or by education。 He knew nothing
accurately： his reading had been desultory； nor had he meditated deeply on
what he had read。 He had seen much of the world； but he had noticed and
retained little more of what he had seen than some grotesque incidents and
characters which had happened to strike his fancy。 But； though his mind
was very scantily stored with materials； he used what materials he had in
such a way as to produce a wonderful effect。 There have been many
greater writers； but perhaps no writer was ever more uniformly agreeab