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CHAP. IV.] THE CITIZEN OF THE WORLD.

himself, of dinner engagements fourteen deep; even while lie 1760.
declared the way to fame to be like that to heaven, through Jit. 32.
much tribulation, and described himself, in the midst of his
triumphs, " attacked and pelted from cellar and garret."
Perhaps he referred to Goldsmith, from whose garret in
Green Arbour Court the first heavy blow was levelled at
him; but there were other assailants, as active though less
avowed, in cellars of Arlington-street and garrets of Straw-
berry-hill. Walpole may yet more easily be forgiven than
Goldsmith in such a case. The attack in the Citizen of the
World was aimed, it is true, where the work was most
vulnerable; * and it was not ill done to protest against the
indecency and affectation, which doubtless had largely con-
tributed to the so sudden popularity, as they found promptest
imitators;—but the humour and wit ought surely to have been
admitted; and if the wisdom and charity of an uncle Toby,
a Mr. Shandy, or a corporal Trim, might anywhere have
claimed frank and immediate recognition, it should have
been in that series of essays which Beau Tibbs and the
Man in Black have helped to make immortal.

Most charming are these two characters. Addison would

" the two future volumes with pleasure. Have you read his sermons (with his
" own comic figure at the head of them) ? They are in the style, I think, most
" proper for the pulpit, and show a very strong imagination and a sensible heart.
" But you see him often tottering on the verge of laughter, and ready to throw his
" periwig in the face of his audience." iii. 251.

* "If a bawdy blockhead thus breaks in on the community, he sets his whole
'' fraternity in a roar; nor can he escape, even though he should fly to the nobility for
" shelter." Citizen of the World, Letter Lsxv. The sarcasm of this may be forgiven,
since Goldsmith showed always an honest and high-minded dislike of all coarseness,
all approach to even sensual allusions, in his own writings ; but why blockhead ?
except indeed in the sense that the man who resorts to such, may be held so far
to open himself to the imputation expressed by Eoseommon's couplet, so often
given to Pope,—

'' Immodest words admit of no defence,
For want of decency is want of sense."



	CHAP. IV.] THE CITIZEN OF THE WORLD. himself, of dinner engagements fourteen deep; even while lie 1760. declared the way to fame to be like that to heaven, through Jit. 32. much tribulation, and described himself, in the midst of his triumphs, " attacked and pelted from cellar and garret." Perhaps he referred to Goldsmith, from whose garret in Green Arbour Court the first heavy blow was levelled at him; but there were other assailants, as active though less avowed, in cellars of Arlington-street and garrets of Straw- berry-hill. Walpole may yet more easily be forgiven than Goldsmith in such a case. The attack in the Citizen of the World was aimed, it is true, where the work was most vulnerable; * and it was not ill done to protest against the indecency and affectation, which doubtless had largely con- tributed to the so sudden popularity, as they found promptest imitators;—but the humour and wit ought surely to have been admitted; and if the wisdom and charity of an uncle Toby, a Mr. Shandy, or a corporal Trim, might anywhere have claimed frank and immediate recognition, it should have been in that series of essays which Beau Tibbs and the Man in Black have helped to make immortal. Most charming are these two characters. Addison would

	" the two future volumes with pleasure. Have you read his sermons (with his " own comic figure at the head of them) ? They are in the style, I think, most " proper for the pulpit, and show a very strong imagination and a sensible heart. " But you see him often tottering on the verge of laughter, and ready to throw his " periwig in the face of his audience." iii. 251. * "If a bawdy blockhead thus breaks in on the community, he sets his whole '' fraternity in a roar; nor can he escape, even though he should fly to the nobility for " shelter." Citizen of the World, Letter Lsxv. The sarcasm of this may be forgiven, since Goldsmith showed always an honest and high-minded dislike of all coarseness, all approach to even sensual allusions, in his own writings ; but why blockhead ? except indeed in the sense that the man who resorts to such, may be held so far to open himself to the imputation expressed by Eoseommon's couplet, so often given to Pope,— '' Immodest words admit of no defence, For want of decency is want of sense."