CHAP. Yin.] THE CLUB AND ITS FIRST MEMBERS.
His position in the club -will be better understood, from ires.
this sketch of its leading members. He found himself, of .St. 35.
course, at a great disadvantage. The leading traits of
character which this narrative has exhibited, here, for the
most part, told against him. If, on entering it, his rank and
claims in letters had been better ascertained, more allowance
would have then been made, not alone by the Hawkinses,
but by the Beauclercs and Burkes, for awkwardness of
manners and ungainliness of aspect, for that ready credulity
which is said to be the only disadvantage of an honest man,
for a simplicity of nature that should have disarmed instead
of inviting ridicule, and for the too sensitive spirit which
small annoyances overthrew. They who have no other
means of acquiring respect than by insisting on it, will com-
monly succeed ; but Goldsmith had too many of those other
means unrecognised, and was too constantly contending for
them, to have energy to spare for that simpler method.
If he could only have arrived, where Steele was brought by
the witty yet gentle ridicule of Dick Eastcourt, at the happi-
ness of thinking nothing a diminution to him. but what argued
a depravity of his will, then might anything Beauclerc or
Hawkins could have said, of his shape, his air, his manner,
his speech, or his address, have but led to a manly enforce-
ment of more real claims.* But there was nothing in this
* The reader who is not already familiar with this wise and exquisite paper will
thank me for referring him to it in the 468th number of the Spectator. How
exquisite are the subjoined passages in thought as well as style ! "It is an
Insolence natural to the Wealthy, to affix, as much as in them lies, the
Character of a Man to his Circumstances. Thus it is ordinary with them to
praise faintly the good Qualities of those below them, and say, It is Tery extra-
ordinary in such a Man as he is, or the like, when they are forced to acknowledge
the Value of him whose Lowness upbraids their Exaltation. It is to this
Humour only, that it is to be ascribed, that a quick Wit in Conversation, a nice
Judgment upon any Emergency that could arise, and a most blameless inoffen-
sire Behaviour, could not raise this Man above being received only upon the