CHAP, ix.] THE ARREST AND WHAT PRECEDED IT.
Christian Magazine* What were not unusual in the
previous year, as cash advances of one, two, and even four and
five guineas, from the publisher, have now dwindled down to
" shillings " and " half-crowns;" and it is matter of doubt
whether Newbery, to satisfy outstanding claims, did not
engage him for some part of his time in work for his
juvenile library. The author of Caleb Williams, who had
been a child's publisher himself, had always a strong persua-
sion that Goldsmith wrote Goody Two Shoes (an ingenious
living critic has claimed Tom Hickathrift for Fielding); f
and if so, the effort belongs to the present year; for Mrs.
Margery, radiant with gold and ginger-bread, and rich in
pictures as extravagantly ill-drawn as they are dear and well-
remembered, made her appearance at Christmas. Other aid
was also sought to eke out that of Newbery; and a sum of
Brought forward £2 17 11$
June 8. 4 Shirts, 4 neckcloths, 1 pair stockings, 1 cap . 0 1 74
1 Pair stockings, mending . . ..001
22. 4 Shirts, 4 neckcloths, 4 pair stockings . . 0 1 10
; . . 3 Pair stockings, mending . . ..003
For cloth and wristing a shirt . . .006
To 3 months' board, from March 29 to June 29 .1210 0
15 12 3
" OLIVER GOIDSMITH." ------------
* For this, the Life of Christ and Lives of the Fathers, before referred to, appear
to have been translated ; Goldsmith receiving 211. for the task -work.
i" There will perhaps be no harm in now saying that the critic to whom I here
referred is Mr. Thackeray. Yet (such are the differences of taste !) Mr. G. S. Carey,
author of Chrononhotonthologos, thus writes to Garrick three years after the present
date. " I had rather they had laid the History of Tom Hickathrift to my charge,
•'' than to say I was the author of The Theatrical Monitor ; for, in my opinion, there
"was never published anything more puerile, invidious, and exceptionable." Garrick
Correspondence, i. 276. It may not be out of place to add, that Johnson thought
the Tommy Prudent and Goody Two Shoes class of children's books too childish.
" Babies do not want," he said to Mrs. Thrale, when he saw these books of New-
bery's in her nursery, "to hear about babies. They like to be told of giants and
" castles, and of somewhat which can stretch and stimulate their little minds."
(Mrs. Piozzi's Anecdotes, 16.) He would therefore have been more disposed to agree
with Mr. Thackeray than with Mr. Carey on the merits of Tom Hickathrift, that
redoubtable giant; and such, I must confess, is also my inclining.
B B 2