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CHAP. xi.j GOLDSMITH IN PEACTICE AND BITKKE IN OFFICE. >
he wrote again to Column. " Do you see him ? Is he 17,55
" grateful ? is he modest ? Or, is he conceited and undone ? " * Nor could the uneasy little great actor bring himself to make his journey home, till he had privately sent on for anonymous publication at the moment of his arrival, a rhymed satirical fable in anticipation and forestalment of expected Grub- street attacks, wherein he humbly depicted himself as The Sick Monkey, and the whole race of other animals as railing at the monkey and his travels. But it was labour all thrown away. The finessing and trick were of no use, the hearts of Ms admirers being already securely his without such miserable help.f Grub-street, when he came, showed no sign of dis- composure ; and there was but one desire in London and Westminster to see their favourite actor again.
Let us not be surprised if these intolerable vanities and self-
distrusts weighed, with contemporaries of his own grade, against the better qualities of this delightful man, and pressed down the scale. Johnson loved him, but could not always show it for hatred of his foppery; Goldsmith admired him, yet was always ready to join in any scheme for his mortification and annoyance. Two things had been done in his absence to which he addressed himself with great anxiety on his return. The Covent Garden actors had established a voluntary benefit-subscription, to relieve their poorer fellows in distress ; and, jealous of such a proposal without previous consultation with himself, he was now throwing all his energy into a similar fund at Drury Lane, which should excel and over-rule the other. Without him, too, the club had been established; but as he could not
* Letter dated 7th April 1765. Peake's Memoirs, i. 149-50.
f " Though secure of our hearts, yet confoundedly sick,
If they were not his own by finessing and trick." Retaliation.
See Murphy's Life, ii. 14, and Davies, ii. 332.
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