The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-08-25
Peouliarities of Distinguished Men.


At certain country inn, in England,
where the landlord had more than once
been furnished with ocular proof of
Johnson's eccentricities, and where
Boswell happened to be, the latter
CHANGING to mention Johnson's name,
IA practice almost habitual with HIM,
i'mine host' involuntarily commenced
snickering, when Boswell inquired of
him if he knew Doctor johnson. Re
plying in the affirmative, he was asked
by Boswell his opinion of the great
man. "Why, sir" said the landlord,
"folks say he is the greatest writer in
England, and, hereabouts, he goes by
the name of 'Oddity.'"
AS if instinctively, the next distin-
guished individual we think of, and
whose image presents itself to our
"mind's eye," is "magnanimous Gold
smith," in whose "peculiarities" diff
dence and strange sort of simplicity
predomiDated to an extent probably
never before seen in so remarkable a
man. Boswell, indeed, fails not to in
sinuate that Goldsmith was sadly lack
ing in conversation-indeed we have it
on the authority of Garrick that, while
'he wrote like an angel, he spoke like
pOOI w ullO SLupiu SIlChlClo lOl
mere common sense, therefore, and
rattling discoursers, would be apt to
recognize in Goldsmith's conversation
nothing worthy so celebrated a man,
it took the more appreciative among
bis countrymen to comprehend that a
niche, next to the very highest in
Fame's temple, was destined for this
most exquisite and sentimental of
poets. Goldsmith's remarkable physi-
Ognomy, In itself, constituted one of
his chief peculiarities, entirely wanting,
as it seems to have been, in dignity,
comeliness, and intellectual expression.
This his most enthusiastic admirers of
both sexes (amoug his cotemporaries)
reluctantly admit-and that this per-
sonal deficiency constantly preyed upon
poor Goldsmith's mind, there can
scarcely be doubt.
This unfortunate "peculiarity" was,
undoubtedly, next of kin to another
the two stood in the relation, most
likely, of cause and effect-which latter
popularity, to say the very least, rem
dered the poet a legitimate cause OF
merriment, even among his most dis
tinguished literary friends and ad-
mirers. We refer to his well-known
prediction for affecting the fop in the
matter of dress, whenever his means
would enable him to do it. So, on oc-
casion of distinguished party of liter
ary men (of course including Johnson,
Burke, Garrick and others) assembling
at the house of Sir Joshua Reynolds,
Goldsmith had provided himself with a
new suit of clothes, of a style, material
and color purple, we believe,) calcu-
lated to astonish the beholders. On
| hfu 70, TAChnaIo h. V,nhla-
man of his acquaintance, who, not
recognizing him in his new attire,
passed on without speaking. Arrived
at Sir Joshua's, and, after hearty well
come on the part of the distinguished
company, Goldsmith was ever a favor
ite among them), Garrick at once laid
hold of the author of the "Traveler,n ,n
and exhibited all his points and ap'
pOintments before the company in 8
manner in which he (Garrick) alone
was capable, the hilarity of the guests
became obstreperous. But, after his in.
PRODUCTION to the company by Garrick
and when Goldsmith, with a hurt anC
exceedingly mortified look, remarked
that he had 'just met Lord c., and that
he had taken no more notice of hin
than if he had been a common man.
the merriment of the company knew M
bounds. 1t was at this crisis when thu
nOble-hearted Johnson broke in witt
the remark "a remark which did hin
so much honor, and Goldsmith so much
justice), "Sir, Lord G. ought to hav,
made up to such a man as Doctor Gold
smith," The latter's wounded vanity
(for vanity may be mentioned a
another of Goldsmith's peculiarities)
was doubtless fully appeased by thi
plimentary speech so happily ant
gracefully timed by Johnson, who com
pretended Goldsmith's true characte
to hair. Observation-Disclosures result
ing in a chaotic confusion of ideas, was
unquestionably, one of Goldsmith
most striking peculiarities. No maj
sooner than Goldsmith, Ito use a SLAM
phrase), "lost his head" For instance
on a certain occasion while taking din
ner at friends house, and observing
dish of peas in his neighborhood, Nv
doubt not they were as green as the,
ought to be), he became at once bi
with pun, and, choosing to conside
the peas before him any color bu
green, loudly exclaimed to "mine host,
"Why, these peas, my friend, are no
green. Send them to Make EN- Green,
meaning, of course, place in the vi
cinity of London called "Turn eT
Green" The visitors all stared; an
3 how poor "Goldy" looked under th
circumstances we have never heard.