The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-10-19
TERMs.J Shopper year, in advai ca
Six Months 50 cents.

a peer In the literary world. If Gold
smith had lived in our time he would
have been considered almost without
| peer.
One of the saddest chapters in liter
ary history, is that of Oliver Goldsmith.
Among the poets, there are several
that are more frequently mentioned
Burns, Scott and Byron being among
the number; but Goldsmith will never
be forgotten. One never tires of read.
ing the deserted Village" or s'The
Traveller" DR.. John Hall, now de-
ceased, said: "These are two of his
finest literary productions"
Oliver Goldsmith was born in 1928.
He descended from respectable fam.
lily: his father being a Protestant cler-
gyman. Goldsmith seemed to have
inherited both virtues and weaknesses.
His family were poor. One writer says
OF them: "Their hearts were in the
right place, but their heads seemed to
have been doing every thing but what
they ought. Their life seems to have
been struggle to keep the wolf from
the door,"
That Goldsmith had remarkable lit
erary genius no one can deny. 1t is
equally true that he desired to reach
the highest point in literary success,
but his efforts did not at first meet
with the approval which they deserved.
He became easily discouraged, but
struggled on until his efforts were to
some extent rewarded; but his poverty
seemed to be constant menace.
Strange as it may seem he wrote
well when in his darkest hours of dis
couragement. The "Deserted Village"
and the "Vicar of Wakefield" seem to
have been to great extent, pictures of
his home life. He had natural talent
which liberal education would have
developed, but poverty denied him this
and he drifted into careless way, and
this was followed by intemperance and
propensity to get in debt and depend
on his friends to help him. He wrote
much that has been helpful to Others
lie went to college, but his position
there was one of servitude which
hampered his progress, and the contri-
buttons of his friends, only, enabled
him to remain there. He was COM
PEELED to borrow small sums to carry
him through, and even then had to
pawn his books.
Notwithstanding all these draw
backs, he made some progress and lived
in hopes of liquidating his indebted
ness; but it proved an incubus to what
he wished to accomplish. For three
days he lived on one shilling and was
then compelled to part with his clothes
which reduced him almost to naked
ness. He then felt hard toward the
world He was compelled to leave COL
lege and lost his inclination to study.
He was helped again and returned,
receiving the first premium for literary
merit and afterward the degree of B.
A.; but having now no legitimate home,
he drifted from place to place and
became what we would call in lam
guage more expressive than polite, "a
literary bum," amusing himself with
miscellaneous reading and do some
writing which brought him a mere
pittance. After his fathers death he
drifted from bad to worse, but in this
pitiable condition he wrote much that
has proved help to others.
In his darkest hours of poverty and
distress if he made dollar or two he
would invite some friend to dine with,
while at the same time he was in debt
for his board and about to be elected.
While many of Oliver Goldsmith's
failures are traceable to his faults; if
he had been given the chance that
some others have had he would have
made greater name for himself. It
may be said that he died an outcast.
Perhaps this is not strictly true; but at
all events Goldsmith constituted much
that has been helpful to his fellow
man, and his writings still remain
blessing and comfort to many.
BALDY.