Daily Kennebec journal., 1907-10-17
LONDON FULL OF INTEREST.
The Haunts Of Goldsmith, David Gar.
rick, Or. johnson, and Dean Swift,

Why is it that. year after year, Lon
don, for the tired brain worker. is so
full of rest? l think that it is be-
cause it is so full of surprises. For
that which makes interesting the Lon
don which is. is the London which used
to be. For example, compare this
comfortable but unpretentious inn. the
Salisbury Hotel, OF Salisbury Square.
the city, with the luxurious Waldorf,
Of New York. How simple, compared
just off Fleet street, and in the heart of
with thar, and yet, compared with that,
in all which to u student makes de-
iightful association. lcW rich hoy: very
ricn.
Just across the court. as look from
my window, sce the spot where Diver
Goldsmith. $50 years ago, after arriv-
ing in London pcnniless, friendless and
forlorn. was employed in reading
proofs Tor Samuel Richardson. There
stood the house in which Richardson
himself, the father of the English novel,
published Pamela At the right,
and within three minutes walk of
Wh9l" SIX. is the cd st. Brides
Church. whose stceple looks down upon
me ?S l glance up from my writing
There in the middle aisle. opposite
peWS numbered l. and -, a footworn
stone records the fact that beneath it
Richardson lies buried Under the
shadow of that same St. Brides
Church, which is simply an abbrevia-
ton of st. Bridget's-once lodged John
Milton. 100 years before Goldsmith WAS
born. All Of these within an area
"fIcil could easily be covered by one
Nc'T York city block. Thus when we
realize that similar clusters Of historic
sah:1uaries are etrewn through Lon
f'"a. almost as tie milky way is trcwn
VIII; stars. We see how true /. is that
that which mak,s interesting the Lon
don which :S, is the Lcndon which used
to be.
Wonder just across Fleet street is now
''Ye Dlde Cheshire Cheese" the tavern
where Samuel Johnson was accustomed
to meet with Sir Joshua Reynolds and
David Garrick aEd Goldsmith and Bos-
well ;.nl partake with them of their
bread and ale and cheese" One min
utes distant. in Wine Office court, is
the site of Goldsmiths lodgings, wher,
Johnson, in response to an urgent note,
found him one morning arrested by
IL,
high dudgeon. informed his friend that
he had a novel, written and ready for
sale. but that his landlady would not
let him out that he might sell it. Dr.
johnson read it, sitting in the same
room where Goldsmith. in violent pas
sion. was detained 4 prisoner. Telling
the landlady that he would soon re-
turn. he went to publisher, who,
realizing its merits, paid him on the
spot for the manuscript G60 equal 10
about $500. Returning, he paid the DILL
and released Poor Nol." The pub
lisher's Judgment has been amply
vindicated. for the book proved to be
1.-The Vicar of Wakefield'
Yesterday l visited this same "Ye
Ode Cheshire Cheese" The tavern
has been left exactly as it was in by
gone days. Beneath a portrait of john
son, and marked with a brass tablet. is
the spot where he was accustomed to
sit while partaking of his frugal meal
and there also is the same table from
~:hich he ate. The waiter was explain
ing the fact, when, somewhat alb
stractedly. | asked, "And still here?"
l referred, Of course, to the table. He
thought. however. that | was inQuiring
concerning the old gentleman himself !
He smiled somewhat boiSterouely, and |
kindly informed me of his deCcase |
Then l smiled boisterously. too But |
that is one OF the charming features of |
travel in foreign country. One finds !,
SO many little surprises with which to !
amuse himself. |
| suppose that men situated in such 4 !
position as his meet with all sorts of |
tourists. and learn to anticipate all |
sorts Of foolish questions. But tour
lists are not the only ones who may oc- |
casicn merriment. Some years ago. |
here in London, the study of Dean
Swift and his writings had acquired. |
fer some reason. a special passing |
popularity. so that his name was fire.
Guently mentioned in social circles. one
of .,ociety's leaders said to a friend:
who is this Dean Swift that every
Gruy is talking about? | would like
to have him as my guest and make him
the lion at one of my receptions"
And the other answered: "Why do you
not know that he has done something
which will henceforth shut him out
from every drawing room in London"
What has he done" eagerly asked
the lady. keen for the latest scandal
And her friend answered: "Why, more
than a hundred years ago he ded -
T.,n1oO I at tor m RrooLIvp LC,o1o