CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

PROJECT OF A DICTIONARY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES--DISAPPOINTMENT--NEGLIGENT AUTHORSHIP--APPLICATION FOR A PENSION--BEATTIE'S ESSAY ON TRUTH--PUBLIC ADULATION--A HIGH-MINDED REBUKE

The works which Goldsmith had still in hand being already paid for, and the money gone, some new scheme must be devised to provide for the past and the future--for impending debts which threatened to crush him, and expenses which were continually increasing. He now projected a work of greater compass than any he had yet undertaken; a Dictionary of Arts and Sciences on a comprehensive scale, which was to occupy a number of volumes. For this he received promises of assistance from several powerful hands. Johnson was to contribute an article on ethics; Burke, an abstract of his Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful, an essay on the Berkleyan system of philosophy, and others on political science; Sir Joshua Reynolds, an essay on painting; and Garrick, while he undertook on his own part to furnish an essay on acting, engaged Dr. Burney to contribute an article on music. Here was a great array of talent positively engaged, while other writers of eminence were to be sought for the various departments of science. Goldsmith was to edit the whole. An undertaking of this kind, while it did not incessantly task and exhaust his inventive powers by original composition, would give agreeable and profitable exercise to his taste and judgment in selecting, compiling, and arranging, and he calculated to diffuse over the whole the acknowledged graces of his style.

He drew up a prospectus of the plan, which is said by Bishop Percy, who saw it, to have been written with uncommon ability, and to have had that perspicuity and elegance for which his writings are remarkable. This paper, unfortunately, is no longer in existence.

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. Who had seen a prospect that had been written?
2. Did he think it was any good?
3. How did he describe it?
4. Any other adjectives?
5. Such as?
6. Can you still access it?
7. Was someone having financial issues?
8. Who?
9. An example of an issue?
10. Any others?
11. Such as?
12. What was his next attempt?
13. Was it going to be small?
14. Would anyone help him?
15. Such as?
16. In what way?
17. Who else?
18. Adding what?
19. Would he hire an editor?
20. Why not?

Numbered answers:
1. Bishop Percy
2. yes
3. written with uncommon ability
4. yes
5. elegance
6. no
7. yes
8. Goldsmith
9. impending debts
10. yes
11. expenses which were continually increasing
12. a Dictionary of Arts and Sciences
13. no
14. yes
15. Burke
16. with an abstract of his Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful
17. Sir Joshua Reynolds
18. an essay on painting
19. no
20. he was to edit the whole