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6 - To the Reverend Thomas Contarine, Leiden [c. 6 May 1754]

Oliver Goldsmith
Edited by
Michael Griffin  and
David O'Shaughnessy
Michael Griffin
Affiliation:
University of Limerick
David O'Shaughnessy
Affiliation:
Trinity College Dublin
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Summary

Contrary to his claim to Percy that he had received his medical degree at the age of 20, this letter indicates that Goldsmith had not received it by the age of 26, though he clearly still had intentions of so doing. The letter also discourses upon ideas of national character and the contemporary demand for travel accounts, with which Goldsmith would later engage in his periodical and natural historical writings, and in The Traveller, or a Prospect of Society (1764). He also evokes the cosmopolitan qualities of Leiden, a major centre of medical education and commerce.

The copy-text is the manuscript in the British Library. It was first published, with some omissions, by Percy in 1801. It was addressed ‘To | The Revd Mr Thos: Contarine | [K]ilmore near | Carrick on Shannon | in | Ireland’. It is postmarked 6 May and above the postmark is recorded ‘this lettr is charg’d 1s–8d’. The portions in square brackets are worn away in the manuscript and are supplied from a contemporary copy, made by Catherine Hodson, also in the British Library.

Dr Sr Leyden

I suppose by this time I am accus’d of Either neglect or ingratitude and my silence imputed to my usual slowness of writing but believe me Sr when I say that till now I had not an opertunity of sitting down with that ease of mind, which writing requird, you may see by the top of this letter that I am at Leyden but of my Journey hither you must be inform’d. some time after the receipt of your last I embarkd for Burdeaux on board a scotch ship calld the St Andrew, CapJohn Watt Master the ship made a Tolerable apearance and as another inducement I was let to know that six agreeable passengers were to be my company, well we were but two days at sea when a Storm drove us into a Citty of England call’d Newcastle upon Tyne we all went ashoar to refresh us after the fatigue of our voyage seven men and me we were one day on shore and o[n th]e following e[ve]ning as we were all verry merry the room door bursts open enters a Serjeant and twelve Grenadiers with their bayonets screwd and put us all under the Kings arrest, it seems my company were Scotch men in the French service and had been in Scotland to enlist Soldiers for the French King.

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The Letters of Oliver Goldsmith , pp. 16 - 20
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2018

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