, genius triumphed. Pit, boxes, and galleries, were
in a constant roar of laughter. If any bigoted admirer of Kelly and
Cumberland ventured to hiss or groan, he was speedily silenced by a
general cry of "turn him out," or "throw him over." Two generations have
since confirmed the verdict which was pronounced on that night.

While Goldsmith was writing the "Deserted Village," and "She Stoops to
Conquer," he was employed on works of a very different kind, works from
which he derived little reputation but much profit. He compiled for
the use of schools a "History of Rome," by which he made 300 pounds,
a "History of England," by which he made 600 pounds, a "History of
Greece," for which he received 250 pounds, a "Natural History," for
which the booksellers covenanted to pay him 800 guineas. These works he
produced without any elaborate research, by merely selecting, abridging,
and translating into his own clear, pure, and flowing language what he
found in books well-known to the world, but too bulky or too dry for
boys and girls. He committed some strange blunders; for he knew nothing
with accuracy. Thus in his "History of England," he tells us that Naseby
is in Yorkshire; nor did he correct this mistake when the book was
reprinted. He was very nearly hoaxed into putting into the "History
of Greece" an account of the battle between Alexander the Great and
Montezuma. In his "Animated Nature" he relates, with faith and with
perfect gravity, all the most absurd lies which he could find in books
of travels about gigantic Patagonians, monkeys that preach sermons,
nightingales that repeat long conversations. "If he can tell a horse
from a cow," said Johnson, "that is the extent of his knowledge of
zoology." How little Goldsmith was qualified to write about the physical
sciences is sufficiently proved by two anecdotes. He on one occasion
denied that the sun is longer in the northern than in the southern
signs. It was vain to cite the authority of Maupertuis. "Maupertuis!" he
cried, "I understand those matters better than Maupertuis." On another
occasion he, in defiance of the evidence of his own senses, maintained
obstinately, and even angrily, that he chewed his dinner by moving his
upper jaw.

Yet, ignorant as Goldsmith was, few writers have done more to make the
first steps in the laborious road to knowledge easy and pleasant. His
compilations are widely distinguished from the compilations of ordinary
book-makers. He was a gre