he dinner, did
not go at once to the theatre, but strolled away, and rambled alone in
St. James's Park. He crept back, or, rather, was persuaded by Stevens
to come, and arrived at the opening of the fifth act. Strangely
enough, as he entered he caught the only sign of disapproval heard
that night.

_She Stoops to Conquer_, owing much to its capital central motive, is
as graceful as it is diverting. Its humour is unfailing. The
delightful force of Goldsmith's dialogue lies in entire naturalness.
The author of "The School for Scandal" creates for his comedies an
atmosphere of superheated wit and intellectualism, which, whilst
inevitably pleasing, is beyond probability. Certain novelists vaunt
and revel in the creation of impossibly vivacious wits. Nature has a
finer grace; its faithful reflection is purer art. Those true to
natural humour and the spontaneous rather than the fabricated repartee
represent a small minority. Amongst the novelists Goldsmith and Jane
Austen have few to follow them, and with the dramatists Moliere and
Pinero are almost his solitary associates. Perfectly natural are the
arguments, 'mid trips and assaults, between Mr. Burchell and Mrs.
Primrose in _The Vicar of Wakefield_, and Hastings and Mrs. Hardcastle
in _She Stoops to Conquer_. This play achieved a revolution in
dramatic presentation. It changed the course of comedy, heightened
humour, and rang like laughter round the town. It was performed as
long as there were nights to spare. In book-form it proved a great
success. In this we have the beautiful words of the dedication to Dr.
Johnson. The town was disgusted to the depths with Colman. No one will
ever pity him for the private contempt and the public derision he
brought upon himself through his mean discernment and his want of
appreciation of the very best play of the period. The press so teemed
with caustic and sarcastic epigrams at his expense that he fled for
refuge to Bath during the run of the piece, and at last begged
Goldsmith to intercede and rescue him from the scorn of the critics.
After all the worries and vexations, it is not surprising that poor
Noll should write: "I am sick of the stage!"

When it was known that the King would visit the theatre to see _She
Stoops to Conquer_, he said: "I wish he would;" and then added,
carried away by the undercurrent of pressing trials: "Not that it
would do me the least good." "Then," said Johnson, "let us hope that
it will do him good."