We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 December 2024
Exasperated at Colman's dithering over his comedy, Goldsmith sent a copy to David Garrick, manager of the rival patent theatre, Drury Lane. After discussing this move with the ‘sensible friend’ noted in the letter, he soon repented this fit of pique and requested the return of the manuscript. The identity of the ‘sensible friend’ is unknown, although Johnson must be a very likely candidate; Joseph Cradock and Arthur Murphy, both of whom contributed epilogues, are also possibilities.
The copy-text is the manuscript in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. It was first published in James Boaden, The Private Correspondence of David Garrick with the Most Celebrated Persons of his Time, 2 vols. (London: Henry Colburn, 1835), I: 527. It is addressed, ‘To | David Garrick Esqr. | Adelphi.’ and is endorsed in Garrick's hand ‘Dr. Goldsmith's about his play’. The letter is dated 6 February by Boaden but nothing on the manuscript corroborates the date.
Dear Sir
I ask you many pardons for the trouble I gave you of yesterday. Upon more mature deliberation and the advice of a sensible friend I begin to think it indelicate in me to throw upon you the odium of confirming Mr. Colman's sentence. I therefore request you will send my play by my servant back, for having been assured of having it acted at the other house, tho’ I confess yours in every respect more to my wish, yet it would be folly in me to forego an advantage which lies in my power of appealing from Mr. Colman's opinion to the judgement of the town.1 I entreat, if not too late, you will keep the affair a secret for some time. I am Dear Sir
Your very humble servant
Oliver Goldsmith.To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
