Sir Ernest Clarke's paper, read before the Bibliographical Society in October 1917, centers on a cache of Oliver Goldsmith's letters preserved by Bishop Thomas Percy. Clarke frames his analysis not as a new biography but as an examination of 'side-lights of some literary interest and value' afforded by these documents. The letters, written to family members and old friends in Ireland, become the basis for observations about Goldsmith's 'warmth of his affections and the simplicity of his typically Irish character.' Clarke's approach is methodical: he organizes the correspondence by recipient, tracing the relationships and the glimpses they offer into Goldsmith's personal life.

The Percy Connection

Clarke emphasizes that Thomas Percy, the editor of the Reliques of Ancient Poetry, was 'almost an exact contemporary' of Goldsmith, born just months apart. Their first meeting occurred in February 1759 at the Temple Exchange Coffee House. Percy preserved a 'large quantity of original letters' that had 'apparently remained unexplored since his death in 1811.' Clarke's access to these papers came through Percy's great-granddaughter, allowing the Society to inspect the originals. The letters are not merely personal artifacts; they are part of a larger collection that also included notes on Shakespeare and other subjects. Clarke's discovery of these documents arose from earlier research on Chatterton, indicating the breadth of Percy's archive.

Goldsmith's Voice in the Letters

The excerpts reveal Goldsmith's characteristic diction and emotional directness. In a letter to his cousin Mrs. Lawder, he writes of her father, 'he is no more that soul of fire as when I once knew him,' adding that 'the richest jewels soonest wear their settings.' This metaphor, drawn from material objects, reflects a habit of mind that turns concrete images into emotional commentary. Elsewhere, Goldsmith asks for news of his family: 'Tell me about my mother, my brother Hodson and his son... what is become of them, where they live and what they do.' The repetition of 'what' and the simple syntax convey urgency and affection without sentimentality. Clarke notes that such passages illustrate 'the warmth of his affections' through direct, unadorned language.

Financial Strains and Generosity

Clarke includes an anecdote from Percy's manuscript about Goldsmith's purchase of 'costly flower roots' for his uncle Contarine while in Leyden, despite having so little money that he 'set out on his travels with only one clean shirt.' This incident, preserved in the memoir, shows a pattern of impulsive generosity that recurs in the letters. When Contarine died, leaving Goldsmith a legacy of £15, Goldsmith made it over to his brother Maurice, writing that 'the kindness of that good couple to our poor shattered family demands our sincerest gratitude.' The phrase 'poor shattered family' hints at the Goldsmiths' financial instability, a context that makes Oliver's gesture more poignant. Clarke uses such details to build a portrait of a man whose affections often overrode his own precarious circumstances.

The Fate of the Correspondents

Clarke does not shy from the tragic outcomes that befell some of Goldsmith's correspondents. Mrs. Lawder's husband was 'treacherously murdered by his servants and labourers,' who stole plate and money; six were executed for the crime. Mrs. Lawder herself 'narrowly escaped being murdered also' and died in Dublin around 1790. These stark facts, drawn from Prior's biography, contrast sharply with the affectionate tone of Goldsmith's letters. Clarke's inclusion of such details grounds the correspondence in a harsh reality, reminding readers that the recipients of these warm letters lived through violence and loss. The letters themselves, however, remain focused on family bonds and personal news, offering a counterpoint to the tragedies that surrounded their writers.

Clarke's paper is valuable not for grand revelations but for the texture it adds to Goldsmith's known biography. The letters, preserved by chance and examined with scholarly care, allow readers to hear Goldsmith's voice in moments of private affection. Readers interested in the man behind the literary figure will find here a focused, evidence-based portrait that avoids speculation. The paper rewards attention to its specific observations about language, relationship, and circumstance.