Mottisfont Abbey

21^st to 28^th July 1984 (except Monday 23^rd)

Oliver Goldsmith

Oliver Goldsmith was born in Pallas, Ireland, but was of English extraction. He was the son of a farmer and clergyman who, like the toads and snakes, did not thrive in that country. The elder Mr Goldsmith’s income was scarce sufficient to allow the young Oliver a basic education and it was only through the beneficence of his wealthier relations that he was able to attend Trinity College, in the City of Dublin, where he was granted his degree. As evidence of his hunger for education (or at least his hunger), we are told that Master Goldsmith took the most menial of employments, whilst at Trinity, to supplement his income and continue his studies. Subsequently, Mister Goldsmith travelled to Edinburgh where he spent two years studying medicine, and then set off to travel Europe for nearly six years. Some might suggest that six months spent travelling Europe shows a healthy interest in Geography, whilst six years is the sign of a wastrel. Mr Goldsmith was not idle during his European sojourn, however. Apart from the likelihood that the young artist was first touched by the Muse in Vienna or Rome, it was during this period that he obtained his doctorate (The management wish to repudiate the suggestion made by Dr Goldsmith’s jealous enemies, that he never obtained a doctorate at all).

On returning to these shores, Dr Goldsmith practised his knowledge of healing, for a short while, as a humble apothecary’s assistant, but later found employment with a firm of booksellers who, it must be said, failed to appreciate his talents.

Dr Goldsmith’s literary acheivements include his famed novel, The Vicar of Wakefield, and his other plays are The Good Natured Man and The Grumbler, neither of which, alas, have enjoyed great acclaim.

Amongst his famous friends and associates is Dr Samuel Johnson, to whom tonight’s play was dedicated.

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