5 - [To Daniel Hodson], [Edinburgh, c. December 1753]

Summary

The copy-text is the manuscript in the Taylor Library at Princeton University, which consists of the lower part of a folio sheet with writing on both sides. It was first published by Balderston in 1928. Balderston notes that it was probably torn away and preserved for the signature. The recipient, not indicated on the original manuscript, was probably Dan Hodson. In Letter 1 to Hodson, Goldsmith writes in a similar tone regarding his circumstances, and there is also the shared connection to Contarine. The date is conjectural: the postscript refers to the previous letter in a way which implies that it was reasonably recent.

… share of my native assurance I shew’d my Talent and acquird the name of the facetious Irish man, I have either dined [o]r sup’d at His Graces this fortnight every second day, as I did not pretend to great things and let em into my circumstances and manner of thinking very freely they have recomended me to Mr Thos Coelehit

[…]

[al]ways sangui[ne but now I express my] ambitions—adieu

Oliver Goldsmith

I have wrote My Uncle Contarine a long letter relative to the above mentiond afair I wish you coud see it as it is much fuller than this