publisher, George Kearsly, by "a friend of the late Doctor Goldsmith," with an intimation that it was a transcript of an original in "the Doctor's own handwriting." "It is a striking proof of Doctor Goldsmith's good-nature," said the sender, glancing, we may suppose, at Whitefoord's performance. "I saw this sheet of paper in the Doctor's room, five or six days before he died; and, as I had got all the other Epitaphs, I asked him if I might take it. "_In truth you may, my Boy_ (replied he), _for it will be of no use to me where I am going_." Note: [81] Hewins's _Whitefoord Papers_, 1898, p. xxvii. ff., where the first four lines of twelve are given. They run-- Noll Goldsmith lies here, as famous for writing As his namesake old Noll was for praying and fighting, In friends he was rich, tho' not loaded with Pelf; He spoke well of them, and thought well of himself. The lines--there are twenty-eight of them--speak of Whitefoord as, among other things, a Rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun! Who relish'd a joke, and rejoic'd in a pun;[82] Whose temper was generous, open, sincere; A stranger to flatt'ry, a stranger to fear; Who scatter'd around wit and humour at will, Whose daily _bons mots_ half a column would fill; A Scotchman, from pride and from prejudice free, A scholar, yet surely no pedant was he. What pity, alas! that so lib'ral a mind Should so long be to news-paper-essays confin'd! Who perhaps to the summit of science could soar, Yet content "if the table he set on a roar"; Whose talents to fill any station were fit, Yet happy if _Woodfall_ confess'd him a wit. Note: [82] "Mr, W."--says a note to the fifth edition--"is so notorious a punster, that Doctor Goldsmith used to say, it was impossible to keep him company, without being infected with the _itch_ of _punning_." Yet Johnson endured him, and apparently liked him, though he had the additional disqualification of being a North Briton. The "servile herd" of "tame imitators"--the "news-paper witlings" and "pert scribbling folks"--were further requested to visit his tomb-- To deck it, bring with you festoons of the vine, And copious libations bestow on his shrine; Then strew all around it (you can do no less) _Cross-readings, Ship-news_, and _Mistakes_ of the _Press_.