Identifier: literaryhistoryo00brer (find matches)
Title: The literary history of the Adelphi and its neighbourhood
Year: 1909 (1900s)
Authors: Brereton, Austin, 1862-1922
Subjects: Literary landmarks -- England London English literature -- England London London (England) -- Intellectual life
Publisher: New York : Duffield
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
ble roll of greatmen.1 Her late Majesty, Queen Victoria, wasawarded the Societys medal in her jubilee year,1887. The notorious quack doctor Joshua Ward(1685-1761), who was caricatured by Hogarth,allowed the Italian sculptor, Agostino Carlini, £100a year, so that he should work on his statue for life.The impudent inventor of Friars Balsam leftthis statue to the Society of Arts. This quack,who was nicknamed Spot Ward, from a birth-mark on his cheek, was the son of a London dry-salter. His skill was so extolled by GeneralChurchill and Lord Chief Baron Reynolds, that hewas called in to prescribe for George II. Despitehis remedies —his famous drop and pill was adangerous compound of antimony—the King re-covered, and Spot Ward was solemnly voted thethanks of a credulous House of Parliament andallowed the privilege of driving his carriage throughSt Jamess Park. He tried to enter Parliament byfraud in 1717, and fled to St Germain, where he 1 London Past and Present, vol. i., pp. 71-2.120
Text Appearing After Image:
SAMUEL JOHNSON maintained himself by his universal remedies.Pardoned in 1733, he had a wonderful career inLondon, and amassed a fortune. One of the most interesting of the literaryassociations of the Adelphi is connected, in tradi-tion, with Oliver Goldsmith, and, as a matter offact, with Samuel Johnson, both of whom appearedbefore the Society of Arts. The great room ofthe Society now mentioned, says Andrew Kippis,the Nonconformist divine and biographer, at theclose of his memoir of Gilbert Cooper, in the Bio-graphia Britannica,1 was for several years the placewhere many people chose to try, or to display, theiroratorical abilities. Dr Goldsmith, I remember,made an attempt at a speech, but was obliged tosit down in confusion. I once heard Doctor John-son speak there, upon a subject relating to Mechanics,with a propriety, perspicuity, and energy whichexcited general admiration. On the other hand,we have the testimony of Boswell that Johnson didnot distinguish himself as a speaker in th

Note About Images