He was at
first very angry, as he had good reason to be. But, upon consideration
of his poor friend's narrow circumstances, and that he had only a little
profit in view, and meant no harm, he soon relented, and continued his
kindness to him as formerly.
In the course of his self-examination with retrospect to this year, he
seems to have been much dejected; for he says, January 1, 1774, 'This
year has passed with so little improvement, that I doubt whether I have
not rather impaired than increased my learning'; and yet we have seen
how he READ, and we know how he TALKED during that period.
He was now seriously engaged in writing an account of our travels in the
Hebrides, in consequence of which I had the pleasure of a more frequent
correspondence with him.
'TO BENNET LANGTON, ESQ., AT LANGTON, NEAR SPILSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE.
'DEAR SIR,--You have reason to reproach me that I have left your
last letter so long unanswered, but I had nothing particular to say.
Chambers, you find, is gone far, and poor Goldsmith is gone much
further.
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