_Goldsmith's "Poetical Dictionary."_--It has not been noticed by any of
Goldsmith's biographers that, in addition to _The Art of Poetry_, in 2
vols. 12mo., 1762, published by Newbery, and _The Beauties of the English
Poets_, in 2 vols. 12mo., 1767, published by Griffin, he also edited for
Newbery an useful work entitled _A Poetical Dictionary, or the Beauties of
the English Poets alphabetically displayed_, in 4 vols., 1761, 12mo. The
Preface is evidently written by Goldsmith, and with his usual elegance and
spirit, and the selection which follows is one of the best which has ever
yet been made. It certainly deserves more notice than it seems hitherto to
have received; and were it only that it contains Goldsmith's favourite
passages, and may possibly have been a preparation and incentive to the
composition of the _Traveller_ and the _Deserted Village_, it ought not to
be forgotten in the list of his compilations. In examining it I have
frequently been struck by the appearance of lines and passages, and
sometimes epithets, which were evidently in Goldsmith's mind when he wrote
his two beautiful poems. Some, but not all, have been quoted as parallel
passages by his editors.