How was Oliver Goldsmith connected to Samuel Johnson?

Oliver Goldsmith and Samuel Johnson shared a significant friendship that was central to the intellectual life of 18th-century London. Their connection was characterized by mutual respect, frequent social interaction, and a notable contrast between Goldsmith’s social ineptitude and his literary brilliance.1

Key aspects of their relationship included:

• The Club: In 1764, Goldsmith and Johnson were among the nine founding members of The Club, an exclusive intellectual society that met weekly for supper and conversation.12
• Mutual Admiration: Johnson held Goldsmith’s writing in high regard, famously stating that Goldsmith "left scarcely any kind of writing untouched and who touched nothing that he did not adorn".1
• Contrasting Personalities: Johnson famously summarized the paradox of Goldsmith’s character by declaring, "No man was more foolish when he had not a pen in his hand, or more wise when he had".1
• Documentation: Much of their conversational dynamic, including Goldsmith’s wit and his social mishaps, was preserved for posterity in James Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson.1