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Who were Oliver Goldsmith’s most important literary friends?
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Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith, oil painting from the studio of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1770; in the National Portrait Gallery, London
Oliver Goldsmith’s most important literary and intellectual friendships included several of the most prominent figures of 18th-century London society. He was a member of the exclusive Club—a select group of intellectuals that met weekly for conversation—alongside his close associates Samuel Johnson, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Edmund Burke.12
Other key figures in his social and literary circle included:
- David Garrick: The renowned playwright and actor.13
- James Boswell: The biographer who famously documented Goldsmith’s wit and personality in his Life of Samuel Johnson.12
- Thomas Percy: A distinguished friend who, along with those mentioned above, was part of the circle that Goldsmith both charmed and amused throughout his career.1
These friendships were central to Goldsmith's life in London, where he moved from obscurity to become a celebrated essayist, poet, and dramatist.1