Gordon，again，wasanexcellentman，appreciatedbySmolletthimselfinafterdays，andtheodiousPotionof\"RoderickRandom\"
must，likehisrival，Crab，havebeenmerelyafancysketchofmeanness，hypocrisy，andprofligacy。Perhapsthegoodsurgeonbecamethevictimofthat\"onecontinuedstringofepigrammaticsarcasms，\"suchasMr。ColquhountoldRamsayofOchtertyre，Smollettusedtoplayoffonhiscompanions，\"forwhichnotalentscouldcompensate。\"JudgingbyDr。Carlyle\'sMemoirsthisintolerablekindofdisplaywasnotunusualinCaledonianconversation:butitwasnotlikelytomakeTobiaspopularinEngland。
Thitherhewentin1739，withverylittlemoney，\"andaverylargeassortmentoflettersofrecommendation:whetherhisrelativesintendedtocompensateforthescantinessoftheonebytheirprofusionintheotherisuncertain；buthehasoftenbeenheardtodeclarethattheirliberalityinthelastarticlewasprodigious。\"
TheSmollettswerenot\"kinlessloons\"；theyhadconnections:butwho，inScotland，hadmoney？Tobiashadpassedhismedicalexaminations，butherathertrustedinhisMS。tragedy，\"TheRegicide。\"Tragicalwereitsresultsfortheauthor。InspiredbyGeorgeBuchanan\'sLatinhistoryofScotland，Smolletthadproducedaplay，inblankverse，onthemurderofJamesI。Thataboy，evenaScottishboy，shouldhaveanoverweeningpassionforthisunluckypiece，thatheshouldexpectbysuchaworktoclimbasteponfortune\'sladder，isnowadaysamazing。Fortenyearsheclungtoit，modifiedit，polished，improvedit，andthenpublisheditin1749，afterthesuccessof\"RoderickRandom。\"Twicehetoldthestoryofhistheatricalmishapsanddisappointments，whichweresuchasoccurtoeverywriterforthestage。Hewailedoverthemin\"RoderickRandom，\"inthestoryofMr。Melopoyn；heprolongedhiscry，intheprefaceto\"TheRegicide，\"andprobablythenoblewhomhe\"lashed\"veryindecentlyinhistwosatires\"Advice，\"
1746，\"Reproof，\"1747，andin\"RoderickRandom\"wasthepatronwhocouldnotgetthetragedyacted。First，in1739，hehadapatronwhomhe\"discarded。\"ThenhewenttotheWestIndies，and，returningin1744，heluggedouthistragedyagain，andfellfoulagainofpatrons，actors，andmanagers。Whatbefellhimwasthecommonfate。Peopledidnot，probably，hastentoreadhisplay: