Doctor Goldsmith

"Doctor Goldsmith" is a poignant exploration of the life and struggles of Dr. Oliver Goldsmith, a celebrated 18th-century writer and physician, illustrated through the lens of James Baldwin's profound insights on identity, race, and the human condition. Baldwin delves into Goldsmith's experiences as an outsider, examining themes of alienation and aspiration. Through rich prose, Baldwin masterfully intertwines historical context with personal reflection, offering readers a compelling narrative that resonates with contemporary issues of belonging and selfhood.

• Short story

								
There was once a kind man whose name was Oliver Gold-smith. He wrote
many de-light-ful books, some of which you will read when you are
older.

He had a gentle heart. He was always ready to help others and to share
with them anything that he had. He gave away so much to the poor that
he was always poor himself.

He was some-times called Doctor Goldsmith; for he had studied to be a
phy-si-cian.

One day a poor woman asked Doctor Goldsmith to go and see her husband,
who was sick and could not eat.

Goldsmith did so. He found that the family was in great need. The man
had not had work for a long time. He was not sick, but in distress;
and, as for eating, there was no food in the house.

"Call at my room this evening," said Goldsmith to the woman, "and I
will give you some med-i-cine for your husband."

In the evening the woman called. Goldsmith gave her a little paper box
that was very heavy.

"Here is the med-i-cine," he said. "Use it faith-ful-ly, and I think
it will do your husband a great deal of good. But don't open the box
until you reach home."

"What are the di-rec-tions for taking it?" asked the woman.

"You will find them inside of the box," he answered.

When the woman reached her home, she sat down by her husband's side,
and they opened the box; What do you think they found in it?

It was full of pieces of money. And on the top were the
di-rec-tions:--

     "TO BE TAKEN AS OFTEN AS NE-CES-SI-TY REQUIRES."

Goldsmith had given them all the ready money that he had.
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