Robert Gooch 1784-1830 L.1812

Portrait/X89

Robert Gooch 1784-1830 L.1812

1823

By R. J. Lane,

Short half length, seated to left, head turned three-quarters to right; black short hair and side-whiskers; dark eyes; igh stock; black coat; background of red drapery.

<p>A painting by Linnell (exhibited, Royal Academy, 1827) was engraved by the artist and published in 1831; it now belongs to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Dr. Gooch was "rather below the ordinary height, and always thin; his countenance was elegantly marked; the full dark eyes remarkably fine; the habitual expression made up of sagacity and melancholy, though no features could exhibit occasionally a more happy play of humour" (Dr. Southey, quoted by Munk).</p>

English

Presented by the sitter's daughter, Miss Gooch, in 1866.

Oils on canvas, 29¾ by 24¾ inches

Robert Gooch was born at Yarmouth. His parents could not afford to send him to a good classical school, and after an indifferent education, an accidental acquaintance with a Mr. Harley had a great and lasting influence on Gooch's character and career. Mr. Harley was nearly blind and was dependent upon others for his literary enjoyments. His studies were miscellaneous: history, chemistry, sometimes medicine and very often metaphysics, and Gooch used to read aloud to him. Inspite of the limited circumstances of Gooch's family, aggravated by the detention of his father in a French prison, his mother and an aged aunt determined to send him to Edinburgh, but they had to make great sacrifices to do so. He arrived there with scanty means but was very fortunate in the friendships he then formed.

He began his professional career as a general practitioner in London. Early in 1816 he moved from the city to the West End, where he was warmly patronised by a friend, Sir William Knighton. His professional success was only limited by a constant state of ill-health, which frequently forced him to leave London for weeks, and even months, at a time. He was appointed librarian to the King, an office which delighted him because of his fondness for general literature.

In the last few years of his life the contrast between his mental vigour and his bodily weakness was striking. He died at the age of forty-five after six weeks of a rapidly progressive illness.

Gooch was regarded by the poet Southey as one of the most remarkable men of his time; and this was also the opinion of Sir Walter Scott and of Lockhart. Naturally endowed with great talents and remarkable acuteness of understanding, he added to them a highly cultivated taste and many scientific and literary attainments.