The Vicar of Wakefield: A Tale Supposed to be Written by HimselfWhen Dr Primrose loses his fortune in a disastrous investment, his idyllic life in the country is shattered and he is forced to move with his wife and six children to an impoverished living on the estate of Squire Thornhill. Taking to the road in pursuit of his daughter, who has been seduced by the rakish Squire, the beleaguered Primrose becomes embroiled in a series of misadventures -- encountering his long-lost son in a travelling theatre company and even spending time in a debtor’s prison. Yet Primrose, though hampered by his unworldliness and pride, is sustained by his unwavering religious faith. In The Vicar of Wakefield, Goldsmith gently mocks many of the literary conventions of his day -- from pastoral and romance to the picaresque -- infusing his story of a hapless clergyman with warm humour and amiable social satire. |
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Page 1
... married and brought up a large family did more service than he who continued single , and only talked of population . From this motive , I had scarce taken orders a year before I began to think seriously of matrimony , and chose my wife ...
... married and brought up a large family did more service than he who continued single , and only talked of population . From this motive , I had scarce taken orders a year before I began to think seriously of matrimony , and chose my wife ...
Page 5
... married men to temperance , and the bachelors to matrimony ; so that in a few years it was a common saying that there were three strange wants at Wakefield a parson wanting pride , young men wanting wives , and alehouses wanting ...
... married men to temperance , and the bachelors to matrimony ; so that in a few years it was a common saying that there were three strange wants at Wakefield a parson wanting pride , young men wanting wives , and alehouses wanting ...
Page 6
... marriage so often recom- mended , that my eldest son , just upon leaving college , fixed his affections upon the daughter of a neighbouring clergyman , who was a dignitary in the Church , and in circumstances to give her a large fortune ...
... marriage so often recom- mended , that my eldest son , just upon leaving college , fixed his affections upon the daughter of a neighbouring clergyman , who was a dignitary in the Church , and in circumstances to give her a large fortune ...
Page 21
... marry great fortunes , and her children get none . As this last argument was directed to me , I pro- tested I could see no reason for it neither ; nor why Mr. Simp- kins got the ten thousand pound prize in the lottery , and we sat down ...
... marry great fortunes , and her children get none . As this last argument was directed to me , I pro- tested I could see no reason for it neither ; nor why Mr. Simp- kins got the ten thousand pound prize in the lottery , and we sat down ...
Page 26
... marriage to Miss Wilmot , my son George's former mistress , this a good deal damped the heartiness of his reception : but accident in some measure relieved our embarrassment ; for one of the company happening to mention her name , Mr ...
... marriage to Miss Wilmot , my son George's former mistress , this a good deal damped the heartiness of his reception : but accident in some measure relieved our embarrassment ; for one of the company happening to mention her name , Mr ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance amusing appearance assured ballad Berosus Burchell catgut Catskin CHAPTER character charm cheerful child comfort continued cried my wife daughter dear Edited eldest English Essay Flamborough fortune friendship gave gentleman George Primrose girls give going Goldsmith happy heart Heaven honest honour hope horse Iliad Jenkinson Johnson knew letter lived Livy looks madam Manetho manner married Miss Wilmot morning neighbour never night observed Ocellus Lucanus Oliver Goldsmith Olivia once pain Palgrave's Golden Treasury papa passion Patient Grissel perceived pipe and tabor pleased pleasure Poems poor pounds present prison promise received replied resolved rest returned School seemed Shakespeare's sister soon Sophia Squire Stoops to Conquer story stranger sure tell thee things Thornhill Thornhill's thou tion town Traveller turn uncle Vicar of Wakefield virtue William Whiston wretched young lady
Popular passages
Page xxii - I was dressed, and found that his landlady had arrested him for his rent, at which he was in a violent passion. I perceived that he had already changed my guinea, and had got a bottle of madeira and a glass before him. I put the cork into the bottle, desired he would be calm, and began to talk to him of the means by which he might be extricated. He then told me that he had a novel ready for the press, which he produced to me. I looked into it, and saw its merit ; told the landlady I should soon return,...
Page 31 - TURN, gentle Hermit of the dale. And guide my lonely way To where yon taper cheers the vale With hospitable ray. , "For here forlorn and lost I tread, With fainting steps and slow, « Where wilds, immeasurably spread, Seem lengthening as I go." " Forbear, my son," the Hermit cries, " To tempt the dangerous gloom ; - For yonder faithless phantom flies To lure thee to thy doom.
Page 35 - But mine the sorrow, mine the fault. And well my life shall pay ; I'll seek the solitude he sought, And stretch me where he lay. " And there, forlorn, despairing, hid. Til lay me down and die ; Twas so for me that Edwin did. And so for him will I.
Page 77 - A kind and gentle heart he had, To comfort friends and foes; The naked every day he clad, When he put on his clothes. And in that town a dog was found, As many dogs there be, Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound. And curs of low degree. This dog and man at first were friends; But when a pique began, The dog, to gain some private ends. Went mad, and bit the man.
Page 32 - No flocks that range the valley free, To slaughter I condemn: Taught by that Power that pities me, I learn to pity them : "But from the mountain's grassy side A guiltless feast I bring; A scrip with herbs and fruits supplied, And water from the spring. "Then, pilgrim, turn, thy cares forego ; All earth-born cares are wrong; Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long.
Page 35 - Turn, Angelina, ever dear, My charmer, turn to see Thy own, thy long-lost Edwin here, Restored to love and thee. " Thus let me hold thee to my heart, And every care resign : And shall we never, never part, My life, — my all that's mine? " No, never from this hour to part, We'll live and love so true, The sigh that rends thy constant heart Shall break thy Edwin's too.
Page 188 - How often have I blest the coming day, When toil remitting lent its turn to play, And all the village train, from labour free, Led up their sports beneath the spreading tree, While many a pastime circled in the shade...
Page 105 - I was the more surprised at seeing our cousin pitched upon for this office, as he himself had often assured me he knew nothing of the matter. Upon asking how he had been taught the art of a cognoscente0 so very suddenly, he assured me that nothing was more easy.
Page 76 - Good people all, of every sort, Give ear unto my song ; And if you find it wondrous short, It cannot hold you long. In Islington there was a man, Of whom the world might say, That still a godly race he ran, Whene'er he went to pray.
Page 83 - This person was no other than the philanthropic bookseller in St. Paul's Churchyard, who has written so many little books for children : he called himself their friend; but he was the friend of all mankind. He was no sooner alighted, but he was in haste to be gone; for he was ever on business of the utmost importance, and was at that time actually compiling materials for the history of on