The Vicar of Wakefield ...A. C. Black, 1903 - 260 pages |
Common terms and phrases
acquainted amusing appeared assured beauty Berosus Boswell Burchell called catgut character charming cheerful child comfort continued cosmogony cried my wife daughter dear eldest favour Flamborough fortune friendship gave gentleman girls give going Goldsmith gone guilt guineas happy heart Heaven honest honour hope horse Jenkinson John Massey Johnson knew letter live Livy look madam Manetho manner marriage married miseries Miss Wilmot morning neighbour never Newbery night observed Ocellus Lucanus OLIVER GOLDSMITH Olivia once opinion pain papa passion penal laws perceived perfectly pipe and tabor pleasure poor pounds present Primrose prison promise rapture received replied resolved rest returned seemed sister soon Sophia squire stranger sure tell thee things THOMAS STOTHARD Thornhill's thou took town Traveller turn Tyburn Vicar of Wakefield virtue wretched young lady
Popular passages
Page viii - I received one morning a message from poor Goldsmith that he was in great distress, and as it was not in his power to come to me, begging that I would come to him as soon as possible. I sent him a guinea, and promised to come to him directly. I accordingly went as soon as 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.
Page xix - 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, and having gone to a bookseller sold it for sixty pounds. I brought Goldsmith the money, and he discharged his rent, not without rating his landlady in a high tone for having used him so ill.
Page 46 - Alas ! the joys that fortune brings Are trifling and decay; And those who prize the paltry things, More trifling still than they. " And what is friendship but a name, A charm that lulls to sleep; A shade that follows wealth or fame, But leaves the wretch to weep?
Page 145 - I had some knowledge of music, with a tolerable voice : I now turned what was once my amusement into a present means of subsistence. I passed among the harmless peasants of Flanders, and among such of the French as were poor enough to be very merry ; for I ever found them sprightly in proportion to their wants. Whenever I approached a peasant's house towards nightfall, I played one of my most merry tunes, and that procured me not only a lodging, but subsistence for the next day.
Page 98 - Venus, and the painter was desired not to be too frugal of his diamonds in her stomacher and hair. Her two little ones were to be as Cupids by her side, while I, in my gown and band, was to present her with my books on the Whistonian controversy. Olivia would be drawn as an Amazon, sitting upon a bank of flowers, dressed in a green Joseph, richly laced with gold, and a whip in her hand. Sophia was to be a shepherdess, with as many sheep as the painter could put in for nothing ; and Moses was to be...
Page 74 - Never mind our son," cried my wife; "depend upon it he knows what he is about. I'll warrant we'll never see him sell his hen of a rainy day. I have seen him buy such bargains as would amaze one. I'll tell you a good story about that, that will make you split your sides with laughing. But, as I live, yonder comes Moses, without a horse, and the box at his back.
Page 175 - The only art her guilt to cover, To hide her shame from every eye, To give repentance to her lover, And wring his bosom, is — to die.
Page 53 - Upon our return to the house, we found a very elegant cold supper, which Mr Thornhill had ordered to be brought with him. The conversation at this time was more reserved than before. The two ladies threw my girls quite into the shade ; for they would talk of nothing but high life, and high-lived company ; with other fashionable topics, such as pictures, taste, Shakspeare, and the musical glasses.
Page 1 - I WAS ever of opinion that the honest man who married and brought up a large family did more service than he who continued single and only talked of population.
Page 2 - ... life, that the poorer the guest, the better pleased he ever is with being treated; and as some men gaze with admiration at the colours of a tulip, or the wings of a butterfly, so I was by nature an admirer of happy human faces.