GOLDSMITH'S VICAR OF WAKEFIELD EDITED WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY D. H. MONTGOMERY STANDARD ENGLISH CLASSICS GINN & COMPANY BOSTON. NEW YORK CHICAGO LONDON KC4009 COLLEGE Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1887, by in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 25.3 ELECTROTYPED BY J. S. CUSHING & Co., Boston. ADVERTISEMENT. HERE are an hundred faults in this Thing, and THERE an hundred things might be said to prove them beauties. But it is needless. A book may be amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity. The hero of this piece unites in himself the three greatest characters upon earth; he is a priest, an husbandman, and the father of a family. He is drawn as ready to teach, and ready to obey; as simple in affluence, and majestic in adversity. In this age of opulence and refinement, whom can such a character please? Such as are fond of high life, will turn with disdain from the simplicity of his country fireside. Such as mistake ribaldry for humor, will find no wit in his harmless conversation; and such as have been taught to deride religion, will laugh at one whose chief stores of comfort are drawn from futurity. OLIVER GOLDSMITH. PREFATORY NOTE. This edition has been slightly abridged, and a few obsolete or foreign expressions changed in order to meet the requirements of schools. Such notes have also been added as seemed necessary for the complete understanding of the text. D. H. M. |