Oliver Goldsmith: A Biography

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G.P. Putnam and Son, 1868 - 427 pages

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Page 14 - Beside yon straggling fence that skirts the way, With blossom'd furze unprofitably gay — There, in his noisy mansion, skill'd to rule, The village master taught his little school.
Page 264 - Who quits a world where strong temptations try, And, since 'tis hard to combat, learns to fly! For him no wretches, born to work and weep, Explore the mine, or tempt the dangerous deep...
Page 35 - Where'er I roam, whatever realms to see, My heart untravell'd fondly turns to thee ; Still to my brother turns, with ceaseless pain, And drags at each remove a lengthening chain.
Page 166 - 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. I put the cork into the bottle...
Page 12 - More bent to raise the wretched than to rise. His house was known to all the vagrant train...
Page 397 - Still born to improve us in every part, His pencil our faces, his manners our heart. To coxcombs averse, yet most civilly steering, When they judged without skill he was still hard of hearing: When they talked of their Raphaels, Correggios, and stuff, He shifted his trumpet and only took snuff.
Page 169 - The wretch, condemn'd with life to part, Still, still on hope relies ; And every pang that rends the heart, Bids expectation rise. Hope, like the glimmering taper's light, Adorns and cheers the way ; And still, as darker grows the night, Emits a brighter ray.
Page 35 - 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, The young contending as the old surveyed ; And many a gambol frolicked o'er the ground, And sleights of art and feats of strength went round.
Page 310 - Lusiad," and I, went to visit him at this place a few days afterwards. He was not at home ; but having a curiosity to see his apartment, we went in, and found curious scraps of descriptions of animals, scrawled upon the wall with a black lead pencil.
Page 395 - With the love of a wench, let his writings be chaste ; Tip his tongue with strange matter, his pen with fine taste ; That the rake and the poet o'er all may prevail, Set fire to the head, and set fire to the tail. For the joy of each sex, on the world I'll bestow it. This scholar, rake, Christian, dupe, gamester, and poet ; Though a mixture so odd, he shall merit great fame, And among brother mortals — be GOLDSMITH his name : When on earth this strange meteor no more shall appear, You, Hermes,...

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