Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmithwas an Irish novelist, playwright and poet, who is best known for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield, his pastoral poem The Deserted Village, and his plays The Good-Natur'd Manand She Stoops to Conquer. He is thought to have written the classic children's tale The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth10 November 1730
CountryIreland
thinking mind littles
The little mind who loves itself, will wr'te and think with the vulgar; but the great mind will be bravely eccentric, and scorn the beaten road, from universal benevolence.
wise country writing
Whatever be the motives which induce men to write,--whether avarice or fame,--the country becomes more wise and happy in which they most serve for instructors.
wretchedness beggary
Aspiring beggary is wretchedness itself.
hands selfishness virtue
While selfishness joins hands with no one of the virtues, benevolence is allied to them all.
people calm misfortunes-of-others
See me, how calm I am. Ay, people are generally calm at the misfortunes of others.
names soul want
If the soul be happily disposed, every thing becomes capable of affording entertainment, and distress will almost want a name.
sports children
The sports of children satisfy the child.
thinking cities habit
I have found by experience that they who have spent all their lives in cities contract not only an effeminacy of habit, but of thinking.
country fashion flower
Near yonder copse, where once the garden smil'd, And still where many a garden flower grows wild, There, where a few torn shrubs the place disclose, The village preacher's modest mansion rose. A man he was to all the country dear, And passing rich with forty pounds a year; Remote from town's he ran his godly race, Nor e'er had chang'd nor wish'd to change his place; Unskilful he to fawn, or seek for power, By doctrines fashion'd to the varying hour; Far other aims his heart had learn'd to prize. More bent to raise the wretched than to rise.
contempt englishmen
An Englishman fears contempt more than death.
men cunning prudence
The bounds of a man's knowledge are easily concealed, if he has but prudence.
men feelings might
It is impossible to combat enthusiasm with reason; for though it makes a show of resistance, it soon eludes the pressure, refers you to distinctions not to be understood, and feelings which it cannot explain. A man who would endeavor to fix an enthusiast by argument might as well attempt to spread quicksilver with his finger.
powerful enemy enthusiasm
Ridicule has even been the most powerful enemy of enthusiasm, and properly the only antagonist that can be opposed to it with success.
mind novel teach
Novels teach the youthful mind to sigh after happiness that never existed.