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
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.
grateful order heaven
Filial obedience is the first and greatest requisite of a state; by this we become good subjects to our emperors, capable of behaving with just subordination to our superiors, and grateful dependents on heaven; by this we become fonder of marriage, in order to be capable of exacting obedience from others in our turn; by this we become good magistrates, for early submission is the truest lesson to those who would learn to rule. By this the whole state may be said to resemble one family.
lying trotting asks
Them that asks no questions isn't told a lie.
passion hands may
Pity, though it may often relieve, is but, at best, a short-lived passion, and seldom affords distress more than transitory assistance; with some it scarce lasts from the first impulse till the hand can be put into the pocket.
politics attempting certain
Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.
punishment crime familiar
The work of eradicating crimes is not by making punishment familiar, but formidable.
real shame painful
Mortifications are often more painful than real calamities.