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
As a wit, if not first, in the very first line.
itself pleasure weakest within
The weakest soul, within itself unblest, Leans for all pleasure on another's breast
bed behind chest clicked clock contrived debt double drawers nicely
The white-washed wall, the nicely sanded floor, / The varnished clock that clicked behind the door; / The chest contrived a double debt to pay, / A bed by night, a chest of drawers by day.
naked
The naked every day he clad, / When he put on his clothes.
consists fall glory greatest rising time
Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall
consists glory greatest irish-poet rising time
Our greatest glory consists not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.
agree sugar
Our Garrick's a salad; for in him we see, Oil, vinegar, sugar and saltiness agree
brighter dull led tried
He tried each art, reproved each dull delay./ Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way.
applause happiness keeping seeks
He who seeks for applause only from without has all his happiness in another's keeping
happy limits splendid stand wide
How wide the limits stand / Between a splendid and an happy land.
cast knew pleased whistle
He cast off his friends as a huntsman his pack, for he knew when he pleased he could whistle them back.
arguing knocks misses pistol
There is no arguing with Johnson; for when his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it
best country
Such is the patriot's boast, where'er we roam, / His first, best country ever is at home.
belongs defined human ill prove rational
Logicians have but ill defined As rational the human mind. Logic, they say, belongs to man, But let them prove it if they can.