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
argument conduct wrong
His conduct still right, with his argument wrong
living
By the living jingo, she was all of a muck of sweat.
duty felt prayed prompt watched
But in his duty prompt at every call, he watched and wept, he prayed and felt for all.
land nurse
The land of scholars, and the nurse of arms.
mere
I'm now no more than a mere lodger in my own house.
brighter cheers darker grows
Hope, like the gleaming taper's light, adorns and cheers our way; and still, as darker grows the night, emits a brighter ray.
cannot ear good hold people unto wondrous
Good people all, of every sort, / Give ear unto my song; / And if you do find it wondrous short, / It cannot hold you long.
age crowns happy labour shades youth
How happy he who crowns in shades like these, / A youth of labour with an age of ease.
chose fine irish-poet qualities wear wife
I chose my wife as she did her wedding-gown, not for a fine glossy surface, but such qualities as would wear well.
chose fine qualities wear wife
I... chose my wife as she did her wedding-gown, not for a fine glossy surface, but such qualities as would wear well.
ambition giving grows
They please, are pleas'd, they give to get esteem Till, seeming blest, they grow to what they seem.
simple laughing eating
Blest be those feasts, with simple plenty crowned, Where all the ruddy family around Laugh at the jests or pranks that never fail Or sigh with pity at some mournful tale.
country character people
The polite of every country seem to have but one character. A gentleman of Sweden differs but little, except in trifles, from one of any other country. It is among the vulgar we are to find those distinctions which characterize a people.
sleep names shade
And what is friendship but a name, A charm that lulls to sleep, A shade that follows wealth or fame, And leaves the wretch to weep?