Oliver Goldsmith Popular Books
Oliver Goldsmith Biography & Facts
Oliver Goldsmith (10 November 1728 – 4 April 1774) was a well-known Anglo-Irish novelist, playwright, dramatist and poet, noted for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), his pastoral poem The Deserted Village (1770), and his plays The Good-Natur'd Man (1768) and She Stoops to Conquer (1771, first performed in 1773). He is thought by some to have written the classic children's tale The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes (1765). Early life Goldsmith's birth date and year are not known with certainty. According to the Library of Congress authority file, he told a biographer that he was born on 10 November 1728. The location of his birthplace is also uncertain. He was born either in the townland of Pallas, near Ballymahon, County Longford, Ireland, where his father was the Anglican curate of the parish of Forgney, or at the residence of his maternal grandparents, at the Smith Hill House near Elphin in County Roscommon, where his grandfather Oliver Jones was a clergyman and master of the Elphin diocesan school, and where Oliver studied. When Goldsmith was two years old, his father was appointed the rector of the parish of "Kilkenny West" in County Westmeath. The family moved to the parsonage at Lissoy, between Athlone and Ballymahon, and continued to live there until his father's death in 1747. In 1744, Goldsmith went up to Trinity College, Dublin. His tutor was Theaker Wilder. Neglecting his studies in theology and law, he fell to the bottom of his class. In 1747, along with four other undergraduates, he was expelled for a riot in which they attempted to storm the Marshalsea Prison. He was graduated in 1749 as a Bachelor of Arts, but without the discipline or distinction that might have gained him entry to a profession in the church or the law. His education seemed to have given him mainly a taste for fine clothes, playing cards, singing Irish airs, and playing the flute. He lived for a short time with his mother, tried various professions without success, studied medicine desultorily at the University of Edinburgh from 1752 to 1755, and set out on a walking tour of Flanders, France, Switzerland, and Northern Italy, living by his wits (busking with his flute). Career He settled in London in 1756, where he briefly held various jobs, including an apothecary's assistant and an usher of a school. Perennially in debt and addicted to gambling, Goldsmith produced a massive output as a hack writer on Grub Street for the publishers of London, but his few painstaking works earned him the company of Samuel Johnson, with whom he was a founding member of "The Club". There, through fellow Club member Edmund Burke, he made the acquaintance of Sir George Savile, who would later arrange a job for him at Thornhill Grammar School. The combination of his literary work and his dissolute lifestyle led Horace Walpole to give him the epithet "inspired idiot". During this period he used the pseudonym "James Willington" (the name of a fellow student at Trinity) to publish his 1758 translation of the autobiography of the Huguenot Jean Marteilhe. Portrayal In his Life, Washington Irving states that Goldsmith was between 5'4" and 5'6" in height, not heavily built but quite muscular and with rather plain features. In character he had a lively sense of fun, was totally guileless, and never happier than when in the light-hearted company of children. The money that he sporadically earned was often frittered away or happily given away to the next good cause that presented itself so that any financial security tended to be fleeting and short-lived. Goldsmith's talents were unreservedly recognised by Samuel Johnson, whose patronage – somewhat resented by Boswell – aided his eventual recognition in the literary world and the world of drama. Goldsmith was described by contemporaries as prone to envy, a congenial but impetuous and disorganised personality who once planned to emigrate to America but failed because he missed his ship. At some point around this time he worked at Thornhill Grammar School, later basing Squire Thornhill (in The Vicar of Wakefield) on his benefactor Sir George Savile and certainly spending time with eminent scientist Rev. John Mitchell, whom he probably knew from London. Mitchell sorely missed good company, which Goldsmith naturally provided in spades. Thomas De Quincey wrote of him "All the motion of Goldsmith's nature moved in the direction of the true, the natural, the sweet, the gentle". Death Goldsmith's premature death in 1774 may have been partly due to his own misdiagnosis of a kidney infection. He was buried in Temple Church in London. The inscription reads; "HERE LIES/OLIVER GOLDSMITH". A monument was originally raised to him at the site of his burial, but it was destroyed in an air raid in 1941. A monument to him survives in the centre of Ballymahon, also in Westminster Abbey with an epitaph written by Samuel Johnson. "Oliver Goldsmith: A Poet, Naturalist, and Historian, who left scarcely any style of writing untouched, and touched nothing that he did not adorn. Of all the passions, whether smiles were to move or tears, a powerful yet gentle master. In genius, vivid, versatile, sublime. In style, clear, elevated, elegant." Epitaph written by Dr. Johnson, translated from the original Latin. Legacy Among his papers was found the prospectus of an encyclopedia, to be called the Universal dictionary of the arts and sciences. He wished this to be the British equivalent of the Encyclopédie and it was to include comprehensive articles by Samuel Johnson, Edmund Burke, Adam Smith, Edward Gibbon, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir William Jones, Fox and Dr. Burney. The project, however, was not realised due to Goldsmith's death. Works The Citizen of the World In 1760 Goldsmith began to publish a series of letters in the Public Ledger under the title The Citizen of the World. Purportedly written by a Chinese traveller in England by the name of Lien Chi, they used this fictional outsider's perspective to comment ironically and at times moralistically on British society and manners. It was inspired by the earlier essay series Persian Letters by Montesquieu. The Hermit Goldsmith wrote this 160-line romantic ballad in 1765. The hero and heroine are Edwin, a youth without wealth or power, and Angelina, the daughter of a lord "beside the Tyne". Angelina spurns many wooers, but refuses to make plain her love for young Edwin. "Quite dejected with my scorn", Edwin disappears and becomes a hermit. One day, Angelina turns up at his cell in boy's clothes and, not recognising him, tells him her story. Edwin then reveals his true identity, and the lovers never part again. The poem is notable for its interesting portrayal of a hermit, who is fond of the natural world and his wilderness solitude but maintains a gentle, sympathetic demeanor toward other people. In keeping with eremitical tradition, however, Edwin the Hermit claims to "spurn the [opposite] sex". This poem appears under the title of.... Discover the Oliver Goldsmith popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Oliver Goldsmith books.
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Oliver Goldsmith
Washington IrvingWith centuries of literature, it's inevitable that some will fall through the cracks. We hunt down public domain works and restore them so they're not lost to the world. Who are w...
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Oliver Goldsmith
Washington IrvingIrving wrote this biographical sketch of the poet Goldsmith from his estate, Sunnyside, near Tarrytown, N.Y. It is a biography of the english author oliver Goldsmith a sad life and...
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Oliver Goldsmith - A Biography
Washington IrvingOliver Goldsmith A Biography Washington Irving, Author, lawyer and diplomat (17831859) This ebook presents «Oliver Goldsmith A Biography», from Washington Irving. A dynamic table...
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The Poetry of Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver GoldsmithThe Poetry of Oliver Goldsmith, anthology: Table Of Contents THE TRAVELLER THE DESERTED VILLAGE LYRICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS PIECES ON A BEAUTIFUL YOUTH STRUCK BLIND WITH LIGHTNING TH...
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The works of Oliver Goldsmith. Edited by Peter Cunningham, vol. I
Oliver GoldsmithThe FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from s...
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Oliver Goldsmith
Washington IrvingWashington Irving, whom many describe as one of the first fiction writers to forge a distinctively American sensibility in his work, had a lifelong love of the work of Oliver Golds...
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The miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith, with an account of his life and writings. Edited by Washington Irving. Vol. CLII.
Oliver Goldsmith & Washington IrvingThe FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from s...
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The poetical works, complete, of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. With some account of his life and literature ... An improved edition, embellished with engravings on wood, by Austin.
Oliver GoldsmithThe POETRY & DRAMA collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The books reflect the complex and changing role of literature in society, ranging ...
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Poems and plays. By Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. To which is prefixed, the life of the author
Oliver GoldsmithPoems and plays. By Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. To which is prefixed, the life of the author, Oliver Goldsmith. Poems and plays. By Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. To which is prefixed, the life...
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The works of Oliver Goldsmith. Edited by Peter Cunningham. Vol. III
Oliver Goldsmith & Peter CunninghamThe FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from s...
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The miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. Containing all his essays and poems.
Oliver GoldsmithThe FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from s...
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Oliver Goldsmith
E. S. Lang BucklandWith centuries of literature, it's inevitable that some will fall through the cracks. We hunt down public domain works and restore them so they're not lost to the world. Who are w...
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The works of Oliver Goldsmith. Edited by Peter Cunningham. Vol. III.
Oliver GoldsmithThe FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from s...
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Life Of Oliver Goldsmith
Washington IrvingAt Sunnyside, Irving wrote his " Life of Oliver Goldsmith." Putnam, the bookseller, had said to him one day : "Here is Foster's ' Life of Goldsmith ;' I thi...
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The Complete Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver GoldsmithThe Complete Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith is a book about poetry which is written by Oliver Goldsmith. In this book has lots of poems in one book.
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Oliver Goldsmith
E. S. Lang BucklandThe Goldsmith family sprang originally from Crayford, a nestling village in Kent. This southern county, in all its loveliness, can thus add this high honour to its other though not...
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The Family Letters of Oliver Goldsmith
Ernest ClarkeWith centuries of literature, it's inevitable that some will fall through the cracks. We hunt down public domain works and restore them so they're not lost to the world. Who are w...
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Oliver Goldsmith
G.S. RousseauThe Critical Heritage gathers together a large body of critical sources on major figures in literature. Each volume presents contemporary responses to a writer's work, enabling stu...
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The miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith, with an account of his life and writings. Edited by Washington Irving. Vol. CLIII.
Oliver Goldsmith & Washington IrvingThe FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from s...
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The works of Oliver Goldsmith. Edited by Peter Cunningham. Vol. II.
Oliver GoldsmithThe GENERAL HISTORICAL collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. This varied collection includes material that gives readers a 19th century view of...
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The poetical works of Oliver Goldsmith, Tobias Smollett, Samuel Johnson and William Shenstone. With biographical notices, and notes.
Oliver GoldsmithThe POETRY & DRAMA collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The books reflect the complex and changing role of literature in society, ranging ...
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The Vicar of Wakefield, and other works ... With introduction notes and a life of Oliver Goldsmith, by John Francis Waller.
Oliver Goldsmith & John Francis WallerThe FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from s...
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The miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. Containing all his essays and poems
Oliver GoldsmithThe miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. Containing all his essays and poems, Oliver Goldsmith. The miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. Containing all his essays...
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The works of Oliver Goldsmith. Edited by Peter Cunningham. Vol. I.
Oliver Goldsmith & Peter F.S.A. CunninghamThe FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from s...
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Delphi Complete Works of Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver GoldsmithThe eighteenth century author Oliver Goldsmith produced a diverse body of works, featuring a famous novel, plays, poetry, essays, histories and many other nonfiction works. This co...
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The miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith, with an account of his life and writings ... A new edition ... Edited by Washington Irving. Vol. IV.
Oliver Goldsmith & Washington IrvingThe POETRY & DRAMA collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The books reflect the complex and changing role of literature in society, ranging ...
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The miscellaneous works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B. With a brief memoir of the author.
Oliver GoldsmithThe FICTION & PROSE LITERATURE collection includes books from the British Library digitised by Microsoft. The collection provides readers with a perspective of the world from s...
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Oliver Goldsmith
Washington IrvingWashington Irving (April 3, 1783 November 28, 1859) was an American author of the early 19th century. Best known for his short stories The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip van Wink...