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The Vicar of Wakefield
English BooksWhale Edition by Oliver Goldsmith
A humane eighteenth-century novel of family trial, moral comedy, misplaced trust, poverty, and resilience.
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The Vicar of Wakefield
The Vicar of Wakefield follows Dr. Primrose and his family through financial ruin, social humiliation, romantic misjudgment, and moral testing. Goldsmith blends domestic comedy, sentimental fiction, satire, and Christian forbearance, creating a compact novel about goodness under pressure, the fragility of reputation, and the stubborn dignity of ordinary family life.
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Why this edition can be shared
Oliver Goldsmith died in 1774, and The Vicar of Wakefield was first published in 1766. These dates support the public-domain basis for this English original edition.
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The Vicar of Wakefield
The Vicar of Wakefield A TALE Supposed to be written by Himself by Oliver Goldsmith _Sperate miseri, cavete felices_ There are an hundred faults in this Thing, and an hundred things might be said to prove them beauties. But it is needless. A book may be amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity. The hero of this piece unites in himself the three greatest characters upon earth; he is a priest, an husbandman, and the father of a family. He is drawn as ready to teach, and ready to obey, as simple in affluence, and majestic in adversity. In this age of opulence and refinement whom can such a character please? Such as are fond of high life, will turn with disdain from the simplicity of his country fire-side. Such as mistake ribaldry for humour, will find no wit in his harmless conversation; and such as have been taught to deride religion, will laugh at one whose chief stores of comfort are drawn from
futurity.
OLIVER GOLDSMITH.
Preview chapterChapter I. The description of the family of Wakefield; in which aPreview
kindred likeness prevails as well of minds as of persons
Preview chapterChapter II. Family misfortunes. The loss of fortune only serves toPreview
increase the pride of the worthy
Table of contents
Inside this edition
- 01Full text
- 02Chapter I. The description of the family of Wakefield; in which a
- 03Chapter II. Family misfortunes. The loss of fortune only serves to
- 04Chapter III. A migration. The fortunate circumstances of our lives are
- 05Chapter IV. A proof that even the humblest fortune may grant happiness,
- 06Chapter V. A new and great acquaintance introduced. What we place most
- 07Chapter VI. The happiness of a country fire-side
- 08Chapter VII. A town wit described. The dullest fellows may learn to be
- 09Chapter VIII. An amour, which promises little good fortune, yet may be
- 10Chapter IX. Two ladies of great distinction introduced. Superior finery
- 11Chapter X. The family endeavours to cope with their betters. The
- 12Chapter XI. The family still resolve to hold up their heads
- 13Chapter XII. Fortune seems resolved to humble the family of Wakefield.
- 14Chapter XIII. Mr Burchell is found to be an enemy; for he has the
- 15Chapter XIV. Fresh mortifications, or a demonstration that seeming
- 16Chapter XV. All Mr Burchell’s villainy at once detected. The folly of
- 17Chapter XVI. The Family use art, which is opposed with still greater
- 18Chapter XVII. Scarce any virtue found to resist the power of long and
- 19Chapter XVIII. The pursuit of a father to reclaim a lost child to virtue
- 20Chapter XIX. The description of a Person discontented with the present
- 21Chapter XX. The history of a philosophic vagabond, pursuing novelty,
- 22Chapter XXI. The short continuance of friendship among the vicious,
- 23Chapter XXII. Offences are easily pardoned where there is love at bottom
- 24Chapter XXIII. None but the guilty can be long and completely miserable
- 25Chapter XXIV. Fresh calamities
- 26Chapter XXV. No situation, however wretched it seems, but has some sort
- 27Chapter XXVI. A reformation in the gaol. To make laws complete, they
- 28Chapter XXVII. The same subject continued
- 29Chapter XXVIII. Happiness and misery rather the result of prudence than
- 30Chapter XXIX. The equal dealings of providence demonstrated with regard
- 31Chapter XXX. Happier prospects begin to appear. Let us be inflexible,
- 32Chapter XXXI. Former benevolence now repaid with unexpected interest
- 33Chapter XXXII. The Conclusion
- 34CHAPTER I.
- 35CHAPTER II.
- 36CHAPTER III.
- 37CHAPTER IV.
- 38CHAPTER V.
- 39CHAPTER VI.
- 40CHAPTER VII.
- 41CHAPTER VIII.
- 42CHAPTER IX.
- 43CHAPTER X.
- 44CHAPTER XI.
- 45CHAPTER XII.
- 46CHAPTER XIII.
- 47CHAPTER XIV.
- 48book, which he was reading. I never in my life saw a figure that
- 49CHAPTER XV.
- 50letter?’—‘That letter,’ returned he, ‘yes, it was I that wrote that
- 51letter.’—‘And how could you,’ said I, ‘so basely, so ungratefully
- 52CHAPTER XVI.
- 53CHAPTER XVII.
- 54CHAPTER XVIII.
- 55CHAPTER XIX.
- 56CHAPTER XX.
- 57CHAPTER XXI.
- 58CHAPTER XXII.
- 59CHAPTER XXIII.
- 60CHAPTER XXIV.
- 61CHAPTER XXV.
- 62CHAPTER XXVI.
- 63CHAPTER XXVII.
- 64CHAPTER XXVIII.
- 65letter by the post, intimating all his nephew’s ill usage, and my life
- 66CHAPTER XXIX.
- 67CHAPTER XXX.
- 68CHAPTER XXXI.
- 69CHAPTER XXXII.
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