DR. OLIVER GOLDSMITH. BORN, 1728: DIED, 1774. Principal Works.-Traveller, Hermit, Citizen of the World, Vicar of Wakefield, Histories of England and Rome, Deserted Village, Animated Nature. THE COUNTRY PASTOR. NEAR yonder copse, where once the garden smil'd, Nor e'er had chang'd, nor wish'd to change, his place; By doctrines fashion'd to the varying hour; Shoulder'd his crutch, and show'd how fields were won Careless their merits or their faults to scan, 72 OLIVER GOLDSMITH. Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride, He watch'd and wept, he pray'd, and felt, for all. Beside the bed where parting life was laid, At church with meek and unaffected grace, And pluck'd his gown, to share the good man's smile. Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm, Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread, Eternal sunshine settles on its head. Deserted Village. OLIVER GOLDSMITH. 73 TRAVEL. REMOTE, unfriended, melancholy, slow, Laugh at the jests or pranks that never fail, But me, not destin'd such delights to share, Some fleeting good, that mocks me with the view; SOCIETY. CONSIDER for a moment the advantages which arise from living in civilized society. In our cities now, and even in an ordinary dwellinghouse, a man is surrounded by prodigies of mechanic art; and with his proud reason, is he to use these as careless of how they are produced, as a horse is careless of how the corn falls into his manger? A general diffusion of knowledge is changing the condition of man, and elevating the human character in all ranks of society. Our remote forefathers were generally divided into small states or societies, having few relations of amity with surrounding tribes, and their thoughts and interests were confined very much within their own little territories and rude habits. In succeeding ages their descendants found themselves belonging to larger communities, but still remote kingdoms and quarters of the world were of no interest to them, and were often totally unknown. Now, however, every one sees himself a member of one vast civilized society, which covers the face of the carth; and no part of the earth is indifferent to him. In England, a man of small fortune may cast his looks around him, and say with truth and exultation, "I am lodged in a house that affords me conveniences and comforts which even a king could not command some centuries ago. Ships are crossing the seas in every di SOCIETY. rection to bring what is useful to nie from all parts the world. In China, men are gathering the tea-leaf fo me-in America, they are planting cotton for me—iz the West India islands, they are preparing my sugar and my coffee-in Italy, they are feeding silk-worms for me in Saxony, they are shearing the sheep to make me clothing-at home, powerful steam-engines are spinning and weaving for me, and making cutlery for me, and pumping the mines that minerals useful to me may be procured. I have post-coaches [now steam-carriages] running day and night on all the roads, to carry my correspondence. I have roads, and canals, and bridges, to bear my coals for my winter fire; nay, I have fleets and armies around my happy country, to secure my enjoyments and repose. Then I have editors and printers, who daily send me an account of what is going on throughout the world, among all those people who serve me. And in a corner of my house I have Books!—the miracle of all my possessions, more wonderful than the wishing-cap of the Arabian Tales, for they transport me instantly, not only to all places, but to all time. By my books I can conjure up before me, to vivid existence, all the great and good men of antiquity, and for my individual satisfaction I can make them act over again the most renowned of their exploits. The orators declaim for me-the historians recite-the poets sing; and from the equator to the pole, or from the beginning of time until now, by my books, I can be where I please.-Arnott. |