THE POEMS
OF
OLIVER GOLDSMITH
THE
POEMS
OF
OLIVER GOLDSMITH
THE POEMS
OF
OLIVER GOLDSMITH.
EDITED BY
ROBERT ARIS WILLMOTT,
AUTHOR OF THE “PLEASURES OF LITERATURE,” “SUMMER TIME IN THE COUNTRY,”
ETC., ETC.
A NEW EDITION,
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY
BIRKET FOSTER AND H. N. HUMPHREYS,
PRINTED IN COLOURS BY EDMUND EVANS.
LONDON AND NEW YORK
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS.
1877.
EDMUND EVANS
ENGRAVER & PRINTER
PREFACE
Oliver Goldsmith, the fifth child of Charles and AnnGoldsmith, was born at Pallas, a hamlet of the parish ofForney, county of Longford, Ireland, November 10th, 1728. Hisfather, the “Preacher” of the “Deserted Village,” having beenpresented to the Rectory of Kilkenny-West, about the year 1730,removed his family to Lissoy, the “Auburn” of the Poet. The“modest mansion” is a ruin, or, by this time, has quite disappeared.His first schoolmaster is described, by one who rememberedhim, as a man “stern to view,” in whose “morning face”the disasters of the day might be easily read. Goldsmith madesmall progress under the ferule of Paddy Burns, and, after beingfor some time a pupil in the diocesan school of Elphin, hewas placed with a competent teacher at Athlone, where he remainedtwo years. He was then transferred to the care ofMr. Hughes, vicar of Shruel, who treated him with kindness, andwhom he always mentioned with respect and gratitude. Hiseldest sister has given a specimen of her brother’s early andready humour. A large company of young peopl