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OLIVER GOLDSMITH

Oliver Goldsmith was an Anglo-Irish journalist, essayist, novelist, dramatist and poet. He was born in 1728 at Pallas, county Longford Ireland and died in 1774. Among his more famous works are 'The Vicar of Wakefield' and ' The Deserted Village'. His father, a clergyman of the Established Church, held the living of Kilkenny West. In 1745 he was entered as a sizar at Trinity College, Dublin. In 1749, shortly after his father's death, he left Dublin with the degree of Bachelor, and was advised by an uncle, who had already borne a large part of the expenses of his education, to prepare for holy orders. Rejected for holy orders he became tutor in a family, but soon lost his situation on account of a dispute with the master of the house over a game at cards.

The same uncle who had given him assistance before now gave him 50 pounds to go to Dublin to study law, but he had scarcely arrived at the city when he lost the whole sum in gambling. In spite of his repeated imprudences he was once more succoured by his uncle, who supplied him with means to go to Edinburgh to study medicine. Here he remained eighteen months, during which he acquired some slight knowledge of chemistry and natural history. At the end of this period he removed to Leyden, again at the expense of his uncle; and afterwards wandered over a large part of France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. It was probably at Padua that he took a medical degree, as he remained there six months; but his uncle dying while he was in Italy he wag obliged to travel on foot to England, and reached London in 1756 with a few pence in his pocket. After some years of hard experience as a chemist's assistant, medical practitioner, proof-reader, and school usher, he drifted into literature. He conducted a department in the Monthly Review, wrote essays in the Public Ledger (afterwards published under the title of the Citizen of the World), and a weekly pamphlet, entitled the Bee. In 1761 he was introduced to Dr. Johnson.

In 1764 he appeared as a poet by the publication of his Traveller. In 1766 appeared his Vicar of Wakefield, which at once secured merited applause. In 1768 his comedy of the Good-natured Man was acted at Covent-Gardenwith but indifferent success. His poetical fame was greatly enhanced by the publication of his The Deserted Village in 1770. In 1773 he produced his comedy of She Stoops to Conquer, which was completely successful. He also compiled histories of England, Greece, and Rome; and a History of the Earth and Animated Nature, a pleasing work, but one of no scientific value. His last days were embittered by the pressure of debt, incurred partly by his improvidence and partly by his generosity. The manners of Oliver Goldsmith were eccentric, even to absurdity.
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