The Vicar of Wakefield: The 1766 English Literary Classic

by Oliver Goldsmith, Moncreiffe Press (editor)

Annotated Content

This edition has been annotated with the following unique

Historical contextDetailed 18th century analysis
About The Vicar of Wakefield

“The beast retires to its shelter, and the bird flies to its nest; but the helpless man can only find refuge in his fellow creature.”

The Vicar of Wakefield is a novel by Anglo-Irish author Oliver Goldsmith, first published in 1766. The work was extremely popular and widely read during the Victorian era.

Losing his fortune suddenly, the idyllic life of the formerly wealthy Dr Primrose and his family is abruptly altered, and they are forced to move to a humbler parish on the estate of Squire Thornhill. Poking fun at the literary conventions of his time, Goldsmith delivers a humorous and engaging tale of the adventures of the ill-fated clergyman, which continues to appeal to modern readers.

221 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

Literary reputation of Irish-born British writer Oliver Goldsmith rests on his novel The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), the pastoral poem The Deserted Village (1770), and the dramatic comedy She Stoops to Conquer (1773).

This Anglo-Irish poet, dramatist, novelist, and essayist wrote, translated, or compiled more than forty volumes. Good sense, moderation, balance, order, and intellectual honesty mark the works for which people remember him.