



Produced by Amy E Zelmer, Barb Grow, Derek Thompson and David Widger









THE COMPLETE POETICAL WORKS OF OLIVER GOLDSMITH


By Oliver Goldsmith (Sir Joshua Reynolds)

Oxford Edition


Edited with Introduction and Note by Austin Dobson



PREFATORY NOTE

This volume is a reprint, extended and revised, of the Selected Poems
of Goldsmith issued by the Clarendon Press in 1887. It is 'extended,'
because it now contains the whole of Goldsmith's poetry: it is'revised'
because, besides the supplementary text, a good deal has been added in
the way of annotation and illustration. In other words, the book has
been substantially enlarged. Of the new editorial material, the bulk
has been collected at odd times during the last twenty years; but fresh
Goldsmith facts are growing rare. I hope I have acknowledged obligation
wherever it has been incurred; I trust also, for the sake of those
who come after me, that something of my own will be found to have been
contributed to the literature of the subject.

AUSTIN DOBSON.

Ealing, September, 1906.



CONTENTS

Introduction Chronology of Goldsmith's Life and Poems

POEMS Descriptive Poems The Traveller; or, A Prospect of Society page 3
The Deserted Village page 23 Lyrical and Miscellaneous Pieces Prologue
of Laberius page 41 On a Beautiful Youth struck Blind with Lightning
page 42 The Gift. To Iris, in Bow Street page 43 The Logicians Refuted
page 44 A Sonnet page 46 Stanzas on the Taking of Quebec page 46 An
Elegy on Mrs. Mary Blaize page 47 Description of an Author's Bedchamber
page 48 On seeing Mrs. *** perform in the Character of **** page 49
On the Death of the Right Hon.*** page 50 An Epigram. Addressed to the
Gentlemen reflected on in 'The Rosciad', a Poem, by the Author page 51
To G. C. and R. L. page 51 Translation of a South American Ode page 51
The Double Transformation. A Tale page 52 A New Simile, in the Manner of
Swift page 56 Edwin and Angelina page 59 Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog
page 65 Song ('When Lovely Woman,' etc.) page 67 Epilogue to The Good
Natur'd Man page 68 Epilogue to The Sister page 70 Prologue to Zobeide
page 72 Threnodia Augustalis: Sacred to the Memory of Her Late
Royal Highness the Princess Dowager of Wales page 74 Song ('Let
school-masters,' etc.) page 84 Epilogue to She Stoops to Conquer page
85 Retaliation page 87 Song ('Ah, me! when shall I marry me?') page 94
Translation ('Chaste are their instincts') page 94

page v



The Haunch of Venison page 95 Epitaph on Thomas Parnell page 100 The
Clown's Reply page 100 Epitaph on Edward Purdon page 100 Epilogue for
Lee Lewes page 101 Epilogue written for She Stoops to Conquer (1)
page 103 Epilogue written for She Stoops to Conquer (2) page 108 The
Captivity. An Oratorio Verses in Reply to an Invitation to Dinner page
128 Letter in Prose and Verse to Mrs. Bunbury page 130 Vida's Game of
Chess page 135

NOTES Introduction to the Notes page 159 Editions of the Poems page
161 The Traveller page 162 The Deserted Village page 177 Prologue of
Laberius page 190 On a Beautiful Youth struck Blind with Lightning page
192 The Gift page 193 The Logicians Refuted page 194 A Sonnet page 196
Stanzas on the Taking of Quebec page 196 An Elegy on Mrs. Mary Blaize
page 197 Description of an Author's Bedchamber page 199 On seeing Mrs.
*** perform in the Character of **** page 202 On the Death of the
Right Hon. *** page 202 An Epigram page 203 To G. C. and R. L. page 203
Translation of a South American Ode page 203 The Double Transformation
page 203 A New Simile page 205 Edwin and Angelina page 206 Elegy on the
Death of a Mad Dog page 212 Song (from The Vicar of Wakefield) page 213
Epilogue (The Good Natur'd Man) page 214 Epilogue (The Sister) page 215
Prologue (Zobeide) page 216 Threnodia Augustalis page 218 Song (from She
Stoops to Conquer) page 219

page vi



Epilogue (She Stoops to Conquer) page 220 Retaliation page 222 Song
intended for She Stoops to Conquer page 235 Translation page 236 The
Haunch of Venison page 236 Epitaph on Thomas Parnell page 243 The
Clown's Reply page 244 Epitaph on Edward Purdon page 244 Epilogue for
Lee Lewes's Benefit page 245 Epilogue (She Stoops to Conquer) (1) page
246 Epilogue (She Stoops to Conquer) (2) page 248 The Captivity page 249
Verses in Reply to an Invitation to Dinner page 250 Letter in Prose and
Verse to Mrs. Bunbury page 252 Vida's Game of Chess page 255

APPENDIXES Portraits of Goldsmith page 259 Descriptions of Newell's
Views of Lissoy, etc. page 262 The Epithet 'Sentimental' page 264
Fragments of Trans