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John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

Page 397

 
 
Oliver Goldsmith. (1730?–1774) (continued)
 
4305
    Truth from his lips prevail’d with double sway,
And fools who came to scoff, remain’d to pray. 1
          The Deserted Village. Line 179.
4306
    Even children follow’d with endearing wile,
And pluck’d his gown, to share the good man’s smile.
          The Deserted Village. Line 183.
4307
    As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form,
Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm,—
Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread,
Eternal sunshine settles on its head.
          The Deserted Village. Line 189.
4308
    Well had the boding tremblers learn’d to trace
The day’s disasters in his morning face;
Full well they laugh’d with counterfeited glee
At all his jokes, for many a joke had he;
Full well the busy whisper circling round
Convey’d the dismal tidings when he frown’d.
Yet was he kind, or if severe in aught,
The love he bore to learning was in fault;
The village all declar’d how much he knew,
’T was certain he could write and cipher too.
          The Deserted Village. Line 199.
4309
    In arguing too, the parson own’d his skill,
For e’en though vanquish’d he could argue still;
While words of learned length and thundering sound
Amaz’d the gazing rustics rang’d around;
And still they gaz’d, and still the wonder grew
That one small head could carry all he knew.
          The Deserted Village. Line 209.
4310
    Where village statesmen talk’d with looks profound,
And news much older than their ale went round.
          The Deserted Village. Line 223.
4311
    The whitewash’d wall, the nicely sanded floor,
The varnish’d clock that click’d behind the door;
The chest, contriv’d a double debt to pay,—
A bed by night, a chest of drawers by day. 2
          The Deserted Village. Line 227.
 
Note 1.
See Dryden, Quotation 27. [back]
Note 2.
A cap by night, a stocking all the day—Oliver Goldsmith: A Description of an Author’s Bed-Chamber. [back]