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Audiobook editionPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
A family loses its footing, a guest mistakes his host for a servant, and a poet mourns an empty village.
Dalziels' Illustrated Goldsmith brings together Oliver Goldsmith's novel The Vicar of Wakefield, the comedy She Stoops to Conquer, and poems including The Deserted Village and The Traveller. In the novel, Dr Charles Primrose tries to keep his household steady through money troubles. His family's friendship with the charming Mr Thornhill brings hope, but also puts their trust to the test.
In She Stoops to Conquer, Charles Marlow mistakes a private house for an inn, while Kate Hardcastle pretends to be someone else to win her shy suitor. The Deserted Village turns toward Auburn, once happy and now abandoned. Across comedy, poetry and essays, Goldsmith looks at human folly with affection and asks what kindness is worth in a world impressed by rank.
What you’ll discover
- A household under pressure Meet a loving family whose troubles test the vicar's patience, trust and sense of duty.
- One wonderfully mistaken guest Watch Marlow treat a hospitable gentleman like a servant, turning a welcome into comic confusion.
- A clever courtship Follow Kate Hardcastle as she uses disguise to reach a suitor held back by shyness.
- A countryside remembered Enter the abandoned village of Auburn through plain, musical verse filled with longing.
- Fresh eyes on manners See English habits through a visitor from China, with Goldsmith's gentle teasing as your guide.
Who will love it
This book is for readers who enjoy warm, funny family stories, country life, and gentle satire. It also suits anyone who likes a stage comedy full of mistaken identities and shy lovers.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Lost comfort puts character to the test
- Pride travels with the family
- Vanity makes good advice unwelcome
- Faith continues when security disappears
- Happiness depends on more than wealth
- Light verse carries gentle moral sense
- Generosity needs the courage to refuse
- A disguise gives shyness an opening
- Kindness runs through comedy and sorrow
Who’s who
- Dr. Charles PrimroseThe vicar of Wakefield, a kind, learned and sometimes blind father who wants to keep his family safe and his principles whole.
- Deborah PrimroseThe vicar's wife, a proud housekeeper who longs to see her daughters rise in the world.
- OliviaThe vicar's eldest daughter, lively and eager to be admired, who is drawn to the fashionable squire.
- SophiaThe younger daughter, gentle and sensible, who wants to win one honest heart.
- Mr. BurchellA poor wandering gentleman who rescues Sophia, speaks bluntly, and warns the family against false friends.
- Squire ThornhillThe family's landlord, charming and rich, who wants his own pleasure and takes an interest in the vicar's daughters.
- Kate HardcastleClever and warm, she lets Marlow mistake her for a barmaid and uses his greater ease to win his heart.
- Tony LumpkinMrs. Hardcastle's spoiled son, who loves the alehouse and practical jokes and will do anything to avoid marrying his cousin.
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Dalziels' Illustrated Goldsmith
A kind vicar loses his fortune, and a charming squire sets his sights on his daughters.
Medium level5–10 hours to read20 languages
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In short
What happens when a kind, trusting man with a large family loses most of his fortune? In The Vicar of Wakefield, Dr. Charles Primrose, a country clergyman, hears the news in the middle of a quarrel over whether a priest may marry twice.
Dalziels' Illustrated Goldsmith at a glance
- Reading time
- About 9 h 15 min7 h 20 min fast, 11 h slow
- Length
- 132,100 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A Trusting Family Loses Its Fortune
The Vicar of Wakefield opens with Dr. Charles Primrose telling the story in his own voice. He is both wise and blind. He says he chose his wife Deborah as she chose her wedding dress, for lasting qualities and not for a glossy surface.
They have six children. George is educated at Oxford. Olivia is lively and wants many admirers, while gentle Sophia wants to win only one. All are generous, trusting, simple, and harmless.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 10 h 20 min
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Goldsmith, Oliver. Dalziels' Illustrated Goldsmith. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/dalziels-illustrated-goldsmith.
Goldsmith, O. (2026). Dalziels' illustrated Goldsmith. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/dalziels-illustrated-goldsmith
Goldsmith, Oliver. Dalziels' Illustrated Goldsmith. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/dalziels-illustrated-goldsmith.
@book{goldsmith2026dalziels,
author = {Goldsmith, Oliver},
title = {Dalziels' Illustrated Goldsmith},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/dalziels-illustrated-goldsmith}
}
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What is The Vicar of Wakefield about?
It follows a kind country clergyman, Dr. Primrose, whose family loses its fortune, moves to a poor farm, and meets a charming squire. It is a story about trust, pride, family loyalty, and keeping faith when life turns hard.
Who is Mr. Burchell in The Vicar of Wakefield?
Mr. Burchell is a poor, plain-spoken wanderer who rescues Sophia from a stream and becomes a friend of the family. He speaks his mind about the squire, and the family comes to see him in a new light.
What is She Stoops to Conquer about?
It is a stage comedy in which two young men mistake a country house for an inn. The mistake causes embarrassment and confusion, and Kate Hardcastle uses a disguise to win the heart of a shy suitor.
The author
Oliver Goldsmith
1728–1774 · Anglo-Irish novelist and poet
Oliver Goldsmith was an Irish writer of the eighteenth century whose range spanned the novel (The Vicar of Wakefield), poetry, and the stage. She Stoops to Conquer remains one of the most enduring comedies in English.
More by Oliver Goldsmith
See all their booksMore like this
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