There are an hundred faults in this Thing, and an hundred things might be said to prove them beauties. But it is needless. A book may be amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity. The hero of this piece unites in himself the three greatest characters upon earth; he is a priest, an husbandman, and the father of a family. He is drawn as ready to teach, and ready to obey, as simple in affluence, and majestic in adversity. In this age of opulence and refinement whom can such a character please? Such as are fond of high life, will turn with disdain from the simplicity of his country fire-side. Such as mistake ribaldry for humour, will find no wit in his harmless conversation; and such as have been taught to deride religion, will laugh at one whose chief stores of comfort are drawn from futurity.

OLIVER GOLDSMITH

DETAILED CONTENTS

1. The description of the family of Wakefield; in which a

kindred likeness prevails as well of minds as of persons

2. Family misfortunes. The loss of fortune only serves to

increase the pride of the worthy

3. A migration. The fortunate circumstances of our lives are

generally found at last to be of our own procuring

4. A proof that even the humblest fortune may grant

happiness, which depends not on circumstance, but

constitution 5. A new and great acquaintance introduced.

What we place most hopes upon generally proves most fatal

6. The happiness of a country fire-side

7. A town wit described. The dullest fellows may learn to be

comical for a night or two

8. An amour, which promises little good fortune, yet may be

productive of much

9. Two ladies of great distinction introduced. Superior

finery ever seems to confer superior breeding

10. The family endeavours to cope with their betters. The

miseries of the poor when they attempt to appear above their

circumstances

11. The family still resolve to hold up their heads

12. Fortune seems resolved to humble the family of

Wakefield. Mortifications are often more painful than real

calamities

13. Mr. Burchell is found to be an enemy; for he has the

confidence to give disagreeable advice

14. Fresh mortifications, or a demonstration that seeming

calamities may be real blessings

15. All Mr. Burchell’s villainy at once detected. The folly

of being-over-wise

16. The Family use art, which is opposed with still greater

17. Scarce any virtue found to resist the power of long and

pleasing temptation 18. The pursuit of a father to reclaim a

lost child to virtue

19. The description of a Person discontented with the

present government, and apprehensive of the loss of our

liberties

20. The history of a philosophic vagabond, pursuing novelty,

but losing content

21. The short continuance of friendship among the vicious,

which is coeval only with mutual satisfaction

22. Offences are easily pardoned where there is love at

bottom

23. None but the guilty can be long and completely miserable

24. Fresh calamities

25. No situation, however wretched it seems, but has some

sort of comfort attending it

26. A reformation in the gaol. To make laws complete, they

should reward as well as punish

27. The same subject continued

28. Happiness and misery rather the result of prudence than

of virtue in this life. Temporal evils or felicities being

regarded by heaven as things merely in themselves trifling

and unworthy its care in the distribution

29. The equal

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