戈德史密斯《威克菲尔德的牧师》.pdf

The Vicar of Wakefield
by Oliver Goldsmith
作者简介
戈德史密斯( ),剧作
家、小说家和诗人,生于爱尔兰基尔肯尼郡的西基尔肯尼。在都柏
林大学断断续续上学,后去伦敦大学学习法律,又到爱丁堡大学学
医,后又去莱顿,于年身无分文地回到爱尔兰。曾在伦敦行
医,短暂担任过几种职务,而后着手写作和翻译。《威克菲尔德的
牧师》( )确立了他小说家的
声誉,《荒村》( )确立了他诗
人的声誉,而《能屈能伸》( )
则确立了他剧作家的声誉。
ADVERTISEMENT
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 charac-
ter 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 fort are drawn
from futurity.
OLIVER GOLDSMITH
The Vicar of Wakefield 1
CHAPTER 1
The description of the family of Wakefield; in which a kindred like-
ness prevails as well of minds as of persons
I was ever of opinion, that the honest man who married and brought up a
large family, did more service than he who continued single, and only talked
of population. From this motive, I had scarce taken orders a year before I
began to think seriously of matrimony, and chose my wife as she did her
wedding gown, not for a fine glossy surfaces but such qualities as would
wear well. To do her justice, she was a good-natured notable woman; and
as for breeding, there were few country ladies who could shew more. She
could read any English book without much spelling, but for pickling,
preserving, and cookery, none could excel her. She prided herself also upon
being an excellent contriver in house- keep