The Vicar of Wakefield

Unique Elements Author Biography About The Vicar of Wakefield “I armed her against the censure of the world, showed her that books were sweet unreproaching companions to the miserable, and that if they could not bring us to enjoy life, they would at least teach us to endure it.” The Vicar of Wakefield is a novel by Anglo-Irish author Oliver Goldsmith, published in 1766. The work was extremely popular and widely read during the Victorian era. Losing his fortune suddenly, the idyllic life of the formerly wealthy Dr Primrose and his family is abruptly altered, and they are forced to move to a humbler parish on the estate of Squire Thornhill. Poking fun at the literary conventions of his time, Goldsmith delivers a humorous and engaging tale of the adventures of the ill-fated clergyman, which continues to appeal to modern readers.