The Vicar of Wakefield - Large Print Author:Oliver Goldsmith A Triumph of Virtue - And Humor... — Called by Lord Byron "the most exquisite of all romance in miniature," THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD is the story of a simple, kindly reverend who, losing his fortune, moves his family to a new part of the country and tries to live in goodness and dignity. — Dr. Primrose's trials are many. His wife's... more » ambitions for her daughters end in disaster when one is seduced and deserted by a villainous squire. His vicarage is ruined by fire. A son is impoverished, and he himself is thrown into debtor's prison. And the entire family is placed in doubt by the advances of friendship of a mysterious stranger...
If virtue wins out in the end, it is aided largely by Dr. Primrose's faith in the ultimate goodness of man. THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD, first published in 1766, is openly sentimental. But it is also spiritedly humorous and was written by Oliver Goldsmith with a charm that has endured for generations of readers.« less