5. The power to enjoy our blessings is enhanced by what knowledge or experience? 6. In the description of the Valley of Happiness, find some combinations of setting which would not hold in real life. 7. Judging from this selection, would the human race be contented in utter idleness? 8. What moral did Johnson wish to teach by this piece? 9. Would Johnson deserve immortality simply on the merits of this, one of his best pieces of literary work? FOR REFERENCE "Life of Johnson."--BOSWELL. "Dr. Johnson" ("Bell's Miniature series").--DENNIS. "Life of Johnson."--MACAULAY. "Six Essays on Johnson."--RALEIGH. "Doctor Johnson and Mrs. Thrale."--BROADLEY. "Essay on Boswell's Johnson."--CARLYLE. OLIVER GOLDSMITH (1728-1774) Goldsmith was born in central Ireland, where his father was a clergyman of the Established Church of England. His youth gave little promise of future eminence. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin, after various escapades he was sent by his uncle to study medicine in Edinburgh. After a few months of study he started on a four years' vagabond trip, during which he made the tour of Western Europe on foot, paying his way with his flute. Returning to England he was by turns a physician, proofreader, teacher, and hack writer. In the latter capacity he came in contact with Dr. Johnson, and was one of the nine charter members of the Club, a literary society over which Johnson held genial sway. The next year appeared his first work of any value, the poem, "The Traveler." A year later he published his only novel, "The Vicar of Wakefield," still one of the most popular of stories. From this he turned to the drama and produced "The Good-Natured Man," and "She Stoops to Conquer," the latter unsurpassed among later English comedies. At some time prior to this appeared his greatest poem, "The Deserted Village." In character he was a strange mixture of generosity and vanity; the butt and yet the envy of his many friends, uncouth in appearance and yet gifted with so lucid a style. THE MAN 1. Goldsmith was educated at the same college as Burke: did he benefit as greatly? 2. Under what circumstances did he make the tour of the Continent? 3. Were his habits of dress eccentric? II, 115. 4. He was a member of what celebrated literary coterie? 5. What were his principal traits? 6. What was his opinion of his friend Johnson? II, 110, 122. STYLE AND WORKS 1. Give Johnson's estimate of the "Good-Natured Man." II, 103. 2. Was Goldsmith a productive poet? See Goethe's statement to Eckermann. IV, 393. 3. Name the principal prose writers of his time. II, 100, 331; V, 193, 406; VII, 334; XI, 294. 4. What other poet wrote at this period? VI, 106. 5. The style of Goldsmith is in imitation of what poet? X, 64. 6. What defects mar his writings?