John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
4308 Oliver Goldsmith 1730?-1774 John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 4308 |
| AUTHOR: | Oliver Goldsmith (1730?–1774) |
| QUOTATION: | Well had the boding tremblers learn’d to trace The day’s disasters in his morning face; Full well they laugh’d with counterfeited glee At all his jokes, for many a joke had he; Full well the busy whisper circling round Convey’d the dismal tidings when he frown’d. Yet was he kind, or if severe in aught, The love he bore to learning was in fault; The village all declar’d how much he knew, ’T was certain he could write and cipher too. |
| ATTRIBUTION: | The Deserted Village. Line 199. |