The Vicar of Wakefield
Oliver Goldsmith's The Vicar of Wakefield, published in 1766, is narrated by Dr. Charles Primrose, a kindly and somewhat vain country clergyman with a devoted wife, two pretty daughters and four sons. When the family loses its fortune, it moves to a humble parish under the charming and unscrupulous Squire Thornhill, and a run of misfortunes follows: a daughter's seduction, swindles at the fair, fire, debt and prison. Through it all the Vicar keeps his patience and his habit of preaching. Goldsmith's gentle irony, the family's comic schemes for social advancement and the poems set into the story, including "When lovely woman stoops to folly," made it one of the most widely read English novels of the following century. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
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Frequently asked questions about The Vicar of Wakefield
The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read The Vicar of Wakefield online?
Yes. The Vicar of Wakefield opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is The Vicar of Wakefield free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of The Vicar of Wakefield is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Vicar of Wakefield in the public domain?
Yes. The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Vicar of Wakefield?
About 4 h 14 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Vicar of Wakefield?
The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
