masterpiece. It has some autobiographical elements also.
Here are some thirteen-letter-words, including plurals, used in
the novel.
The sentences of classic writers, tend to be too long and compound-complex, with a number of principal clauses and subordinate clauses. We may have to examine them in parts, sometimes.
I have resized the sentences to facilitate comprehension and
reading. I might have, in the process, disturbed the original
ideas. The Vicar of Wakefield is available free on the net.
Original sentences may be perused there, if interested in an
indepth-study. I am, only giving some pointers.
Fill up the blanks, selecting appropriate words from the Choice
Box.
SELECTION BOX:
Acquaintances , apprehensions , circumstances , commonwealths ,
communicating , concatenation , condescending , condescension ,
consciousness , consternation , contamination , conveniencies ,
countermanded , demonstration , disappointing , disparagement ,
distinguished , encouragement , entertainment , extraordinary ,
impossibility , incontestably , indispensably , inexpressible ,
insensibility , instantaneous , investigation , irretrievably ,
miscellaneous , mortification , neighbourhood , opportunities ,
philanthropic , philosophical , precipitately , remonstrances ,
singularities , understanding , unparallelled , unreproaching
MY REM: Among the 12-13 lws. The words 'apprehension' and
'circumstances' seem to be popular with Goldsmith. I am not
quoting all the sentences which have 'circumstances'.
QUESTION BOX: * Even the humblest
fortune may grant happiness, which depends not on ___ , but
constitution. ANSWER
*My eldest son, just upon leaving college, fixed his
affections upon the daughter of a neighbouring clergyman, who
was a dignitary in the church, and in ___ to give her a large
fortune. ANSWER
* Mortifications are often more painful than real
calamities Mr Burchell is found to be an enemy; for he has the
confidence to give ____ advice Fresh mortifications, or a
demonstration that seeming calamities may be real
blessings. ANSWER
* My second boy Moses, whom I designed for business,
received a sort of a _____ (miscellaneous /professional /
technical) education at home.
ANSWER
REM: The practice of parents designing the occupations for
children might have been in vogue during Goldsmith's times.
* ‘You cannot be ignorant, my children,’ cried I, ‘that
no prudence of ours could have prevented our late misfortune;
but prudence may do much in _____
(ameliorating/disappointing/soothening) its effects ANSWER
*’ As he was possest of integrity and honour, I was under
no ___ from throwing him naked into the amphitheatre of life;
for I knew he would act a good part whether vanquished or
victorious ANSWER
REM:Business and integrity-honor are antithetical to one
another. Many readers of the 21c. may not agree. Well, it is
difficult to prove this impression. Corporate giants plant
their agents in the Government and rule the countries by proxy.
Nobody, will therefore, have guts to investigate links between
businesses and dishonesty..
* The leaving a ____ in which we had enjoyed so many
hours of tranquility, was not without a tear, which scarce
fortitude itself could suppress.
> ANSWER
REM:Livelihood-seekers today travel thousands of km. The
mode of travel has changed. We use aircrafts in the place of
horses. May not return for ever.
* We lightened the fatigues of the road with
philosophical disputes, which he seemed to understand
perfectly. ANSWER
REM:Nobody raises philosophical topics in 21c. Where is the
question of philosophical disputes? Even when religion is
discussed, the disputes are about earthly issues and not
philosophical issues.
* I allowed half an hour for this meal, and an hour for
dinner; which time was taken up in innocent mirth between my
wife and daughters, and in _____ arguments between my son and
me ANSWER
REM:Parents discussing philosophical issues with sons!
Never in 21c. The whole time is spent before the idiot
box.
* In all the foreign universities and convents, there are
upon certain days _____ theses maintained against every
adventitious disputant; for which, if the champion opposes with
any dexterity, he can claim a gratuity in money, a dinner, and a
bed, for one night ANSWER
REM: The harsh reality: Philosophical disputes also get
their resolution in material results. Didn't Marx say that all
human relations are pecuniary?
*’ ... at least he carried benevolence to an excess when
young; for his passions were then strong, and as they all were
upon the side of virtue, they led it up to a romantic extreme
_____ . ANSWER
REM:People of today see romantic extreme singularities only
in celebrities like film stars and sports persons.
Gram. hint: The words 'romantic' and 'extreme' are adj1 and adj2
to the noun 'singularity'. Romantic is not adverb.
* He early began to aim at the qualifications of the
soldier and scholar; was soon ___ in the army and had some
reputation among men of learning. ANSWER
* As they had almost all the ____ of life within
themselves, they seldom visited towns or cities in search of
superfluity ANSWER
* Nothing could exceed the neatness of my little
enclosures: the elms and hedge rows appearing with ____
beauty ANSWER
REM:There can be no better adjective than 'inexpressible'
for beauty. 'Beauty' is an abstract noun. It is skin-deep
according to Keats. Hence, it is apt to call beauty,
'inexpressible'. We can also add adjectives like
'immeasurable'. We can add an adj. like 'unimaginable', but the
thoughts about beauty, may sometimes be, figments of imagination
.
*...The ____ of self existences, proceeding in a
reciprocal duplicate ratio, naturally produce a problematical
dialogism, which in some measure proves that the essence of
spirituality may be referred to the second predicable’—‘Hold,
hold,’ cried the other, ‘I deny that: Do you think I can thus
tamely submit to such heterodox doctrines?’—‘What,’ replied the
‘Squire, as if in a passion, ‘not submit! Answer me one plain
question: Do you think Aristotle right when he says, that
relatives are related?’ ‘Undoubtedly,’ replied the other ANSWER .
REM:Are relatives really related?
*... Do you judge the analytical ___ of the first part of
my enthymem deficient secundum quoad, or quoad minus, and give
me your reasons... ANSWER
REM: Enthymem (Websters definition) = An argument consisting
of only two propositions, an antecedent and consequent deduced
from it; a syllogism with one premise omitted; as, We are
dependent; therefore we should be humble. Here the major
proposition is suppressed. The complete syllogism would be,
Dependent creatures should be humble; we are dependent
creatures; therefore we should be humble.. Other things I
cannot decipher. We have to study a lot.
* It was just recovering from this dismal situation that
I found them; but perceiving every thing safe, I own their
present ___ did not much displease me, as it would give me many
opportunities of future triumph, and teach my daughters more
humility ANSWER
* Suppose the girls should come to make ___ of taste in
town! This I am assured of, that London is the only place in the
world for all manner of husbands
> ANSWER
REM:May be New York in 21c.
* The next winter, which you will probably spend in town,
will give you opportunities of making a more prudent choice ANSWER
* We had still a regard for Mr Burchell, though his late
rude behaviour was in some measure displeasing; nor could we now
avoid ____ our happiness to him, and asking his advice: although
we seldom followed advice, we were all ready enough to ask
it ANSWER .
* It was thought ____ necessary that their appearance
should equal the greatness of their expectations, which could
not be done without expence
ANSWER .
REM: Great appearances and great expectations, obviously
involve great outlay. Buddha identified 'desires' as the root
of misery. Thoreau experimented with his Walden, probably
because of the apprehensions of the perils involved in
expectations. See another reference: the film- "Little
Voice".
* I readily complied with his request, and tho’ I see you
are displeased at my conduct, yet as it was a debt ____ due to
friendship, I could not refuse
ANSWER
* However, no lovers in romance ever cemented a more
______ friendship ANSWER
REM:Momentary friendships rarely cement.
*My arm was dressed, and I found almost ____ relief ANSWER
*’—‘I believe you might,’ cried my wife, still smiling at
us, though the laugh was against her; ‘and yet I have seen some
men pretend to ___ that have very little ANSWER .
*’‘Sir,’ replied I, ‘your present observation is just,
when there are shining virtues and minute defects; but when it
appears that great vices are opposed in the same mind to as ____
virtues, such a character deserves contempt ANSWER
REM: 21c trend: Adore minute virtues. Ignore great vices.
Examples: Stars, singers, baseballers, footballers,
*’—‘And how could you,’ said I, ‘so basely, so
ungratefully presume to write this letter?’—‘And how came you,’
replied he, with looks of ____ effrontery, ‘so basely to presume
to break open this letter?
ANSWER
* It required but very little ___ to revive his former passion. ANSWER
.
* Being driven to that state of mind in which we are more
ready to act ___ than to reason right, I never debated with
myself, whether these accounts might not have been given by
persons purposely placed in my way, to mislead me, but resolved
to pursue my daughter and her fancied deluder thither ANSWER
* This person was no other than the ___ bookseller in St
Paul’s church-yard, who has written so many little books for
children: he called himself their friend; but he was the friend
of all mankind ANSWER
REM:Such booksellers are becoming rare objects in 21c.
* Upon informing him of the truth, and that I did not
belong in any sort to the company, he was ____ enough to desire
me and the player to partake in a bowl of punch, over which he
discussed modern politics with great earnestness and
interest ANSWER .
* As the company with which I went was ___ the
chief of the place, we were received with the greatest respect,
and placed in the front seat of the theatre. ANSWER
* At intervals she would take a sly peep at the glass, as
if happy in the ____ of unresisting beauty, and often
would ask questions, without giving any manner of attention to
the answers ANSWER
REM:Good phrases: 1) sly peep; 2) unresisting beauty.
* I entreated them to be expeditious, and desired my son
to assist his elder sister, who, from a ____ that she was the
cause of all our calamities, was fallen, and had lost anguish in
insensibility ANSWER
* My remarks, however, are but few: I found that monarchy
was the best government for the poor to live in, and
commonwealths for the rich ANSWER
REM:Difficult to agree. Democracies are becoming
unendurable because Corporates are invading them.
* I could hear her ____ very distinctly: ‘Out I say, pack
out this moment, tramp thou infamous strumpet, or I’ll give thee
a mark thou won’t be the better for this three months ANSWER
SUPPORT:
* Though her father made several ____ on the impropriety
of going to a prison to visit us, yet they were ineffectual; she
desired the child to conduct her, which he did, and it was thus
she surprised us at a juncture so unexpected ANSWER .
* I armed her against the censures of the world, shewed
her that books were sweet ___ companions to the miserable, and
that if they could not bring us to enjoy life, they would at
least teach us to endure it ANSWER
REM:21st Century context: Books are losing their value as
true friends. The poorest too, are enamoured of TVs. People
are losing their ability to recognise alphabets, read and
comprehend. Everything should be fed to them through audio-
video.
* My daughter Sophy and I can afford but little ____to
persons who have kept company only with people of
distinction ANSWER
* The proposal was received with the greatest good-
humour, as it promised to afford a new fund of ____ to persons
who had now no other resource for mirth, but what could be
derived from ridicule or debauchery ANSWER
HINT: The proposal is to go back to the prison and reclaim
the prisoners.
* They attended us to our inn, where a sumptuous _____
was provided, and coarser provisions distributed in great
quantities among the populace ANSWER .
* When we consider what numbers he has ruined, how many
parents now feel with anguish the infamy and the ___ which he
has brought into their families, it would not surprise me if
some one of them—Amazement! Do I see my lost daughter! Do I hold
her! It is, it is my life, my happiness ANSWER
*The next morning I communicated to my wife and children
the scheme I had planned of reforming the prisoners, which they
received with universal disapprobation, alleging the ____ and
impropriety of it. ANSWER
.
REM:21c outcome: Nobody can reform others. Everybody has
his own levels of awareness and pride about his awareness
levels. The pride resists reformatory efforts.
*Our regiment is _____ and is not to leave the
kingdom. ANSWER
* After my guests were recovered, from the ____ my
account had produced, I requested also that Mr Jenkinson, a
fellow prisoner, might be admitted, and the gaoler granted my
request with an air of unusual submission ANSWER .
* Miss Wilmot therefore perceiving that her fortune was
_____ lost, turning to my son, she asked if the loss of fortune
could lessen her value to himANSWER .
