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Oliver Goldsmith Quotes about Country

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Ceremonies are different in every country, but true politeness is everywhere the same.

Ceremonies are different in every country, but true politeness is everywhere the same.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Different, Politeness
Oliver Goldsmith, Henry George Bohn (1848). “Works: With a Life and Notes”, p.112

A man who leaves home to mend himself and others is a philosopher; but he who goes from country to country, guided by the blind impulse of curiosity, is a vagabond.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Travel, Home
Oliver Goldsmith (1809). “The Citizen of the World; Or, Letters from a Chinese Philosopher: Residing in London, to His Friends in the Country”, p.24

It has been remarked that almost every character which has excited either attention or pity has owed part of its success to merit, and part to a happy concurrence of circumstances in its favor. Had Caesar or Cromwell exchanged countries, the one might have been a sergeant and the other an exciseman.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Character, Favors
Oliver Goldsmith (1819). “Essays and poems, by Dr. Oliver Goldsmith. To which are prefixed, memoirs of the author”, p.3

Near yonder copse, where once the garden smil'd, And still where many a garden flower grows wild, There, where a few torn shrubs the place disclose, The village preacher's modest mansion rose. A man he was to all the country dear, And passing rich with forty pounds a year; Remote from town's he ran his godly race, Nor e'er had chang'd nor wish'd to change his place; Unskilful he to fawn, or seek for power, By doctrines fashion'd to the varying hour; Far other aims his heart had learn'd to prize. More bent to raise the wretched than to rise.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Fashion, Flower
Oliver Goldsmith (1856). “The Miscellaneous Works: Poems. Miscellaneous pieces. Dramas. Criticism relating to poetry and the belles-lettres”, p.69

Whatever be the motives which induce men to write,--whether avarice or fame,--the country becomes more wise and happy in which they most serve for instructors.

Oliver Goldsmith
Wise, Country, Writing
Oliver Goldsmith, David Masson (1869). “The Miscellaneous Works of Oliver Goldsmith”, p.210

I fancy the character of a poet is in every country the same,--fond of enjoying the present, careless of the future; his conversation that of a man of sense, his actions those of a fool.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Character, Men
Oliver Goldsmith (1835). “His Works”, p.241

I have visited many countries, and have been in cities without number, yet never did I enter a town which could not produce ten or twelve little great men; all fancying themselves known to the rest of the world, and complimenting each other upon their extensive reputation.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Men, Cities
Oliver Goldsmith (1834). “The citizen of the world”, p.217

The polite of every country seem to have but one character. A gentleman of Sweden differs but little, except in trifles, from one of any other country. It is among the vulgar we are to find those distinctions which characterize a people.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Character, People
Oliver Goldsmith (1834). “An inquiry into the present state of polite learning. The Bee. History of Cyrillo Padovano. Life of Dr. Parnell. Life of Lord Bolingbroke. Prefaces and introductions”, p.77

There is probably no country so barbarous that would not disclose all it knew, if it received equivalent information; and I am apt to think that a person who was ready to give more knowledge than he received would be welcome wherever he came.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Travel, Thinking
Oliver Goldsmith (1824). “Essays, poems and plays”, p.86

Such is the patriot's boast, where'er we roam, His first best country ever is at home.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Home, Patriotic
The Traveller l. 73 (1764)

A man he was to all the country dear, And passing rich with forty pounds a year.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Men, Years
'The Deserted Village' (1770) l. 141

Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and men decay. Princes and lords may flourish or may fade,- A breath can make them, as a breath has made; But a bold peasantry, their country's pride, When once destroy'd, can never be supplied.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Pride, Men
The Deserted Village l. 51 (1770)

Whatever the skill of any country may be in the sciences, it is from its excellence in polite learning alone that it must expect a character from posterity.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Learning, Character
Oliver Goldsmith (1834). “An inquiry into the present state of polite learning. The Bee. History of Cyrillo Padovano. Life of Dr. Parnell. Life of Lord Bolingbroke. Prefaces and introductions”, p.11

So the loud torrent, and the whirlwind's roar, But bind him to his native mountains more.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Mountain, Loud
Oliver Goldsmith (1851). “The Traveller”, p.7

Men may be very learned, and yet very miserable; it is easy to be a deep geometrician, or a sublime astronomer, but very difficult to be a good man. I esteem, therefore, the traveller who instructs the heart, but despise him who only indulges the imagination. A man who leaves home to mend himself and others, is a philosopher; but he who goes from country to country, guided by the blind impulse of curiosity, is only a vagabond.

Oliver Goldsmith
Country, Home, Heart
Oliver Goldsmith (1854). “The works of Oliver Goldsmith. 2: Enquiry into the present state of polite learning; The citizen of the world”, p.106

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