[11.] The village preacher's, etc. There is no doubt that the poet was
thinking of his own father when he drew the sketch that follows--one of
the most charming character sketches in English literature. To find
its like in poetry one must go back to Chaucer's picture of the "poor
parson" in the _Prologue to the Canterbury Tales_. Goldsmith's
"village preacher" first appeared in the _Vicar of Wakefield_, in that
delightful character, Parson Primrose.
[12.] Passing, surpassingly.
[13.] Unpracticed he, etc. Clergymen have in some instances changed
their creeds to gain favor with those in authority.
[14.] His pity gave, etc., _i.e._ he gave from warm human sympathy
rather than from a religious, and perhaps a colder, sentiment.
[15.] Fled the struggling soul. _Fled_ is sometimes used transitively
by older writers.
[16.] Awful form. Notice how effective _awful_ is when properly used.
[17.] Cypher, do sums in arithmetic; not often used now.
[18.] Terms and tides presage, _i.e._ the schoolmaster could tell when
courts were to be held and when certain tides (times), such as
Whitsuntide or Easter, would come.
[19.] Gauge, measure. The word is applied especially to determining
the capacity of casks and other vessels containing alcoholic liquors.
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