The Vicar of Wakefield

Oliver Goldsmith's The Vicar of Wakefield is about as representative of the English 18th century novel as you can get. It's all here: the picaresque setting, the hidden identities, the misunderstandings, the villain's comeuppance, and the tidy, happy ending. The novel was a favorite in Britain for several generations, and is name checked in works by Dickens and Austen, among others.

The titular character is Dr. Primrose, who serves as vicar in an idyllic country parish. He and his wife Deborah have six wonderful children and have the love and respect of their parishioners. However, a financial setback sets the family on the road to hard times and increasing poverty. They are aided by a variety of characters, including Squire Thornhill, the local land magnate. They are also befriended by Mr. Burchell, who becomes a close family friend. Thornhill takes an interest in the Vicar's daughters and eventually kidnaps one of them. It seems the Squire is a serial 'marry 'em, disgrace 'em and leave 'em' type. Misfortune continues to fall as the Vicar's home burns down, but just as the situation seems irredeemable, all is not only set straight, but the virtuous are rewarded.

I enjoyed the novel for the reason that I am fascinated by contemporary accounts of life in past times. This definitely wouldn't be for everyone's taste, but if you like Dickens, Austen, Shelley, or their contemporaries, it is worth a look to see where their inspiration came from.