Oliver Goldsmith (1728 - 1774) was an Irish playwright, novelist, and poet. He is best known for his poem The Deserted Village, as well as his novel The Vicar of Wakefield. The Deserted Village is a social commentary condemning the pursuit of limitless wealth and the movement of populations into urban areas. The Traveler, published in 1764, was Goldsmith’s first popular work. It is a philosophical poem depicting and discussing the causes of happiness and unhappiness in nations. This collection of poems also contains The Hermit, An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog, and The Haunch of Venison.