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What is Retaliation by Oliver Goldsmith?
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Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith, oil painting from the studio of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1770; in the National Portrait Gallery, London
Retaliation (1774) is an incomplete poem by Oliver Goldsmith that was published 15 days after his death.1
The work consists of a series of character portraits written in the form of mock epitaphs, which target a group of the author's closest acquaintances. These portraits are noted for their sharp yet not unkindly depictions of his friends, including figures such as David Garrick and Edmund Burke.12