AUBURN, a village, in the parish and barony of
KILKENNY-WEST, county of WESTMEATH, and province
of LEINSTER, 5½ miles (N. E.) from Athlone: the population
is returned with the parish. It is a very small
place, but is celebrated as being the spot from which,
from real life, Oliver Goldsmith drew his enchanting description
of rural scenery in the "Deserted Village:"
the house in which the poet resided is now in ruins;
and the hawthorn tree, round which a wall was built to
preserve it, has been carried away piecemeal as relics.
Near the village is Lissoy, which is described in his tale
of the "Vicar of Wakefield" as "the modest mansion,"
in which it is known he gave an accurate picture of his
sister, and brother-in-law, Daniel Hodson, Esq., who
resided there. See KILKENNY-WEST.