Studio of Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), via the National Portrait Gallery and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: ? Public domain. Source
X
Edmund Burke (1729-1797) from the studio of Joshua Reynolds, sometime after 1769. “Somebody has said” Burke reminded Irish MP William Smith in 1795 “that a king may make a nobleman, but he cannot make a gentleman.” Writing in the aftermath of the French Revolution and its “inexpiable war” on religion, Burke wanted all Christians to unite against the use of legislation or social pressure to forge a new and better society: such measures would be as useless as adopting the fashionable dress or opinions of the day in the hope of becoming a gentleman. “And is, then, example nothing?” he wrote a year later, protesting at calls to normalise relations with France. “It is everything. Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other.”
Back to text
Enlarge & read more...
Studio of Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), via the National Portrait Gallery and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: ? Public domain.
Edmund Burke (1729-1797) from the studio of Joshua Reynolds, sometime after 1769. “Somebody has said” Burke reminded Irish MP William Smith in 1795 “that a king may make a nobleman, but he cannot make a gentleman.” Writing in the aftermath of the French Revolution and its “inexpiable war” on religion, Burke wanted all Christians to unite against the use of legislation or social pressure to forge a new and better society: such measures would be as useless as adopting the fashionable dress or opinions of the day in the hope of becoming a gentleman. “And is, then, example nothing?” he wrote a year later, protesting at calls to normalise relations with France. “It is everything. Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other.”
IT is no very uncommon thing in the world to meet with men of probity;* there are likewise a great many men of honour to be found. Men of courage, men of sense, and men of letters are frequent; but a true fine gentleman is what one seldom sees. He is properly a compound of the various good qualities that embellish mankind. As the great poet animates all the different parts of learning by the force of his genius,* and irradiates all the compass of his knowledge by the lustre and brightness of his imagination, so all the great and solid perfections of life appear in the finished gentleman, with a beautiful gloss and varnish; every thing he says or does is accompanied with a manner, or rather a charm, that draws the admiration and good-will of every beholder.
* From Latin probitas, meaning ‘goodness, worth, uprightness, honesty’ (as defined by Lewis and Short). A man of probity is a man of integrity and high principle.
* A man of letters is a well-read man, especially one who writes for an intellectual audience, e.g. a poet, essayist or scholar.
* ‘Genius’ is used today to mean extreme brilliance of mind, but in Steele’s day it often meant simply ‘natural gifts’, one’s innate character.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author
aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that
strike you. How do they help the author communicate his
ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you?
How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939)
by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at
Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn,
Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University,
USA.
Précis
A true gentleman is harder to find, said Steele, than men of integrity, honour or even sense. The mark of a gentleman is that, like a poet, he can add something to every subject and every situation in which he interests himself, something which draws others and enriches their understanding — a rare gift indeed.(54 / 60 words)
A true gentleman is harder to find, said Steele, than men of integrity, honour or even sense. The mark of a gentleman is that, like a poet, he can add something to every subject and every situation in which he interests himself, something which draws others and enriches their understanding — a rare gift indeed.
Edit | Reset
Variations:
1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words.2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words.3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, because, besides, just, must, not, whereas.
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1Besides.Fashionable.Perhaps.
2Embellish.Fine.Gentleman.
3Beneath.Sense.Virtue.
Variations:1.include direct and indirect speech2.include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who3.use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations:1.use a minimum of seven words for each sentence2.include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never3.use the words ‘must’ to make commands4.compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane,
from time to time you could
buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a
Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed
to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a
Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and
there is no need to register.
Related Posts
Jibe and Joke
BySir Richard Steele
Sir Richard Steele takes up arms against the kind of wit who
thinks you can be as nasty as you like provided you make people laugh.
