Continued from
Part 1
WE were not deceived by the professions of the private adventurer — the louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons;* but we appeal to the sanctified preamble of the messages and proclamations of the public sinner, as the proof of sincerity. It must be that they who pay this homage have said to themselves, On the whole, we don’t know about this that you call honesty; a bird in the hand is better.*
Even well-disposed, good sort of people are touched with the same infidelity, and for brave, straightforward action, use half-measures and compromises. Forgetful that a little measure is a great error, forgetful that a wise mechanic uses a sharp tool, they go on choosing the dead men of routine. But the official men can in nowise help you in any question of to-day, they deriving entirely from the old dead things. Only those can help in counsel or conduct who did not make a party pledge to defend this or that, but who were appointed by God Almighty, before they came into the world, to stand for this which they uphold.
By
Ralph Waldo Emerson
1803-1882
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
It must be, Emerson concluded, that New Yorkers knowingly elect dishonest men for Congress because what they want is a schemer to work in their interests. Yet a Government of such men will never achieve anything worthwhile. The statesmen who do great things do them because they have been born to greatness, not because they have been handed high office.
(60 / 60 words)
It must be, Emerson concluded, that New Yorkers knowingly elect dishonest men for Congress because what they want is a schemer to work in their interests. Yet a Government of such men will never achieve anything worthwhile. The statesmen who do great things do them because they have been born to greatness, not because they have been handed high office.
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Variations:
1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words.
2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words.
3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: if, or, otherwise, ought, since, unless, until, whether.
Archive
Word Games
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.
1
Certain.
How.
Pay.
2
Allowance.
One.
Stipend.
3
Enough.
Glad.
Know.
Variations:
1.
include direct and indirect speech
2.
include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who
3.
use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1
Call.
2
Respect.
3
Use.
4
Break.
5
Hand.
6
Class.
7
Try.
8
Trust.
9
Mark.
Variations:
1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats.
2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went.
3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.
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.
1
Force.
2
Form.
3
Call.
4
Show.
5
Question.
6
Sort.
7
Can.
8
Try.
9
Class.
Variations:
1.
use a minimum of seven words for each sentence
2.
include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never
3.
use the words ‘must’ to make commands
4.
compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
dlt
(6+1)
See Words
adult.
dealt.
delete.
delta.
dilate.
dilute.
dolt.
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or ask for help with any of the
exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
nicholas@claylane.uk
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