By Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain. Source
Lady Harriet Acland (1750-1815).
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A detail from a portrait of Lady Christian Henrietta Caroline Fox-Strangways (1750-1815), by Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792). Harriet, as she was known, was a daughter of Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st Earl of Ilchester. She married John Dyke Acland, heir to a baronetcy, in 1770. At the Battle of Bemis Heights, a few miles north of Albany, New York, on October 7th, 1777, John was shot in the leg, as indeed was Major General Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) of the American forces. John recovered from this injury, but died only a year later in London. A Lieutenant Lloyd spoke so disparagingly of the Americans over the dinner table that Acland, remembering the Americans he had known, challenged him to a duel. Again Acland survived, but caught a cold and died on October 31st, 1778.
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Lady Harriet Acland (1750-1815).
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By Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
A detail from a portrait of Lady Christian Henrietta Caroline Fox-Strangways (1750-1815), by Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792). Harriet, as she was known, was a daughter of Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st Earl of Ilchester. She married John Dyke Acland, heir to a baronetcy, in 1770. At the Battle of Bemis Heights, a few miles north of Albany, New York, on October 7th, 1777, John was shot in the leg, as indeed was Major General Benedict Arnold (1741-1801) of the American forces. John recovered from this injury, but died only a year later in London. A Lieutenant Lloyd spoke so disparagingly of the Americans over the dinner table that Acland, remembering the Americans he had known, challenged him to a duel. Again Acland survived, but caught a cold and died on October 31st, 1778.
Mr Brudenell, the chaplain to the artillery, readily undertook to accompany her, and with one female servant, and the major’s valet-de-chambre (who had a ball which he had received in the late action* then in his shoulder) she rowed down the river to meet the enemy. But her distresses were not yet to end. The night was advanced before the boat reached the enemy’s out-posts, and the sentinel would not let it pass, nor even come on shore.
In vain Mr Brudenell offered the flag of truce, and represented the state of the extraordinary passenger. The guard, apprehensive of treachery, and punctilious to their orders, threatened to fire into the boat if it stirred before day-light. Her anxiety and suffering were thus protracted through seven or eight dark and cold hours; and her reflections upon that first reception, could not give her very encouraging ideas of the treatment she was afterwards to expect. But it is due to justice at the close of this adventure to say, that she was received and accommodated by General Gates with all the humanity and respect that her rank, her merits and her fortunes deserved.*
* The engagement at Saratoga was spread out over several weeks. There were two major battles: the English, hoping to keep hold of New England by halting the American advance at Saratoga, prevailed on September 19th, but the Americans overwhelmed them on October 7th at Bemis Heights a few miles north of Albany, New York. General Burgoyne was forced to surrender on October 17th, 1777.
* According to American historian Benson J. Lossing (1813-1891), “This delay was only for a few minutes, not ‘seven or eight dark and cold hours,’ as asserted by Burgoyne. They were invited by that officer [Gates] to his quarters, where a cup of tea and other comforts were provided; and Lady Harriet was also comforted by the joyful tidings that her husband was safe.”
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
Harriet, accompanied by her husband’s valet and her own maid, rowed down the river to the American position, where she was challenged by the sentries and held at gunpoint until dawn. At last she was taken in by the Americans, treated with courtesy by their commander, General Gates, and allowed to see her wounded husband.(55 / 60 words)
Harriet, accompanied by her husband’s valet and her own maid, rowed down the river to the American position, where she was challenged by the sentries and held at gunpoint until dawn. At last she was taken in by the Americans, treated with courtesy by their commander, General Gates, and allowed to see her wounded husband.
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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, despite, if, must, not, ought, unless.
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.
1Rank.Should.Write.
2Experience.Small.Under.
3Fall.Not.Very.
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
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.
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.
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?
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