‘Keying Up — The Court Jester’ by American artist William Merritt Chase (1849–1916), the painting that launched his career. Two famous English court jesters were Will Sommers (?-1560) and his colleague Jane Fool (possibly Jane Beden, fl. 1543-1558), both of whom performed for the royal households of Henry VIII and Mary I. Recorded examples of a jester’s wit reveal slapstick and subtle wordplay, but mistakes in reading the atmosphere could be costly. Nevertheless, they were more honest than many a statesman. Following the calamitous Battle of Sluys in 1340, while his ministers were wondering how to break the news the jester to Phillippe VI of France observed helpfully that the English sailors “don’t even have the guts to jump into the water like our brave French”.
THERE is a certain impartiality necessary to make what a man says bear any weight with those he speaks to. This quality, with respect to men’s errors and vices, is never seen but in good-natured men. They have ever such a frankness of mind, and benevolence to all men, that they cannot receive impressions of unkindness without mature deliberation; and writing or speaking ill of a man upon personal considerations, is so irreparable and mean an injury, that no one possessed of this quality is capable of doing it. But the truth of it is, satirists describe the age, and backbiters assign their descriptions to private men.
I remember a humorous fellow at Oxford, when he heard any one had spoken ill of him, used to say, “I will not take of him my revenge until I have forgiven him.” What he meant by this was, that he would not enter upon this subject until it was grown as indifferent to him as any other: and I have, by this rule, seen him more than once triumph over his adversary with an inimitable spirit and humour; for he came to the assault against a man full of sore places, and he himself invulnerable.
Abridged
Abridged from ‘True Raillery’ in The Tatler No. 242 (Thursday, October 26, 1710) by Sir Richard Steele (1672-1729), collected in ‘The Tatler: Selected Essays’ (1888), with an Introduction and Notes by Alex. Charles Ewald.
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
Steele went on to say that good-natured people exercise their wit in a manner that is cool and detached, not inflamed with any personal animosity. He gave the example of a friend from University days, who would not respond to any insult until he had forgiven the man who uttered it — and was funnier in consequence. (56 / 60 words)
Steele went on to say that good-natured people exercise their wit in a manner that is cool and detached, not inflamed with any personal animosity. He gave the example of a friend from University days, who would not respond to any insult until he had forgiven the man who uttered it — and was funnier in consequence.
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, because, if, just, may, otherwise, since, whether.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
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 Author. Essential. Mature.
2 Oxford. Succor. There.
3 More. See. Several.
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.)
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
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.
1.
Deduce.
Conclude.
2.
Drill.
Bore.
3.
My.
Mine.
4.
Remind.
Remember.
5.
Respectfully.
Respectively.
6.
Soul.
Spirit.
7.
Spoke.
Spoken.
8.
Tender.
Sore.
9.
Their.
They’re.
Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Person. 2. Strip. 3. Necessary. 4. Run. 5. Rule. 6. Spirit. 7. Might. 8. Human. 9. Mind.
Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
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?
x
0
Add
Your Words ()
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