TWO main causes may be adduced for these wonderful phenomena, the growth of our coal-driven industries and the liberation of labour; the period begins with the invention of the steam engine:* it also begins with the French revolution.* It is outside our purpose to discuss the latter of these influences, one which of course is by no means entirely or mainly British: but it is questionable how far the growth of popular freedom could have reached, consistently with the preservation of culture and the liberal arts, had it not been that as the chains fell from the labouring classes of Europe,* a new bondsman* more powerful far in some respects than the other, was found in coal.
When we consider that in the coal raised in Great Britain alone in 1876 an amount of energy was contained equal to the labour of more than 3,000,000,000* adult slaves labouring daily throughout the year we may well understand how it is that human slavery has so utterly died out in all civilised, that is, all coal-using, countries since 1778.
* Thomas Savery developed a rudimentary though pioneering steam-powered pump in 1698, which his partner Thomas Newcomen significantly improved in 1712. James Watt, James Murdoch and Matthew Boulton made mass-produced and efficient commercial steam power possible with progressive new designs between 1769 and 1800. Richard Trevithick drew on Murdoch’s designs to operate the first steam locomotive in 1803. See The First Train Journey by Steam.
* The French Revolution broke out in 1789. King Louis XVI was executed in 1793, during the State-sanctioned bloodbath known as the Terror.
* When it first started, many in England thought the French Revolution was very British, and supposed that France was going through much the same process that England went through in Home Page. They quickly discovered that prominent doubter Edmund Burke had been right. See also Samuel Smiles on A Rush to Judgment.
* The last remnants of European serfdom were swept away in Prussia (1807), Austria (1848), Russia (1861) and Poland (1864). The Royal Navy cracked down on global slave trading from 1807 and slavery in British colonies was legally abolished by our Government in 1833. Slavery was abolished in the USA in 1861.
* A ‘bondsman’ in this context is a slave, a man in bonds. Marshall means that coal was working as a substitute for human slaves. See also Samuel Smiles on A Monument to Liberty.
* Alfred Marshall would have read this figure out as ‘three thousand million’, reserving the term ‘three billion’ for three million million, or 3,000,000,000,000. Since 1974, however, the United Kingdom has adopted the American convention of using the term ‘a billion’ for a thousand million, or 1,000,000,000, and a trillion for a million million, or 1,000,000,000,000.
Précis
Marshall noted that this century of rapid social progress had begun with the invention of the steam engine and the outbreak of revolution in France. Perhaps the events of 1789 played a part, he said, but he felt sure that by rendering slavery obsolete, coal and steam power had been the century’s most effective liberators. (55 / 60 words)
Marshall noted that this century of rapid social progress had begun with the invention of the steam engine and the outbreak of revolution in France. Perhaps the events of 1789 played a part, he said, but he felt sure that by rendering slavery obsolete, coal and steam power had been the century’s most effective liberators.
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, besides, or, otherwise, unless, whereas, whether, who.
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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 End. Great. Our.
2 Fell. Portion. Two.
3 Again. Equal. Other.
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.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. May. 2. Change. 3. Last. 4. Can. 5. Industry. 6. Well. 7. Subject. 8. Country. 9. Order.
Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak
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 Power. 2 Influence. 3 Class. 4 Steam. 5 Effect. 6 Reach. 7 Purpose. 8 Chain. 9 Change.
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.
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?
Your Words ()
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