NOR will the lift-man’s way of meeting moral affront by physical violence help us to restore the civilities. I suggest to him that he would have had a more subtle and effective revenge if he had treated the gentleman who would not say “Please” with elaborate politeness. He would have had the victory, not only over the boor, but over himself, and that is the victory that counts. The polite man may lose the material advantage, but he always has the spiritual victory.
I commend to the lift-man a story of Chesterfield.* In his time the London streets were without the pavements of to-day, and the man who “took the wall” had the driest footing. “I never give the wall to a scoundrel” said a man who met Chesterfield one day in the street. “I always do” said Chesterfield, stepping with a bow into the road. I hope the lift-man will agree that his revenge was much more sweet than if he had flung the fellow into the mud.
Abridged
* Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773), Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1745-46) and subsequently Secretary of State for the Northern Department (1746-48), the equivalent of Home Secretary today.
Précis
Gardiner suggested that the affronted attendant might have done better to respond with exaggerated politeness rather than physical force. He reminded readers that when an acquaintance haughtily refused to give way to Lord Chesterfield in the street, the statesman simply walked around him, thereby proving which of them really was a gentleman. (52 / 60 words)
Gardiner suggested that the affronted attendant might have done better to respond with exaggerated politeness rather than physical force. He reminded readers that when an acquaintance haughtily refused to give way to Lord Chesterfield in the street, the statesman simply walked around him, thereby proving which of them really was a gentleman.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 45 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, besides, if, may, not, since, until, whereas.
About the Author
Alfred George Gardiner (1865-1946) was a journalist, editor and political campaigner. In 1887, joined the Northern Daily Telegraph, and moved to the Blackburn Weekly Telegraph two years later as editor. Gardiner was appointed editor of the Daily News in 1902, which he helped to turn into one of the leading liberal newspapers of the day with a dramatically increased circulation. He resigned over a point of policy in 1919, but by this time he had been writing for the Star for four years under the pen-name of ‘Alpha of the Plough’ — like other contributors, he chose a name drawn from astronomy. His essays were regarded highly for their craft and good humour, and several collections were published.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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 Commend. Revenge. Top.
2 Enter. Mud. Story.
3 Comply. Nor. Say.
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.)
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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