I TOLD him I had no vote,* for which he readily gave me credit. I assured him I had no influence, which he was not equally inclined to believe, and the less, no doubt, because Mr Ashburner, the draper, addressing himself to me at this moment, informed me that I had a great deal. Supposing that I could not be possessed of such a treasure without knowing it, I ventured to confirm my first assertion, by saying, that if I had any I was utterly at a loss to imagine where it could be, or wherein it consisted. Thus ended the conference.
Mr Grenville squeezed me by the hand again, kissed the ladies, and withdrew. He kissed likewise the maid in the kitchen, and seemed upon the whole a most loving, kissing, kind-hearted gentleman. He is very young, genteel, and handsome. The boys halloo’d, the dogs barked, puss scampered, the hero, with his long train of obsequious followers, withdrew.* We made ourselves very merry with the adventure, and in a short time settled into our former tranquillity, never probably to be thus interrupted more.
* At this time, before the Great Reform of 1832, voting was restricted to those who owned property worth 40 shillings per annum or more. According to Measuring Worth, this is equivalent in today’s economy to about £3,600 in terms of ‘prestige value,’ but as much as £24,770 in terms of ‘relative output,’ that is, the economic influence conferred by an income of 40s. However, Cowper had long been an invalid on account of chronic depression and relied on the generosity of Mary Unwin, which meant that he did not qualify to vote. See The Reform Acts
* In the ensuing election, William Grenville and Sir John Aubrey, both Pittites, were sent to Parliament as Members for Buckinghamshire. Ralph, Earl Verney, who like Cowper took the side of the Commons against George III’s unusual intervention, came third and so was not elected. Grenville rose through the political ranks and in February 1806 became Prime Minister. He remained in the office for just over a year, but in that time managed to get the Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade passed, in 1807. Cowper, an ardent Abolitionist, would have thanked him for that.
Précis
Cowper at once informed Grenville that he did not qualify as a voter, which Grenville took in his stride; what discomfited him more was hearing that Cowper felt sure that he had no influence on others. At this, Grenville warmly shook hands and took his leave, seizing the opportunity to give all the ladies present (including the maid) a kiss. (60 / 60 words)
Cowper at once informed Grenville that he did not qualify as a voter, which Grenville took in his stride; what discomfited him more was hearing that Cowper felt sure that he had no influence on others. At this, Grenville warmly shook hands and took his leave, seizing the opportunity to give all the ladies present (including the maid) a kiss.
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: may, or, otherwise, since, until, whereas, whether, who.
About the Author
William Cowper (1731-1800) is remembered today as one of England’s most accomplished poets, admired by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth and Jane Austen. His verse ranges from translations of Classical epics such as Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ to homely and sometimes tongue-in-cheek reflections on English rural life, much of it coloured by his strong Christian beliefs and today recognised as truly groundbreaking. Cowper suffered for most of his life from depression; after three attempts on his own life he was briefly confined to an asylum, and thereafter lived in the home of a friend’s widow, Mary Unwin. Cowper spoke out loudly against slavery, and his verses were often quoted by Martin Luther King. Cowper is pronounced ‘cooper.’
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 Again. Find. Settle.
2 After. Follower. Refer.
3 Her. Likewise. 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.)
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
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.
pt (12+2)
apt. opt. pat. pate. patio. peat. pet. pit. poet. pot. pout. put.
opiate. pita.
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