That man, I think, has had a liberal education who has been so trained in youth that his body is the ready servant of his will, and does with ease and pleasure all the work that, as a mechanism, it is capable of; whose intellect is a clear, cold, logic engine, with all its parts of equal strength, and in smooth working order; ready, like a steam engine, to be turned to any kind of work, and spin the gossamers as well as forge the anchors of the mind; whose mind is stored with a knowledge of the great and fundamental truths of Nature and of the laws of her operations; one who, no stunted ascetic, is full of life and fire, but whose passions are trained to come to heel by a vigorous will, the servant of a tender conscience;* who has learned to love all beauty, whether of Nature or of art, to hate all vileness, and to respect others as himself.
From ‘A Liberal Education: and Where to Find It — An Address to the South London Working Men’s College’ in ‘Science and Education: Essays’ (1897), by T. H. Huxley (1825-1895). The lecture was delivered in 1868.
* See also Edmund Burke There is No Liberty without Self-Control, and Edmond Holmes on being Free to Grow.
Précis
Huxley went on to say that a truly ‘liberal’ education would train students to make appropriate use of their physical abilities, to be creative whether on a grand scale or in fine details, and use common sense to live a full, warm and active life without losing self-control, going against good conscience, or showing disrespect for other people. (58 / 60 words)
Huxley went on to say that a truly ‘liberal’ education would train students to make appropriate use of their physical abilities, to be creative whether on a grand scale or in fine details, and use common sense to live a full, warm and active life without losing self-control, going against good conscience, or showing disrespect for other people.
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: about, although, despite, if, just, otherwise, ought, who.
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 Harsh. Object. Youth.
2 Escape. Seize. Why.
3 Conscience. Himself. Same.
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.
scrd (5+1)
sacred. scared. scored. scoured. secured.
screed.
You are welcome to share your creativity with me, or ask for help with any of the exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
See more at Email Support.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
