Back to text
A Tax on Companionship
‘The Old Shepherd’s Chief Mourner’, by Edwin Henry Landseer (1802-1873). As Windham said, “with the poor, the affection for a dog was so natural, that in poetry and painting it had been constantly recorded, and in any sort of domestic representation, we scarcely see a picture without a memorial of this attachment.”
Back to text
‘The Old Shepherd’s Chief Mourner’, by Edwin Henry Landseer (1802-1873). As Windham said, “with the poor, the affection for a dog was so natural, that in poetry and painting it had been constantly recorded, and in any sort of domestic representation, we scarcely see a picture without a memorial of this attachment.”
Introduction
In 1796, a proposal went before Parliament to tax dogs, partly as a rebuke to rich sportsmen, and partly because it was felt that the poor were frittering away their income support on dog-food. Windham was not much bothered about the rich sportsmen, but he leapt to the defence of the poor man and his lurcher.
IT was unworthy [said Mr Windham] of this or any other country, to levy a rate on any animal, because that animal was not employed in tilling ground, or because the poor might feed on dogs’ provisions.1 It appeared as if there was not room enough on earth for men and dogs.
Some dogs are retained by the poor as implements of trade, and the Legislature ought not to tax the industry, but the expenditure, of the people. Some were retained for their companionable qualities; if the rich man feels a partiality for a dog, what must a poor man do, who has so few amusements? A dog is a companion of his laborious hours; and when he is bereft of his wife and children, fills up the dreary vacuity.
It would be cruel and impolitic to pass such a law; it is a sort of law, from which every man would revolt. The dog is a companion to a solitary man, and to a man with a family a play-fellow for his children.2
As reported, abridged
1That is, because the poor were spending money on feeding their dogs instead of themselves. Windham pointed out, first, that the food given to dogs was not generally fit for human consumption, and had to be disposed of somehow; second, that such sacrifices were a testimony to man’s affection for his pets; and third, that if dogs were taxed, people wouldn’t abandon their pets, they would register for income support.
2The Bill was thrown out ‘without a division’, i.e. without even bothering to take a formal vote. It was opposed also by the Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger (PM from 1873-1801).
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.
In 1796, a Bill was laid before Parliament proposing to tax dogs. William Windham MP rose to oppose it, arguing that the tax would hit the poor the hardest, as their dogs were not merely for sport, but for work or companionship in what could be a very empty existence. The Bill was comprehensively defeated. (55 / 60 words)
In 1796, a Bill was laid before Parliament proposing to tax dogs. William Windham MP rose to oppose it, arguing that the tax would hit the poor the hardest, as their dogs were not merely for sport, but for work or companionship in what could be a very empty existence. The Bill was comprehensively defeated.
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: may, must, otherwise, ought, since, unless, until, whereas.
1Sevens 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.
2Jigsaws 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.
3Spinners 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 Dog. Person. Tax.
2 Companionable. Till. Would.
3 Laborious. Law. Provision.
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.)
4High 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 ()
Post Box : Ask Nicholas
Grok : Ask Grok
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 Post Box.
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.
Four years before the bloody American civil war, Dr David Livingstone proposed a peaceful way to rid the world of slavery.
Picture: © HigorCosta, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.. Source.
Posted June 16 2018
As a last, desperate throw of the dice in the Great War, the Germans detonated an unusual kind of weapon in St Petersburg.
Picture: From ‘Lenin’ (1930), by F.A. Ossendowsky, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.
Posted July 21 2017
In a Christmas broadcast in 1940, actor Leslie Howard explained why British sovereignty was worth fighting for.
Picture: Photo by RKO Radio Pictures, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.
Posted June 6 2016
