Introduction
George Wyndham (1751-1837), 3rd Earl of Egremont, was one of Georgian England’s wealthiest and most philanthropic of men, a patron of the arts and of industry, a responsible farmer and animal breeder. After the Earl died on November 11th, 1837, artist Benjamin Robert Haydon turned to his diary and penned a glowing tribute to a man who had given support to him and many like him in lavish measure.
13th November, 1837
LORD Egremont is dead; a great loss to all, especially artists. He was an extraordinary man, — manly, straight-forward, tender-hearted, a noble patron, an attached friend and an affectionate and indulgent parent.* His great pleasure was in sharing with the highest and humblest the advantages and luxuries of his vast income. The very animals at Petworth seemed happier than in any other spot on earth, — better fed, and their dumbness and helpless dependence on man more humanely felt for. He was one of those left of the old school who considered a great artist as fit society for any man, however high his rank, and at his table, as at Sir George Beaumont’s,* Lord Mulgrave’s,* or Sir Robert Peel’s,* painter and sculptor, poet and minister and soldier, all were as equals.
George O’Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont (1751-1837), was the husband of Elizabeth Ilive and the couple had eight children together. Seven of them were born before George and Elizabeth were married in 1801; the couple separated in 1803. But these were not the only children on whom George lavished his attention: he maintained as many as fifteen mistresses and at least forty children in the many chambers of Petworth House in West Sussex.
Sir George Howland Beaumont, 7th Baronet (1753-1827), one of the leading figures behind the creation of the National Gallery.
General Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave (1755-1831), Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 1805 until he and many others resigned following the sudden death of the Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger, on January 26th, 1806. It was during Phipps’s tenure as Foreign Secretary that Nelson won the The Battle of Trafalgar, an event that Phipps celebrated with an Ode of his own making, subsequently set to music by Thomas Arne.
* Robert Peel (1788-1850), Prime Minister in 1834-1835 and 1841-1846. Peel treated the great men of the industrial revolution in the same manner, entertaining former collier George Stephenson at his Derbyshire home in retirement. See Burning Daylight.
Précis
Two days after his patron Lord Egremont died in 1837, artist Benjamin Robert Haydon recorded in his diary his memories of the Earl. He singled out his kindness to animals under his care, his generosity to his fellow men and above all his readiness to treat others as his equals, regardless of rank or occupation. (55 / 60 words)
Two days after his patron Lord Egremont died in 1837, artist Benjamin Robert Haydon recorded in his diary his memories of the Earl. He singled out his kindness to animals under his care, his generosity to his fellow men and above all his readiness to treat others as his equals, regardless of rank or occupation.
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, although, because, if, just, not, unless, until.
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Word Games
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence. 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 Dependence. Loss. Man.
2 Earth. More. Noble.
3 All. Attach. Parent.
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.)
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 School. 2 Spot. 3 Share. 4 Feed. 5 Leave. 6 Man. 7 Table. 8 Help.
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.
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.
tnt (5)
taint. taunt. tenet. tent. tint.
