The Lobby of the House of Commons, by Liborio Prosperi (1854–1920) for Vanity Fair. When Moritz was there in 1782, he heard such famous statesmen as Charles James Fox and Edmund Burke; the statesmen in Prosperi’s sketch belong to a later generation. In November 1886, Irish home rule was the hot topic, and the group on the centre includes (l-r): Joseph Chamberlain (1836-1914), a vocal champion of the British Empire and Ireland’s place in it; Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891), an incendiary Irish nationalist; William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), who in July had resigned as Prime Minister when his Home Rule Bill was defeated; Randolph Spencer Churchill (1849-1895), father of Winston, who was threatening civil war to prevent home rule; and Spencer Cavendish (1833-1908), Marquess of Hartington and subsequently 8th Duke of Devonshire, another firm opponent.
Introduction
In 1782, German tourist Karl Philipp Moritz visited the Commons chamber, and heard Viscount Feilding rebuke Charles Fox, the Foreign Secretary, for wanting to make war hero Admiral Rodney a Lord: had the Rt Hon. Gentleman not recently declared Rodney’s second-in-command, Admiral Hood, unworthy even of a seat in the Commons? Fox’s despatch-box-thumping reply whetted Moritz’s appetite for more.
I HAVE since been almost every day at the parliament house, and prefer the entertainment I there meet with to most other amusements. [...]
The little less than downright open abuse, and the many really rude things which the members said to each other, struck me much. For example, when one has finished, another rises, and immediately taxes with absurdity all that the right honourable gentleman (for with this title the members of the House of Commons always honour each other) had just advanced. It would, indeed, be contrary to the rules of the House flatly to tell each other that what they have spoken is false, or even foolish. Instead of this, they turn themselves, as usual, to the Speaker, and so, whilst their address is directed to him, they fancy they violate neither the rules of parliament nor those of good breeding and decorum, whilst they utter the most cutting personal sarcasms against the member or the measure they oppose.
Abridged from ‘Travels in England in 1782’ by Karl Philipp Moritz (1756-1793).
Questions for Critics
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.
Précis
On a visit to London in 1782, Karl Philipp Moritz became intrigued with the daily drama of the House of Commons. The brutal exchanges held him spellbound, and he noticed that the formalities of the House, such as addressing the Speaker, seemed if anything to liberate MPs from feeling any obligation to be polite in the course of their remarks. (60 / 60 words)
On a visit to London in 1782, Karl Philipp Moritz became intrigued with the daily drama of the House of Commons. The brutal exchanges held him spellbound, and he noticed that the formalities of the House, such as addressing the Speaker, seemed if anything to liberate MPs from feeling any obligation to be polite in the course of their remarks.
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: although, because, besides, ought, since, unless, whereas, whether.
Archive
Word Games
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 Common. Most. Neither.
2 Address. Fancy. Since.
3 Entertainment. Open. So.
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.)
Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Turn. 2. Thing. 3. Title. 4. Advance. 5. Strike. 6. Member. 7. Meet. 8. Rule. 9. Good.
Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1.
Told.
Tolled.
2.
Bread.
Bred.
3.
Tacks.
Tax.
4.
Real.
Reel.
5.
Wood.
Would.
6.
Wile.
While.
7.
Won.
One.
8.
Rude.
Rued.
9.
Sew.
So.
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.
n (7+4)
aeon. an. in. ion. no. on. one.
eon. nae. nee. uni.
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