Introduction
At thirteen, escaped slave Frederick Douglass bought a schoolbook, ‘The Columbian Orator’, for fifty cents. It nurtured gifts of understanding and eloquence that brought Douglass to prominence as America’s leading anti-slavery campaigner, and among his favourite passages were speeches by great British statesmen of his day.
I MET there one of Sheridan’s mighty speeches, on the subject of Catholic Emancipation, Lord Chatham’s speech on the American War, and speeches by the great William Pitt, and by Fox.* These were all choice documents to me, and I read them over and over again, with an interest ever increasing, because it was ever gaining in intelligence; for the more I read them the better I understood them.
The reading of these speeches added much to my limited stock of language, and enabled me to give tongue to many interesting thoughts which had often flashed through my mind and died away for want of words in which to give them utterance.
The mighty power and heart-searching directness of truth penetrating the heart of a slave-holder, compelling him to yield up his earthly interests to the claims of eternal justice, were finely illustrated in the dialogue;** and from the speeches of Sheridan I got a bold and powerful denunciation of oppression and a most brilliant vindication of the rights of man.
Richard Sheridan (1751-1816) is remembered both as a long-serving MP and also as a playwright, author of ‘The Rivals’ and ‘The School for Scandal’. Lord Chatham is William Pitt the Elder, Prime Minister from 1766 to 1768; his son William Pitt the Younger (1759-1806), twice Prime Minister, is also mentioned here by Douglass. Charles James Fox (1749-1806) was a British Foreign Secretary, and an eccentric of the highest order.
** This ‘dialogue’ was a fictionalised exchange between a slave and his master, after the slave attempted to run away. The master is persuaded to release his slave when he realises that however benevolent he may be, his benevolence is forced on his people, and not freely sought. For our extract, see Master and Slave.
Précis
Frederick Douglass, a runaway slave and leading American Abolitionist, attributed his famous eloquence and powers of persuasion to reading an anthology of political speeches. Many were given by senior Victorian statesmen in the House of Commons, most notably Richard Sheridan and William Pitt, both father and son, and Douglass was warm in his praise. (54 / 60 words)
Frederick Douglass, a runaway slave and leading American Abolitionist, attributed his famous eloquence and powers of persuasion to reading an anthology of political speeches. Many were given by senior Victorian statesmen in the House of Commons, most notably Richard Sheridan and William Pitt, both father and son, and Douglass was warm in his praise.
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: although, because, besides, if, or, until, whether, who.
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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 Most. Tongue. Vindication.
2 Eternal. He. Well.
3 Catholic. Direct. Up.
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.)
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding un-.
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Add. 2 Increase. 3 Interest. 4 Meet. 5 Power. 6 War. 7 Illustrate. 8 Gain. 9 Limit.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
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.
hps (5)
heaps. hips. hoops. hopes. hops.
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