Introduction
In 1813, the East India Company held a Government-sponsored monopoly over all trade between London and her colonies, but a history of scandals and mismanagement led to calls for free trade. The City of London objected strongly in a Commons debate in January 1813, and William Cobbett MP could hardly believe his ears.
SIR William Curtis,* during this debate, expressed his fears that a free trade to India might cause the introduction of political freedom. “If a free trade to India were once allowed, among other exports, they would probably soon have a variety of politicians, who would use their best endeavours to give the Hindus a conception of the Rights of Man.” A most alarming thought, to be sure! His wishes, however, will not be accomplished, I believe; and he may yet live long enough to see men claiming and asserting their rights all over the world. But what a sentiment this is from an Englishman!*
Commerce has, by many writers, been applauded for having produced an extension of knowledge and freedom; but, this man objects to it in that account; he fears that opening of trade may tend to the enlarging of the mind of man; he is afraid that a free intercourse would break the chains of a people! Let us hope, that there are very few assemblages of men in the world where such a sentiment would not have been received with a unanimous exclamation of horror.
Abridged
William Curtis (1752-1829) was MP for the City of London for twenty-eight years, an Alderman of the City of London, and (so we are told) a drinking-companion of the Prince Regent. Curtis is credited with coining the phrase ‘the three Rs’ to refer to reading, writing and arithmetic. His own origins were humble enough: his father made his fortune manufacturing tack, that is, sea-biscuits.
Six years earlier, London had criminalised the slave trade across the British Empire, a breakthrough moment in civil rights worldwide. Some people were disappointingly slow to put aside prejudice towards peoples and races outside western Europe, but it is uplifting to see that by 1813 such prejudice was so rare that Cobbett could regard it as thoroughly un-English.
Précis
Firebrand William Cobbett expressed his dismay at hearing a fellow MP complain that free trade would teach the people of India to expect the same rights as those demanded by people in Britain. It was, wrote Cobbett, the kind of sentiment that should never be heard in any Parliament, and least of all that of Westminster. (56 / 60 words)
Firebrand William Cobbett expressed his dismay at hearing a fellow MP complain that free trade would teach the people of India to expect the same rights as those demanded by people in Britain. It was, wrote Cobbett, the kind of sentiment that should never be heard in any Parliament, and least of all that of Westminster.
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: despite, if, just, unless, until, whereas, whether, 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 Conception. He. Person.
2 His. Open. There.
3 Accomplish. Once. Sure.
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.
fl (13+2)
fail. feel. file. flea. flee. floe. flu. flue. foal. foil. fool. foul. fuel.
filo. folio.
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.
