Ships in the Strait of Gibraltar, painted in 1814 by Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas William Ogilvie McNiven (1792-1870). Stirred by the sight of so many places where the peoples of the British Isles had given their lives to resist invasion by the states of the Continent, Browning reflected that there was still a noble work for a man like him to do — a feat not of arms, but of thankful prayer. See also St George and the Dragon.
Introduction
In this poem from his travels in 1838, Robert Browning is aboard a ship just off Tangiers. Cape St Vincent in Portugal has faded from view, but he can see Cadiz and Cape Trafalgar clearly, and just make out Gibraltar. He thinks of the stirring events in British history that took place hereabouts, and wonders what an ordinary Englishmen can still do for his country.
NOBLY, nobly Cape Saint Vincent to the North-West died away;*
Sunset ran, one glorious blood-red, reeking into Cadiz Bay;
Bluish ’mid the burning water, full in face Trafalgar lay;*
In the dimmest North-East distance, dawned Gibraltar grand and gray;*
‘Here and here did England help me: how can I help England?’ – say,
Whoso turns as I, this evening, turn to God to praise and pray,
While Jove’s planet rises yonder, silent over Africa.
From ‘Poems of Robert Browning’ (1911) by Robert Browning (1812-1889), selected and edited by Charles Wesley Hodell (1872-1925).
* See Google Maps. Cape St Vincent in Portugal, where in 1797 Sir John Jervis defeated a Spanish fleet during the French Revolutionary Wars. Following the overthrow of the monarchy in 1789, the enthusiasm of the new French government was such that they sought to export republicanism to their neighbours by any means possible. Sometimes the threat seemed worse than it was. See Jemima Fawr and the Last Invasion of Britain.
* Cape Trafalgar in Spain, where Admiral Lord Nelson defeated a Franco-Spanish fleet in 1805. See The Battle of Trafalgar. Although the states of the European Continent suffered far worse under Napoleon’s bid for a united Empire, Britain was always under threat and several invasions of England were planned; on one occasion, only rough seas prevented the French fleet from sailing. On England’s happy protection by the seas, see Fairest Isle.
* Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, was captured in 1704 during The War of the Spanish Succession, two years after defeat at Battle of Cadiz (hence the appropriateness of the blood-red Bay); it was ceded to Britain in perpetuity when the war ended in 1713. Throughout the conflict, the invasion of England had been a very real possibility. From 1779 to 1783, during the American War of Independence, the residents and garrison of Gibraltar endured a siege by French and Spanish ships. It was a sacrifice that tied down enemy forces that might otherwise have been used to damaging effect elsewhere. Gibraltarians have been full British subjects since 1981.
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
In 1838, Robert Browning was aboard a ship off Tangiers, near four places in Portugal and Spain where the fate of England had once been in the balance. He wondered what an Englishman today could do for his country, and concluded that he should do what Browning himself did at that moment: turn to God in praise, and pray. (59 / 60 words)
In 1838, Robert Browning was aboard a ship off Tangiers, near four places in Portugal and Spain where the fate of England had once been in the balance. He wondered what an Englishman today could do for his country, and concluded that he should do what Browning himself did at that moment: turn to God in praise, and pray.
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: besides, if, just, must, or, unless, until, 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 How. North. Planet.
2 I. Pray. Yonder.
3 Blue. Burn. Silent.
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.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Rose. 2. Lie. 3. Even. 4. Can.
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 Distance. 2 Lie. 3 Rise. 4 Burn. 5 Water. 6 Turn. 7 Face. 8 Run. 9 Help.
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.
pts (12+3)
opts. pates. patios. pats. pets. piteous. pities. pits. poets. pots. pouts. puts.
opiates. patois. pitas.
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.
Related Posts
Vice is a fact of life, wrote Pope, and God can even bring good out of it; but vice is never a virtue and in tackling vice together we make our society stronger.
Picture: © Sailko, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.. Source.
Posted June 8 2021
Shylock is savouring revenge on Antonio for years of disgusting mistreatment, but the judge warns him to temper his demands.
Picture: By John Everett Millais (1829-1896), from the Metropolitan Museum of Art via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.
Posted May 11 2021
Picture: Imperial War Museums, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.
Posted June 29 2016