Sir Richard Steele takes up arms against the kind of wit who
thinks you can be as nasty as you like provided you make people laugh.bySir Richard Steele
An actor recreates a daydreaming resident of colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. If he is dreaming of independence, then in the opinion of ‘Cato’ (John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon) the authorities in far-off London had only themselves to blame. ‘Cato’ did not want to see English colonies break away, though he observed in passing that Ireland could do with a much better deal than they had at the moment. He did believe, however, that any attempt to secure colonial obedience through troops and artillery would destroy the very thing we wanted to preserve, turning thriving farms and busy factories into an expensively garrisoned desert.
An actor recreates a daydreaming resident of colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. If he is dreaming of independence, then in the opinion of ‘Cato’ (John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon) the authorities in far-off London had only themselves to blame. ‘Cato’ did not want to see English colonies break away, though he observed in passing that Ireland could do with a much better deal than they had at the moment. He did believe, however, that any attempt to secure colonial obedience through troops and artillery would destroy the very thing we wanted to preserve, turning thriving farms and busy factories into an expensively garrisoned desert.
By the 1720s, there were already rumblings of discontent coming from England’s American colonies, but John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon warned against strictness from London. When government of a distant or culturally different people falls to your lot, the only way to keep them on side is to give them a mutually satisfactory degree of freedom and self-determination.
MEN will think it hard to work, toil, and run Hazards, for the Advantage of others any longer than they find their own interest in it, and especially for those who use them ill: All Nature points out that Course: No Creature sucks the Teats of their Dams longer than they they can draw Milk from thence, or can provide themselves with better Food: Nor will any Country continue their Subjection to another, only because their Great-Grandmothers were acquainted.
This is the Course of Humane Affairs;* and all wise States will always have it before their Eyes; and will well consider therefore how to preserve the Advantages arising from Colonies, and avoid the Evils. And I conceive there can be but two Ways in Nature to hinder them from throwing off their Dependence: The one to keep it out of their Power, and the other out of their Will. The first must be by Force; and the latter by using them well, and keeping them employ’d in such Productions, and making such Manufactures, as will support themselves and Families comfortably, and get Wealth too, or at least not prejudice their Mother-Country.
ByJohn Trenchard1662-1723AndThomas Gibson?-1750
Original spelling
From (preserving the original spelling) ‘Cato’s Letters’ Vol. III (1724) by John Trenchard MP (1662-1723) and Thomas Gordon (?-1750).
* That is, human affairs. In the eighteenth century ‘humane’ was still used interchangeably with ‘human’ in regard to meaning. As the century progressed, ‘humane’ became restricted to the sense of ‘kindly, compassionate’.
Questions for Critics
1. What are the authors
aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that
strike you. How do they help the authors communicate their
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
The authors of the Cato Letters, writing in the early 1720s, warned that no creature remains wholly dependent on its mother after it is weaned. Likewise, any attempt prevent Britain’s colonies from learning to fend for themselves would be disastrous. The best way to keep the colonies in the family was to treat them well, and support their economic growth.(60 / 60 words)
The authors of the Cato Letters, writing in the early 1720s, warned that no creature remains wholly dependent on its mother after it is weaned. Likewise, any attempt prevent Britain’s colonies from learning to fend for themselves would be disastrous. The best way to keep the colonies in the family was to treat them well, and support their economic growth.
Edit | Reset
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: about, although, besides, not, since, whereas, whether, who.
About the Authors
John Trenchard (1662-1723) was a barrister and MP for Taunton, remembered today for his partnership with his secretary Thomas Gordon (?-1750). In 1720-23, the two men published a series of outspoken letters in the British press, criticising the government of George I for misuse of public funds, abuse of patronage, meddling in the lives of citizens, and destroying the prosperity of the nation by military interventions. The letters, signed ‘Cato’ in reference to the vocal critic of Roman dictator Julius Caesar, were popular in Britain and also in America, where they were quoted by leading figures in the American independence movement.
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.
1Food.Manufacture.Toil.
2Get.Mother.One.
3Grandmother.Hard.Power.
Variations:1.include direct and indirect speech2.include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who3.use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
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 in-.
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.
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
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