Introduction
Sir Richard Steele came home one day after tea with some very pleasant ladies, feeling he had rather let himself down. Respecting his maxim ‘Never contradict or reason with a sprightly female’ he had allowed himself to agree to a definition of a Gentleman that would hardly do outside a ballroom. Now he felt compelled to redeem himself in the pages of The Guardian.
A FINISHED gentleman is perhaps the most uncommon of all the great characters in life. Besides the natural endowments with which this distinguished man is to be born, he must run through a long series of education. Before he makes his appearance and shines in the world, he must be principled in religion, instructed in all the moral virtues, and led through the whole course of the polite arts and sciences. He should be no stranger to courts and to camps;* he must travel to open his mind, to enlarge his views, to learn the policies and interests of foreign states, as well as to fashion and polish himself, and to get clear of national prejudices, of which every country has its share.* To all these more essential improvements he must not forget to add the fashionable ornaments of life, such as are the languages and the bodily exercises most in vogue; neither would I have him think even dress itself beneath his notice.
* ‘Courts’ means royal courts, places of noble society; ‘camps’ means military camps, at that time places of the roughest kind of society, since the British Army relied on prisons for many of its recruits. “People talk of their enlisting from their fine military feeling — all stuff — no such thing” confided the Duke of Wellington on a visit to Deal Castle in Kent on November 11th, 1831. “Some of our men enlist from having got bastard children — some for minor offences — many more for drink; but you can hardly conceive such a set brought together, and it really is wonderful that we should have made them the fine fellows they are.” See also Courage Under Fire.
* See also Charles Dickens on Exit Lord Pudding and Richard Price On Love of Country.
Précis
In 1713, Sir Richard Steele shared his idea of the finished gentleman. A gentleman, he said, is to some degree born and not made: but he must be schooled in upright conduct, in sports and in the arts and sciences, and by his travels and knowledge of current affairs he should have risen above both national and social prejudices. (59 / 60 words)
In 1713, Sir Richard Steele shared his idea of the finished gentleman. A gentleman, he said, is to some degree born and not made: but he must be schooled in upright conduct, in sports and in the arts and sciences, and by his travels and knowledge of current affairs he should have risen above both national and social prejudices.
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, despite, if, may, or, until, who.
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