Steps leading from the upper walkway of the Cobb to the lower, on the western side of Lyme Bay in Dorset. Louisa Musgrove sought to engage Captain Wentworth’s affections by being ‘jumped down’ from the top step, as he had jumped her down from gates and stiles.
Introduction
Anne Elliot has no expectation that Captain Wentworth will ever forgive her for turning down his proposal of marriage eight years before. Nonetheless, the Captain’s attentions to young Louisa Musgrove have been noted, and events on the promenade at Lyme in Dorset complicate matters further.
THERE was too much wind to make the high part of the new Cobb pleasant for the ladies, and they agreed to get down the steps to the lower, and all were contented to pass quietly and carefully down the steep flight, excepting Louisa; she must be jumped down them by Captain Wentworth.
In all their walks, he had had to jump her from the stiles; the sensation was delightful to her. The hardness of the pavement for her feet, made him less willing upon the present occasion; he did it, however.
She was safely down, and instantly, to show her enjoyment, ran up the steps to be jumped down again. He advised her against it, thought the jar too great; but no, he reasoned and talked in vain, she smiled and said, “I am determined I will:” he put out his hands; she was too precipitate by half a second, she fell on the pavement on the Lower Cobb, and was taken up lifeless!
From ‘Persuasion’ (1817), by Jane Austen (1775-1817).
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 her 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
Louisa Musgrove (in Jane Austen’s novel ‘Persuasion’) liked to have Captain Wentworth catch her as she jumped down from a height, and tried it on the steps down to the lower level of the promenade at Lyme Bay. However, she jumped before the Captain was ready, sprawled on the stone-flagged pavement, and knocked herself unconscious – or worse. (57 / 60 words)
Louisa Musgrove (in Jane Austen’s novel ‘Persuasion’) liked to have Captain Wentworth catch her as she jumped down from a height, and tried it on the steps down to the lower level of the promenade at Lyme Bay. However, she jumped before the Captain was ready, sprawled on the stone-flagged pavement, and knocked herself unconscious – or worse.
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: about, may, otherwise, ought, since, unless, until, 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 Get. They. Walk.
2 However. Second. She.
3 Jar. Little. Smile.
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.
rgn (6+2)
oregano. organ. origin. regain. region. reign.
airgun. argon.
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Picture: By Johannes Moreelse (?1602-1634), Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.. Source.
Posted February 24
