Pasture near Rragam in northern Albania, not far from the border with Montenegro. As an English MP and an expert on the Balkans, Aubrey Herbert (1883-1920) worked hard to support efforts to build a democratic and liberal Albania after the Revolt of 1912 brought independence from Turkey, firmly believing that England should broadly support freedom and sovereignty but not take sides in a people’s quarrels. John Buchan’s fictional adventurer Sandy Arbuthnot was a thinly-veiled Herbert, and shared his opinions. See Kindergarten Politics.
Introduction
In 1913, Aubrey Herbert MP reluctantly agreed to take a message from Ismail Qemali to his rival as leader of Albania, Essad Pasha Toptani. Herbert’s company on the long journey to Durrës included a priest with a fondness for verses; a musician who played air-violin; a murderer; a diplomat who was a bit of a comedian; and a ‘shepherd-king.’
I WAS told of one experience of this shepherd-king such as is unusual in the lives of employers — his workmen had once struck for lower wages. This is the story.
He was a mathematician, and by abstruse calculations he had come to the conclusion that there was excellent water hidden in the depths of an unpromising mountain; water he badly required to cultivate land that was otherwise barren.
So the mountain was tunnelled to a considerable depth, and a number of men were employed without result, until it became obvious that the shepherd-king would be ruined if operations were much longer continued. It was then that the workmen, for love of him, struck for lower wages, which he gave them.
His labour in the end was crowned with success; water gushed from the mountain; the prolific earth bore corn, and all shared in his happiness and prosperity.
From ‘Ben Kendim: A Record Of Eastern Travels’ by Aubrey Herbert (1880-1923).
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.
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 Happy. Have. Man.
2 If. Result. Without.
3 Hide. Numb. Obvious.
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.)
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
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.
1.
There.
Their.
They’re.
2.
Successors.
Successes.
3.
Load.
Lowed.
4.
Won.
One.
5.
Told.
Tolled.
6.
Wood.
Would.
7.
Lo.
Low.
8.
Barren.
Baron.
9.
Story.
Storey.
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 Ruin. 2 Bear. 3 Number. 4 End. 5 Hide. 6 Man. 7 Experience. 8 Continue. 9 Require.
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
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
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?
x
0
Add
Your Words ()
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