Introduction
Elfric was Abbot of Eynsham near Oxford during the reign of Æthelred the Unready. Here, he reflects on the Baptism of Christ and on Pentecost, explaining why the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus as a dove, but on the Apostles as tongues of fire.
WHY did the Holy Ghost come in the form of fire over the Apostles, but over Christ in the likeness of a dove?
Because Christ in his humanity was meek and harmless.
He did not chide, or raise his voice among men, or stir up strife, nor was he inclined to bitterness; but lived a life of meekness and true love.
The Holy Ghost appeared in two forms, in a dove’s and in that of fire, for the qualities that every Christian man shall have: that is, to have the meekness of the dove and to be without bitterness, and to burn for love of God as with fire.
And let the fire regulate the meekness, that he be not too slack; and let the meekness regulate the fire, that it be not too fierce. Let us have both the innocence of the dove and the heat of the fire, that we ever shine in meekness, and burn with the love of God.
Translated and abridged
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 Fierce. Ghost. Like.
2 Have. Quality. Shine.
3 Do. Live. Slack.
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.)
Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak
Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Voice. 2 Love. 3 Form. 4 Let. 5 Fire. 6 Burn. 7 Shine. 8 Harm. 9 Man.
Variations: 1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats. 2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went. 3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.
Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Shine. 2. Let. 3. Harm. 4. Love. 5. Life. 6. Form. 7. Burn. 8. Fire. 9. Voice.
Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.
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.
tts (5+4)
teats. tits. totes. tots. touts.
toots. tootsie. tuts. tutus.
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