Introduction
William Cowper (‘cooper’) paints us a picture of a jackdaw, a member of the crow family, perched on the weathervane of a church steeple, and looking down on the world of men with a sardonic eye.
‘The Jackdaw’
THERE is a bird who,*
by his coat
And by the hoarseness of his note,
Might be supposed a crow;
A great frequenter of the church,
Where, bishop-like, he finds a perch,
And dormitory too.
Above the steeple shines a plate,
That turns and turns, to indicate
From what point blows the weather.
Look up - your brains begin to swim,
’Tis in the clouds - that pleases him,
He chooses it the rather.
Fond of the speculative height,
Thither he wings his airy flight,
And thence securely sees
The bustle and the raree-show,*
That occupy mankind below,
Secure and at his ease.
Like his fable The Nightingale and the Glow Worm, this poem is a translation from the Latin of Vincent Bourne (1695-1747). The original was titled ‘Cornicula’.
A raree-show (rarity show) was a large box typically carried about on one’s back, popular from the 17th century. Inside were scenes of life which might be viewed by opening the box out or through a peep hole. The term was gradually extended to mean any curious spectacle or sideshow.
Précis
The jackdaw, said poet William Cowper, makes him home in the roof of the parish church in a position that would make us dizzy simply to look at it; and from there, atop the weathervane, surveys the bustle of human activity in comfort, like someone watching a show at a Georgian fun-fair. (52 / 60 words)
The jackdaw, said poet William Cowper, makes him home in the roof of the parish church in a position that would make us dizzy simply to look at it; and from there, atop the weathervane, surveys the bustle of human activity in comfort, like someone watching a show at a Georgian fun-fair.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 45 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, must, not, or, unless, whether, who.
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