A view down the buttresses propping up the south side of Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. At nearly 186 yards, the cathedral is the longest intact mediaeval church of England. Even so, it could have fitted fifty-three times into the length of the Spanish Traveller’s mythical Chinese church — though even this one narrow passage would have been too wide for it.
Introduction
As a young man, James Howell (?1594-1666) had toured extensively abroad and studied several foreign languages. In 1642, his lavish tastes landed him in the Fleet prison for debt, and there he began to write professionally; that same year, he published a handbook on travel, in which he made a little digression on the subject of the tales travellers tell on their return.
EVERY one knows the tale of him who reported he had seen a cabbage, under whose leaves a regiment of soldiers were sheltered from a shower of rain.
Such another was the Spanish traveller, who was so habituated to hyperbolise and relate wonders, that he became ridiculous in all companies, so that he was forced at last to give order to his man, when he fell into any excess this way, and report anything improbable, he should pull him by the sleeve.
The master falling into his wonted hyperboles, spoke of a church in China that was ten thousand yards long;* his man, standing behind, and pulling him by the sleeve, made him stop suddenly. The company asking, “I pray sir, how broad might that church be?” he replied: “But a yard broad; and you may thank my man for pulling me by the sleeve, else I had made it foursquare* for you.”
From ‘Instructions For Forreine Travell’ (1642) by James Howell (?1594-1666).
* At almost 186 yards, Winchester Cathedral is the longest intact mediaeval church in England. The Spanish traveller’s mythical Chinese church could have accommodated over 53 Winchester Cathedrals down its length.
* That is, square, the same in width as in length.
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.
Précis
A well-travelled man once asked his servant to tug at his sleeve whenever he exaggerated his tales. He had just fantasised about a Chinese church ten thousand yards long when he felt the warning tug. At once he asserted the church was barely a yard wide — adding that, had he been exaggerating, he would have said it was square. (59 / 60 words)
A well-travelled man once asked his servant to tug at his sleeve whenever he exaggerated his tales. He had just fantasised about a Chinese church ten thousand yards long when he felt the warning tug. At once he asserted the church was barely a yard wide — adding that, had he been exaggerating, he would have said it was square.
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: although, because, may, not, or, otherwise, since, unless.
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 Regiment. Thousand. Way.
2 Foursquare. His. Make.
3 Every. Report. Stand.
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.)
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Soldierly. 2 Forceful. 3 Last. 4 Left. 5 Longer. 6 Sudden. 7 Longest. 8 Spoken. 9 Known.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1.
Ask.
2.
Behind.
3.
Fall.
4.
Give.
5.
Know.
6.
Last.
7.
Man.
8.
Pull.
9.
Stand.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding -less.
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 ()
Post Box : Ask Nicholas
Grok : Ask Grok
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