Introduction
In 1643, shortly after the Civil War with Charles I (r. 1625-1649) began, Parliament ordered a crackdown on what we would call fake news and disinformation, censoring and licensing political comment and telling the public only what Parliament thought it was good for us to know. John Milton, himself a Parliamentarian, felt obliged to publish an anguished protest at such cowardly behaviour.
WHAT a collusion is this, when, as we are exhorted by the wise man to use diligence, to seek for wisdom as for hidden treasures,* early and late, that another order shall enjoin us to know nothing but by statute!*
When a man hath been labouring the hardest labour in the deep mines of knowledge, hath furnished out his findings in all their equipage, drawn forth his reasons, as it were a battle ranged, scattered and defeated all objections in his way, calls out his adversary into the plain, offers him the advantage of wind and sun, if he please, only that he may try the matter by dint of argument; for his opponents then to skulk, to lay ambushments, to keep a narrow bridge of licensing where the challenger should pass, though it be valour enough in soldiership is but weakness and cowardice in the wars of Truth.
For who knows not that Truth is strong, next to the Almighty? She needs no policies, nor stratagems, nor licensings, to make her victorious; those are the shifts and the defences that error uses against her power; give her but room and do not bind her when she sleeps, for then she speaks not true.
* Milton’s Areopagitica (1644) was a protest against the Licensing Order of 1643. The Order engaged a private firm, The Stationers’ Company, to do the work for them (much as happens with fact-checkers and social media companies today) in return for a monopoly on all printing in England. The Company undertook to check all printed matter for unsatisfactory content in pre-publication, to record all authors, printers, publishers and titles in the Register at Stationers’ Hall, and to notify Parliament of offensive publications so that books may be seized and offenders prosecuted. Milton’s decision to print and circulate his criticisms in a pamphlet was an act of open defiance. For further comments by Milton, see The Firstborn Liberty. The Order was not renewed after 1694, as the press grew in influence and the advantages of free speech became more widely recognised. For an anecdote about William III’s attitude to free speech, see Something Rotten in the State of Denmark.
* See Proverbs 2:2-4: “If thou seekest her [knowledge] as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”
* See 1 Esdras 4:38: “As for the truth, it endureth, and is always strong; it liveth and conquereth for evermore.”
Précis
In 1644, during the Civil War, John Milton responded to Parliament’s crackdown on dissent by publishing an outspoken condemnation of censorship. The Bible, he said, encouraged each man to make up his own mind. To take as truth whatever the Government tells us is an ignoble way to fight for Truth, and even puts lies in her mouth. (58 / 60 words)
In 1644, during the Civil War, John Milton responded to Parliament’s crackdown on dissent by publishing an outspoken condemnation of censorship. The Bible, he said, encouraged each man to make up his own mind. To take as truth whatever the Government tells us is an ignoble way to fight for Truth, and even puts lies in her mouth.
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: about, besides, despite, just, not, unless, whereas, whether.
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 All. Defeat. Seek.
2 Enjoin. Opponent. Sleep.
3 Do. Speak. Their.
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.)
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. Use. 2. Policy. 3. Man. 4. Knowledge. 5. Argument. 6. Hide. 7. Mine. 8. Bridge. 9. Deep.
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.
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
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?
Your Words ()
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