St Bartholomew the Apostle, as imagined by Flemish artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640). He was knighted by King Charles I in 1630, in part a reflection of his efforts to broker peace between the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Netherlands during the Eighty Years’ War. Rubens’s art was recognised by an honorary Master of Arts degree, awarded by the University of Cambridge in 1629.
Introduction
Charles Dickens’s ‘The Life of Our Lord’ was written ‘for his children during the years 1846 to 1849’. Many of the themes that animate his novels find direct and uncomplicated expression in its pages, including the importance of a loving home and inspiring role-models close at hand.
JESUS Christ chose twelve poor men to be His companions. He chose them from among poor men, in order that the poor might know that Heaven was made for them as well as for the rich, and that God makes no difference between those who wear good clothes and those who go barefoot and in rags. The most miserable, the most ugly, deformed, wretched creatures that live, will be bright Angels in Heaven if they are good here on earth.
Never be proud or unkind to any poor man, woman, or child. If they are bad, think that they would have been better if they had had kind friends, and good homes, and had been better taught. So, always try to make them better by kind persuading words; and always try to teach them and relieve them if you can. And when people speak ill of the poor and miserable, think how Jesus Christ went among them, and taught them, and thought them worthy of His care.
Abridged from ‘The Life of Our Lord’, by Charles Dickens.
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
Charles Dickens explains that Jesus Christ chose his twelve Apostles from among the poor to send the message that people with little money or health or beauty are promised heaven no less than the rich and fortunate. He adds that we should make all the allowances we can for any faults, and teach and encourage them as best we can. (60 / 60 words)
Charles Dickens explains that Jesus Christ chose his twelve Apostles from among the poor to send the message that people with little money or health or beauty are promised heaven no less than the rich and fortunate. He adds that we should make all the allowances we can for any faults, and teach and encourage them as best we can.
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, because, if, must, not, otherwise, ought, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
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 Kind. Never. Teach.
2 Person. Rich. Twelve.
3 Here. How. Live.
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.)
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.
1.
Ally.
Friend.
2.
Among.
Between.
3.
Can.
Could.
4.
Childish.
Childlike.
5.
Friend.
Ally.
6.
Learn.
Teach.
7.
Spoke.
Spoken.
8.
Vain.
Proud.
9.
Will.
Would.
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.
hs (7+3)
has. his. hoes. hose. house. hues. ohs.
ahs. hies. oohs.
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