First lets discuss the paragraphs and then will move to its précis.
Quote:
|
I know no place where the great truth that no man is necessary is brought home to the mind so remorselessly and yet so refreshingly, as the House of Commons. Over even the greatest reputations it closes with barely a bubble. And yet the vanity of politicians is enormous. Lord Melbourne, when asked his opinion of men, replied, 'Good fellows, but vain very vain'.
|
First Paragraph:
There are 4 sentences in the paragraph: that can be condensed in the following way,
-------- House of Commons bring home the truth that no man is necessary.
-------- Reputation hardly matters.
-------- Yet politicians are vain.
-------- Lord Melbourne called men vain.
So we can easily separate topic points and supportive arguments from above analysis.
Topic Point: House of commons brings home the unimportance of man.
Supporting arguments: Reputation is disregarded; still politicians are vain though they think men are so.
Quote:
|
There is a great deal of vanity, both expressed and concealed, in the House of Commons. I often wonder why, for I cannot imagine a place where men so habitually disregard each other's feelings, so openly trample on each other's egotisms. You rise to address the House. The speaker calls on you by name. Hardly are you through the first sentence when your oldest friend, your college chum the man you have appointed guardian of your infant children, rises in his place, gives you a stony stare and seizing his hat in his hand, ostentatiously walks out of the House, as much as to say.
|
Second Paragraph:
There are 5 sentences first two have the same meaning as the first paragraph but the last 3 sentences showing these two points:
------- Speaker calls the members by name.
------- Closest friends may not like views.
Now its easy to make an analysis
Topic Point: In House of Commons there is no regard for other’s feelings
Supporting arguments: There are 2 illustrations of disregard; speaker calls the members by name, closest friend may not like the views of others.
Quote:
|
'I can stand many things, but not this'. Whilst speaking of the House I have never failed to notice one man, at all events, who was paying me the compliment of the closest attention, who never took his eyes off me, who hung upon my words, on whom everything I was saying seemed to be making the greatest impression. But this solitary auditor is not in the least interested either in me or in my speech, and the only reason why he listens so intently and eyes me so closely is that he has made up his mind to follow me, and is eager to leap to his feet, in the hope of catching the speaker's eye the very moment I sit down. Yet for all this vanity thrives in the House - though what it feeds on I cannot say. We are all anxious to exaggerate our own importance, and desperately anxious to make reputations for ourselves and to have our names associated with some subject - to pose as its patron and friend.
|
Third Paragraph:
There is an illustration from writer’s personal life, so we will generalize it. First and second sentences can be condensed; those who pay compliments and attention to the speaker have some motive like taking the floor after the speech. Third sentence tells that still politicians are vain. Last sentence tells about the egotism in general terms. So the analysis goes like this,
Topic point: Members of the House of Commons are vain though there is no reason to be so.
Supporting arguments: Others pay attention to the speaker only to see that they may get a chance.
After going through each and every point in detail we can say the
title point of the passage is:
Members of the House of Commons are vain though there is no reason to be so.
So
title can be extracted as:
Baseless vanity of English M.P’s
And here goes the
précis:
Members of the House of Commons are vain though the proceedings of the House never encourage it. No attention is paid to the reputation of the member; the speaker calls them by name. Their feelings are ignored and even crushed. The closest friends may walk out as others express their views. If any one pays attention or praises the speech of another member, it is with the motive to get a chance to speak. In fact members are given no importance. Thus there is nothing to feed their vanity, still they are vain. And House of Commons proves that no man is necessary.
(103 Words)