A Child Prodigy

A new-born-baby-a new life, a new hope...perhaps a future Prime Minister, perhaps a scientific genius: no wonder even the poorest families lavish care and love on their youngest offspring.

When James and Harriet Mill's first baby was born in 1806, they had a pretty good idea that he was no ordinary child. At the age of three John Stuart Mill learned the Greek alphabet and long lists of Greek words with their English equivalents.

At the age of eight he read as many books in Greek as a modern classics student would read in his first year at university - not to mention all the important history books in English that existed then. At sixteen he tackled advanced mathematical problems and learned to speak fluent French.

John Stuart Mill became the most important economic and philosophical thinker in Britain in the 19th Century. He was a humanist and above all devoted to improving the conditions of the working classes.

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The Golden Age

In 1593 Christopher Marlowe was killed in a fight in a pub. He was 29 years old and had been acting as a spy for Queen Elizabeth I. But he had already written some of the finest verse drama in the English Language - plays like Edward II and Dr. Faustus.

Shakespeare was also 29. His greatest play were yet to be written. Ben Jonson the great comic dramatist was 21. He wrote The Alchemist and Volpone, and Shakespeare acted in some of his early plays.

London was the capital of a rich and powerfull nation, and the men of letters were also men of action.

John Donne fought in a naval battle against the King of Spain in 1596. He wrote vigorous love poetry:

'Dear love for nothing less than thee

Would I have broke this happy dream.'

'For God's sake hold your tongue and let me love'

In later life he became Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, and sometimes lay on his tomb in a shroud, meditating upon death. His religious poetry has the same vigour:

'Death, be not proud, though some have called thee,

Might and dreadful, for, thou art not so.'

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No Man Is An Island

'No man is an island' said John Donne, the 17th Century poet. Everything we do has repercussions beyond our wildest imaginings.

An old lady picks a rose and, in so doing, disturb a bee. The bee files through the window of a passing car and stings the driver. A clear case of cause and effect.

Of course if the driver had had a second cup of coffee after lunch, he would not have been passing at that moment... and is a tourist had not asked him the way at the traffic lights, he would not have opened his window... and so on, and so on.

Experts investigating a plane crash recently found that the absence of a rubber washer, worth about 10p had been the cause of disaster. No one will ever know if the true cause was not somebody's second cup of coffee.

Generations of English children have learned this cautionary rhyme:

'For want of a nail, a shoe was lost,

For want of a shoe, a horse was lost,

For want of a horse, a rider was lost,

For want of a rider, a battle was lost,

For want of a battle, a kingdom was lost,

- and all for want of a horseshoe nail.'

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The Origin Of Money

'Money doesn't grow on trees', as the saying goes. It is made in the Royal Mint, which is in Wales.

But where does the word money come from? The answer is that it comes from the same place as the word mint. Both words are derived from the Latin word moneta.

The story is more interesting than that, however.

One night in the 4th Century B.C., a band of Gauls (Frenchmen) made a silent attack on the city of Rome. The soldiers on the wall were all asleep, and the Gauls were within a few metres of success when they disturbed some sacred geese on the hilside.

The geese hissed and honked and the guards awoke just in time to repel the attack. The city was saved and the Romans gave thanks to the goddess Juno for using her geese to warn them. They called her Juno Moneta (moneta meant 'who warns'), and they built a new temple for her on the hilside.

The temple was later used for storing treasure and eventually for making money. Soon both the place and the stuff they made there came to be named after the warning geese.

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Robin Hood

Robin Hood stole from the rich to feed the poor. He lived in Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham in the centre of England, and his merry band of followers included Little John (a giant of a man), Friar Tuck (a jolly monk), and the beautiful Maid Marian.

Their exploits were related in countless mediaeval ballads. They represented the ideals of the common man in the face of oppressive authority.

Before the Norman conquest at the end of the 11th century, the vast tract of woodland that stretched to the north of the city of Nottingham, was used for hunting by the people of the region, or 'shire' . (In fact the name Sherwood is derived from this Old English word for 'region' - It was the Shire Wood.)

The Norman Kings passed strict laws giving sole use of the forest to their feudal barrons. The common people resented this oppression.

Robin Hood's sworn enemy was the Sheriff of Nottingham, one of the king's men. His title, too, is derived from the Old English word shire; as head man of the region, he was the Shire-reeve.

The shires of England became know as counties under the Normans (the French word is comte). But the word shire still exists in county names like Hampshire, Yorkshire and of course Nottinghamshire.

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Friends For Britain

It is no secret that the British Council wants to win friends for Britain. It spends hundreds of millions of pounds doing it. It is also no secret that when a finance minister authorizes spending on that scale, it is not just for the sake of a smile in the street.

A friend is someone who understands your point of view - a great asset in world diplomacy. And, as every shopkeeper knows, friends are often good customers too.

The British Council has offices all over the world - and they like to get visitors. They will lend you books in English; they will arrange for you to see videos (educational films, documentaries, and also feature films); and they will give you any information or advice that you may need about Britain.

If you want to study Britain, they are the first people to get in touch with. Write to them, telephone them or, even better, drop in at the office. They will explain the system and put you in touch with the right people.

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The Massacre Of Glencoe

One cold winter's day an old man struggled through the snow in a desolate Scottish valley to sign a piece of paper.

He didn't arrivve in time.

The consequence was the most treacherous massacre in British History.

In 1691 William III was to be crowned King of England. His first task was to gain the loyalty of the clans in the north-west of Scotland. Many of them were supporters of the exiled King James and they hoped for a French invasion to reinstate him.

William distributed thousands of pounds in bribes to the clans. He also insisted on an oath of allegiance. The chiefs had to sign it by New Year's Day.

Everybody signed except Macdonald of Glencoe. He had left it to the last minute as an act of defiance. But the walley was blocked by snow and he didn't make it in time.

One hundred soldiers of the loyal clan Campbell, were immediately sent to Glencoe. The unsuspecting Macdonalds received them with traditional hospitality. The Campbells stayed for more than a week. They ate, they drank and they shared in their life.

Then it the middle of the night the soldiers carried out the King's cruel orders. They butchered their hosts.

The memory of this treacherous betrayal of hospitality has never died in Scotland.

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The British Press

The Times is read by the people who run the country.

The Daily Mail is read by the wives of the people who run the country.

The Daily Telegraph is read by the people who used to run the country.

The Financial Times is read by the people who own the country.

The Daily Express is read by the people who think that the Conservative Party ought to run the country.

The Daily Mirror is read by the people who think that the Labour Party ought to run the country.

The Guardian is read by the people who think that they ought to run the country.

The Sun read by the people who don't care who runs the country as long as she has got a good figure!

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Trespassers Will Not Be Prosecuted

You cannot fool children with long words. By the time they are big enough to climb over a wall, they have learned that the sign that the sign that says "Trespassers will be Prosecuted" is an empty threat.

Tresspass is not a crime in England, and you can only prosecute someone if they cause damage to your property - whoever you are.

In 1982 a young Londoner called Michael Fagan decided to pay an uninvited call on a woman he admired greatly, Queen Elizabeth. In the middle of the night he hopped over the wall of Buckingham Place, shinned up a drainpipe and slipped through an open window.

He helped himself to a glass of wine in the kitchen and then made his way to the royal bedroom, where he chatted to the surprised and sleppy Queen for a quarter of an hour.

The place detectives eventually led him away. But he was prosecuted for only one offence - stealing a glass of wine.

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The Master Of Suspense

The name Hitchcook means 'suspense' and 'horhor'. He was the master. At a time when people used to go to the cinema to see their favourite film stars, they went to see Hitchcook films because of the director.

Alfred Hitchcook was born in England in 1899. He was educated by Jesuits, then went into the film business in 1920. His first job was to do the lettering and design the backgrounds for silent film titles.

His first important film was made in Britain, in 1927 a tale of murder and suspense. Because of a shortage of extras, he also appeared in it himself.

In every film after that, a brief glimpse of Hitchcook's plump figure was always one of the sly jokes.

He went to Hollywood in 1939 and for the next 35 years made the films on which his reputation rests.

Intellectual critics have written many things about his 'Art'. But Hitchcook himself was very unpretentious. He saw himself simply as a skiled entertainer. He certainly was.

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Conversation Openers

Have you ever noticed that when someone introduces a topic of conversation, they frequently begin with an expression like 'Have you ever noticed..?'

It is not really a question - it is more a way of 'teeing up' what you want to say - like a golfer placing his ball on the little plastic tee in order to make a good shot.

Another useful conversation opener is the phrase : 'It's amazing, isn't it..' If one took these expressions literally, one would be constantly amazed or amused, because another favourite way of breaing the silence is to announce the homour or curiousness of the subject: 'It's funny, I don't think anybody has said anything yet.'

Gossips like to make sure everbody knows who they are talking about : 'You know Mrs Perkins , the butcher's wife,...well I saw her at the chemist's this moring...' and so it goes on.

One good ploy is to pretend that you have just remembered something - a good way of breaking the silence, but also a useful way of interrupting : 'Oh, there's something I was going to tell you...'.

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Sonnet XVII

Sonnet XVII

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day ?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.

And summer's lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines.

And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance, or nature's changing course untrimm'd;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,

Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grows'st;

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

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William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and he died in 1616. Not much more is known about his life.

But this has not stopped countless millions of people, in languages that Shakespeare himself newer knew, from thinkng of him as an intimate friend.

His poetry is universal. It transcends both the language in which he wrote, and the time in which he lived. He wrote 34 plays, and they contain some of the finest and most reflective poetry in the world.

In 1609 a London bookseller publiched a collection of 154 sonnets by Shakespeare. Shakespeare wrote no preface or introduction. But the sonnets tell the story of this devoted and affectionate friendship for a young nobleman.

They read like a series of letters. In the early poems Shakespeare urges him to marry and to perpetuate his mortal beauty by having a son. The young man is apparently not convinced; so the poet resolves to immortalize his beauty in verse.

The identity of the young nobleman is one of the greatest mysteries of English literature.

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Arriving in London

When you arrive at London Airport, you are faced with a choice of transport into the centre of town. There is a train, there is a bus, there are taxis (not cheap, unless you are with friends) and there is the usual selection of car-hire firms.

If you arrive during the morning rush-hour it is best to avoid the roads.

But first there are two formalities to deal with Immigration and Customs.

If you are from an ECC country, there is a special immigration desk. There are no forms to fill in, but you will be given a card with the date of entry stamped on it. It is valid for 6 months.

If you are from other country, the immigration officer will want the Landing Card that they gave you on the plane. Visitors to the UK are normally given a visa for 6 months; but they are not allowed to work unless they already have a work permit.

All passengers have to go through Customs. If you have nothing to declare (or if you enjoy the risks of smuggling) take the green door. Otherwise, follow the red signs.

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Opera

Compared with Italy or Germany, Britain is not a very operatic country. But this is changing.

Covent Garden is a superb opera house, on a par with the finest in the world. And there is now more opera in the provinces.

It was a vicious circle: the standard works are in Italian, German and French, and people stayed away because they did not understand the words. In addition, British composers have tended not to write operas for lack of a public.

But now performances at the English National Opera, in London, are always in English translation. The people who run it are gradually breaking the vicious circle by generating a new public. There is also a Welsh National Opera, a Scottish Opera, and a new company in Leeds. They all tour the provinces.

Meanwhile, it is more and more difficult to get tickets for Covent Garden. British and foreign opera-lovers snap them up in order to hear internationally famous singers, in the standard repertoire and in modern works by composers such as Tippet and Britten.

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The Beatles

Suddenly in 1963 schoolboys started brushing their hair forward and letting it grow over their collars.The four names John, Paul, George and Ringo were on eveyone's lips. And biology teachers throught England bought extra supplies of red fibre pens to correct the spelling of the word 'beetle' in their pupils' exercise books.

The Beatles took the world by storm. Every record they ade went to number one in the charts, and wherever the group went they were besieged by thousands of adulating fans. The press called it 'Beatlemania'.

But the road to success was no motorway. Like a boxer who fights hundreds of inglorious fights in obscure gyms before hitting the championship circuit, the Beatles spent three years in sleazy clubs, in Liverpool and in Hamburg, often playing eight hours a night, before the world focussed its spotlight on them.

The apprenticeship produced master craftsmen. Lennon and MacCartney wrote songs which will live for ever. And children who were born long after the group broke up in 1970 still have trouble spelling 'beetle'.

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Equal Opportunities

Why do dustmen earn less than doctors ?

Most doctors would give several good reasons; and not many dustmen would put the question so radically.

But it cannot be denied that doctors have a satisfying job, they work in congenial surroundings and they enjoy considerable social status. Some would argue that this was enough, and that dustmen, who enjoy none of these advantages, should be compensated with a higher salary. But no doubt there are other factors.

Why do women earn less than men ?

Feminists of oth sexes wish that did not. And there is legislation in England to ensure that women and men who do the same job should be equally paid - and that men and women who do equivalent work should also take home the same pay.

But equivalent is a difficult word to define objectively. There are jobs, like nursing and secretarial work, which are traditionally done by women. How do you compare qualities such as efficiency and a sympathetic approach to people, with a typical male quality like physical strength ?

While the legislators have not answered that question,dustmen still earn less than doctors, but they get a lot more than nurses.

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Jaguar

The firm which built the E type and the XK 120 has only been known as Jaguar Cars Ltd. since 1945.

The company started life in 1922 in Blackpool, a seaside town in the north-west of England. Their name was Swallow and they made sidecars.

The sidecar business was successful and the two men who ran it, William Lyons and William Walmesly, began making elegant bodies for Austin and Morris cars.

Everbody liked the Austin and Morris Swallows. Business prospered, and in 1927 they made their first complete car-the SS1 Coupe.

The first SS Jaguars were built in 1935. After the Second World War the name, Jaguar, became synonymous with excellent fast cars.

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Isaac Newton

It was a warm afternoon in late summer. Sitting in the orchard, Isaac Newton watched an apple fall to the ground. He was in a contemplative mood.

"Why should that apple always descend perpendiculary to the ground?", he thought... "Why not sideways or upwards ?"

Like other geniuses, Newton had the power to see beyond a simple phenomenon like the fall of an apple, and to explore its widest implications. He went on to establish laws of gravity, which he used to explain the Universe.

Isaac Newton was born on Christmas Say, 1642. His father was a farmer. He studied mathematics at Cambridge University. But in 1655 England was ravaged by the Great Plague and the University was closed for fear of infection.

Newton spent those eighteen months at home in his village. It was there, between the ages of 22 and 24, that he made the three discoveries which were to influence science and human thought from that day to this: the discovery of the differential Calculus, the nature of white light (why we see a rainbow in a drop of water) and the laws of gravity.

Newton lived to a great age and was a revered mathematican, but he was humble about his achievements. Shortly before his death he wrote: 'to myself I seem to have been only like a boy, playing on the the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.'

White light passing through a triangular prism. Newton investigating light.

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A Game Of Chance

The most popular pastime in Britain is a kind of gambling. There are no horses involved ... no greyhounds or boxers; no specialized knowledge is required; it is purely and simply a matter of chance.

The name of the game is bingo and it is played by 6 million people in 1,600 clubs throughout the country.

This is not the world of roulette tables and top-hatted Casino doormen. The bingo halls are generally converted cinemas in working class high streets.

85 per cent of the players are women and their average age is about 52. Family fortunes are not lost. Most of the women spend no more than five pounds a week, but the prizes can run into several thousand pounds.

The real attraction of the game is probably the companionship it provides. For lonely housewives and elderly people the bingo club is a lively, warm place to go in winter.

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