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Pructus Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

A tale of two cities

0Following is from "A tale of two cities" by Charles Dickens.... 02br
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00There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France. In both countries 01u00it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes,02u00 that things in general were settled for ever. ......02br
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00The underlined part is difficult to understand. 02br
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00It was clearer than crystal to whom? 0-
  

Top answer

0It was clear to those responsible for/controlling the (reserves of) food of the nation ... html

— Marius Hancu

  • 0It was clear to those responsible for/controlling the (reserves of) food of the nation ...
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8 Answers
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0It was clear to those responsible for/controlling the (reserves of) food of the nation ... 02br
00Try: 02br
05000 0230hrefhttp://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/A-Tale-of-Two-Cities-Summaries-and-Commentaries-Chapter-1-The-Period.id-126,pageNum-9.html
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0Hi, Pructus,02br
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00I'm sure someone will show up with a real answer. Lords would be people in power in both France and England. The State preserves would be those instututions which perpetuate the status quo. I presume "loaves and fishes" alludes to Christ's miracle or to Christianity in general. The whole thing seems rather figurative.02br
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0The Powers To Be 0-
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0Sounds like Marius is right on with the food, but I can't find it in the reference.0-
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0BTW, with Dickens you'll learn top prescriptive BrE grammar,you even could read it in parallel with Fowler, say "shall/will/should/would", IMO:02br
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00 but some of the expressions are dated. 0230hrefhttp://www.bartleby.com/116/213.html
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0 ...it was clearer than crystal to the lords of [the State preserves of fishes and loaves]...02br
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00The 01b00State preserves of fishes and loaves02b00 is an ironic reference to the game reserves of the aristocracy, not to the provision of foodstuffs for the hoi polloi. 02br
00The01b00 lords of the State preserves02b
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1blockquote
01cite10Feebs1112cite10The 11b10State preserves of fishes and loaves12b10 is an ironic reference to the game reserves of the aristocracy, not to the provision of foodstuffs for the hoi polloi.12blockquote
10Hi Feebs, 02br
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00I toyed with that notion, but couldn't make the "loave
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0Thanks, Everybody!!!02br
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00Now I see what that part means.... 0-
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