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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Old English

"In this faith let you and me, my dear friend, comfort ourselves; it is the only comfort, in the present dark scene of things that is allowed us."

Benjamin Franklin, 1782

What does this (underlined) phrase mean? How could it be reworded for a 21st century reader?
  

Top answer

I find it hard to word any more simply. The whole thing: Let's be comforted by our religion, since religion is our only comfort in the unhappy existence that we have been given.

— Mister Micawber

  • I find it hard to word any more simply.
  • The whole thing: Let's be comforted by our religion, since religion is our only comfort in the unhappy existence that we have been given.
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5 Answers
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I find it hard to word any more simply. The whole thing:

Let's be comforted by our religion, since religion is our only comfort in the unhappy existence that we have been given.
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Thanks!

So basically: "that is allowed us" = "that has been given to us"
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"In this faith let you and me, my dear friend, comfort ourselves; it is the only comfort, in the present dark scene of things that is allowed us."

Does the underlined "that" refer to "comfort" or "the present dark scene of things"?
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1--Yes, that's right.
2-- It could be either, but I suspect 'comfort'
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Thank you Mister Micawber!

Please mark this post as answered.
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