Sonnet’s from the Portugese Analysis of all poems

Elizabeth Barrett Browning Sonnet 1 Theme: unexpectedness of love Falling in love with Robert and his returning of her love came as a great surprise to Elizabeth, considering past her circumstances. Analysis: Reworks the traditional sonnet sequence by transforming gender roles. She utilities the female voice instead of the traditional male voice. She assumes the role of epic hero. She adopts the patrician sonnet style. The octet's strict rhyming pattern reflects how she feels her life has been static so far.The sextet's alternating near rhymes modulate from move' to ‘strove' to ‘love' reflecting gradual emotional and spiritual pavement as a result of discovering this unexpected love. The distortion of iambic pentameter reflects the distorted and enharmonic patterns of her own life. B uses past tense show how Joy escapes her- ‘once' ‘sung'. The brevity of ‘once' suggests that this kind of love Is fleeting. ‘Once' also has fairytale associations â₠¬Ëœonce upon a time' which suggests that love for her Is a myth.She utilities the classical Greek reference (allusion) to Theocratic whose poem suggested that every year of life brought new happiness with it. This allusion evokes the original pastoral tradition from Sicily and implicitly allows a world of classical Italian paganism (and potential sexuality) Into the world of Victorian poetry. Creates a dramatic effect by using enjambment to set off a phrase at the beginning of the sestets. Volta, (Italian: â€Å"turn†) the turn in thought in a sonnet that is often indicated by such initial words as But, Yet, or And yet. The Volta occurs between the octet and sestets in a Patriarchal sonnet.Here the thought continues from line 8 to 9. This suggests that the melancholy blends itself across all aspects of her life. That she remembers the poem as being ‘sung' (past tense) also suggests that armory and sweetness have not been a part of her life's journey. Listing the sweet y ears, the dear and wished for years' ‘The sweet ,sad years, the melancholy years'. This again emphasizes how much Joy and beauty she has missed out on and how much she has suffered ‘antique tongue' classical adjectival reference, could suggest these notions are foreign to her Just as an antique language is or that this happiness could only be found in the past. Lung' powerful and Jarring verb. Browning feels that fate has powerfully ‘shadow she is now an image of her former self due to the illness, offering and oppression she has been through OR darkness has spread, there is no light of hope in her life. ‘mystic Shape' capitalizes-shape is personified. Mystic means†spiritually allegorical, pertaining to mysteries of faith,† â€Å"pertaining to occult practices or ancient religions† So†¦ This shape is foreign to her ‘shape' â€Å"creation, form, destiny,† from root of shape (v. )). Meaning â€Å"contours of the body† is attested from late ICC. Meaning â€Å"condition, state† is first recorded 1865, Aimer. Eng.In M. E. , the word also had a sense of â€Å"a woman's private parts. † ‘hair' :An allusion to Homer's Iliad. Epic which begins with Athena pulling Achilles by the hair. Divine intervention by the Gods. EBB could see Borrowing's love for her as divine intervention. Her allusion to Homer's epic subtly suggests that there is something heroic and brave about this romantic engagement. The gender dynamic of this allusion should not be overlooked. At the opening of the Iliad Achilles and Agamemnon are contending over who will get to keep a captive female in his tent-an odd and interesting allusion for the beginning of feminine love sonnets.In Barrett Browning;s revision of this scene, the desiring female speaker assumes the position of epic hero. Pulled away from destructive, seductive thoughts of death, she engages with the emotional risks of love when the conditions seem t o glorify her as much as her beloved; thus the speaker is both the subject and object of love, revising without entirely reversing the Perchance tradition in which the woman is a silent object of admiration. This allusion to homer's epic, as well as the heroic sonnet form, subtly suggests that there is something brave and heroic about this romantic engagement.Fate is symbolized as a woman constantly turning. Her hair had to be grabbed while he was facing you. Allusion to a A children's game. The sestets is based on a children's game of the time in which one child would creep up behind another, grab her hair and ask: â€Å"Guess who it is? † The poet compares falling in love to this game. She suggests than when the strange feeling (of love) metaphorically â€Å"drew me backwards by the hair†, she assumed that it was death that was seizing her (her pessimistic expectation). Mystic Shape† (line 10) suggests something mysterious and possibly sinister. In line 12: â⠂¬Å"†¦ A voice said in mastery while I strove† suggests the power of her new linings and her attempts to resist them because she feared them. Silver answer-color imagery-love has found her but isn't quite gold yet. She can while she is Joyful to find love she is wary of it. Silver also represents purity, so perhaps the answer of ‘love' is pure and simple as further witnessed through the use of monosyllables ‘Not Death but Love' Rang-connotative of wedding bells or announcements.Loud volume. Has it awoken her from her melancholy and sadness? Rang is also in present tense to show her awakening to love and Joy, as opposed to the past tense ‘sung Wished' Sung, Voice,Rang -the experience is auditory. Why? Siren's call? Has she subverted this? She is like the men lead to their death? The dangers of love? Perhaps she only understands love when she hears it from someone else, she herself cannot articulate it because of her isolated existence. Bells are commonly representative of Joy and freedom.The shape of the bell is closely related to the vault of HEAVEN. A bell's pendulous motion can represent the extremes of good and evil; death and immortality. Its sound is a symbol of creative power, but can also be a call to arms. Is also phallic in some senses, a bell and handle = a vulva and a phallus. Embodiment of virginity, unmarried women adorn themselves with bells. The use of direct speech in lines 13 & 14 dramatists her surprise. The ellipsis in line 14 creates suspense before the final antithesis of â€Å"Not Death, but Love. Which highlights the great change in her outlook on life from the second quatrain. Volta: Browning plays with the Patriarchal form because she's more intent on meaning rather than staying with form. Goes into 9th line in sestets. Provides a Volta in line 13 after the caesura ‘but there'. Ellipsis. The function of these is to show that she is reserved and reticent about embracing love due to her societal constr aints which include: patriarchal power structure, history of illness and tragedy, feels unworthy and mistrusts herself.Sense of Self-she is aware of her limitations and cleverly questions and challenges those through her poetry. Classical Elements in Poem Modern Elements of Poem Patriarchal Rhyme Scheme Theocratic Antique tongue Hair-allusion to Homer's Iliad epic The drama of death and love evokes classical drama and mythology, figures such as Orpheus and Eurydice and the fugue of fate. Can read her poems as a version of the silent, suffering powerless womanUsurps masculine conventions-she's no longer silent but eloquent Uses her structure to infer movement from stasis to an opening up of emotions Cleverly invokes sexuality and desire in a strict patriarchal society Transforms ritual of identity-sonnet is about (values debate about identity within context of conformity) She is aware of her limitations and cleverly challenges them throughout her poetry She is reserved and reticent a bout embracing love due to her societal constraints: patriarchal power Elizabeth Barrett Browning Sonnet 13 Theme: The dominant idea and tone of this sonnet seems to be uncertainty – uncertainty bout whether the poet/persona can trust her lover and whether she can control the intensity of her own feelings. This poem is about EBB being unable to speak or admit her love to Robert Browning, however, she paradoxically creates a work of art to declares her love. She declares herself as a poet maker which will then be her gift to Robert. She isn't ready to admit love yet. She will declare it when she is ready. The female voice instead of the traditional male voice.Unlike the traditional depiction of a woman in Patriarchs poetry-she is not silent. She poses and answers the heterocyclic question, ‘And wilt though have me fashion into speech/the love I bear thee, finding words enough†¦ ‘ She adopts the Patrician sonnet style. She has control over her own silence, ques tioning the validity of words and hence the sonnet form itself. Paradox-this poem is about her not being able to communicate yet she communicates with Robert Browning through this poem. She does not introduce a Volta in lines 8 or 9 which shows her determination to express her uncertainty about revealing her feelings to Robber Browning. The sonnet.This is reflective of the conversational style of the letters and also emends the reader that the sonnet is part of a sequence of ideas. *The use of the archaic forms and â€Å"wilt† suggests that the question may be a device, as used in the sonnets of Shakespeare and the Metaphysical poets, to introduce her ideas dramatically, rather than a response to a real request from Robert. ‘Hold the torch out where the words are rough/ between our faces, to cast a light on each?.. ‘ The torch and light here can symbolism illumination, exposure or disclosure and hence the revelation of their love to others, which EBB is afraid of as it will allow them to be criticized by others. In these lines EBB is also creating a drama of epic significance. The flaming torches allude to classical drama.She is also the one in control as she is the torch bearer, which again subverts the traditional notion of the submissive woman in Patriarchal poetry. The metaphor â€Å"where the words are rough† suggests the external forces that make it difficult to her express her love publicly, possibly a reference to her father's opposition. â€Å"I drop it at thy feet'. Cleverly denounces her previous image of power and control by submitting humbly to him. The use of the verb drop suggests her inability to effectively be a torchbearer and consequently she reveals to him that she in unable to effectively communicate her love to him in her writing, ‘l cannot teach my hand to hold my spirit so far off/From myself.. Me. ‘ The high modality reflects her inability to do so. Nay, -let the silence of my womanhood/Commend my woman-love to thy belief-‘ Cleverly adopts the role of a virtuous Victorian woman who until the point of marriage will not talk and must remain a mystery. The first word of the sestets â€Å"Nay' (No) does not introduce a Volta (turn) in this case. Instead it emphasizes her determination not to declare her love, reinforcing the second quatrain. ‘And that I stand union, however wooed'. There is a lovely play on contrasting words here with the W sound which emphasizes the paradoxical nature of her situation. She is in love but cannot admit it, however, cleverly explores and conveys her emotions of uncertainty to Robert through her poetry.She urges her lover to assume that she is following the conventions of courtly love (suggested by the phrase â€Å"woman-love† and the archaic word â€Å"wooed†), in which the woman was expected to pretend disinterest as a sign of modesty and a way to encourage her lover to more extravagant protestation of his love. (This l inks to the archaic forms in the first quatrain. ) Here, the verb ‘rending is powerful and sexual. Her outward unresponsiveness conceals deeply felt passion. The image of being ravished is suggested in the metaphor of her life as a garment being torn apart. The superlative ‘most' coupled with the rhyming and long sounding ‘dauntless, voiceless' reveals the amount of mental and emotional strength needed by EBB to guard her feelings.She again creates the classical image of woman. She is heroic and strong in grief. Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief'. The singular ‘One touch' conveys the powerful brevity of tenderness and instantaneous consequent vulnerability of revealing her love. Should she reveal her love, she will be open to ‘grief, the grief that comes with love and happiness. It may also be personal grief due to the loss of her brother as well as the social grief that comes as a result of the restrictions placed on women during her time. Revealing her love will make her vulnerable in many ways and will open up a plethora of emotions for her. Admitting love.The pronouns change from male thou' and thee' to female to ‘I' and ‘myself†¦. Me' to neutral this'. This could reveal the process in which she constructs a hybrid gender for herself which allows her to escape patriarchal constraints and usurp masculine conventions (see below). The drama is that this is a woman speaking as a lover to a lover, about the nature of love poetry. The emphasis is on the nature of Woman-love' and the paradox is that her traditional ‘silence' has become powerful eloquence. Part of the challenge is that EBB works with cross dressing and paradoxes about hybrid gender , as in her poems o George Sand, that ‘large-brained woman and large-hearted man'.While she usurps masculine conventions, authority and eloquence she also insists that she retains a tragic identity as the always ‘union' and enduring woman, the lover who cannot admit love, and in that way suffers love that in turn leads to sadness. Intellectualism and paradox are certainly part of her strategy and essential to the emotional power of the sonnet. Elizabeth Barrett Browning Sonnet 14 In this poem EBB has accepted her suitor's love, but now makes demands regarding the nature of that love. She urges her lover to love her not for any particular reason, but simply because he loves her â€Å"for love's sake only'. She argues that if there is a particular reason for loving someone, then a change in circumstances can remove the reason and destroy the love.One interesting interpretation is that she is cleverly This could be validated with the fact that ‘love' is repeated nine times in the poem. ‘If thou must love me, let it be for enough/Except for love's sake only. ‘ The opening line is very dramatic and is addressed directly to the lover in the archaic second person (â€Å"thou†). She tells him: If you mus t love me, let it be for nothing. The high modality of the auxiliary verb â€Å"must† may be playfully suggesting that she does not really want him to love her or that she cannot believe that he would actually want to (a sign of her sense of inferiority). Like Sonnet 13 she also begins with the conjunction ‘if which creates a conversational tone. The idea of loving her for nothing seems strange until we read line 2. (I. E. He power of the idea is created by the enjambment, creating a pause before the qualifying condition – â€Å"except†). ‘Do not say/ † I love her for her smile.. Re look.. Her way [Of speaking gently.. ; for a trick of thought/ That falls in well with mine, and Cortes brought/ A sense of pleasant ease on such as day-† EBB uses the imperative voice and listing of conventional attributes that are admired in women to warn Robert not to love her for these superficial qualities as they are subject to change. Ellipsis is used i n these lines to suggest alternates that he might say. (Cortes – certainly) ‘For these things in themselves beloved, may/Be changed, or change for thee,.. ND love so wrought,/May be inwrought so. Here, EBB explains why she does not want IM to love her in these ways – because these things may change, destroying the love. In using the contrast of opposites Wrought/inwrought' EBB highlights how easily love may come undone when it is based on transient qualities, as easily and simply as adding a small prefix to a word that resonates with work and effort. The word â€Å"beloved† in line 7 shows that she really loves him, dispelling any doubt that may have been created by line 1 . She has not used this word before to address him in previous poems for study. ‘Neither love me for /Thing own dear pity wiping my cheeks dry! For one might well forget to weep, who bore/Thy comfort long, and lose love thereby-‘ The idea in lines 9 – 12 is that he sho uld not love her because he pities her unhappiness, because his love would make her happy, so he could no longer pity her, and therefore, no longer love her. The exclamatory shows that she is horrified of being pitied. ‘But love me for love's sake, that evermore/ Thou Mays love on through love's eternity. ‘ The poem ends with a clear and direct use of the imperative mood to emphasis her main idea – â€Å"love me for love's sake†. She repeats the words of line 2, avian explained why she made the opening statement. Not be affected by changing circumstances, further reinforcing the poet's main idea.In terms of the sonnet form, EBB has now moved away from the half rhymes in her sestets to full rhyme for', ‘bore' ‘evermore' and ‘dry, thereby. However, she utilities half rhyme in ending with ‘eternity. This serves to emphasis the uniqueness of the word and the longevity of their love (made up of four syllables and the longest sounding word in the poem) and hence the uniqueness of their love if it isn't based on approaching her and loving her as a conventional woman. F a woman in Patriarchal poetry-she is not silent. She is in control and makes demands of Robert Borrowing love. Elizabeth Barrett Browning Sonnet 21 The tone of this sonnet is dramatically different from the three previous ones set for study.It is more exuberant (excited, high-spirited), clearly shown by the number of exclamations. This might suggest that her doubts about the genuineness of Robber's love are decreasing and she is beginning to enjoy their relationship. (One study guide refers to her â€Å"pleasure†, another to her â€Å"thrill†. ) An alternative reading might be that there is a sense of desperation in her excitement – that she is urging him to keep telling her that he loves her so she can overcome her doubts. There is evidence in the poem to Justify either approach, so you must make your own Judgment. In lines 1 -6 sh e urges her beloved to keep telling her that he loves her.There is a typical dramatic opening, addressing her lover directly â€Å"Beloved† and using repetition â€Å"again and yet again†. The repeated use of exclamatory in line 6 and 7 line create a sense of exuberance. The foregrounding of the adjectival ‘Beloved' may reveal an acceptance of her feelings towards Robert Browning, as she has now placed the term f endearment at the start of the poem (in contrast to Sonnet 14). Mores it relegates him to the object of the poem and thus EBB again subverts the traditional Patriarchal sonnet which had the woman as the object. EBB also subverts the form by taking control through the use of the imperative tone. She compares his repeated declarations of his love to the song of the cuckoo (â€Å"cuckoo-song† & â€Å"cuckoo-strain†).This bird is heard very frequently in spring in England, and many people get sick of its monotonous calling. She suggests that wh ile people might get sick of hearing the cuckoo, it should be welcomed because spring Anton come without it. In the same way, she cannot experience love without him ‘Remember, never to the hill and plain/ Valley & wood, without her cuckoo-strain. ‘ Hills were the first manifestation of the creation of the world, standing high enough to be set away from primeval chaos, but lacking the majestic size of mountains. Biblical allusion Isaiah 40:4 ‘Every valley shall be raised, and every mountain and hill made low, the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.This suggests how everything will be complete and perfect when he repeats his love for her. Plains-symbol of space and boundless earth. Horizontal and opposed to the vertical hill. Valley-symbolic complement of a mountain. Egg yin (valley) and yang (Mountain). Commonly a symbol of fertility and life. Valley is also a Biblical allusion to Psalm 23:even though I walk through the valley of the shadow o f death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (lots of sexual connotations here! ) Wood- Symbolizes superhuman wisdom and knowledge. The carpenter uses tools symbolic of the divine power of bringing order out of chaos.Through the use of these natural and Biblical symbols. EBB suggests that they will not find perfection, complementing unity or order in their love without him repeating he loves her. Note the personification of â€Å"sweet Spring in all her green completed' to herald a fresh start/rebirth/growth. Green is also the color of the Goddess of love Aphrodite who was born from a green sea-so mythological allusion. In lines 7 – 9 she admits to doubts about his love. â€Å"darkness†, â€Å"doubtful spirit†, â€Å"doubt's pain† and â€Å"Cry' have powerful negative connotations, suggesting that the process of deciding whether he really loves her has been very painful. Are these doubts in the past or the present? The use of ellipsis in line 9 suggests hesitation, making the use of the imperative (â€Å"Cry .. Speak seem a little desperate. In lines 9- 11 the rhetorical question suggests renewed confidence. She argues that just as you cannot have too many stars or too many flowers, so you cannot say â€Å"l love you† too often. This continues the association of his love with positive aspects of nature begun in line 6. Stars are symbols of divinity and constancy much like their love. Flowers in contrast are transitory (they don't live forever). EBB again uses humbly to show how their love whilst mortal, can remain eternal. In lines 12 – 13 she again uses the imperative mood, combined with repetition to urge him to continue to say he loves her. Toll† metaphorically compares declaring his love to ringing a bell and â€Å"silver utterance† has positive connotations. (Note that she used â€Å"silver answer† in Sonnet 1) We discussed silver as being less precious than gold and therefore their love whilst still precious is more real rather than ideal. The bell is a symbol of Joy and freedom and in some senses is also phallic- so there are sexual connotations here again. In line 13 the dash introduces a change of idea, and a change to a more serious tone. While she enjoys hearing him say that he loves her, she also wants him to love her â€Å"in deep and lasting love. In terms of the sonnet form, this is the first sonnet for study that does not employ half rhyme in the sestets.Thus the full rhyme could signify her growing confidence in their love. Elizabeth Barrett Browning Sonnet 22 The tone of this sonnet is very different to that of Sonnet XIX. It is extremely serious but also confident, suggesting that the poet is absolutely sure of the truth of what she is saying. EBB suggests that their love can take them into a spiritual realm away from earthly concerns, but then rejects this. She prefers them to remain earthly lovers, even th ough she recognizes that physical love is not permanent because it cannot overcome death. She argues that nothing in life can harm them because they love each other. There is also a sense of equality in this poem. There is no masculine or feminine aspect.She's become a man/woman voice (note the allusions to masculine mythological figures. Angels are gender neutral). In this sonnet the poet uses the first person plural (we / us / our). This is a velveteen from the previous ones set for study, in which she used the first and second person singular. The change reflects her growing certainty that they truly love each other. In the octave she imagines their souls facing each other in silence, getting closer together until their â€Å"lengthening wings break into fire. † This image seems to refer to their deaths, when their physical bodies will be destroyed and their souls will escape to heaven together. This interpretation is supported by the reference to angels.It links to the wi sh expressed in Sonnet XIV to be loved â€Å"through love's eternity. † and in Sonnet XIX to be loved with his â€Å"soul. † The image also has overtones of the mythical phoenix, a bird that burns itself to ashes and comes forth with new life (it is a symbol of resurrection) – suggesting the intensity of the love has â€Å"destroyed† her old self and renewed her. ‘Until their lengthening wings break into fire'. Here we have the use of classical/ mythological allusion to Circus who flew to close to the sun and had his wings melt. Could this suggest that their love is so passionate it could be dangerous? Fire is also a symbol for knowledge and wisdom and again refers to the classical story of

Strategic Analysis of ALDI Essay

1. Introduction Albrecht Discount Inc., globally known as Aldi, is a German based family owned global discount chain of supermarkets. Aldi constitutes of two independent groups, that are Aldi Nord (North) and Aldi Sud (South) legally and economically independent but family related (Aldi Sud Business, 2013). It is the market leader in the industry of international grocery retailing and owns and operates chain of discount grocery stores in Europe, Australia and United States. It’s stores retail and supply general merchandise and food including meat products, fresh meat, frozen and refrigerated foods,  sweets and snacks, dairy and bakery products, beverages and pantry items in addition to home care and personal care products (Report Linker, 2013). In the present Aldi Inc.’s strategic analysis is carried out to identify and evaluate its strategies against its business environment to critically analyze whether the strategies pursued by Aldi are effective in maintaining its market leader position or not. In doing so environmental analysis of international grocery retailing industry is carried out to bring about the opportunities and threats the industry is facing and SWOT analysis is carried out to shed light on Aldi’s strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats the industry is facing on the whole. Aldi’s strategies are then evaluated against the SWOT to analyze the effectiveness of its strategies in maintaining its market position. 2. Brief Background on Aldi Aldi Inc., was founded by Karl Albrecht and Theo Albrecht in 1913 in Essen and started trading in bakery products, later in 1914 Karl Albrecht’s wife Anna Albrecht opened the first grocery store. In 1919 they acquired a commercial and residential building in Essen and enlarge the grocery store. 1945 the brothers took over the family business and opened more stores and by the end of 1948 they were four Albrecht stores. In 1954 Albrecht expanded further more and opened its stores outside Essen and branch enlargement took place with 77 stores with core business as food self service. In 1961 two legally separate groups were established known as Aldi Sud and Aldi Nord yet the family remained connected. 1962 first ALDI – Albrecht Discount branched was opened in the discount principle and entire branch network was changed into ALDI format. Gradually internationalized its business by first entering in Austria with acquisition of Hofer retail chain, then further expanded in Germany, entered in the United States, UK, Ireland, Australia, Switzerland, Slovenia and Hungary, in that order (Aldi Sud Facts and Figures, 2013). Aldi Group is active in nine European countries and in European market is one of the leading retail companies and a well known retail chain all over the world. Aldi Sud is into retail food trade and comprises of 31 companies located in Southern and Western Germany and Aldi Nord operates its own branch network of 2500 outlets in the northern and eastern Germany (Aldi Sud  Business, 2013; Aldi Nord, 2013). Aldi Group has more than 10000 stores worldwide with annual turnover of 75bn yet its core market is Germany (Fitzgerald, 2013). Aldi stores are known for their efficiency, no frills stores, low levels of staff, few big brand names and modest opening hours (Fitzgerald, 2013). Their main core competency is cut price through cost cutting, selling cheap and low quality products(Grocery.com, 2013) and its mission is â€Å"simply smarter shopping† (Aldi US, 2013). Aldi’s big rivals include TESCO, Morrison’s, Sainsbury, Asda, Carrefour and Lidl (Sky News, 2013; Butler and Bowers, 2013). The Albrecht’s has expanded into new territories but remains a closely guarded company and never disclose its profit margins citing commercial sensitivity and do not share much information with other branches managers (Fitzgerald, 2013). Aldi has to triple its staff and check outs to cater to the extra one million customers coming to its 500 stores in UK. The firm shunned premium big brands for its cut price own versions of premium ranges to attract new customers looking for cheaper products (Steiner, 2013). The retail market is seeing intense competition and big retail supermarkets are losing market share to discount stores and up market grocers such as Aldi all over Europe and other international markets. 3. Market Identification of Aldi It is an intensely family owned private company. Both Aldi Sud and Aldi Nord operate in retail markets however Aldi Nord mainly in Europe whereas Aldi Sud operates in the United States and Australia among other international locations. It has Aldi stores are located in Germany, Austria, Australia, Denmark, France, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Hungary, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Poland, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United states operating in 36 states and United Kingdom (Grocer.com, 2013). Its customers are mainly ‘do it yourself’ shoppers and bargain hunters (Grocer.com, 2013). Aldi in 2013 has outshined its biggest rivals in UK with doubling in annual profits and sales increase of 40.6% being a cut price grocer and holds 3.7% of market share in UK (Steiner, 2013; Sky news, 2013). It earned profit of 157.9 million in 2012 from 70.5 million in 2011 and sales increased from 2.7 billion in 2011 to 3.8 billion in 2012. It opened 34 new stores that were crucial in its strong performance in 2012 (Steiner, 2013). Aldi Ireland revenues increased by 30.7% in 2012 outstripping its German rival Lidl,  opened 3 more stores, in addition to 40 stores in Ireland that are being refurbished or extended. Together Lidl and Aldi control 12.5% of Irish grocery market (Fitzgerald, 2013). Aldi United states’ annual revenue is $68,700 million (U.S) with 1400 stores in 36 states employing 11,000 employees (Grocer.com. 2013). Aldi SUD in Germany consists of 31 independent companies, with more than 1820 branches, employing more than 33,600 employees (Aldi Facts and Figures, 2013). Aldi Nord operates in Eastern, Western and Northern Germany with around 2500 outlets (Aldi Nord, 2013) 4. Environmental Analysis International grocery retailing industry is facing intense competition and become a real battleground, retailing giants are offering plenty of price discounts to attract customers, that is seriously impacting their suppliers and pressure to regulate the sector is growing (Fitzgerald, 2013). The following section analyzes in detail the opportunities and threats the retail grocery industry is facing through PESTEL Analysis. 4.1 PESTEL Analysis 4.1.1 Political factors Legislators of European countries are being pressurized to regulate the retail market because intense competition and price cut is negatively impacting the manufacturers and suppliers (Fitzgerald, 2013). Retail companies are being accused of paying the lowest price to their suppliers, which is harming their business seriously, and are on the brink of collapse. Political campaigns are being carried out and interest groups are asking customers not to buy products their because of that (Osborne, 2012). 4.1.2 Economical factors Economic slowdown in developed countries and Euro zone crises has affected the industry greatly as customers with less income to dispense are forced to shop for cheaper and retailers owned goods swallowing their brand and switching from expensive brands. High flying retail giants are feeling the pinch as there was considerable drop in their sales and profits and more and more customers are switching to discount stores and up market grocers  (Butler and Bowers, 2013). Cash strapped households due to shrinking in their budgets as a result of high inflation that is not proportional to wage rises are flocking to discount stores (Sky News, 2013). The below graph shows consumer retail expenditure five year growth rate of UK (Verdict, 2009). Figure 1: Total consumer retail expenditure of UK- five year growth rate (Verdict, 2009) Burgeoning population, rise in immigration, developed nations beginning to emerge from recession and economic recoveries, falling in unemployment rates, urbanization leading to renewal of growth in retail industry. Disposable income, GDP and consumer spending are the macroeconomic factors that affect retail industry directly (Reuters, 2012). Asia pacific is dominating the industry as it driving the increase in global retail trade, representing 35% of the global retail market and will grow highest among all other regions between 2012 and 2017 (Reuters, 2013). 4.1.3 Social and cultural factors Consumers are becoming more and more socially responsible and considering increasingly the social impact of their purchases and supporting mainly those retailers who are also socially responsible and assert sustainable practices. Consumers are avoiding retailers who they think are irresponsible, encourage sweat shops, exploit suppliers, and outsource manufacturing and carryout unethical practices. Consumer preferences are changing more rapidly than ever before and retailers are struggling to cope up with their changing preferences. Economic recession is giving rise to generational differences, as whole generation experiencing recession are using money more cautiously and less credit cards (Mack, 2013). 4.1.4 Technology factors Technology is changing the way consumers shop retail products and the way retail businesses operate in bad and good ways. Online retail shopping has increased in manifolds along with creating more awareness among consumers, leading to price comparisons to find the best deal across the world. It is presenting both opportunity and threat as technology is helping in boosting retail stores performance but also forcing them to adapt to new changes  brought forward by technology or else give way to competitors who are doing so (Mock, 2013). Technological growth such as mobile commerce has provided opportunity for retailers to better interact with customers and give them more convenience and better service (Reuters, 2013). RFD Radio Frequency Identification Device has facilitated end to end tracking of ingredients and better stock control through business intelligence tools (PWC, 2013). 4.1.5 Environmental Factors Retail chains are being pressurized to be more socially responsible and adopt sustainable practices as their low price strategies are affecting the suppliers and the environment as a whole. Retailers are also accused of harming the environment as they are blamed for increased consumption of food products and causing global food insecurity and also for increased used of harmful plastic material for packaging. They are also accused of indulging in unethical practices to drive the products prices down and not caring for the environment (UNEP, 2003). To minimize this negative trend retail chains have to sustainable materials for packaging and carrying and in turn putting that costs on consumers (Osborne, 2012). 4.1.6 Legal factors Tax issues such as VAT, excise duties, environmental and property taxes, HR taxes, cross border transactions tax issues, corporation taxes and compliance with laws and legislations and increasing costs of corporate social responsibility are presenting challenges to retail industry and increasing their cost of operations. Accounting regulations like adopting of IFRS and passing of Sarbanes Oxley legislation on demand of stakeholders heightened the regulatory pressures on the retail and consumer industry (PWC, 2013). 4.2 Key Trends affecting the industry Consumers are switching from up market retail chains to low price retail chains (Butler and Bowers, 2013). Price inflation of retail products putting more pressure on retailers to decrease its impact on customers and cut down on profit margins (Butler and Bowers, 2013). E commerce and M commerce are increasing leading to increase in online retail (Mack, 2013) Customers are more aware and comparing prices online to gain best deal (Mack, 2013) Burgeoning population, urbanization, economic recovery are renewing growth  in retail sector (Reuters, 2013). Consumers preferences are changing more rapidly than before (Mack, 2013) Consumers are seeking more convenience and using other mode of payments like credit card, debit card etc. (Osborne, 2012; Mack, 2013), New consuming habits such as value shopping in FMCG products and clothing, luxury shopping in furniture and technology (PWC, 2013). Trends towards retailers being more socially responsible and sustainable retailing (PWC, 2013). Consumers supporting local suppliers and against outsourcing (Fitzgerald, 2013) Customer polarization that is have are shopping in up market stores, have not shopping more in low price stores, driving the growth of the industry (Sky News, 2013). Global retail trade growth is driven by Asia Pacific markets and will see highest growth rate. 5. SWOT Analysis 5.1 Strengths Highly efficient stores, staff levels are kept low, operates with only few big brand names and opening hours are fairly modest (Fitzgerald, 2013). High brand value and large extended network of branches covering major developed markets in the world. Continuous expansion in new markets to cater to increased footfall of customers. Basic packaging and limited advertising to keep costs low. Cost advantage derived from economies of scale (Fitzgerald, 2013) Own cheap luxury brands giving stiff competition to expensive luxury brands (Fitzgerald, 2013) Increase in sales mainly coming from new stores (Butler and Bowers, 2013) Discount pricing are impressively cheaper attracting shoppers away from bigger retail giants such as Tesco, Sainsbury Cherry pick bargains offered by Aldi increasing the number of shoppers (Butler and Bowers, 2013) Robust growth over the years (Fitzgerald, 2013) Good for buying staples (Ferruza, 2011) 5.2 Weaknesses In England Aldi does not accept payments through credit card restricting customers who want to pay through credit cards (Osborne, 2012) Charges  customers for a carrier bag (Osborne, 2012)  Low staff levels not able to handle increased customer footfall Reputation damaged because of recent horsemeat scandal and employee spying accusations (Snoops, 2013; Stuart, 2013; The Guardian, 2013). Serious limitation of product selection only 2800 products varieties are offered while other supermarket offer 30000 and shopping cart has to be rented for a quarter, (returned later after cart is kept back) (Grocery.com; Ferruza, 2013) Less glamorous store , interior ambience of stores is not so great, stores are like warehouses, does not decorate shelves, spends very less in packaging, stocking and transportation (Grocery.com, 2013) Stocks low quality products (Ferruzza, 2011). Less glamorous stores, ambience not attractive in stores, it’s like warehouse style store, no frills Stocks low quality products Limited product selection Low level of staff Charges for carrier bags and shopping carts Does not accept payment through credit cards Reputation damaged due to horse meat scandal and employee spying Sells mostly own brands label and limits the number of outside brands Very low advertising and store promotion and only in-house advertising Opportunities Economic recovery in development markets, burgeoning population, urbanization renewing growth Technology such as m-commerce and e-commerce increasing sales Customer polarization increasing discount retailers sale Economic slowdown in the past, inflation and high unemployment rate forcing customers to buy cheaper products Global retail trade growth is high in Asia pacific region and driving the market Price inflation moving customers to discount stores Threats Customers inclination towards sustainability, corporate social responsibility and preference to local suppliers threatening the cost efficiency of discount stores Taxation, and heightened regulations Technology creating operational complexities Consumer changing consuming habits and preferences threatening the industry 6. Identification and evaluation of the Strategies pursued by Aldi Aldi’s competitive strategy is to gain competitive advantage over its rivals through efficiency. Its competitive strategy is low cost leadership that it derives from economies of scale, cost efficiency, low staff level, low quality products, limited product selection and high bargaining power with suppliers (Fitzgerald, 2013; Butler and Bowers, 2013; Steiner, 2013). Its strategy to achieve its mission of simple smarter shopping it has implemented the following strategies in view of its changing business environment. 6.1 Strategies implemented by ALDI Constant rolling out new stores with increased size between 10,000 and 15,000 sq.ft in all countries it is operating (Fitzgerald, 2013). Backward vertical integration, producing cheaper luxury products to attract consumers who are  switching from expensive luxury brands (Grocery.com; Fitzgerald, 2013). Renovation and expansion of existing stores (Fitzgerald, 2013). Started using advertising campaigns to attract more up-market customers to promote its own luxury brand labels deviating from its past strategies (Butler and Bowers, 2013). Increased checkout points and staff level in its store to cater to extra one million customers coming to its stores all over Europe (Steiner, 2013). Delivering high value to customers who are looking for cheaper deals through efficiency in transportation, presentation and packaging (Steiner, 2013). Online sales and apps for attracting internet savvy consumer and engaging customers through social networks (Aldi App, 2013). Sustainable sourcing and reducing environmental impact through recycling and minimum packaging (Aldi Nord, 2013). 6.2 Critical Evaluation of the Strategies In view of Aldi Inc.’s SWOT and the strategies it has implemented it can be said that Aldi’s strategies are in sync with its changing business environment and taking advantage of its strengths and minimizing its weaknesses. By expanding its store sizes, renovating and redecorating its existing stores and opening new stores of bigger sizes it has tried to minimize its weakness of less glamorous warehouse type store. And by opening more stores consistently over the years it is taking advantage of burgeoning population that is resulting in increase of customer footfall (Fitzgerald, 2013). It has also taken care of its weakness of low staff level and increased staff level and checkouts to cater to increased customer footfall (Steiner, 2013). It has started rolling out advertising campaigns for promotions to attract luxury customers and elevated its market positioning by retailing luxury products and changing its reputation of a retailer of low quality products (Butler and B owers, 2013). Aldi is gradually moving from discount store principle to convenient store principle, opening stores in affluent locations, offering luxury products, delivering both value and quality to broaden its consumer base (Skynews, 2013). Through vertical backward integration it has taken advantage of the opportunity presented by the consumer shifting from expensive luxury products to comparatively cheaper luxury products by producing its own luxury label offering them at less price. Broaden its customer base by opening stores in affluent  locations and changing its positioning from a discount store to a convenient store, this is to take advantage of opportunity presented by economic recoveries of developed countries. It has sustained its cost efficiency competitive advantage by lessening costs on packaging, transportation and offering cherry deals. Aldi apps facilitate m-commerce, and it also sells online and interacts with customers using social networks, thus it is taking advantage of op portunities presented by digital media technology. It has minimized threat presented by environmental factors by adopting recycling and has become more socially responsible by adopting sustainable practices for sourcing to minimize the threat presented by customers inclination towards sustainability. However Aldi has not fully taken advantages of other opportunities such as taking advantage of growing Asia Pacific market, it is operating only in Australia and has not yet entered Asian countries where high growth is expected and many governments have opened foreign direct investment in retailing. Price inflation of products and heightened laws and regulations will threaten its cost leadership strategy and in future might increase its operational costs and it may not be able to sustain its competitive strategy for long however it has not taken any measures to address these threats. Increasing staff level will increase its labor costs adding to its operational costs further. 7. Conclusion Aldi Inc. is evolving and implementing strategies to take advantage of opportunities and thwart threats presented by its environment by exploiting its strengths and reducing or eliminating its weaknesses. It has resulted in success as Aldi has experienced great success in 2013 with increased profit and sales compared to other supermarket chains however it may not be able to sustain its competitive advantage for long because prices and costs are increasing and profit margins are decreasing with retail market being saturated in developed countries, it has to expand its operations into new markets for sustaining growth and maintaining market leader position. 8. References Aldi App, (2013), Smart Phone, Aldi App, Aldi Us, Available at https://www.aldi.us/en/services/smartphone-app/, Accessed 25 November, 2013. Aldi Nord, (2013), â€Å"Business†, Aldi Nord, Available at http://www.aldi-nord.de/unternehmen.html, Accessed 28 November, 2013. Aldi Sud Business, (2013), â€Å"Aldi Sud Business†, Aldi Sud, Available at https://unternehmen.aldi-sued.de/de/ueber-aldi-sued/unternehmen/, Accessed 24 November, 2013. Aldi Sud Facts and Figures (2013), â€Å"Aldi Sud Fact and Figures†, Aldi Sud, Available at https://unternehmen.aldi-sued.de/de/ueber-aldi-sued/unternehmen/daten-und-fakten/, Accessed 21 November, 2013. Aldi US, (2013), â€Å"Aldi US Corporate†, Aldi Us, Available at https://corporate.aldi.us/, Accessed 27 November, 2013. Butler, S., and Bowers, S., (2013), â€Å"Britain’s big supermarkets lose ground to cut price rivals and up market grocers†, The Guardian, Available at http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/nov/19/britain-supermarkets-market-share-fall-tesco-sainsburys -lidl, Accessed 22 November, 2013. Ferruzza, C., (2011), â€Å"Forget Trader Joe’s let’s hear it for Aldi†, Pitch, Available at http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives/2011/07/18/forget-trader-joes-lets-hear-it-for-aldi, Accessed 19 November 2013. Fitzgerald, K., (2013), â€Å"Germany the history of Aldi Supermarkets†, Meat Trade News Daily, Available at http://www.meattradenewsdaily.co.uk/news/300413/germany___the_history_of_aldi_supermarkets_.aspx, Accessed 23 November, 2013. Grocery.com, (2013), â€Å"Aldi Foods†, Grocery.com, Available at http://www.grocery.com/aldi-foods/, Accessed 27 November, 2013. Mack, S, (2013), â€Å"Social Factors Affecting Retail Business†, Small Business Chron, Available at http://smallbusiness.chron.com/social-factors-affecting-retail-business-71662.html, Accessed 23 November, 2013. PWC, (2013), â€Å"Industry Issues†, PWC, Available at http://www.pwc.co.uk/retail-consumer/issues/retail-and-consumer-ind ustry-issues.jhtml, Accessed 22 November, 2013. Osborne, H., (2012), â€Å"The Aldi Experience: Supermarket shopping with a difference†, The Guardian, Available at http://www.theguardian.com/money/blog/2012/oct/08/aldi-supermarket-shopping-difference, Accessed 25 November, 2013. Reportlinker, (2013), â€Å"Aldi Inc. – Strategic SWOT Analysis Review†, Report Linker, Available at http://www.reportlinker.com/p0500369-summary/Aldi-Inc-Strategic-SWOT-Analysis-Review.html, Accessed 29 November, 2013. Reuters (2013), â€Å"Research and

Abraham Lincoln and American History

Even as a boy, Lincoln showed ability as a speaker. He often amused himself and others by imitating some preacher or politician who had spoken in the area. People liked to gather at the general store in the crossroads village of Gentryville. Lincoln’s gift for telling stories made him a favorite with the people there. In spite of his youth, he was well known in his neighborhood. In 1834, Lincoln again ran for the legislature. He had become better known by this time, and won election as a Whig. He served four successive two-year terms in the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. During his first term, he met a young Democratic legislator, Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln quickly came to the front in the legislature. He was witty and ready in debate. His skill in party management enabled him to become the Whig floor leader at the beginning of his second term. He took leading parts in the establishment of the Bank of Illinois and in the adoption of a plan for a system of railroads and canals. This plan broke down after the Panic of 1837. Lincoln also led a successful campaign for moving the state capital from Vandalia to Springfield. While in the legislature, Lincoln made his first public statement on slavery. In 1837, the legislature passed by an overwhelming majority resolutions condemning abolition societies. These societies urged freedom for slaves. Lincoln and another legislator, Dan Stone, filed a protest. They admitted that Congress had no power to interfere with slavery in the states where it existed. They believed â€Å"the promulgation of abolition doctrines tend rather to increase than abate its evils. *1 Their protest arose from the legislature’s failure to call slavery an evil practice. Lincoln and Stone declared that â€Å"the institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy. â€Å"*2 Later, Lincoln continued with his dream to become part of the law. He wanted to become president. On March 4, 1861, Lincoln took the oath of office and became the 16th President of the United States. In his inaugural address, Lincoln denied that he had any intention of interfering with slavery in states where the Constitution protected it. He urged the preservation of the Union. Lincoln warned that he would use the full power of the nation to â€Å"hold, occupy, and possess† the â€Å"property and places†*3 belonging to the federal government. By â€Å"property and places,† he meant forts, arsenals, and custom houses. Lincoln’s closing passage had great beauty and literary power. He appealed to â€Å"the mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land. † The attack on Fort Sumter marked the start of the Civil War. Lincoln met the crisis with energetic action. He called out the militia to suppress the â€Å"insurrection. He proclaimed a blockade of Southern ports, and expanded the army beyond the limit set by law. He then led the United States during the Civil War (1861-1865), which was the greatest crisis in U. S. history. During the Civil War, Lincoln’s first task was to win the war. He had to view nearly all other matters in relation to the war. It was â€Å"the progress of our arms,† he once said, â€Å"upon which all else depends. † But Lincoln was a peace-loving man who had earlier described military glory as â€Å"that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood–that serpent’s eye that charms to destroy. *4 The Civil War was by far the bloodiest war in U. S. history. Lincoln became a remarkable war leader. Some historians believe he was the chief architect of the Union’s victorious military strategy. This strategy called for Union armies to advance against the enemy on all fronts at the same time. Lincoln also insisted that the objective of the Union armies should be the destruction of opposing forces, not the conquest of territory. Lincoln changed generals several times because he could not find one who would fight the war the way he wanted it fought. When he finally found such a general, Ulysses S. Grant, Lincoln stood firmly behind him. Lincoln’s second great task was to keep up Northern morale through the horrible war in which many relatives in the North and South fought against one another. He understood that the Union’s resources vastly exceeded those of the Confederacy, and that the Union would eventually triumph if it remained dedicated to victory. For this reason, Lincoln used his great writing and speechmaking abilities to spur on his people. If the Union had been destroyed, the United States could have become two, or possibly more, nations. These nations separately could not have become as prosperous and important as the United States is today. By preserving the Union, Lincoln influenced the course of world history. By ending slavery, he helped assure the moral strength of the United States. His own life story, too, has been important. He rose from humble origin to the nation’s highest office. What did Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation do to help the Civil War? It declared freedom for slaves in all areas of the Confederacy that were still in rebellion against the Union. The proclamation also provided for the use of blacks in the Union Army and Navy. As a result, it greatly influenced the North’s victory in the war. The 11 states of the Confederacy seceded from the Union in 1860 and 1861. They seceded primarily because they feared Lincoln would restrict their right to do as they chose about the question of black slavery. The North entered the Civil War only to reunite the nation, not to end slavery. During the first half of the war, abolitionists and some Union military leaders urged Lincoln to issue a proclamation freeing the slaves. They argued that such a policy would help the North because slaves were contributing greatly to the Confederate war effort. By doing most of the South’s farming and factory work, slaves made whites available for the Confederate Army. Lincoln agreed with the abolitionists’ view of slavery. He once declared that â€Å"if slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. â€Å"*5 But early in the war, Lincoln believed that if he freed the slaves, he would divide the North. Lincoln feared that four slave-owning border states; Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri, would secede if he adopted such a policy. In July 1862, with the war going badly for the North, Congress passed a law freeing all Confederate slaves who came into Union lines. At about that same time, Lincoln decided to change his stand on slavery. But he waited for a Union military victory, so that his decision would not appear to be a desperate act. On Sept. 22, 1862, five days after Union forces won the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation. It stated that if the rebelling states did not return to the Union by Jan. 1, 1863, he would declare their slaves to be â€Å"forever free. The South rejected Lincoln’s policy, and so he issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. Lincoln took this action as commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States. He called it â€Å"a fit and necessary war measure. † The Emancipation Proclamation did not actually free a single slave, because it affected only areas under Confederate control. It excluded slaves in the border states and in such Southern areas under Union control as Tennessee and parts of Louisiana and Virginia. But it did lead to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment, which became law on Dec. 18, 1865, ended slavery in all parts of the United States. As the abolitionists had predicted, the Emancipation Proclamation strengthened the North’s war effort and weakened the South’s. By the end of the war, more than 500,000 slaves had fled to freedom behind Northern lines. Many of them joined the Union Army or Navy or worked for the armed forces as laborers. By allowing blacks to serve in the Army and Navy, the Emancipation Proclamation helped solve the North’s problem of declining enlistments. About 200,000 black soldiers and sailors, many of them former slaves, served in the armed forces. They helped the North win the war. The Emancipation Proclamation also hurt the South by discouraging Britain and France from entering the war. Both of those nations depended on the South to supply them with cotton, and the Confederacy hoped that they would fight on its side. But the proclamation made the war a fight against slavery. Lincoln†s decisions and Emancipation Proclamation led to the 15th amendment which freed slaves. Without it, life today would be much different. He changed life for all Americans, black and white. How did the Pacific Railroad Act have an impact on American History? It provided for the building of the nation’s first transcontinental rail line. Abraham Lincoln was in office when the Pacific Railroad Act was signed. He made a huge impact by signing the act. It was the first step to trading with other states that were far apart and new ways of transportation. States could now trade meat and states could focus on the products that are most practical for their part of the country. The act gave two companies responsibility for building the railroad. The Union Pacific was to start laying track westward from a point near Omaha. The Central Pacific Railroad was to lay track eastward from Sacramento. Congress granted both railroads large tracts of land and millions of dollars in government loans. Work began on the Central Pacific track in 1863 and on the Union Pacific in 1865. The railroads faced the gigantic task of crossing the rugged Rockies and the towering Sierra Nevada. To obtain the necessary labor, the Central Pacific hired thousands of Chinese immigrants to work on the railroad. Thousands of European immigrants worked on the Union Pacific. On May 10, 1869, the tracks of the two railroads finally met at Promontory, Utah. North America became the first continent to have a rail line from coast to coast. By the end of the 1800’s, the United States had five transcontinental rail lines. The Canadian Pacific Railway (now CP Rail) completed Canada’s first transcontinental line in 1885. It extended from Montreal, Quebec, to Vancouver, British Columbia. The completion of these rail lines opened vast regions of the continent to settlement and trade. How did the sayings of Abraham Lincoln help people? Abraham gave many speeches in his life that inspired people to be all that they can be and do what is right. Gettysburg Address is a short speech that United States President Abraham Lincoln delivered during the American Civil War at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. He delivered the address on Nov. 19, 1863, at ceremonies to dedicate a part of the battlefield as a cemetery for those who had lost their lives in the battle. The principal speaker was Edward Everett, one of the greatest orators of his day. He spoke for two hours. Lincoln was asked to say a few words, and spoke for about two minutes. Lincoln wrote the address to help ensure that the battle would be seen as a great Union triumph and to define for the people of the Northern States the purpose in fighting the war. Some historians think his simple and inspired words, which are among the best remembered in American history, reshaped the nation by defining it as one people dedicated to one principle–that of equality. Lincoln wrote five different versions of the speech. He wrote most of the first version in Washington, D. C. , and probably completed it at Gettysburg. He probably wrote the second version at Gettysburg on the evening before he delivered his address. He held this second version in his hand during the address. But he made several changes as he spoke. The most important change was to add the phrase â€Å"under God† after the word â€Å"nation† in the last sentence. Lincoln also added that phrase to the three versions of the address that he wrote after the ceremonies at Gettysburg. Lincoln wrote the final version of the address–the fifth written version–in 1864. This version also differed somewhat from the speech he actually gave, but it was the only copy he signed. It is carved on a stone plaque in the Lincoln Memorial. Many false stories have grown up about this famous speech. One story says that the people of Lincoln’s time did not appreciate the speech. But the reaction of the nation’s newspapers largely followed party lines. Most of the newspapers that backed the Republican Party, the party to which Lincoln belonged, liked the speech. A majority of the newspapers that supported the Democratic Party did not. Edward Everett, the principal speaker at the dedication, wrote to Lincoln: â€Å"I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes. *6 Abrahams two minute speech had more of an impact that a two hour speech. Lincoln touched many hearts and others despised him. It does not matter if they liked him or not, they were still affected by his words and actions. Abraham Lincoln affected the U. S. in many different ways. He led the United States during the Civil War, one of the most brutal battles in history. Lincoln helped end slavery in the nation and helped keep the American Union from splitting apart during the war. Lincoln thus believed that he proved to the world that democracy can be a lasting form of government. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, second inaugural address, and many of his other speeches and writings are classic statements of democratic beliefs and goals. Lincoln, a Republican, was the first member of his party to become President. He was assassinated near the end of the Civil War and was succeeded by Vice President Andrew Johnson. Lincoln was the first U. S. President to be assassinated. Without President Lincoln life today would be much different. We have him to thank for a lot of the great accomplishments in history. Abraham Lincoln and American History Even as a boy, Lincoln showed ability as a speaker. He often amused himself and others by imitating some preacher or politician who had spoken in the area. People liked to gather at the general store in the crossroads village of Gentryville. Lincoln’s gift for telling stories made him a favorite with the people there. In spite of his youth, he was well known in his neighborhood. In 1834, Lincoln again ran for the legislature. He had become better known by this time, and won election as a Whig. He served four successive two-year terms in the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. During his first term, he met a young Democratic legislator, Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln quickly came to the front in the legislature. He was witty and ready in debate. His skill in party management enabled him to become the Whig floor leader at the beginning of his second term. He took leading parts in the establishment of the Bank of Illinois and in the adoption of a plan for a system of railroads and canals. This plan broke down after the Panic of 1837. Lincoln also led a successful campaign for moving the state capital from Vandalia to Springfield. While in the legislature, Lincoln made his first public statement on slavery. In 1837, the legislature passed by an overwhelming majority resolutions condemning abolition societies. These societies urged freedom for slaves. Lincoln and another legislator, Dan Stone, filed a protest. They admitted that Congress had no power to interfere with slavery in the states where it existed. They believed â€Å"the promulgation of abolition doctrines tend rather to increase than abate its evils. *1 Their protest arose from the legislature’s failure to call slavery an evil practice. Lincoln and Stone declared that â€Å"the institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy. â€Å"*2 Later, Lincoln continued with his dream to become part of the law. He wanted to become president. On March 4, 1861, Lincoln took the oath of office and became the 16th President of the United States. In his inaugural address, Lincoln denied that he had any intention of interfering with slavery in states where the Constitution protected it. He urged the preservation of the Union. Lincoln warned that he would use the full power of the nation to â€Å"hold, occupy, and possess† the â€Å"property and places†*3 belonging to the federal government. By â€Å"property and places,† he meant forts, arsenals, and custom houses. Lincoln’s closing passage had great beauty and literary power. He appealed to â€Å"the mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land. † The attack on Fort Sumter marked the start of the Civil War. Lincoln met the crisis with energetic action. He called out the militia to suppress the â€Å"insurrection. He proclaimed a blockade of Southern ports, and expanded the army beyond the limit set by law. He then led the United States during the Civil War (1861-1865), which was the greatest crisis in U. S. history. During the Civil War, Lincoln’s first task was to win the war. He had to view nearly all other matters in relation to the war. It was â€Å"the progress of our arms,† he once said, â€Å"upon which all else depends. † But Lincoln was a peace-loving man who had earlier described military glory as â€Å"that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood–that serpent’s eye that charms to destroy. *4 The Civil War was by far the bloodiest war in U. S. history. Lincoln became a remarkable war leader. Some historians believe he was the chief architect of the Union’s victorious military strategy. This strategy called for Union armies to advance against the enemy on all fronts at the same time. Lincoln also insisted that the objective of the Union armies should be the destruction of opposing forces, not the conquest of territory. Lincoln changed generals several times because he could not find one who would fight the war the way he wanted it fought. When he finally found such a general, Ulysses S. Grant, Lincoln stood firmly behind him. Lincoln’s second great task was to keep up Northern morale through the horrible war in which many relatives in the North and South fought against one another. He understood that the Union’s resources vastly exceeded those of the Confederacy, and that the Union would eventually triumph if it remained dedicated to victory. For this reason, Lincoln used his great writing and speechmaking abilities to spur on his people. If the Union had been destroyed, the United States could have become two, or possibly more, nations. These nations separately could not have become as prosperous and important as the United States is today. By preserving the Union, Lincoln influenced the course of world history. By ending slavery, he helped assure the moral strength of the United States. His own life story, too, has been important. He rose from humble origin to the nation’s highest office. What did Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation do to help the Civil War? It declared freedom for slaves in all areas of the Confederacy that were still in rebellion against the Union. The proclamation also provided for the use of blacks in the Union Army and Navy. As a result, it greatly influenced the North’s victory in the war. The 11 states of the Confederacy seceded from the Union in 1860 and 1861. They seceded primarily because they feared Lincoln would restrict their right to do as they chose about the question of black slavery. The North entered the Civil War only to reunite the nation, not to end slavery. During the first half of the war, abolitionists and some Union military leaders urged Lincoln to issue a proclamation freeing the slaves. They argued that such a policy would help the North because slaves were contributing greatly to the Confederate war effort. By doing most of the South’s farming and factory work, slaves made whites available for the Confederate Army. Lincoln agreed with the abolitionists’ view of slavery. He once declared that â€Å"if slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. â€Å"*5 But early in the war, Lincoln believed that if he freed the slaves, he would divide the North. Lincoln feared that four slave-owning border states; Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri, would secede if he adopted such a policy. In July 1862, with the war going badly for the North, Congress passed a law freeing all Confederate slaves who came into Union lines. At about that same time, Lincoln decided to change his stand on slavery. But he waited for a Union military victory, so that his decision would not appear to be a desperate act. On Sept. 22, 1862, five days after Union forces won the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation. It stated that if the rebelling states did not return to the Union by Jan. 1, 1863, he would declare their slaves to be â€Å"forever free. The South rejected Lincoln’s policy, and so he issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. Lincoln took this action as commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States. He called it â€Å"a fit and necessary war measure. † The Emancipation Proclamation did not actually free a single slave, because it affected only areas under Confederate control. It excluded slaves in the border states and in such Southern areas under Union control as Tennessee and parts of Louisiana and Virginia. But it did lead to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment, which became law on Dec. 18, 1865, ended slavery in all parts of the United States. As the abolitionists had predicted, the Emancipation Proclamation strengthened the North’s war effort and weakened the South’s. By the end of the war, more than 500,000 slaves had fled to freedom behind Northern lines. Many of them joined the Union Army or Navy or worked for the armed forces as laborers. By allowing blacks to serve in the Army and Navy, the Emancipation Proclamation helped solve the North’s problem of declining enlistments. About 200,000 black soldiers and sailors, many of them former slaves, served in the armed forces. They helped the North win the war. The Emancipation Proclamation also hurt the South by discouraging Britain and France from entering the war. Both of those nations depended on the South to supply them with cotton, and the Confederacy hoped that they would fight on its side. But the proclamation made the war a fight against slavery. Lincoln†s decisions and Emancipation Proclamation led to the 15th amendment which freed slaves. Without it, life today would be much different. He changed life for all Americans, black and white. How did the Pacific Railroad Act have an impact on American History? It provided for the building of the nation’s first transcontinental rail line. Abraham Lincoln was in office when the Pacific Railroad Act was signed. He made a huge impact by signing the act. It was the first step to trading with other states that were far apart and new ways of transportation. States could now trade meat and states could focus on the products that are most practical for their part of the country. The act gave two companies responsibility for building the railroad. The Union Pacific was to start laying track westward from a point near Omaha. The Central Pacific Railroad was to lay track eastward from Sacramento. Congress granted both railroads large tracts of land and millions of dollars in government loans. Work began on the Central Pacific track in 1863 and on the Union Pacific in 1865. The railroads faced the gigantic task of crossing the rugged Rockies and the towering Sierra Nevada. To obtain the necessary labor, the Central Pacific hired thousands of Chinese immigrants to work on the railroad. Thousands of European immigrants worked on the Union Pacific. On May 10, 1869, the tracks of the two railroads finally met at Promontory, Utah. North America became the first continent to have a rail line from coast to coast. By the end of the 1800’s, the United States had five transcontinental rail lines. The Canadian Pacific Railway (now CP Rail) completed Canada’s first transcontinental line in 1885. It extended from Montreal, Quebec, to Vancouver, British Columbia. The completion of these rail lines opened vast regions of the continent to settlement and trade. How did the sayings of Abraham Lincoln help people? Abraham gave many speeches in his life that inspired people to be all that they can be and do what is right. Gettysburg Address is a short speech that United States President Abraham Lincoln delivered during the American Civil War at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. He delivered the address on Nov. 19, 1863, at ceremonies to dedicate a part of the battlefield as a cemetery for those who had lost their lives in the battle. The principal speaker was Edward Everett, one of the greatest orators of his day. He spoke for two hours. Lincoln was asked to say a few words, and spoke for about two minutes. Lincoln wrote the address to help ensure that the battle would be seen as a great Union triumph and to define for the people of the Northern States the purpose in fighting the war. Some historians think his simple and inspired words, which are among the best remembered in American history, reshaped the nation by defining it as one people dedicated to one principle–that of equality. Lincoln wrote five different versions of the speech. He wrote most of the first version in Washington, D. C. , and probably completed it at Gettysburg. He probably wrote the second version at Gettysburg on the evening before he delivered his address. He held this second version in his hand during the address. But he made several changes as he spoke. The most important change was to add the phrase â€Å"under God† after the word â€Å"nation† in the last sentence. Lincoln also added that phrase to the three versions of the address that he wrote after the ceremonies at Gettysburg. Lincoln wrote the final version of the address–the fifth written version–in 1864. This version also differed somewhat from the speech he actually gave, but it was the only copy he signed. It is carved on a stone plaque in the Lincoln Memorial. Many false stories have grown up about this famous speech. One story says that the people of Lincoln’s time did not appreciate the speech. But the reaction of the nation’s newspapers largely followed party lines. Most of the newspapers that backed the Republican Party, the party to which Lincoln belonged, liked the speech. A majority of the newspapers that supported the Democratic Party did not. Edward Everett, the principal speaker at the dedication, wrote to Lincoln: â€Å"I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes. *6 Abrahams two minute speech had more of an impact that a two hour speech. Lincoln touched many hearts and others despised him. It does not matter if they liked him or not, they were still affected by his words and actions. Abraham Lincoln affected the U. S. in many different ways. He led the United States during the Civil War, one of the most brutal battles in history. Lincoln helped end slavery in the nation and helped keep the American Union from splitting apart during the war. Lincoln thus believed that he proved to the world that democracy can be a lasting form of government. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, second inaugural address, and many of his other speeches and writings are classic statements of democratic beliefs and goals. Lincoln, a Republican, was the first member of his party to become President. He was assassinated near the end of the Civil War and was succeeded by Vice President Andrew Johnson. Lincoln was the first U. S. President to be assassinated. Without President Lincoln life today would be much different. We have him to thank for a lot of the great accomplishments in history.

Euthanasia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Euthanasia - Research Paper Example The concept of Euthanasia or Physician Assisted Suicide is one such idea which has been subjected to many moral and ethical implications. The word euthanasia actually means â€Å"good death† and it is also sometimes referred to as â€Å"mercy killing.† It is a practice whereby the life of an individual is ended with the assistance of physicians to end the agonizing state and misery of a patient. The subject has sparked many controversies globally and many nations across the world have taken the bold step of legalizing this practice. Euthanasia is a practice which is mainly for the good of the patient as it is a method of ending the difficult state that a person lives in. It is mainly a patient selected option and the desire of the patient is given due preference before this practice is carried out (Knox 2005; Manning 1998). Euthanasia is a controversial practice but legalization of this practice is justified owing to the assistance that it brings to the people and owing to the fact that every individual has a right to choose what he considers correct for himself. The subject of Euthanasia is a globally acknowledged issue and there are many countries in the world that have legalized this practice. Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium are amongst the countries where this practice has been allowed. Switzerland is a country where foreigners are also allowed to come and opt for this practice. There have been cases of people who go to Switzerland to undergo the process of euthanasia. These difficulties can be overcome if the euthanasia is globally legalized. According to statistics, many people from Britain have gone to Switzerland to avail the practice of euthanasia. Jacqueline Herremans who was the President of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity in Brussels clearly upheld the fact that every individual has a right over his life. They do not need to take permission from the state or their doctors or from other groups for ending their lif e. Thus she argued that the practice of euthanasia should be legal so that people do not have to face difficulties in their personal choices (Knox 2005). The subject of euthanasia has become of increasing interest as the number of patients who are treated in the hospitals for euthanasia related issues have increased. The patients who mainly visit their physicians for euthanasia suffer from lethal and life hampering pathological conditions that greatly alters the living standards and the quality of life of those individuals. These people wish to end their lives with dignity as the pain and suffering in their life is beyond treatment and beyond their control. Furthermore, if this issue is considered with a different perspective, it can be seen that people who are suffering from fatal conditions require excessive monitoring and they may interfere with the treatment of other patients who suffer from curable diseases. Also, the number of people visiting the hospitals has greatly increase d over the years. Thus, if a person consents to and pleads the physician for a dignified death, he should be granted the permission to do so (Quaghebeur et al 2009). There has been strong opposition against the case of euthanasia by religious as well as ethical groups. According to religious groups, euthanasia is a process of killing someone and it is an unforgiveable act owing to the fact that the master of life and death is god. According to these groups, the act of opting for death is actually a challenge to the

Constructive Dismissal and Unfair Dismissal Claims Essay

Constructive Dismissal and Unfair Dismissal Claims - Essay Example Although, Raj’s employer reserved the legal right to end his employment contract, their failure to serve proper notice on him regarding the issue amounts to unfair dismissal. The dispute is therefore actionable by the Employment Tribunal or Court (Collins, 2011). Failure to provide proper Raj with notice of his impending dismissal amounts to wrongful dismissal in the sense that the employer showed clear disregard for the employment contract which they signed with the employee in question. Unfair dismissal is provided for under Section 95 of the Employment Rights Act 1996. Owing to the low evidentiary threshold for establishing unfair dismissal even where the employer had adhered to the provisions of the employment contract, proving Raj’s case is easier.The enforcement of a fair dismissal requires the grounds for the action to fall within the parameters of one of the half-dozen fair grounds for dismissal stipulated in the Act. These include: gross conduct, incompetence o r lack of qualifications, redundancy, violation of laws, and or some other substantial reason (SOSR) (Cabrelli, 2009). Unfortunately, Raj’s summary dismissal for mere, unintentional lateness by 20 minutes due to train delay fails to meet any of these conditions of fairness in his treatment. The employee’s long-term exemplary service and an apology over the latest incident outweigh the â€Å"gross misconduct† grounds for his dismissal.   Wrongful dismissal Knight and Latreille (2001) noted that wrongful dismissal is defined by ERA  § 95.

Change in Retirement since life expectancy increased Essay

Change in Retirement since life expectancy increased - Essay Example Americans are living longer and therefore financial security becomes imperative. It is coming to a point where investment plans need to be addressed on the day when one gets the first job. Retirement planning is becoming a matter of significance as it is this saving that prevents an individual from facing financial hazard. People who have been working all through their lives are aware and keep themselves fit and busy as long as they can even in the late seventies. On the other hand, some individuals face financial crisis and then in old age they look for some source of earning to fulfill their needs for day-to-day activities as well as to meet their health expenses. Observation reveals that some of the retired individuals get only meager from their retirement savings and so they work more in old age to fulfill their necessities. In certain cases if individuals entered late in work force they may not have saved enough and therefore they have to work till the later age. Appropriate financial planning is therefore important to secure the

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH PAPER - Essay Example Free trade was also established and its target was to prevent currency competition. For the next 30 years, it managed to be successful for the attainment of common goals but collapsed in 1971. United Kingdom's economy is currently the fourth largest in the world. Over the first half of the twentieth century, it had a peace making and policing role in the world economy. The world wars had brought about a contraction in the world international trade and investment and UK held a prominent position. But over the years, as globalization occurred, the prominence of UK saw a decline as the foothold of US in the world economy grew stronger after the world wars. In the years of 1920 and 1930s, UK maintained a fluctuating exchange rate regime but it created economic instability and created friction between countries. So at the end of the first half of the twentieth century, a fixed exchange rate system was followed to resolve balance of trade problems. However, in the agreement between US and UK in 1942, UK played a key role assisting US attain the aims of free trade and payments. In 1950, however, other European countries became stronger than the UK economy through economic integr ation. The Breton Woods agreement was also made on the outline plan proposed by the UK and US. In 1945, the world economy faced a challenge when a shortage for the American currency occurred. The US gave loan to the UK in exchange for the lifting of exchange rate controls from sterling. However, this did not turn out well as others started to save UK's currency and cashed it in US dollars. 8. Critically examine the view that the years 1948-73 represented a 'golden age' for the international economy. In 1948, Ludwig Erhard, a German politician, eliminated price fixing and controls on productions that had been enacted by the military rulers and advocated trade liberalization which recovered Germany from the after effects of the Second World War. The International Trade Charter was also agreed in the UN Conference but was not approved in the US. In 1951, the European Coal and Steel Community attempted to establish free trade for certain materials in European countries. In 1960, European Free Trade Association was formed and it also aimed at the liberalization of trade between member countries. In 1973, OPEC, an oil cartel restricted the supply of oil to the world market and raised the crude oil price. As a result of this restriction, exporters in Saudi Arab became rich overnight. The years of 1948-73 were certainly the Golden Age for international economy as the years were characterized by increased trading, due to reduced barriers and abandonment of protectionist policies. This be ttered the relationships between countries, increased the emphasis on specialization, raised productivity and thus, brought about economic growth in many countries 9. Why did the Asian 'Tigers' achieve such

Student's Post 3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Student's Post 3 - Research Paper Example Jessica needs to understand the leadership practices Mary stands for, and most importantly her leadership style. On the same note, Mary needs to understand what it takes to be an effective, efficient, and successful leader. Jessica’s qualification is not in question having secured a position to head the department. Her personal and professional competitiveness is expected to guide her in managing her department. To some extent, this expectation can explain Mary’s reaction. However, this is not justifiable. The organizational workforce needs to engage in collaborative efforts with everybody on board to enhance the realization of organizational goals and objectives (DuBrin, 2013). The best approach to the Mary-Jessica issue is democratic style of leadership. This style allows senior officers, junior officers, and employees to engage in decision making and problem resolution processes, but the final say rests with head of the collaborating group. On the same note, a streamlined approach to communication, interaction, and relations is

Discussion Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion - Personal Statement Example Looking back at all of the course requirements that I was able to accomplish, I think that I have satisfactorily met the outcomes of the course, except for international law, which I feel to study in the future. I actually feel challenged that I was not able to meet my personal expectations regarding learning the different concepts of international law, which is the reason why I plan to pursue majoring on international law someday. In addition, looking back at the discussions and the collaboration that I had with my fellow students, I think that the most important thing that I learned is the value of teamwork, which I see as an essential trait when one is going to be a part of law associates or law firms. Of course, in this course, I was able to learn the basic concepts of the legal profession, and I plan to build on it as I major on international law soon. This is because I hope to contribute to solve some of the world’s legal conflicts.

Canterville Ghost Summary Essay Example for Free

Canterville Ghost Summary Essay The next morning, when the Otis family met at breakfast, they discussed the ghost at some length. The United States Minister was naturally a little annoyed to find that his present had not been accepted. I have no wish, he said, to do the ghost any personal injury, and I must say that, considering the length of time he has been in the house, I dont think it is at all polite to throw pillows at him,a very just remark, at which, I am sorry to say, the twins burst into shouts of laughter. Upon the other hand, he continued, if he really declines to use the Rising Sun Lubricator, we shall have to take his chains from him. It would be quite impossible to sleep, with such a noise going on outside the bedrooms. For the rest of the week, however, they were undisturbed, the only thing that excited any attention being the continual renewal of the blood-stain on the library floor. This certainly was very strange, as the door was always locked at night by Mr. Otis, and the windows kept closely barred. The chameleon-like colour, also, of the stain excited a good deal of comment. Some mornings it was a dull (almost Indian) red, then it would be vermilion, then a rich purple, and once when they came down for family prayers, according to the simple rites of the Free American Reformed Episcopalian Church, they found it a bright emerald-green. These kaleidoscopic changes naturally amused the party very much, and bets on the subject were freely made every evening. The only person who did not enter into the joke was little Virginia, who, for some unexplained reason, was always a good deal distressed at the sight of the blood-stain, and very nearly cried the morning it was emerald-green. The second appearance of the ghost was on Sunday night. Shortly after they had gone to bed they were suddenly alarmed by a fearful crash in the hall. Rushing down-stairs, they found that a large suit of old armour had become detached from its stand, and had fallen on the stone floor, while seated in a high-backed chair was the Canterville ghost, rubbing his knees with an expression of acute agony on his face. The twins, having brought their pea-shooters with them, at once discharged two pellets on him, with that accuracy of aim which can only be attained by long and careful practice on a writing-master, while the United States Minister covered him with his revolver, and called upon him, in accordance with Californian etiquette, to hold up his hands! The ghost started up with a wild shriek of rage, and swept through them like a mist, extinguishing Washington Otiss candle as he passed, and so leaving them all in total darkness. On reaching the top of the staircase he recovered himself, and determined to give his celebrated peal of demoniac laughter. This he had on more than one occasion found extremely useful. It was said to have turned Lord Rakers wig grey in a single night, and had certainly made three of Lady Cantervilles French governesses give warning before their month was up. He accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh, till the old vaulted roof rang and rang again, but hardly had the fearful echo died away when a door opened, and Mrs. Otis came out in a light blue dressing-gown. I am afraid you are far from well, she said, and have brought you a bottle of Doctor Dobells tincture. If it is indigestion, you will find it a most excellent remedy. The ghost glared at her in fury, and began at once to make preparations for turning himself into a large black dog, an accomplishment for which he was justly renowned, and to which the family doctor always attributed the permanent idiocy of Lord Cantervilles uncle, the Hon. Thomas Horton. The sound of approaching footsteps, however, made him hesitate in his fell purpose, so he contented himself with becoming faintly phosphorescent, and vanished with a deep churchyard groan, just as the twins had come up to him. On reaching his room he entirely broke down, and became a prey to the most violent agitation. The vulgarity of the twins, and the gross materialism of Mrs. Otis, were naturally extremely annoying, but what really distressed him most was that he had been unable to wear the suit of mail. He had hoped that even modern Americans would be thrilled by the sight of a Spectre in armour, if for no more sensible reason, at least out of respect for their natural poet Longfellow, over whose graceful and attractive poetry he himself had whiled away many a weary hour when the Cantervilles were up in town. Besides it was his own suit. He had worn it with great success at the Kenilworth tournament, and had been highly complimented on it by no less a person than the Virgin Queen herself. Yet when he had put it on, he had been completely overpowered by the weight of the huge breastplate and steel casque, and had fallen heavily on the stone pavement, barking both his knees severely, and bruising the kn uckles of his right hand. For some days after this he was extremely ill, and hardly stirred out of his room at all, except to keep the blood-stain in proper repair. However, by taking great care of himself, he recovered, and resolved to make a third attempt to frighten the United States Minister and his family. He selected Friday, August 17th, for his appearance, and spent most of that day in looking over his wardrobe, ultimately deciding in favour of a large slouched hat with a red feather, a winding-sheet frilled at the wrists and neck, and a rusty dagger. Towards evening a violent storm of rain came on, and the wind was so high that all the windows and doors in the old house shook and rattled. In fact, it was just such weather as he loved. His plan of action was this. He was to make his way quietly to Washington Otiss room, gibber at him from the foot of the bed, and stab himself three times in the throat to the sound of low music. He bore Washington a special grudge, being quite aware that it was he who was in the habit of removing the famous Canterville blood-stain by means of Pinkertons Paragon Detergent. Having reduced the reckless and foolhardy youth to a condition of abject terror, he was then to proceed to the room occupied by the United States Minister and his wife, and there to place a clammy hand on Mrs. Otiss forehead, while he hissed into her trembling husbands ear the awful secrets of the charnel-house. With regard to little Virginia, he had not quite made up his mind. She had never insulted him in any way, and was pretty and gentle. A few hollow groans from the wardrobe, he thought, would be more than sufficient, or, if that failed to wake her, he might grabble at the counterpane with palsy-twitching fingers. As for the twins, he was quite determined to teach them a lesson. The first thing to be done was, of course, to sit upon their chests, so as to produce the stifling sensation of nightmare. Then, as their beds were quite close to each other, to stand between them in the form of a green, icy-cold corpse, till they became paralyzed with fear, and finally, to throw off the winding-sheet, and crawl round the room, with white, bleached bones and one rolling eyeball, in the character of Dumb Daniel, or the Suicides Skeleton, a _rà ´le_ in which he had on more than one occasion produced a great effect, and which he considered quite equal to his famous part of Martin the Maniac, or the Masked Mystery. At half-past ten he heard the family going to bed. For some time he was disturbed by wild shrieks of laughter from the twins, who, with the light-hearted gaiety of schoolboys, were evidently amusing themselves before they retired to rest, but at a quarter-past eleven all was still, and, as midnight sounded, he sallied forth. The owl beat against the window-panes, the raven croaked from the old yew-tree, and the wind wandered moaning round the house like a lost soul; but the Otis family slept unconscious of their doom, and high above the rain and storm he could hear the steady snoring of the Minister for the United States. He stepped stealthily out of the wainscoting, with an evil smile on his cruel, wrinkled mouth, and the moon hid her face in a cloud as he stole past the great oriel window, where his own arms and those of his murdered wife were blazoned in azure and gold. On and on he glided, like an evil shadow, the very darkness seeming to loathe him as he passed. Once he thought he heard something call, and stopped; but it was only the baying of a dog from the Red Farm, and he went on, muttering strange sixteenth-century curses, and ever and anon brandishing the rusty dagger in the midnight air. Finally he reached the corner of the passage that led to luckless Washingtons room. For a moment he paused there, the wind blowing his long grey locks about his head, and twisting into grotesque and fantastic folds the nameless horror of the dead mans shroud. Then the clock struck the quarter, and he felt the time was come. He chuckled to himself, and turned the corner; but no sooner had he done so than, with a piteous wail of terror, he fell back, and hid his blanched face in his long, bony hands. Right in front of him was standing a horrible spectre, motionless as a carven image, and monstrous as a madmans dream! Its head was bald and burnished; its face round, and fat, and white; and hideous laughter seemed to have writhed its features into an eter nal grin. From the eyes streamed rays of scarlet light, the mouth was a wide well of fire, and a hideous garment, like to his own, swathed with its silent snows the Titan form. On its breast was a placard with strange writing in antique characters, some scroll of shame it seemed, some record of wild sins, some awful calendar of crime, and, with its right hand, it bore aloft a falchion of gleaming steel. Never having seen a ghost before, he naturally was terribly frightened, and, after a second hasty glance at the awful phantom, he fled back to his room, tripping up in his long winding-sheet as he sped down the corridor, and finally dropping the rusty dagger into the Ministers jack-boots, where it was found in the morning by the butler. Once in the privacy of his own apartment, he flung himself down on a small pallet-bed, and hid his face under the clothes. After a time, however, the brave old Canterville spirit asserted itself, and he determined to go and speak to the other ghost as soon as it was daylight. Accordingly, just as the dawn was touching the hills with silver, he returned towards the spot where he had first laid eyes on the grisly phantom, feeling that, after all, two ghosts were better than one, and that, by the aid of his new friend, he might safely grapple with the twins. On reaching the spot, however, a terrible sight met his gaze. Something had evidently happened to the spectre, for the light had entirely faded from its hollow eyes, the gleaming falchion had fallen from its hand, and it was leaning up against the wall in a strained and uncomfortable attitude. He rushed forward and seized it in his arms, when, to his horror, the head slipped off and rolled on the floor, the body assumed a recumbent posture, and he found himself clasping a white dimity bed-curtain, with a sweeping-brush, a kitchen cleaver, and a hollow turnip lying at his feet! Unable to understand this curious The whole thing flashed across him. He had been tricked, foiled, and out-witted! The old Canterville look came into his eyes; he ground his toothless gums together; and, raising his withered hands high above his head, swore according to the picturesque phraseology of the antique school, that, when Chanticleer had sounded twice his merry horn, deeds of blood would be wrought, and murder walk abroad with silent feet. Hardly had he finished this awful oath when, from the red-tiled roof of a distant homestead, a cock crew. He laughed a long, low, bitter laugh, and waited. Hour after hour he waited, but the cock, for some strange reason, did not crow again. Finally, at half-past seven, the arrival of the housemaids made him give up his fearful vigil, and he stalked back to his room, thinking of his vain oath and baffled purpose. There he consulted several books of ancient chivalry, of which he was exceedingly fond, and found that, on every occasion on which this oath had been used, Chanticleer had always crowed a second time. Perdition seize the naughty fowl, he muttered, I have seen the day when, with my stout spear, I would have run him through the gorge, and made him crow for me an twere in death! He then retired to a comfortable lead coffin, and stayed there till evening.