German composition

Section 119 Do Good in Your Own Sphere of Action⁠. I.1

“I want to be at work⁠2 in the world,” said Tom, “and not dawdling away⁠3 three years at Oxford.”

“What do you mean⁠4 by ‘at work in the world?’” said the master, with⁠5 his lips close to his saucerful of tea, and peering at Tom over it.

“Well, I mean real work; one’s⁠6 profession, whatever⁠7 one will really have to do, and make one’s living by. I want to be doing some real good, feeling (S. 30, N. 4) that I am not only at play⁠8 in the world,” answered Tom, rather⁠9 puzzled to find out himself what he really did mean.

“You are mixing up two very different things in your head, I⁠10 think, Brown,” said the master, putting down⁠11 (S. 111, N. 6) the empty saucer, “and you ought to get clear⁠12 about them (S. 4, N. 5, B). You⁠13 talk of ‘working to get your living’ and ’doing some real good in the world’ in the same breath.”

Notes

1 Wirkungskreis, m.; your = thy.

2 to be at work = to do something.

3 to dawdle away, vergeuden.

4 mean = understand; by, unter; use the 2nd pers. sing.

5 Die Lippen an den Rand der vollen Untertasse setzend; to peer at a person, auf einen blicken; over it, darüber weg.

6 jemandes.

7 whatever (das was) one must really do to make one’s living (seinen Unterhalt verdienen).

8 at play = for play (zum Spielen).

9 Say ‘somewhat puzzled (verlegen) at (über) the meaning (Sinn, m.) of his words’.

10 The words ‘I think, Brown’ are best placed at the head of the passage; Comp. S. 64, N. 11; to mix up, vermengen.

11 auf den Tisch stellen.

12 to get clear about a thing, sich über etwas klar werden. I cannot get clear about that, ich kann mir darüber nicht klar werden;—ought = should.

13 Use the 2nd pers. sing., and read carefully S. 1, N. 3, and S. 87, N. 6, which will enable you to construe this passage. The adverbial clause ‘in the same breath’ (= in one breath) must be placed after the predicate ‘talk’; to talk of a thing, von etwas sprechen.