Monday, September 9, 2019

Career as a Registered Practical Nurse (Canada) Research Paper

Career as a Registered Practical Nurse (Canada) - Research Paper Example As Pandit (2011) states, â€Å"being a registered nurse is beneficial for a long-term career.† Working as a registered practical nurse is a challenging and rewarding task in Canada. People like to choose the profession of registered practical nursing because it injects the sense of social responsibility in their minds, as well as helps them serve humanity in an appropriate manner. The profession of registered practical nursing requires a person to have a deep interest and effective nursing skills in order to be successful in this field. An interest in the field of medical science and 20 years experience in healthcare as a Personal Support Worker in long-term care, home care and Hospice Palliative care best match the profession of registered practical nursing. Skills in long-term care and hospice palliative care reflect actual nursing role of a registered practical nurse. A registered practical nurse also needs to have a caring and sympathetic personality along with other nursing and clinical skills. According to VandeCreek (2000), love and healing are such intangibles, which are imperative for a patient’s recovery (p. 48). Moreover, he/she should also have a deep knowledge of nursing and direct clinical practices. Such qualities and skills are the perfect match for a person who wants to establish his/her career as a registered practical nurse. There are two main ways for a person to become a registered nurse. First way is a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. A Bachelor’s degree (BSN) is the most common way that people use to earn the status of a registered nurse. A person has to spend full four years as a nursing student to earn this degree and become a registered practical nurse. This degree helps a person get additional clinical experience, as well as career flexibility. Another positive aspect of a BSN degree is that it prepares nurses for clinical practices and for teaching and

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Political Socialization Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Political Socialization - Thesis Example In addition, information from mass media becomes the basis of their political attitudes (Janda et al. 106). Mass media influence public opinion through priming, agenda setting, and framing of news (Harris and Tichenor 267). Wolfsfeld reiterated that agenda setting delves into the relationship between public agenda and media agenda. Meanwhile, priming explores the consequences or effects of modifying public agenda (104). Geer et al. noted that framing reflects medias ability to change the publics perception or view on an issue through presenting it in a certain manner (232). Mass media serve as the influential agents of political socialization (qtd. in Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt 193). This paper explains how mass media shape individual beliefs, attitudes, and values relating to the political system of the U.S through agenda setting, priming and framing. The first section explores how agenda setting influences the political views of the public as well as their perceptions of policy and campaigns while section two concentrates on the influence of priming on the evaluation of political leaders, voter turnout and partisanship. Lastly, section three outlines the influence of framing on public perceptions, mobilization, and how people think about the issues. Agenda-setting is based on the proposition that media influenced public agenda through choosing particular topics for news coverage. This consequently determines which issues are perceived by the public as important (Bryant and Oliver 229). The decision of journalists, on which issues or events to cover, significantly matters as there are numerous stories available on a day to day basis. In addition, politicians attempt to convince media to highlight some stories and ignore others (Geer et al. 231). Donald Shaw and Maxwell McCombs concentrated on agenda setting in media coverage during 1968 presidential campaign and the study showed that voters put importance to issues in a manner that

Topic 1 UK Bill of Right + Topic2 Can individual rights Contend with Essay

Topic 1 UK Bill of Right + Topic2 Can individual rights Contend with arbitrary Power - Essay Example Such power decimates ethics, security, and patriotism itself; and this more, the farther it is carried. But it would be a mistake to gaze for arbitrary power only in despotic states. Frequent demonstrations of its workout are discovered under legal authorities and even in republics, in nations ruled by regulation and extended by the Germans under the denomination of Rechtsstaat. These situations of arbitrary power should be ascribed to the account of the discretionary power which the regulations are obliged to depart to a substantial number of agents, or rather to the account of people who submit to the misuse of power without making use of the lawful protecting against at their command. If the functionary knew that every proceed of his, not justifiable by the necessities of the case, would be conveyed before the higher administration of the enclosures, or only before the tribunal of public attitude, by way of the press, he would believe two times before presuming the blame of it. If no one would permission to tolerate arbitrary power, no one would be arbitrary. The phrase random has in supplement a philosophic significance, which should not be confounded with its vulgar sense. We will endeavor to characterize this in a couple of phrases and show the submission it finds in governmental affairs. The activities of men are occasionally very resolute by natural regulations, personal or moral. Sometimes afresh they are not influenced by any insurmountable restriction. A man can not stay hovering in the air without support; here is a personal impossibility. A man can not be appreciative for bad finished him; this is a lesson impossibility. But he is free to allocate a months hold up and, if he desires, two or three months to a debtor; in a phrase, he can accept or allocate a 1000 distinct situation in every one of the 1000 attenuating components of life. This is

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Violence in the Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

Violence in the Kite Runner Essay In The Kite Runner violence is one of the main themes; it shapes Amir’s life. The main type of violence is rape along with murder and abuse. When the Taliban arrived in Afghanistan violence became more relevant to all of the society. Some may think there was to much violence in the story, but without it I feel it would lack purpose. The first time Amir encounters a violent act is after the one of the biggest kite competitions. Hassan runs the last kite Amir catches up with him to retrieve the price. Assef is the town bully he arrives at the kite with two of his friends and rapes Hassan. Amirs saw what was happening to Hassan but choose not to help Hassan. Amir didn’t know that his choice was going to lead him to a life full of guilt. When Amir and his fathers are in a truck leaving Pakistan a guard attempts to rape one of the women. Baba stops the guard which makes Amir regret his choice even more. After many violence free but guilt filled years in America Amir receives a call that he must come back. When he does he finds a way to redeem himself. Rahim tells him that Hassan and his wife Farzana had been murdered by the Taliban, and he must go n a journey to find their son Sohrab. When Amir is told the Taliban took Sohrab he is furious. He is told to go to the Ghazi Stadium where he could find the Taliban leader. His taxi driver helps him set up a meeting with the leader. While they where at the soccer game two people; a women and a man where stoned to death on the filed by the Taliban. This event was very violent and made Amir relies how bad his â€Å"home† actually was. When Amir goes to meet the leader it turns out to be Assef from his childhood. Assef makes a deal with Amir to fight and see who gets Sohrab. When Amir is loosing he brutal fight Sohrab helps him by shooting Assef in the eyes with his slingshot. Later in the story you find out that Assef had been raping Sohrab like he had to Hassan. Amir also experiences a violent event on his trip home to America with Sohrab. Amir found him lying in the bath tub full of blood, because Sohrab had cut his wrist trying to commit suicide. Amir teaches Sohrab to fly the kite like his father did. The kite strings are made of glass. They both enjoy flying the kites even though it bloodies your hands. In this book violence is used to improve the characters or to bring joy into your life.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Wuthering Heights by Silvia Plath Essay Example for Free

Wuthering Heights by Silvia Plath Essay  «Wuthering Heights » is a poem written by an American poet Sylvia Plath and is based on a novel of the same name by Emily Bronte. In order to convey her internal feelings of despair and disappointment, Sylvia uses a certain tone, structure, and a number of stylistic devises. Below is a descriptive analysis of how she manages to do so, and an interpretation of a poem’s meaning stanza by stanza. From the beginning of the first line, Sylvia Plath sets a depressive and negative tone to her poem. The horizons ring me like faggots†- is the first line of the poem, and yet it already suggests how desolate the place from where she looks at them is. With the use of personification â€Å"ring me† she creates an aural image of ringing, which enhances the solitude she experiences, as ears tend to ring in a silent place. Horizons are â€Å"titled and disparate†, where the word â€Å"disparate† echoes the word â€Å"despair†, in its turn implying that she is in a desperate emotional state. Through using a metaphor â€Å"touched by a match†, referring to the horizons, and saying that â€Å"they might warm me†, she not only acknowledges the reader of the coldness she feels, but also expresses hope that the horizons might warm her. However, the hope soon dissolves, along with the horizons in the last two lines of the poem- â€Å"But they only dissolve and dissolve, Like a series of promises, as I step forward†. Through repetition she enhances the bitterness she feels from the disappointment, and compares the warmth that was neglected to her, to the promises that were made to her but were never kept. The enjambment of the sentence structure between the last two lines is another proof to the possible connection between the horizons and promises. Such connection might mean that it is her allusion to her husband- a poet Ted Hughes that has not been loyal to her despite the vows given during their marriage. With the use of the word â€Å"me†, the readers become aware of the fact that Sylvia writes it in the first person inclusive and describes her own experience, which in its turns raises their feeling of compassion towards her and once again suggests that this poem might have been dedicated to her ex husband. With the following second stanza the tone of the poem becomes more depressing. By saying that â€Å"there is no life higher than the grasstops or the hearts of sheep†, she creates boundaries to the vastness of life, limiting and comparing its essence to that of a plant’s and an animal’s, leaving the humans out of the poem. The depressive mood degrades the tone and atmosphere to an extent of filling it with death and fatality. If Sylvia pays â€Å"the roots of the heather too close attention†, they will â€Å"whiten her bones among them†. The combination of the words â€Å"bones† and â€Å"white† in one sentence might suggest that the roots will bring her death; since the skin of a corpse turns white due to the lack of blood, and bones are the leftovers of a dead hence both are associated with mortality. As opposed to the first stanza, the second stanza takes her to a completely different place. Grasstops, sheep, the roots of heather- all surround her, whereas in the first stanza she is completely alone in a huge desolate space. The change in her surroundings suggests her movement across the moorland, but at the same time it points out the maintenance of her demoralized emotional state and the lack of a positive change about it. The tone of despair and loneliness is carried on to the proceeding stanzas, and is more evident in the last two. By saying that â€Å"Water limpid as the solitudes that flee through my fingers†, Sylvia shows the reader her abstract idea of being alone with the help of a consonance- â€Å"as- solitude† and â€Å"flee- fingers†. The â€Å"s† sound helps the reader imagine the literal hardness of solitude, as well as its transparency by being able to flow through her fingers with the â€Å"f† sounds. This in its turn indicates solitude’s double nature and Sylvia’s inability to neither control nor change it. In lines four and five Sylvia for the first time creates an image of nothing being straight- â€Å"hollow doorsteps go from grass to grass; lintel and sill have unhinged themselves†. By using the repetition â€Å"grass to grass†, she mimics the slowness of doorsteps’ steps, and personifies the doorsteps by giving them the ability to go. She also uses personification to describe how lintel and sill unhinge themselves, which once again reflects upon the presence of chaos and despair in her surroundings. By mentioning doorsteps, hinges and sills, she for the first time acknowledges the existence of humans in the past, and their current absence from the world that has been taken over by nature. The removal of all people but herself from the world not only enhances the bitterness she feels towards them, but also marks her egocentric nature as she is not willing to accept any advanced living thing but herself, preferring the nature instead. The fourth stanza ends with a repetition of the words â€Å"black stone, black stone†. As the air blows, Sylvia creates an aural image of the air moaning those words with the repetition technique, which slows down the speed of their pronouncement. At the same time, the air therefore is personified as it is given the ability to speak. This emphasizes the death and coldness present during the absence of life not only around her but also within her, as she is the only person that can hear the air say it. In the fifth, the final stanza of the poem the tone remains depressing and yet the ending suggests the possible appearance of hope. The paragraph begins with the reinforced idea of Sylvia being the only â€Å"upright† living thing- â€Å"The sky leans on me, me, the one upright among all horizontals†. Besides personifying the sky, she is also using the repetition â€Å"me, me† to stress the importance of being upright, and at the same time the solitude it brings her when everything else is horizontal. She then personifies the grass as it is â€Å"beating its head distractedly†, but it is also a contradiction since grass ought to be strong in order to survive in such cruel conditions. The fact that a grass beats its head may also reflect Sylvia’s unstable state of mind, which adds the feelings of compassion and grief to the atmosphere of the tone. Unlike other personifications that Sylvia Plath uses in this poem, the personification of a grass suggests her sympathy and familiarity towards it. She calls it â€Å"too delicate for a life in such company†, assuming that â€Å"darkness terrifies it†. This involvement with the description of what grass has to go through may imply that Sylvia describes her own life whilst comparing its hardship to that of a grass. The last two sentences are significant in a sense that Sylvia gives the reader a chance to decide whether the hope appears or does not. With the use of sibilance â€Å"black as†, she contrasts the blackness with the whiteness from the â€Å"light† that the house exerts. This is the first time she mentions the possible existence of human beings around her, and this raises hope as the â€Å"lights gleam like a small change† in the dreadful and dark surroundings. However, the presence of light may also mean that the rest of the world has fallen into absolute darkness, and the small light in the distance will soon die under its pressure. According to facts Sylvia Plath has committed suicide on February 11th, 1963 and this is when both interpretations undergo amalgamation to suggest that she may have had space for hope in her heart, but in reality her life was oppressing her to an extent of leading her life to a tragic end. According to the above analysis, the poem is written in the first person narrative where Sylvia gives a vivid image of her life hrough using literary devices to set the tone of despair and loneliness. Personally, I think Sylvia Plath communicates her internal troubles intensely and passionately. Through the description of landscape, the action of nature within it, the roles of colour and light- she is able to paint a picture of her life clearly enough for the reader to understand her message, and yet she disguises some aspects of the poem through imagery and metaphors to let the reader interpret and relate to the poem in a personal way. By introducing light into the poem, Sylvia twists the ending and confuses the reader, forcing him to reconsider his assumptions regarding the poem’s tone, meaning and the resolution. In case of Sylvia Plath’s life, the hope is lost in the end of it and annihilation takes over. However, because the poem lacks any names and includes the reader into it with the word â€Å"me†, the reader is left with his own imagination to decide whether the tone and the resolution take on a positive note, or fall into a greater despair.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Starbucks Strategies for Profitability

Starbucks Strategies for Profitability 1. Introduction Major objective of this study is to shed light on the strategies and efforts made by Starbuck to solve its problems related to profitability. In order to do a careful analysis of internal initiatives is undertaken to have an idea about the success of these initiatives to return to a stable pace of profitability growth by Starbucks. To have growth in profitability Starbucks needs to generate competitive advantage among the rival firms. Starbucks will have to take into account overall trends of industry, so that long run profitability growth can be assured. Both the internal and external factors faced with the firm are analyzed separately in order to have a reliable future position. 1.1. Positive Aspects related with Starbucks and Recommended Strategy Starbucks provides healthy working environment to its employees and have detailed and employee friendly stock option plans. Moreover, the major strengths of Starbucks lie in the attractive shop design and comfortable shop environment. Starbucks aims to become a top coffee outlet not only at regional level but also at international level. So the strategy of globalization will help Starbucks to increase its profitability. In order to successfully implement this strategy performance targets for managers will have to be set so that they are provided with the incentive to improve their performance. 1.2. Objectives of Starbucks Clean supply of coffee. Create readily happy clients all the period. Provide an incredible work place and handle pride and one another with respect. Accept diversity being an important element in the manner we do company. Make use of the greatest requirements of quality towards the buying. Lead positively to the towns and our environment, and notice that success is important to our potential success. 2. Issues faced by the Firm 2.1. Internal Issues Limited Product Range: Starbucks offers a product range comprised of single source and approximately thirty products , Coffee machines, advanced candy, coffee cups, coffee accessories card, a stored value card, coffees, containers frap-puccino caffeine products, coffees, coffee liqueurs, type of ice creams, audio, publications, movies, house Starbucks and gifts. Limited Advantages provided to Employees: Many conflicts among workers have been observed since in various outlets of Starbucks all over the world and the main reason was low-pay and extended work hours. As the burden of work remains high the employees feel overworked and hence they find it difficult to continue working at Starbucks. 2.2. Insufficient Growth of Alternatives Available When the business was started there were just 17 coffee shops but now the outlets are running in 39 nations all over the world having almost 12,240 outlets. The worldwide rate of growth associated with coffee shops is too high as compared to that of Starbucks. This fact leads to create a severe anxiety for Starbucks and limits the growth opportunities available to the firm. 2.3. Customer Relationships The clients of Starbuck are not that much diversified and belong to almost similar group. On the other hand it not the case with other international coffee brands. Another consideration is attached with the Starbucks connection with their clients. Starbucks is regarded as very awesome coffee brand when consumer considerations are concerned. In the region of Beijing where Starbucks recently closed an outlet due to ethnic differences among manufacturers can also be regarded as a threat to the future growth of a business. Some revolutionary anti-capitalism activists left the Starbucks becoming former clients, but additionally Starbucks and especially small people even not approved within the company’s feel uneasy or shops. Because of Starbucks rapid development, the manufacturer so dropped its unique hospitality for customers and continues to be commoditized. Major Issue Faced by Firm On the basis of above discussion it is found that major issue for Starbucks is limited growth opportunities which may be result of weak customer relationships. 3. Analysis of Financial Ratios Liquidity ratios: Tells us about the ability of a firm to pay its short term debt obligations. The most commonly used liquidity ratios are current ratio, quick ratio and cash flow ratio. Current ratio (Cr) = Current Assets/Current Liabilities Current ratio shows that how much of current assets a firm has in order to be able to pay its short term debt. For the year 2009 Cr =403.60 / 309.30 = 1.30 For the year 2010 Cr =476.10 / 318.50 = 1.49 Conclusion: The current ratio is 1.30 in the year 2009 which shows that the firm had current assets of $ 1.30 in order to pay liability of $1. In the year 2010 the firm had $ 1.49 to pay the liability of $1. The improvement in current ratio is indicating that the position of firm in the form of current assets to finance its debt has been improved. Quick ratio ( Qr)= (Current assets-Inventory-Prepaid) / current Liabilities Quick ratio shows that how much of convertible assets a firm has in order to be able to pay its short term debt. For the year 2009 Qr =403.60- 119.20-44.30 / 309.30 = 240.3 / 309.30 = 0.77 For the year 2010 Qr = 476.10 115 – 47.30 /318.50 = 313.8 / 318.50 = 0.98 Conclusion: The current ratio was 0.77 in the year 2009 which shows that the firm had convertible assets of $ 0.77 in order to pay liability of $1. In the year 2010 the firm had $ 0.98 to pay the liability of $1. The improvement in quick ratio is indicating that the position of firm in the form of convertible assets to finance its debt has been improved. Cash ratio (Chr) = Cash/ Current Liabilities Cash ratio shows that how much of cash a firm has in order to be able to pay its short term debt. For the year 2009 Chr = 54.50 / 309.30 = 0.17 For the year 2010 Chr = 76.70 / 318.50 = 0.24 Conclusion: The cash ratio was 0.17 in the year 2009 which shows that the firm had cash of $ 0.24 in order to pay liability of $1. In the year 2010 the firm had $ 0.24 to pay the liability of $1. The improvement in cash ratio is indicating that the firm has more cash to pay back its debt has been improved in 2010 as compared to 2009 which is a good sign for Starbucks. Leverage Ratios: These ratios tell us about financial structure of company. The sources of fiancà © of a business are shown by leverage ratios. It shows the components of debt financing, equity financing and self financing of a firm. Debt to equity ratio = Total Debt / Total equity. It shows the components of debt and equity in firm’s capital structure. For the year 2009 (DEr) = 1827.80/ -1033.60 = -1.76 For the year 2010 (DEr) = 1783.10/ -696.40 = -2.56 Conclusion: negative value of equity is showing that the value of an asset used to secure a loan is less than the outstanding balance on the loan. The value of assets is far below the outstanding balance on the loan used to purchase those assets which is sign of possible financial distress of the firm. Debt to equity ratio is greater than 1 showing that the component of debt is much higher than that of equity in firm’s capital structure. The debt component has been decreased in 2010 as compared to 2009. Debt to asset ratio (DAr)= Total asset / Total assets. It shows how much of firm’s assets are financed through debt i.e. components of debt and equity in firm’s capital structure. For the year 2009 ( DAr) = 1827.80/ 794.20 = 2.30 For the year 2010 (DAr) = 1783.10/ 1086.70 = 1.64 Conclusion: The ratio of 2.30 in 2009 is showing that component of debt in total assets is almost two and a half times that of equity. However this ratio is decreased in 2010 which is showing that equity level of debt has been decreased in firm’s capital structure as compared to 2009 which is a good sign for this firm as there is a risk of financial distress and bankruptcy associated with high levels of debt burden. 4. Diagnosis of Firm Performance Profitability Ratios: Profitability ratios reflect the performance of a company it shows that whether firm performance is improving or deteriorating. Return on Assets = (Net profit / total assets) * 100. This ratio shows that how much profit is being generated by firm’s assets or what is the contribution of firm’s total assets in its profitability. For the year 2009 ROA = (48.80 / 794.20) * 100 =6.14 % For the year 2010 ROA = (327.30 / 1086.70) * 100 = 30.1 % Conclusion: ROA of 6.14% in the year 2009 is showing that every $ 100 invested generates $ 6.14 as profit. ROA has been improved in the year 2010 as now each $ 100 invested will generate 30.1 as profit. So the profitability is improved in the year 2010 which is a good sign. Net Profit Margin = Net Profit / Sales It reflects the amount of each sales dollar left over after all expenses have been made. This ratio helps a company determine how much actual profit is made from each sale earned. The higher the net profit margin, the better the company is doing at turning sales into profit. For the year 2009 NPM = (48.80 / 1295.90) * 100 = 3.7 % For the year 2010 NPM = (327.30 /1321.40) * 100 = 24.76 % Conclusion: Net profit margin has been greatly increased in the year 2010 as compared to that of 2009 which is a strong positive signal. The improvement may be because of strong sales or decreased costs and overhead. On the basis of above calculated ratios it can be concluded that overall financial position of the firm has been improved in 2010 as compared to 2009. However there is high risk of financial distress due to heavy debt burden. 5. Solutions for Issues faced by Starbucks Changing associated with an exterior atmosphere of the organization led to cause various problems related to the business and contributed to to the closing of the shops of the organization within the USA. These problems are mainly related to the businesses connection, the critique firm’s fair-trade guidelines and the additional governmental problems affecting the business. To cope up with these problems the organization requires a detailed strategy to resolve these issues. Major solutions for problems faced by Starbucks are as follows: Steps to face numerous current competitors, or to minimize the risk of fresh competitors entering the marketplace Revolutionize the political and financial atmosphere. Adjustments in consumer preferences or styles Selection of Best Alternative available Among the above mentioned solutions the most feasible one is to make adjustments in the products offered by the firm, to best suit the tastes of consumers. For this purpose Starbucks will have to keep in view the products sold by other firms of same industry because these products are substitutes of those offered by Starbucks. The firm will have to introduce more differentiated products because differentiated and unique products always remain successful to attract more and more customers. 6. Conclusion Keeping in view the above discussion it can be concluded that Starbucks severely needs to boost the worldwide reputation of the company in order to achieve its growth targets. Pursuing a careful strategy related to the enhancement of growth opportunities, Starbucks may become able to return to a profitable growth path as they have available opportunities for continued growth of their business. Coffee business is growing all over the world including US industry, a market is growing more saturated and hence the competition is rising at international levels. References CEO, S. (2004). HOW STARBUCKS WORKS WITH NGOS.California Management Review,47(1), 92. Thompson, C. J., Arsel, Z. (2004). The Starbucks brandscape and consumers’(anticorporate) experiences of glocalization.Journal of Consumer Research,31(3), 631-642. Gallaugher, J., Ransbotham, S. (2010). Social media and customer dialog management at Starbucks.MIS Quarterly Executive,9(4), 197-212. Grundy, T. (2006). Rethinking and reinventing Michael Porters five forces model.Strategic Change,15(5), 213-229.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Life of Erasmus Essay -- Papers

Life of Erasmus Erasmus of Rotterdam was born on October 27, probably in 1466. His father belonged to Gouda, a little town near Rotterdam, and after some schooling there and an interval during which he was a chorister in Utrecht Cathedral, Erasmus was sent to Deventer, to the principal school in the town, which was attached to St. Lebuin's Church. The renewed interest in classical learning which had begun in Italy in the fourteenth century had as yet been scarcely felt in Northern Europe, and education was still dominated by the requirements of Philosophy and Theology, which were regarded as the highest branches of knowledge. A very high degree of subtlety in thought and argument had been reached, and in order that the youthful student might be fitted to enter this arena, it was necessary that he should be trained from the outset in its requirements. In the schools, in consequence, little attention was paid to the form in which thought was expressed, provided that the thought was correct: in marked contrast to the classical ideal, which emphasized the importance of expression, in just appreciation of the fact that thought expressed in obscure or inadequate words, fails to reach the human mind. The mediaeval position had been the outcome of a reaction against the spirit of later classical times, which had sacrificed matter to form. And now the pendulum was swinging back again in a new attempt to adjust the rival claims. The education which Erasmus received at Deventer was still in thraldom to the mediaeval ideal. Greek was practically unknown, and in Latin all that was required of the studen... ... final shape they are a series of lively dialogues in which characters, often thinly disguised, discuss the burning questions of the day with lightness and humour. In all subsequent times they have been a favourite book for school reading; and some of Shakespeare's lines are an echo of Erasmus. In 1529 religious dissension drove him from Basel and he took refuge at Freiburg in the Breisgau, which was still untouched by the Reformation. There he worked on, in the intervals of severe illness; his courage never failed him and he was comforted by the affection of his friends. In 1535 he returned again to Basel, to be at hand in the printing of a work on preaching, the Ecclesiastes, to which he had given his recent efforts; and there death, which for twelve years had not seemed far away, overtook him on July 12, 1536.