Hello everyone and welcome to the history of England episode 330 John Beats Currents.

Before I start, you know Twitter right? Social media thinking of? Pit of vile, hatefulness

and glib opinion, given without thought of consequence? Well, I have to recall that

on occasion it can be really useful and positive and I'm going to tell you why very quickly.

So I came across a quote from Francis Bacon, the 17th century legal and philosopher chapi

as opposed to the modern painter and decorator. And the quote was this.

Sure, and Manny's in a state, be not gathered into few hands. Money is like muck, not good,

except it'd be spread. We'll come back to wife and say this later,

or next time, or whatever, but I thought it was a good metaphor. Well, Eric then pointed

out on Twitter that it wasn't really a metaphor. In fact, it was a simile and we shared

notes from school about having been taught this. I, unlike Eric, never thought the

difference between simile and metaphor was worth the rough end of a pineapple.

Anyway, at this point in Come Sonic, who explains that a simile is meant to make a short,

punchy point such as, guests are like fish. After three days, they start to smell. Metaphors

are used to explain complex or abstract concepts using simple, well-known imagery of which

Chesterton's fence is apparently a good example, which you'll need to look up in the spirit

of investigative education. Well, all I can say is that after 50 years plus a feeling

vaguely irritated whenever anyone said it's called a cucumber, Salic and Eric have lifted

a weight off my elbows. Anyway, by way of starting the history stuff,

you know, the reason for this podcast, in April 1606, James VI, the first of Scotland

in England, issued a decree. The decree announced King James, or King of Great Britain, as he

liked to call himself to his rubber duck when having his Sunday evening bath, was for

...