Can any colleague throw light on a puzzle. In "The Four Men" written about
a walk across Sussex in 1902 but published a decade later, Hilaire Belloc
wrote -- "perishing on the Dayof Judgement by a horrible great rain of fire
from Heaven. Which will fall if I'm not mistaken, upon the whole earth, and
strike all round the edges of the county, consuming Tonbridge and Appledore
(but not Rye), and Horley, and Ockley, and Hazelmere, and very certainly
Petersfield and Havant, and there shall be especial woe for Hayling island;
but not one hair of the head of Sussex shall be singed, it has been so
ordained from the beginning, and that IN SPITE OF BURWASH AND THOSE WHO
DWELL THEREIN". What cased him to heap coals on the head of Rudyard - was
it jealousy ?
Bob Copper in his excellent "Across Sussex with Belloc" also wondered why -
his contemporary - a writer and poet of renown and also a lover of Sussex
ends with "Perish the thought"
There is only one ref to Belloc in the index - Carrington in KJ 160 Dec 1966
but it doesn't answer the question.
One other query following "Sons of the Suburbs" does the old song we used to
sing in the prehistoric days "Abdul, the Bulbul, the Mir" predate or
postdate "Sons of the Suburbs ?"
Grateful thanks for any help Michael.
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