"Keep good blazing fires." ironic, I woke up an hour ago to the smell of
smoke, only to find that there was a fire in the apartment nextdoor. no harm
to me personally, the firemen did a good job and the 'blaze' had gone out
long before they arrived. it would be interesting to hear the recording of
my emergency call, now that I'm sitting here at my computer instead of
gasping for air through my narrow window.
also, very amusing letter, thanks. most of those bits of advice seem
reasonable.
KS
2009/12/9 Max Richards <[log in to unmask]>
> Thanks, Andrew.
>
> My Dunedin friend Alan Roddick has also responded, adding an item I want to
> share with all about how to live (Sydney Smith).
> Thus:
> What an interesting word! I had initially anted to insert an apostrophe,
> but then saw that it must have been made on the model of 'its' (even if
> nowadays that so often cops an apostrophe whether it wants one or not).
>
> I hesitate to rise to my feet and announce, "Gentlemen, hats off!' (as
> in the Camus novel)*: it's an awkward blend of plain prose and
> headline-writing. But of course, more conventional alternatives lack
> something of its punch: 'The effect of this moving novel builds
> slowly...' is a bit clunky, but how about: 'This is a moving novel. Its
> effect builds...'?
>
> But, thank you!
>
> Pat has been reading the Rev. Sydney Smith lately, initially to track
> down the possible origin of Auden's 'Take short views', but then for the
> pleasure of Smith's life and writing (and conversation). I borrowed for
> her from the University Library (the bowels of Leith Street Storage) a
> two-volume Life and Recollections, by his daughter, a Mrs Austen ('"No
> kin," as Time would say'), and found this delightful letter - that, as
> it happens also hints at the key phrase.
>
>
> Foston, Feb. 16th, 1820
> Dear Lady Georgiana,
>
> . Nobody has suffered more from low spirits than I have done - so I feel
> for you. 1st. Live as well as you dare. 2nd. Go into the shower-bath
> with a small quantity of water at a temperature low enough to give you a
> slight sensation of cold, 750 or 800. 3rd. Amusing books. 4th. Short
> views of human life - not further than dinner or tea. 5th. Be as busy as
> you can. 6th. See as much as you can of those friends who respect and
> like you. 7th. And of those acquaintances who amuse you. 8th. Make no
> secret of low spirits to your friends, but talk of them freely - they
> are always worse for dignified concealment. 9th. Attend to the effects
> tea and coffee produce upon you. 10th. Compare your lot with that of
> other people. 11th. Don't expect too much from human life - a sorry
> business at the best. 12th. Avoid poetry, dramatic representations
> (except comedy), music, serious novels, melancholy sentimental people,
> and everything likely to excite feeling or emotion not ending in active
> benevolence. 13th. Do good, and endeavour to please everybody of every
> degree. 14th. Be as much as you can in the open air without fatigue.
> 15th. Make the room where you commonly sit, gay and pleasant. 16th.
> Struggle by little and little against idleness. 17th. Don't be too
> severe upon yourself, or underrate yourself, but do yourself justice.
> 18th. Keep good blazing fires. 19th. Be firm and constant in the
> exercise of rational religion. 20th. Believe me, dear Lady Georgiana,
>
> Very truly yours,
> SYDNEY
> SMITH
>
> Rev. Sydney Smith to Lady Georgiana Morpeth [letter 356].
>
> *Hats off, a genius! - Doesn't that go back to an event in French music,
> 19th
> century?
>
> Quoting andrew burke <[log in to unmask]>:
>
> > Max - It smacks of recorded language - dictated into a recording device
> and
> > transcribed by a diligent but unimaginative scribe. There is a difference
> > between how we speak and how we write, as you no doubt know. Interesting
> > that she should let it through to print, though. I would' have rewritten
> the
> > whole sentence.
> >
> > Andrew
> >
> > 2009/12/9 Max Richards <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > > I read in a bookshop newsletter about
> > >
> > > 'a moving novel thats effect builds slowly and then continues' etc
> > >
> > > Is this 'thats' a new word?
> > >
> > > The writer I guess wanted to avoid the word 'whose' and couldn't come
> up
> > > with the
> > > old 'effect of which'.
> > >
> > > (the words are attributed to Sophie Cunningham, editor of Meanin
> Quarterly,
> > > and a
> > > published novelist)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > This email was sent from Netspace Webmail: http://www.netspace.net.au
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Andrew
> >
> > 'Beyond City Limits', pub. ICLL @ ECU, available at topnotch indie
> bookshops
> > - list at http://hispirits.blogspot.com/
> >
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> This email was sent from Netspace Webmail: http://www.netspace.net.au
>
