Dear Andrew, Congratulations on suggesting a halt to the pastoral guff that has been flooding your line. I have rarerly read such nonsense from such intelligent people--and not one but many times. Perhaps you should limit writers to one entry a month. or perhaps often a prize ar each Spenser Society meeting for the most prolific gaffer in praise of Pastorella. Prize to be chosen by previous year's Colin Clout. tpr
----- Original Message -----
From: andrew zurcher <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 11:39 am
Subject: Re: A problem with pastoral
To: [log in to unmask]
> I would remind list members that, although soapboxing,
> caricatures,
> scoffing, and mean-spirited metaphors are all good fun, and are
> the
> particular specialty of those on this list, like me, whose mouths
> and/or
> spleens have been somewhat liberally nourished; we should for the
> sake of
> our collective sanity strive to keep our discussions focused on
> the study
> of Spenser and Sidney. Long-term trends in literacy in the US or
> elsewhere
> are not our concern here, nor is the state of the academic
> profession or
> the plight of individuals in the job market, much as it is close
> to my
> heart (and my spleen). I exhort list members to use their
> experienced
> judgments, and keep the wolves away.
>
> As moderator, one thing I feel obliged not to tolerate on this
> list is ad
> hominem/ad feminam attacks or slurs, and we are headed in that
> direction.
> A frank, liberal, and human discussion is always welcome; if the
> present
> heat goes on, or goes much further, I will be forced to make
> surgical
> interventions, and I would like to avoid that.
>
> I would very much like this list to keep its reputation for
> spirited but
> generous discussion and debate. I hope we can all keep this
> thought to the
> fore.
>
> Thanks,
>
> andrew
>
>
> Andrew Zurcher
> Queens' College
> Cambridge CB3 9ET
> United Kingdom
>
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