I said earlier that Norway is a country in which life-enhancing projects are undertaken ambitiously and successfully, whereas Britain is a tired place full of begrudgingly doled-out second-hand junk - there's no pride. There's a sense that every political speech, every idea is expressed with a silent 'whatever' or 'that'll do' at the end. We are the 'whatever' culture. Here's a clip from The Thick of It (the TV series from which In The Loop came) which expresses our depressing cynicism. This is the densest chunk of sustained swearing I've ever experienced, so don't play it if that kind of thing offends you, OK?
However, it's the wrapping of the Shakespeare book which fascinated me. The bookseller packed the volume in a beautiful fragment of a 1934 map of Capel Wood, near New Romsey, and in a few pages of The Times, from Saturday August 7th 1858 (price 4d)! Every page is in beautiful condition, the language is formal and measured, and it's really hard to read - as was traditional in those days, the first few pages are tightly-packed classified ads. I think I'll post a couple of them each day for your amusement and interest. Some are enigmatic, some heartbreaking
.
Let's start with a few of the personal notices, and just imagine the stories behind them - perhaps there's a novel in these:
WILLY,– RETURN or WRITE at once.
GEORGIANA.– RETURN HOME immediately.
Your father is heartbroken.
SEMPER EADEM, "always the same" "All's
well."– 8th and 27th August.
FRIDAY-STREET or KENSINGTON.––WIL
LIAM may RETURN immediately, as all is satisfactorily
arranged.–LIZZIE.
M.P.–Your father is now in a very dangerous state.
Let him have the consolation of seeing you. Not an hour is
to be lost.–E.O.
INDIA.–Initials.–J'éspere que vous parviendra
et que vous me donnerez de vos nouvelles à la meme addresse.
Soyez assuré de mon estime, et que je vous regrette toujours. Je ne
puis plus ici. Dieu vous garde. Newbury.
(This last reads: I hope that you succeed, and that you will give me your news at the same address. Be assured of my respect/admiration, and that I miss you always. I can do no more here. God keep you.)
Feel free to come up with mini-stories for these in the comments section. Perhaps births, weddings and deaths tomorrow.
2 comments:
If you look at my recent blog, I mention I have began reading The Complete Works of William Shakespeare sealed in magnificent leather hardback with original prints that set an associate back £90 from a classical bookshop in the North. I shall bring this to your office if you are around this week before I depart for Yorkshire.
Cool. Will have a look.
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