Catastrophic tornados. Members of Qaddafi's family killed. Royal Wedding (no mishaps, and the same beautiful horses and Edward VII landau, besides a solidly classic Anglican sermon on marriage), Beatification of John Paul II (I prefer Giovanni XXIII and Vatican II), Death and Burial at Sea of Osama bin Laden. Great crowds in popular demonstrations, successively in London, Rome, and Washington / New York City. English, Polish, and US American flags displayed successively. God, irrespective of particulars of each celebration, made accountable for whatever, such as a lady happening not to be at home when her house was swept away. Simplicity of popular reactions and never-ending complexity of the darker side of human nature always increasingly bewildering. Though I am as remote as can be from royal families (even when they major in art history), I can't help but hope for a long union as sound as, for example, that of Elizabeth II's parents for her grandchildren. It would be good for the British Public . The royal family serves Identity (those whom it doesn't serve don't need that so much); I should be glad if my own nation did not have to rely on Ford's Theater, the Alamo, Pearl Harbor, and the Twin Towers instead. How much do Americans actually yearn for a constitutional First Family of their own? I don't know. I don't understand very well anything from this weekend's news. I don't see how deserving to die or not has any relevance to death, and I am offended by considering one's own tribe's deaths as more important than other tribes' deaths. On the other hand, I have to admit to being more comforted by Canterbury's homily than by Rome's. That is an aspect of my elective culture, of course.
As when the USSR came apart, I can't help but worry (if I allow myself the luxury) about the aftermath of this weekend.
Now, why is it that once again, after more than a half century, I revert to the avoidance of wrong, so far as I can, as the nearest I can come to good? See last two posts.
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Well that's May Day for you ! The fascination with the Royal Wedding in USA points to its true inclinations and the jingoistic celebration of one man's death hardens the unresolved conflict. Appalled at the deification of a phial of blood.
ReplyDeleteI agree however that the historical process seems to be speeding up in one single long week-end, but still no sign of rain here after 10 weeks, the most significant non-news story for me.
After nauseating me recently with an attempt to revive Upstairs, Downstairs, now, to my great relief and pleasure, PBS is giving us from Yorkshire "South Riding": Just what the doctor ordered! Although it has an august past history on film and TV, the present production seems to me very satisfactory indeed. I don't know how many episodes there are, but I'll enjoy them all. I like Yorkshire, besides.
ReplyDeleteDid you visit Yorkshire when you were once at Cheveley , Newmarket ?
ReplyDeleteI confess a slight aversion to those who call it 'God's country' , a a lot of regional, often derided as over 'little Englander' parochial pride mentality, but lovely landscape for sure and setting for some great novels too.
But did i mention though i follow it little that the Canaries ( N.C. football team ) are back in the Premier League (Civic pride indeed!) but seriously it means International tourist publicity for City.
I did Yorkshire twice, in 1959-1960 and later in 1970, when I was on sabbatical and did a bunch of museums and architecture before going to Greece. I had a BritrailPass and used York as a hub. I like the city, if only from spending more time there. One can see a lot from slow trains. The backs of towns, the rivers, the animals, the kinds of row houses. I remember Beverley, Hull, Selby, besides York itself. Nice railway museum as well as St. Mary's Abbey, lots of parish churches, a couple of good bookstores, and I did Durham from York, too. York Minster is a very great building, IMO. Yes, lots of novels!
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