'What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.' So wrote Jane Austen to a friend today in 1796. This quotation is for my old enemies in the English and Geography Departments really. Geographers please note - global warming as far back as 1796, so stop whingeing and spreading tales of doom and panic. Englishers - why is your darling writing such tosh (see Persuasion, Northanger Abbey etc etc) when she should have been writing about the extraordinary French Revolution happening only a few miles away at the time.
In other news ...
Another one for the English Department. Samuel Johnson was born today in 1709, in Lichfield (shame!). He is heralded today as one of the first lexicographers in the world. In fact he was a neurotic bossy-boots with a nervous tic who is famous only because an equally neurotic bossy-boots - James Boswell - wrote down every word the great man uttered. To see Johnson put firmly in his place, see Robbie Coltrane's performance of him in Blackadder III; perfect!
Showing posts with label French Revolution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Revolution. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Friday, 13 July 2012
13th July
Jean Paul Marat was stabbed to death in his bath today by Charlotte Corday. He was a revolutionary responsible for umpteen deaths by guillotine and she was a Girondist. Actually, that's not what happened, not at all*. Ms Corday auditioned for the part of the girl eating a flake in a bath in a special edition of France's Got Talent. Imagine her surprise when she won, got to the studio and found Marat lying there eating the chocolat instead. She lost her cool and stabbed him. Later painters, like David, subtly changed the flake to an ink pot to make it look as though Marat was important.
*For all those who missed Alcatraz first time round (not very long ago, but repeats come round faster these days) I do urge you to try and catch it now. The first episode went out this week, so it must still be wandering around on the TV somewhere. When you work out what's going on, kindly let me know!
In other news ...
Today in 1923 the British government passed a law banning the sale of alcohol to the under 18s. It is due to come into effect on 1 April 2019.
*For all those who missed Alcatraz first time round (not very long ago, but repeats come round faster these days) I do urge you to try and catch it now. The first episode went out this week, so it must still be wandering around on the TV somewhere. When you work out what's going on, kindly let me know!
In other news ...
Today in 1923 the British government passed a law banning the sale of alcohol to the under 18s. It is due to come into effect on 1 April 2019.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
1st March
Dewi Sant - St David - what a guy. Patron Saint of Wales. He died in 601 according to the Annales Cambriae (that's Welsh Chronicles to you, Nine Oh Dee) but that wasn't written until the 10th century, so you can't be sure. He was the Bishop of Moni Judeorum (later St David's) in Pembrokeshire and presided over two Welsh synods (church bashes) ...
... Is that it? You don't have to do much to be a patron saint these days, do you?
In other news ...
One of the most over-rated books of all time hit French newsstands today in 1555. It was called the Book of Centuries and was written by Michel de Notre Dame, better known by his Latin monicker Nostradamus. In this mischievous piece of nonsense, believed in implicitly by millions worldwide, is a series of predictions including the Great Fire of London (inevitable in a city built on too small an area and almost entirely of wood); the French Revolution (they'd already had several by Nostradamus' time); the rise of Hitler (from a country that had already produced Attila the Hun). In short, nothing surprising at all. as somebody once said, isn't it strange, if Nostradamus was such a know-all, that he didn't see fit to warn us about Pot Noodles.
And there's something even spookier. Did you notice the book was published in 1555? That's not only nearly the Number of the Beast, it's also, according to TV cop shows, the telephone number of everybody in America.
Coo.
But seriously, if you, my sensible follower, know anyone worried by Nostradamus, Mother Shipton, Mayan prophecies and the rest - steer them to Good Omens by Gaiman and Pratchett, for a hilarious alternative look at prophecy and the end of days. Even if they are still worried when they have read it, they will at least have had a laugh.
... Is that it? You don't have to do much to be a patron saint these days, do you?
In other news ...
One of the most over-rated books of all time hit French newsstands today in 1555. It was called the Book of Centuries and was written by Michel de Notre Dame, better known by his Latin monicker Nostradamus. In this mischievous piece of nonsense, believed in implicitly by millions worldwide, is a series of predictions including the Great Fire of London (inevitable in a city built on too small an area and almost entirely of wood); the French Revolution (they'd already had several by Nostradamus' time); the rise of Hitler (from a country that had already produced Attila the Hun). In short, nothing surprising at all. as somebody once said, isn't it strange, if Nostradamus was such a know-all, that he didn't see fit to warn us about Pot Noodles.
And there's something even spookier. Did you notice the book was published in 1555? That's not only nearly the Number of the Beast, it's also, according to TV cop shows, the telephone number of everybody in America.
Coo.
But seriously, if you, my sensible follower, know anyone worried by Nostradamus, Mother Shipton, Mayan prophecies and the rest - steer them to Good Omens by Gaiman and Pratchett, for a hilarious alternative look at prophecy and the end of days. Even if they are still worried when they have read it, they will at least have had a laugh.
Monday, 6 February 2012
6th February
Kit Marlowe was born today in 1564 in the parish of St George in Canterbury. His dad was a tanner and shoemaker and Kit was a bright boy who sang beautifully, studied the Classics at the King's School and went on to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he started to write naughty poetry (based on Ovid) and do a bit of spying on the side for Sir Francis Walsingham, the 'M' of his day. How did it all turn out? Well, you'll have to read a brilliant new detective series written by MJ Trow and published by Severn House in their new Creme de la Crime imprint and available on Amazon and all good bookshops. There are two of these must-reads out already - Dark Entry and Silent Court - with a third, Witchhammer, out this spring. It's the sort of stuff I would like to have written myself, if I only had the time.
In other news ...
Joseph Priestley died today in 1804. He discovered (not invented, despite the contentions of Seven Eff Pea) oxygen and was a Radical politician whose house was burnt down by a right-wing mob who didn't care for his views on the French Revolution - which he believed was the best thing since sliced bread ... which he also didn't invent.
In later years, he used his initials JB and became a successful writer (only joking, Seven Eff Pea).
In other news ...
Joseph Priestley died today in 1804. He discovered (not invented, despite the contentions of Seven Eff Pea) oxygen and was a Radical politician whose house was burnt down by a right-wing mob who didn't care for his views on the French Revolution - which he believed was the best thing since sliced bread ... which he also didn't invent.
In later years, he used his initials JB and became a successful writer (only joking, Seven Eff Pea).
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