Oh yes - I've been following the Boston police radio scanners and the Twitter feeds. I can know everything - except why and how all the awfulness of life can ever be converted to love, pleasure and and happiness. Of this I know nothing and thus I am at one in ignorance with the great statesmen, the priests and the tormented dispensers of sorrow alike.
All the same, today the sun came out. Indeed Oh to be in England now that April's there - to quote Robert Browning. I often wonder if cruelty truly is the unique realm of mankind. Nature is indifferent to suffering, but takes no satisfaction from it either. If (as I do suspect) we may well be the only intelligent life in the universe - how unique is our cruelty to one another.
These thoughts fell upon me as I walked in fields near the house in the UK. As I photographed a lamb for a nice schmaltzy blog-pic, the mother arrived to stare me down. To be frank, she was rather terrifying. She had that awful righteous "j'accuse" expression worn by French teachers returning my French homework, now more red ink than blue.(I used to quip to Madame Guillotine that at least by dipping my essay in red she had made a revolutionary tricolor of my efforts. I don't think she liked me).
I really MUST learn some French grammar by the way. Although I've gabbled away for years and years among French folk, I don't have an inkling of la grammaire. (Between you and me, for many years when the French ticked me off for the faults of ma grammaire, I always rose to her defence by proclaiming that my grandmother was at least as good as theirs.) A few days ago in England I found myself in a femaelstrom of adolescent student bile over the use of the double reflexive subjunctive tense in secondary clauses following an indirect dative objet. I may have tripped over my subordinate sub clause of comprehension in explaining this matter clearly. Pardonnez-moi mes amis! (Oooh - I do miss home!)
Emma thinx: Scanners shaketh man.
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| Chance me a crack, blow me a wind and I'll seed you a life |
All the same, today the sun came out. Indeed Oh to be in England now that April's there - to quote Robert Browning. I often wonder if cruelty truly is the unique realm of mankind. Nature is indifferent to suffering, but takes no satisfaction from it either. If (as I do suspect) we may well be the only intelligent life in the universe - how unique is our cruelty to one another.
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| Will you just shut up and admire my bloody innocence! |
These thoughts fell upon me as I walked in fields near the house in the UK. As I photographed a lamb for a nice schmaltzy blog-pic, the mother arrived to stare me down. To be frank, she was rather terrifying. She had that awful righteous "j'accuse" expression worn by French teachers returning my French homework, now more red ink than blue.(I used to quip to Madame Guillotine that at least by dipping my essay in red she had made a revolutionary tricolor of my efforts. I don't think she liked me).
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| Mutton dressed as Ram. |
Emma thinx: Scanners shaketh man.
Emma, you've come back up with the tulips. Great to see you again. That's a fine looking lamb you photographed. Just ask the old shepherdess here.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the ramifications are likely to be ... sorry, couldn't resist that one. I only speak O level French and think it's about time I took lessons. However, it has been the source of much fun when holidaying in France and I've always found as long as you have a stab at it, can take the raised eyebrows and pitying glances, then you soon find yourself with a glass of wine in hand! Can't be bad!
ReplyDelete