The things one does
I have lately read the 2007 Christmas Cracker of John Julius Norwich, and present excerpts from two of the inclusions and a third integral. The first has been reproduced from a different commonplace book (Thistles in Aspic, assembled by a Thane of Cawdor, of all things to be), the second is from an eBay listing for a pair of leather pants, and the third comes from a 1657 translation by George Thornley of Longus' Daphnis and Chloe (though in truth I suspect he only prepared one such translation that year).
Emerald, Lady Cunard on Lord Valentine Thynne: So witty and handsome… one of the great lovers. Anne Islington adored him, and Miss Winifred Barnes, the musical comedy actress, fell over a very small cliff for love of him.
I can explain those pants and why they are in my possession. I bought them many, many years ago under the spell of a woman whom I believed to have taste. She suggested I try them on. I did. She said they looked good. I wanted to have a relationship of sorts with her. I'm stupid and prone to impulsive decisions. I bought the pants.
For there is no medicine for love, neither meat, nor drink, nor any charm, but only kissing and embracing, and lying naked together.
Longus in the last appearing to take issue with Ovid.
Comments
on 2008-01-03 20:38:12.0, def commented:
hm, Ovid endorsed an APD(avoidant personality disorder) well, it's better than suicide obviously