I don't live in a (touch wood!) earthquake-prone part of the country.  But Christchurch people didn't think they did either.  The far north and the far south-east don't seem to get earthquakes much, though the area round Auckland does have volcanoes which may erupt. 

Anyway we didn't feel a thing, though the news this morning said Geonet had reports of it being felt from Invercargill, more or less in line with where I live, to Whangarei right up north.  I have nephews and nieces in Christchurch, not far from where this one was centred, though I think not connected to them, and as far as I know they are all fine. My sister has a nice little holiday home near where there was a lot of damage, and hopes her glassware isn't lying on a heap on the floor surrounded by broken bottles of Worchestershire sauce. It seems Wellington suffered quite a lot of collateral damage, though we might just have heard a lot about that from the National Radio, whose presenters are from there (and Auckland).

Down here 4 kms from where I live people were evacuated from the settlement at the seashore because of the risk of a tsunami, and brought into the community centre in my township for the night.  About 50 people, I gather.

Regarding Temperance's spouting [my regrets that I couldn't find a better synonym] in the colonial thread, I think this calls for an old, almost ancient, joke.

Holmes and Watson were camping in wilds of Wales when Holmes said.
'Watson, what do you see when looking up?'
'The moonlit sky, Holmes, with its myriads of stars.'
'And what is your deduction from this?'
'What do you mean, Holmes?'
'You're a fool, Watson, somebody's pinched our tent!'

Caro,

Any thoughts of being insensitive towards your country's recent disaster was not my intentions, and I sincerely hope you and yours are all well.

Nielsen wrote:

...my regrets that I couldn't find a better synonym....

That's OK. I do spout most of the time, I know  . But here are some synonyms. Some are a bit odd. I do yammer on a fair bit, don't I, but I really hope I don't mewl too much. I've never heard of "nicker". Hope it isn't a rude word.



bark
bawl
bay
bellow
bleat
cackle
call
caw
chatter
cheer
clack
clamor
cluck
coo
croak
crow
ejaculate
exclaim
gabble
growl
grunt
hail
hiss
holler
holler out
hoot
howl
low
meow
moo
nicker
pipe
quack
roar
scream
screech
shout
shriek
sing out
snarl
squawk
trill
tweet
twitter
vociferate
whinny
whistle
whoop
yawp
yelp

Thanks to Paul R for the reply about "under the radar".

Now more generally - my trips to Outpatients to try and find out the source of my ills fade into insignificance when one considers what some people in Caro's country (or is it Caro's adopted country) have suffered recently. However, I went to Cannock today for a consultation with a Rheumatology registrar - she examined me and sent me for some x-rays and blood tests.  Of course, I have good days and bad days and today when I saw the rheumatologist I was having a good day.  The joint on one of my little fingers seems to be permanently swollen (I can still type with it though which is the main thing).  The registrar said she thought it might be down to wear and tear.  She asked if I'd had the results of any of my other blood tests besides the ones which showed I was slightly prone to Rheumatoid Arthritis and the one which showed that my haemoglobin was low.  I said I had not; she said they indicated that I might have Coeliac disease and there is the fact that I have had the allergic rash.  Of course the biopsies that were taken to test for Coeliac disease are the tests where the results seem to take the longest time to come back.  So it's not confirmed I have Coeliac disease - just a possibility.  It's a shame because I like my grains but I think there are some grains which are gluten free.  Some of the "gluten free" foods in the supermarkets seem disproportionately expensive.  Hopefully (if it does turn out to be Coeliac disease causing the anaemia) I can buy foods which don't contain gluten without going to processed foods with the "gluten free" label.

Islanddawn wrote:

PaulRyckier wrote:

Islanddawn wrote:

I think it is because Hillary represents the old order and people wanted change, in a lot of cases Trump was a protest vote against 40 years of failed domestic policies. And she is more likely to go to war than Trump. I loathe Trump and everything he represents, but Hilary wouldn't have been much better either and I can't say I'm sorry to see the back of her.

The Democrats lost the election because they nominated Hillary, they probably would have won if they had listened and nominated another candidate not tainted like Hillary is. 

It was a horrible election campaign and it was a terrible choice to have to make either way, I'm glad it wasn't mine.

Islanddawn,

"I think it is because Hillary represents the old order and people wanted change, in a lot of cases Trump was a protest vote against 40 years of failed domestic policies."

There I think you mentioned the core of the phenomena. I saw yesterday a French documentary from the Mid West. And the guide was a Trump voter. Empty factories and one busy one, because it could work for the army and the army is obliged to take these inland factories as suppliers.
And as you say "people", white, black and yellow are in the same bath, the same situation and perhaps in rural country it is worser than in the cities.

Overhere in Belgium and Belgium is nearly one big city, you hear the same as about the big business going to the low wages countries and especially the assembling factories are closing and make many people redundant. Yes America again for the Americans.
And yes as in America, the same rancour against the migrants, political and economic migrants the same. And it is not political correct to say it, but its alive among the common man on the street. And yes the populists as the Vlaams blok in the Flanders region of Belgium say "Eigen volk eerst" (own people first). As a Geert Wilders in the Netherlands. As a Marina Le Pen in France.

I am on a French forum of geopolitcs and it is perhaps normal that the members are more focused on the French inland than on the geopolitics. And there I hear the same tones. They say the same lives overthere as about economy and migrants. And the bulk of the voters ask for change. And in Belgium they seems to me rather still quiet and enduring, perhaps because it is still not that bad.
And there is much mistrust to the banks too, as they wasted our money by pushing many greedy ones to risk their money and then fail. And some banks were to big to fall and they had to be saved by tax money from the citizens. A sign that the banks are not trusted anymore: although there is zero intrest on the savings, there is nevertheless a record of "savings only" in the banks. Some banks ask already money for holding your deposits even with zero intrest.
An yes I forgot even the famous Madame Merkel had to back down in the question of migrants in Germany...
And I think also that there are many parallels of the US vote with lately the Brexit vote. If London city at to chose against the Brexit for instance...

And if the established politics don't do what the common man asks, then is the way open for the populists...perhaps the next president in France next year will be Marina Le Pen. Lucky that they have there a second "tour" to adjust their vote and that there are more than two parties overthere and taht there are no "elector" men overthere...

And one can moan about all this as some female commentator overhere who said that politicians sometimes have to go against the will of the voters' public as for the common good...but in my opinion as that public are the voters, it is perhaps wise to listen what is living among the general public. But I agree, perhaps only superpowers can do that, as the little Belgium has perhaps not a big impact in that global...? Not sure if the whole European Union has an impact as we depends still that much from the US...?

Kind regards, Paul.

Hi Paul,

Yes, tough times everywhere as there has always been periodically and the poor old immigrant (the other) is the first to get it in the neck. I despair at the stupidity of it, it seems that not much as changed and history lessons have not been learnt. De-industrialisation in most 'western countries' is partly our fault as well, we demand high wages, a big house, two cars in the garage and an overseas holiday every year and at the same time we demand cheap products in the shops all of which drives businesses away to countries where production will be cheaper. We demand that governments give us growth, growth, growth ad infinitum without considering the consequences. So we make the rod for our own backs and then blame it on immigrants or in the Uk's case the EU too? Sigh.

As for referendums, many seem unaware that they are only glorified opinion polls and are never binding on parliaments. For some reason they are confused with elections when they are not the same thing at all. As we learnt in Greece last year, governments will do want they think is best in the long run, not 'the people' who usually don't know their arses from their elbows outside our own square metre of existance.

Anyway, too early in the morning for such seriousness. I'm in need of another coffee......

 Hi, Islanddawn,

thank you very much for your point of view. I learned a lot from it.

Kind regards, Paul.

Caro wrote:

I don't live in a (touch wood!) earthquake-prone part of the country.  But Christchurch people didn't think they did either.  The far north and the far south-east don't seem to get earthquakes much, though the area round Auckland does have volcanoes which may erupt. 

Anyway we didn't feel a thing, though the news this morning said Geonet had reports of it being felt from Invercargill, more or less in line with where I live, to Whangarei right up north.  I have nephews and nieces in Christchurch, not far from where this one was centred, though I think not connected to them, and as far as I know they are all fine. My sister has a nice little holiday home near where there was a lot of damage, and hopes her glassware isn't lying on a heap on the floor surrounded by broken bottles of Worchestershire sauce. It seems Wellington suffered quite a lot of collateral damage, though we might just have heard a lot about that from the National Radio, whose presenters are from there (and Auckland).

Down here 4 kms from where I live people were evacuated from the settlement at the seashore because of the risk of a tsunami, and brought into the community centre in my township for the night.  About 50 people, I gather.

Thank you so much for the update Caro and I will try to read if Chris Morris from the other board is affected.

Kind regards, Paul.

Belatedly, I state that I am pleased to hear that Caro and her family are okay.  I know a lady who has a daughter living in New Zealand - in fact I think she (the Mum) was due to visit her but haven't seen any mutual acquaintances to ascertain how they are faring.

To the more mundane,  I had a letter from a consultant at the local hospital saying that investigations indicate that I have coeliac disease - so I can't be a ryevita eater anymore.

Increasingly indebted to our res Res His well-informed historian for much info about early church history(assorted) perhaps nordmann also knows how one might put the saint he mentions -Adomnan to some sort of use. Indeed a beautiful notion, I agree,a saint for shattered dreams, but then what? Is the idea to get him to repair such dreams? Or  to unload blame onto - or what? Not that I have current need but you never know when you might want a handy saint to turn to. Just what this one offers I'm uncertain. Or am I being thick again? Topic best suited for a bar, I thought. Not that this one is renowned for solace. Ah! is that what old Admonan was for? A wet shoulder saint?

According to the faith in which I was raised - Lutheran-evangelical, Priscilla, there are no such creatures, even, illogically as that is, a number of churches still are called St. this or that.

Well, sentimental old fool that I am, I thought having a saint who could be asked to intercede for those whose dreams have been shattered (with or without statues) was indeed a beautiful thing. No need for saintly action as such - just having him "there" (so to speak) to listen would suffice, surely? A bit of "kindness in the hard crowd", as Jack Bruce once said (or was it Lou Reed?).

But could someone advise on the pronunciation of this good man's name?

I consulted Wiki and learnt that Adomnan should be pronounced  "aðɒvˈnɔːn/" (?), but I am none the wiser. I have tried to work it out and have got a rather mangled "Athovnaun" which cannot be right.

Eunan is what the English came up with in times past. I went to school with one.

In old Irish it was Aoidheaghmhnán, which is Wee-gg-ah-gh-v-nawn.

How do you pronounce "Eunan"?

I'll just have to to call him Eamonn, as in Andrews, and that, I'm afraid, will have to do for now.

"The saint of shattered dreams" (ah - definitely Lou Reed) - oh well, it was a really nice poetic thought while it lasted.

No griping allowed, chaps - we're English! What's done is done, after all.

It's minus seven here this morning which is ridiculous for England.

It's minus seven here also - which is positively balmy compared to yesterday.

What's that about griping?

Eh? You have done a Temperance and completely changed your message, which makes mine sound really random.

Wee-gg-ah-gh-v-nawn.

I'll stick with Eamonn - he won't mind.

Eamonn isn't even an Irish name. It's the Gaelic attempt at pronouncing Ëadh-muinnd, the Saxon name that even the English can't pronounce correctly and end up normally with Edmund (the Irish version is actually closer to the original, I reckon).

I and a fellow potential paedophile victim (ie. wolf cub) mowed Eamonn Andrews' front garden during a bob-a-job weekend one time, and the bastard refused to pay me saying we hadn't drawn up a written contract at the outset (he claimed to be teaching me a "life lesson"). We set fire to his tool shed that night. Lessons learnt all round, I reckon.

Edmunds are always villains.

Lesson learnt - will persevere with Aoidheaghmhnán.

Is there a saint of frozen, probably shattered, outside tap pipes?

There is indeed. Before he became a train station that was one of St Pancras's fields of speciality - I kid you not.

Good grief, why do I even know this stuff? I blame Eamonn Andrews and the other bastards who taught me such pernicious lessons at a young and impressionable age. I'm in the mood for a tool shed or two ...

At my convent school we had one nun who was very keen on the Angelus prayer.  Of the 999 (no it wasn't that many but it seemed like it when I was in my early teens) mini-prayers that she tacked on to it was "St Jude pray for us".  As St Jude is the patron saint of hopeless cases it didn't sound like she had much faith in us.

Gosh, Nordmann, if that story about Eamonn Andrews is true, it makes me dislike him more than I already did if that's possible.  Be careful what you admit to - how long does the statute of limitations run in Ireland? Maybe he was okay as a boxer but as a TV presenter...not that I could do much except go "boo" instead of "hurray" when crackerjack was on.  (I know it was easy enough NOT to watch the show but I did find Peter Glaze and Leslie Crowther quite funny - I'd probably cringe if I saw their efforts again now).

I may have told this story before (do get senioritis momentitis sometimes) but one teacher at school back in the day told us the story of one saint because it was her (the saint's) feast day and finished up with something like "and I'm sure if you ask St xxxxxxxx to intercede for you today she'll do so. Fast forward to when I wanted to catch my bus home that day - I was a few yards up the road and the bus was already at the stop so I asked St xxxxxxx to ask God to make the bus wait.  Of course the confounded bus went didn't it....I was miffed with St xxxxxx for quite some time after that. Seems silly now but I was thinking as a child.  Of course, there is a get-out clause if the prayed for thing didn't happen - that the prayer had been answered but the answer was 'No'.

LiR wrote:

how long does the statute of limitations run in Ireland?

Fortunately the Great Toolshed Arson Pardon (a little known clause of the Good Friday Agreement) covers my crime. However I am still liable, I believe, for peeing in his goldfish ornamental pond.

nordmann wrote:

Eamonn isn't even an Irish name. It's the Gaelic attempt at pronouncing Ëadh-muinnd, the Saxon name that even the English can't pronounce correctly and end up normally with Edmund (the Irish version is actually closer to the original, I reckon).

You reckon correctly I would suggest. I was startled a few years back at an office meeting when I heard a Danish client address a colleague of mine at the meeting whose name was Eamonn. It sounded exactly as one might expect a Dane to pronounce the name Edmund - i.e. the letters 'd' almost silent and the vowels aspirated. A large penny then dropped in my mind and for a brief while, dynamic control scheduling and delivery agreement outcomes etc, receded into a background of grey noise as I pondered the Scandinavian linguistic influence on English and Gaelic names and words. I was quickly brought out of my reverie, however, when I became aware that all eyes around the table were upon me in anticipation of a response to a question which had been asked. Potential embarrassment avoided, however, thanks to a lucky guess and a little piece of paper in front on me called the agenda.

I'll drink to the humble agenda. Skål!

nordmann wrote:

Eamonn isn't even an Irish name. It's the Gaelic attempt at pronouncing Ëadh-muinnd, the Saxon name that even the English can't pronounce correctly and end up normally with Edmund (the Irish version is actually closer to the original, I reckon).

I and a fellow potential paedophile victim (ie. wolf cub) mowed Eamonn Andrews' front garden during a bob-a-job weekend one time, and the bastard refused to pay me saying we hadn't drawn up a written contract at the outset (he claimed to be teaching me a "life lesson"). We set fire to his tool shed that night. Lessons learnt all round, I reckon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund
http://www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Edmund
http://www.babynamespedia.com/pronounce/Edmund


Kind regards, Paul.

I know there is a thread about unusual maps somewhere but I can't find it so I will post this here so you will all be equipped to order afternoon tea in the local vernacular.

The Great Scone Map of the British Isles - how many people say 'scone' to rhyme with 'gone'. (the correct way)





Those straight line divisions in the republic look very suspicious to me - I'm sure nordmann can provide an explanation..............

UKIP:



Standing at the back, dressed stupidly and looking stupid Party:

Quote :

The Great Scone Map of the British Isles - how many people say 'scone' to rhyme with 'gone'. (the correct way

All New Zealanders do.

For the record. I have just had a really nice PM from Minette to whom I sent a message re missing her about here. She has seen the current topics, liked them and says she is pleased to see many of the old lot still here will be back. I hope so. So.

Temperance (me) wrote:

What is going on? Minette and Catty will no doubt pop up later - Ghosts of Res His Past.

Excellent news! Do post something, Minette: you have been much missed.

I have never burnt a tool shed down not even as a form of workers protest. I did once get questioned about setting two homosexual gentlemen on fire but it wasn't me. I have set a girlfriend on fire? Sadly, not with passion. I did a snazzy Zippo fast draw and set her fringe on fire.

Didn't really burn it down - just singed it actually. Irish weather, you know.

The nearest I ever got to being arrested was being arrested - well, almost. Having found what I thought was an extremely out of the way alley off an alley off a side road round the back of nothing in particular in the dead of night to answer a rather sudden and extreme call of nature I was interrupted mid-flow by sudden headlights and a siren (he'd been lurking there all night waiting for some short-taken eejit). His humour did not improve when the arrest had to be conducted while the flow persisted in continuing an inordinately long time - nature cannot be cheated - and he drove me up to the local garda station so the desk sergeant could do the whole official thing. The sergeant was a regular in the same local as myself - we were in fact on the same quiz team and had just reached the semi-finals of the Guinness Liberties Pub Team Challenge - so sent the young and enthusiastic crimebuster off with a thick ear (with appropriate flea duly inserted), offered me a cup of "fortified" tea, and we discussed the ramifications of church disestablishment on 19th century Irish politics (it's a lonely job doing the graveyard shift on the station desk).

Whether you burned the shed or singed it, Nordmann, it's not as if the chap in question couldn't afford a bob was it?  Even if a "bob" went further back then.  There do seem to have been a few of these TV personalities who have been considered as "lovely" from a distance who are not so nice in real life.  A daughter-in-law of one of my cousins is an actress and she had a story about being shoved out of the way in a theatre when she was part of a child troop by someone who was perceived to be "nice".  I'm not naming any names because there are libel laws in this country and I'm not taking any risks even if what I say is true.

Back, I set my own hair on fire once.  When I was younger and my hair longer and darker I was drying it in front of the fire when a (fairly thin) strand of it caught light.  I dampened a towel and extinguished the flame - no real harm done except for the awful smell of burned hair.  I've had my hair cut really short recently - urchin style - I really prefer it a bit longer though people say the new style suits me but it had got knotty so the only thing was to have it cut back and start again. They have short memories in the hairdresser's where I go periodically - they always tell me I look 20 years younger after I've had a haircut.  I don't of course though I probably look a lot tidier at the time but I can't be ar**d to argue the toss.

As for Minette, well I may not always have agreed with her but that's what discussion and debate are about is it not. Expressing our various opinions and maybe not always being in accordance but deliberating the matter(s) in a (hopefully) courteous way, so I await Minette's next contribution in due course.  I am sorry if Minette has been ill.

The first rule of fight club is. Don't post while drunk in the real world. Xmas do.,peeps. Love to you all.

Concentrate on the matter in hand, man!

Avoid mistletoe - and all other parasites.

To be fair if I wasn't married..... I'd be getting my face slapped at least twice.

Well I propose we crack open the wine and broach the cheese as I see Minette is back!!

 

MM, welcome back, regards from other MM.

Gosh this is tricky! 
I say scone as gone. Is this a test because I've no idea how to get into the Tumbleweed Suite or Bird and Baby and I've no intention of raising a topic. I am harmless yet interested. Anyone like a mince pie? I baked twelve tonight and a Quiche. I've spent the day sitting in Trafalger Square, people watching with my brother, joined in by the staff. She said he was probably Italian too and was meeting with her sister in Canada and they both came from St Kitts and Nevis. It was fascinating. 
The equastrian statue of Charles I in the Square is officially, "London." If you are twenty miles or 140 miles from London then it's from this point.  Just thought I'd mention that.

It's true M.M.! I've returned, sorry....Such a wise badger and have you heard the latest statistics? Times like this I hate the Archers! As for you Back to the Dark Place, I would hopefully have slapped you thrice, but no doubt would have cowered in a corner. You are scary.

How I adore you Nordmann and Temps. The thoughtful guardians of this place. Is the Catigern still here? Good Lord. Who'd have thought.  I've no quarell with him and also wished I had never met b....y Shakespeare.
If I was on Desert Island Discs, I'd take the Bible, but they never ask which edition! King James and The Jerusalem. That's why Erasmus became such a head honcho. Back to the Greek basics not spindly Latin versions. 
I'd also ask for my special something to be Harrods. Why hasn't anyone asked for this before? Totally pointless but what great fun looking at things! All those handbags and earrings to just look at and play with!

The AA (the car people, not the alcoholics) measure distances to and from London using Marble Arch as their principal central location. The postal service uses the GPO, or better put, the horrible BT building in St Martin's Le Grand where the beautiful GPO building used to stand. In times past Londoners themselves used the London Stone in Aldgate. The interregnum crowd decided St Botolph's on London Bridge should be considered the "centre" for measurement purposes.

The Charles I statue in Charing Cross was never used as such, though it stands where one of the Eleanor Crosses used to stand and royalty certainly measured the distance from their palaces to London using the original Charing Cross as their focal point.

I miss mince pies. Not to be had for love or money in this part of the world at Christmas.

BTTDP was last seen at a Christmas party from which he never emerged, so you can come out from behind the sofa now.

Temps has disowned me again. I was briefly on the side of the angels earlier today but I have once more fallen from grace (I mix with the wrong kind of angels apparently).

Sorry.

No need to feel sorry for me - it is not whether one falls from grace which is important, it is the doing of it in style which matters most. I have perfected a Kamikaze technique of which I am exceedingly proud.

How I adore you Nordmann and Temps. The thoughtful guardians of this place. Is the Catigern still here? Good Lord. Who'd have thought.  I've no quarell with him and also wished I had never met b....y Shakespeare.
If I was on Desert Island Discs, I'd take the Bible, but they never ask which edition! King James and The Jerusalem. That's why Erasmus became such a head honcho. Back to the Greek basics not spindly Latin versions. 
I'd also ask for my special something to be Harrods. Why hasn't anyone asked for this before? Totally pointless but what great fun looking at things! All those handbags and earrings to just look at and play with!

Oh dear. Everything is muddled up. So sorry for this. Office 365 is lurking wanting an update. Is it me or you? And does it matter? And yet London is still fascinating. I probably mean the squire mile. 
Cheers again and apologies.

You are not allowed anything that might be useful to your desert island, Minette. On reflection, does Harrods sell anything useful? I have just spent a few nights in a guest bed with 2 Harrods 2016 Teddy  bears  of no use whatsoever. Glad you are back, by the way.... on the seesaw Res effect and unrelated to your arrival we have lost Temps for a bit.....deleting her responses to nordmann is a tested symptom and a seasonal condition. We need to start a nice thread for her.

Priscilla wrote:

... on the seesaw Res effect and unrelated to your arrival we have lost Temps...

Ah, the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.

Priscilla wrote:

...for a bit...

A bit! What do you mean a bit!? This Yuletide Huff could well last until normal life resumes on January 2nd. I'm sorry to disappoint you all, but no one has been disowned or has been pushed from grace; and I haven't been taken away - yet. No, it was that clip from Not the Nine o' Clock News (posted by Vizzer on the Rant thread) that triggered my despair and deletion fest: we've all seen the excessively friendly vicar stuff before, but it all really got to me this time - what a total farce the Church of England has become. We've thrown away our greatest weapons, the lovely Book of Common Prayer and the majestic KJV, and turned everything beautiful and meaningful into an embarrassing joke. I just flipped on Friday night, like I do every now and then. Sorry about that.

Minette - it's great to have you back and I am very pleased that you think I am a Guardian of Res His. Crickey - what an honour. I feel very important now. It does make me sound a bit like a fierce dog though - was it Cerberus or Fluffy you had in mind?

Rather shocked that you've chosen Harrods - terribly vulgar emporium these days, darling. Do change your mind and opt for Liberty of London. Much classier   ! Actually why not just ask for London itself? I would, especially London with a wisteria.

PS Just for the record, anyone who's read Milton's Paradise Lost must have a soft spot for Satan. He's such fun whizzing round Eden being a complete pain. Such energy compared with Gabriel who is simply tedious. You do actually feel a bit sorry for him (Satan, not Gabriel) at the end. I've often wondered if Milton realised what he'd done creating such an interesting character for his villain.

Milton was more acquainted with the bad angels than the goody-goody ones. Life had steered him into their company in his own mind over the years, so by the time he wrote Paradise Lost he was writing about old buddies. According to one biographer his daughters, to whom he dictated the poem, told their blind father several times he was in danger of being regarded as a forerunner of a Not The Nine O'Clock News sketch, but he pulled rank and made them read it back out aloud to him on several occasions to make sure they hadn't slyly transformed Satan into a pantomime villain.

The theme was taken up by several artists subsequently (the theme being either diligent daughters or extremely distrustful fathers, depending on the artist). At one point prints, reproductions and sketches based on this theme graced so many Victorian drawing rooms that it was probably the equivalent of "The Crying Boy" or three ceramic ducks in profile flying in formation with which we (and allegedly the fire brigade) became familar in more recent times ...


Henry Fussell, 18th century - one spooky Milton!


Eugene Delacroix, 19th century


Mihaly Munkacsy, 19th century


Richard Westall, 18th century

nordmann wrote:

Henry Fussell, 18th century - one spooky Milton!

That's because the girls have just told him how much their orange shoes cost.

(Theresa has a pair very similar.)

It's a dodgy photo of the original. They're really a scarlet colour.

May probably has a few dozen pairs of those too.

Fussell made everything spooky though - I've no doubt if he lived today he'd be designing death metal album covers or x-rated comic book novellas. He's best known for "The Nightmare", incubus, succubus and all, which spawned so many imitations throughout Victorian times and still drew half a million people when the Tate exhibited it as the main feature of their "Gothic Horror" exhibition a few years ago.



This is actually a much cleverer picture than it looks - Fusell knew his art history. But I'm on the wrong thread now.

I posted that picture on the Captions Challenge thread ages ago - but I know very little about the artist. I just stumbled upon the painting and thought it very weird. The black horse is really scary - as are the shadows. What's in the bottles - poison? Some kind of drug? Did he ever meet Mrs. Radcliffe, I wonder. And was Blake influenced by him? He's a sort of Blake gone wrong.

nordmann wrote:

This is actually a much cleverer picture than it looks - Fusell knew his art history. But I'm on the wrong thread now.

Any chance of a Museum Hours post about him and his cleverness - on the appropriate thread, of course?

PS Is it Fussell, Fusell or Fuseli? I honestly don't know.

It's Fuseli (I'm on a mobile and can't see what I'm typing). Though I see my American spellchecker is still trying to change it to an ll. He's probably known as Henry Fuse the Second in Trumpland.

Fuseli added the horse almost as an afterthought when he realised he'd represented all the hills of Rome bar one, the Quirinal.

I don't like doing "Museum Hours" over there any more since I was called a know-all. I wonder did Sister Wendy get the same grief.

nordmann wrote:

I don't like doing "Museum Hours" over there any more since I was called a know-all.

Well, I never called you that.

But if you are on a mobile no one can expect a MH post. I'll just have to google Fuseli, but what site is going to give detailed info on the man's knowledge of art history as displayed in The Nightmare? Shame. Oh well.

nordmann wrote:

I wonder did Sister Wendy get the same grief.

I bet she got worse.