In honor of the (observed) birthday boy. It's still the 23rd over here.

Sonnet 78
William ShakespeareSo oft have I invoked thee for my muse ( Read more... )

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One ever hangs where shelled roads part ( Read more... )

In honor of the presumptive birthday boy, of course. :)

Sonnet 21
William ShakespeareSo is it not with me as with that Muse ( Read more... )

The Convergence of the Twain
Thomas Hardy

(Lines on the loss of the "Titanic")I ( Read more... )

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I have been considering doing one of those "what were you doing every year of the decade" memes, although they would mostly consist of "another year of grad school; panicked a lot; did not finish dissertation." A lot of people, even people my age, have remarked that ten years ago they'd have been partying on NYE, but not me, because I was an even ( Read more... )

A Christmas Ghost-Story
Thomas HardySouth of the Line, inland from far Durban ( Read more... )

Today, as eny fule no, is the feast of Sts. Crispin and Crispianus, and that, as Shakespeare has reminded us in unforgettable manner, is the anniversary of the battle of Agincourt. So here, for your instruction and delight, is Olivier performing That Speech:

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Those of you who dislike Olivier can go over to sadcypress and watch Kenneth Branagh's version ( ( Read more... )

It was about this time that a memorable Dumb Crammer and one of Henry VIII's wives called Fatimer, who had survived him, got burnt alive at Oxford, while trying to light a candle in the Martyr's memorial there: it was a new candle which they had invented and which they said could never be put out.

So tomorrow is my birthday. I share it with Ben Jonson, Ye Malum Matrem-Facior, which is cool, a remark I feel I can make here although people elsewhere laugh at me for using "Ben Jonson" and "cool" in the same sentence. Hell with them! Ben WAS cool. He pistolwhipped John Marston with MARSTON'S OWN PISTOL. Which he bought FOR PROTECTION FROM BEN. ( Read more... )