Shakespeare, and my day
Memery: Post a quotation from Shakespeare:
Heaven doth with us as we with torches do,
Not light them for themselves; for if our virtues
Did not go forth of us, 'twere all alike
As if we had them not.
Measure for Measure Act 1 Scene 1
Spent a fairly interesting day at the Annual Symposium of Learned Society With Which I Am Associated (for work rather than personal intellectual reasons), held at the Royal Institution in Albemarle St (just off Piccadilly). It was moderately stimulating in the way that something off one's normal beaten track, but not too arcanely specialised, can be. I particularly enjoyed the paper on someone's research with 'gifted' children (apparently the reason why 'gifted' children are often thought to be emotionally and socially troubled by the burden of their exceptional talents is that the label is often applied to bright but troublesome children... equally bright and talented children who are not so labelled are perfectly well-adjusted. Good on the role of chance, personality, background, supportive parents/teachers, in whether promise ever results in achievement). Also quite liked the one about the discovery of the records of 2 massive (all schoolchildren aged 11 in the years in question) mental testing projects in Scotland and the work that has been enabled with this baseline of information. (High IQ turns out to correlate quite strongly with healthy longevity. Among other interesting statistics.)
Managed to glance into the Faraday Museum in the basement during the tea-break.
However, what most pleased me about the day was that this occasion took me within easy walking distance of Fortnum and Mason, where the bathroom dept sells a bath oil I particularly like, and the lunch period was long enough for me to go out and get some. And also Bronnley Lemon Soap!! - I haven't seen this anywhere for ages and ages. Bliss.