Hugh, however, knows the magic password, so we were ushered through into the inner sanctum …
Reassuringly, this week's Private Eye was tucked away on a back shelf. I even found some books in there that I have on my own shelves, which was kinda cool.
Here are some of my colleagues looking at the ceiling. It's a beautiful room, made even more beautiful by being filled with books.
The glass art is gorgeous.
And there's even a carved timber phrase that the US of A would do well to read. Might is Shite.
Law reports actually make really interesting reading. One of my favourite winter books is a four volume set of 'Notable Historical Trials", which is simply the verbatim court proceedings from interesting cases dating from the trial of Socrates through to that of Oscar Wilde. Reading the actual words can be tremendously exciting (as well as utterly horrifying). It certainly hammers home the necessity of having an independent (take note again, America) Supreme Court to kick the Government into line when it gets too big for its boots.
Hope you enjoyed the little tour.
9 comments:
How lovely to see it all thank you, your sort of place…
Definitely my kind of place.
The place is stunning. It's fortunate that someone saw its possibilities and commissioned you all to bring it back to beautiful life. I am hoping that the work that takes place within its walls do honor to its beauty, as well as to the thoughts etched into the galss wood and stone.
One thing... do you think someone could have come up with the funds to have the paintings cleaned?
Daggonit! "...glass, wood, and stone."
Wow! Spectacular. I have never read Samuel Pepys, and I should gaive him a chance. Is he as entertaining as Johnson?
Speedway, the work that goes on there is a desperate and never-ending battle to stem the tide of greed and corruption that ifests the building across the square, where - not unlike the US - corporate lobbyists buy government policy against the interest of the people of this country.
Kate, Pepys is far more entertaining than Johnson. Get hold of the Latham and Matthews edition (I have it in eleven luscious leather volumes) rather than the classic Wheatley (again, I have the complete thing in a beautiful blue-bound 1904 edition), as the older edition leaves out - or glosses over - all the raunchy bits. Pepys was a bit of a lad, to put it mildly. Don't be tempted by the abridged, single volume desecrations; they're neither funny, naughty nor entertaining.
There are three classic diarists of that generation: Pepys, John Evelyn and the gloriously named Narcissus Luttrell. I have both versions of Pepys and a lovely 19th century four volume Evelyn, but unfortunately - apart from his rather dull parliamentary diary - Luttrell's writings are not available in print; though if you read Macauley's history of England from the Accession of James II (brilliant, witty and probably the best history book ever written) he had access to all the diaries and quotes from them at length (and amusingly).
I just read that back and realise I come across like a pompous fart, but as that's what I am I can't really argue with it.
But Dive, don't you think we should elect the rich and powerful? If we do, they'll share their wealth with us, won't they? It'll trickle down on us, like Reagan said. I mean, they haven't shared their trickle in the past--well, they've shared a different kind of trickle--but this time they'll share the wealth. They say they will. They care about the rest of us. You can't tell by their previous actions, but they promised.
The library is magnificent! What a treat to see it through your photos! The glass art is wonderful, too. I've never read Pepys nor any law reports. The "Notable Historical Trials" sounds fascinating. And you're right -- America does need to take note. But we colonists don't seem to learn much wisdom from history.
Petrea, you are absolutely right! Who better to look after all of our hard-earned wages than the rich? Their taking our money and spending it on themselves (as well as wisely hiding it in tax havens) stimulates growth in the Chinese luxury goods sector and eventually this might have an effect on me, even if it is only rich people pointing and laughing.
You have opened my cynical eyes to the beauty of capitalism.
As for trickle down: I expect to feel some of that once I'm old enough to become incontinent.
Ah, Ms.M: learning from history is a tricky thing to do. Poke a politician in the eye and the next time they see a sharp stick heading straight for their face they'll go "Oooh! A sharp stick; I must get a closer look."
Twas ever the case that those who yearn to govern are those least fit to do it.
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