David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :
'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)
(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.
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A dozen old blotters arrived in the mail today, bought online from Cardboard Heroes. Beaut name, Cardboard Heroes.
The front of the package, with requisite stamps stickers and customs declaration, inclines towards the Merz of Schwitters.
This is the back of the package. The Silver frame defines a projection-space for heroes. An Arte Povera crown, fit for a cardboard king.
Inside, old blotters. Un-numbered pages from the Book of Blot; mirrored shadows for the Peoples of the Book.
In the Beginning was the Word.Then was the blot.
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something . . .
LOGOS/HA HA
