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.


23 April 2010

drawthing lesson

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bLOGOS/HA HA notes with interest reports that a Catholic German bishop has resigned for hitting children.
Hamburg : German Catholic bishop, Walter Mixa, who has been accused of caning and punching teenaged orphans, has handed in his resignation under pressure from fellow bishops, a newspaper reported late Wednesday.
Deutsche Presse _ 21 April 2010
This article in today's Age :
German bishop resigns for hitting children
( click here )
In two days Australia observes Anzac Day : "Lest We Forget".

bL recalls, too. Four years in a Marist Brothers boarding college, with daily-bread canings and occasional bashings. The most memorable of these was also the most perverse.

9a.m. : our class is told to sit straight and face the front as a white-with-rage 'brother' sets about bashing one of our number. He has just overheard this student's low demur of "Oooooh" as the Loud Speaker announced throughout this Month of the Blessed Virgin we will commence each day's lessons with a saying of the rosary. The punched, kicked and bloodied offender is then sent away ~ "Now get out!" ~ as we remain to pray.

Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
[Repeat]

This 1968 POW genre drawthing was made in the final months at that place. ("You'll be in trouble if they find it.")

detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something ...

LOGOS/HA HA