Shackled to deadlines or deep in the stacks, The patron of editors, writers and hacks, And all the good work that their labour entails, Is the Genovese bishop, Saint Francis de Sales. Convivial, mystical, pious and skint, God’s love was the liquor he poured into print; In the Great Reformation he did rather much (While [...]
This is not a trick question. Britain is of course comprised of four ancient kingdoms united since 1707; Wales, Scotland, England and (now Northern) Ireland. But in a far more meaningful and dangerous sense it contains only three and America may suffer from the same problem. Bear with me, please, for gay marriage is only [...]
Much of Britain’s literary heritage may be found in America, from the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C, to the manuscripts and letters of famous authors housed in wealthy universities from coast to coast. Not so for G. K. Chesterton’s own collection of his books and periodicals, and personal effects down to his hat, pince-nez [...]
Hillsdale College’s Professor of History Emeritus, Dr. John Willson, recounted briefly the scandal that befell Emory University historian Michael A. Bellesiles a decade ago. The latter wrote a book claiming that gun-ownership in Early America was greatly exaggerated and the U.S. “gun culture” only arose after the Civil War. But other historians found whopping errors that [...]
Odd though it sounds, a crisis faced by Thai monks, experiments on London cabbies, and a beautiful Russian-émigré scholar on Sherlock Holmes tell us what not to expect from the modern world, but show how we can become more effectively imaginative conservatives nevertheless. Put together, these three truths may suggest something of a personal agenda, [...]
A saint, Romain, cut off our father’s head And nailed it on a Rouen church, they said, For he was evil (so the saint did swear; I would not know, I simply was not there). For fifteen hundred years thereafter we Are banished from all churches, the Gargouilles Or gargoyles; made of unforgiving stone, Condemned [...]
Plenty of Christmas gifts have been suggested by our imaginative contributors for imaginative conservatives; some affordable, some posh, but always appropriate. But what do we give to our Leftist friends, assuming that we have any? One should not suggest anything that mocks their obvious deficiencies, even if those are self-induced; after all, Christmas gifts ought [...]
The world is supposed to end this Friday (or possibly on Sunday, or not any time soon) coinciding with the expiration of the Mayan “Long Count” calendar, which at 5,125 years-old survived considerably longer than did the Mayan civilisation. (Don’t smirk: your local Wal-Mart sells processed cheese slices that may outlast Western Civilisation by a [...]
Eric Christiansen in The Spectator had some interesting things to say in a review of The Missing Ink: The Lost Art of Handwriting (and why it still matters) by Philip Hensher. Enjoy "...something can be done to prepare children for writing beforehand. For example, if you live near a common, poultry market or farm, get them to collect goose feathers. [...]
Are you growing hysterical, buying Christmas presents that you cannot afford in hope of rescuing the economy? (Okay, we didn’t think so). A merry and clever Yuletide video makes the economic point for savings versus Quantitative Easing on a family and national scale, from the creative people who brought us the Keynes and Hayek rap [...]
According to J. R. R. Tolkien’s son, Christopher, Hugo Dyson (1896-1975) had quite enough, thank you, even though the lesser-known Oxford don was considered the most fun-loving of the Inklings. As another newly-written passage of The Lord of the Rings was read aloud by its author, Dyson was "lying on the couch, and lolling and shouting and saying, [...]
Christmas Spirit aside, there is (guilty) pleasure in offending the Enemies of The Permanent Things. Raise their blood-pressure by giving our kindred souls—or sporting yourself—a monocle, gray spats, a natty walking stick or a pocket-watch and chain. If that’s too daunting, start with a paisley cravat. Imaginative Conservative ladies may irritate the neo-barbarians by going to and from church or [...]
Like all great nations through history, America borrows freely, adopting and adapting. Her Pilgrim Fathers included parlous few, say, Jews or Italians or Africans, yet look at how they later added to American culture and her living traditions. When America borrows some aspect of another culture she often gains a perspective of something that [...]
Patricia Christine Jellicoe Christmastime is fast upon us, and for many Americans it is an opportunity for spirituality and merriment, family, tradition and fret. Especially fret. No sooner have Black Friday and Cyber Monday unleashed their discounts, no sooner have what John Willson calls the “walmartians” beamed down to smite one another over [...]