In what might very loosely be considered a tribute to the continuing centenary of the Great War, I’ve been investigating a couple of examples of puzzling phraseology that have both been attributed to that era. First, that well-known American children’s song, “Do Your Ears Hang Low.” Some trace the lyrics back to soldiers’ songs of […]
Lettres
Wherein the Author reflects upon certain topical & personal issues of the Day.
The archive for “History”
The following lettres were filed in this category:
So You’ve Gone Back In Time
Posted upon the 31st of August, 2011
This piece originally appeared on Po’Boy. There comes a time in your life when – much as you’d love to avoid it – you just have to admit to yourself “Yep, I’ve gone back in time.†Now, ideally, all our time travelling would be prefaced with cybernetic learning implants, extensive briefings, and all the preparation […]
The Ossuarial Odium of Nicholas of Myra
Posted upon the 30th of December, 2010
Like a (SIMILE EXPUNGED), Christmas has come and gone, and I’m left slightly stunned by the usual madness, though not entirely without goodwill to all. One thing I have been wondering – and will probably wonder forever more – is why there’s so little attention to the legendry behind the holiday. There’s the standard children’s […]
Po’Boy and the Arcane Practices of History
Posted upon the 21st of November, 2010
My old chum Andrew has a new project which you really should see – a marvellous mag which goes by the name of Po’Boy! You can already read my debut article there – So You’ve Travelled Back In Time, a string of antique conchiolin deposits of wisdom for the cautious Connecticut Yankee. I thought I […]
Euchronia, and, The Interview In Full
Posted upon the 24th of October, 2010
Heigh ho, all! If you haven’t seen it already, I have some very good news for you! Euchronia – Melbourne’s steampunk ball par excellence, whose success in its 2008 run can only be described as ‘frabjous’ – returns this year, this time transforming The Substation Arts Centre, Newport (a hair’s breadth from Newport station, on […]
Hegel: An Analogy of Hegel
Posted upon the 12th of October, 2010
Georg Hegel is very likely the world’s best-known philosopher of history (though not, if I might be candid, the world’s best philosopher of history.) Of course, in some circles, Hegel is chiefly remembered for influencing Marx… and in others, Marx is chiefly remembered for deriving from Hegel. Academia is nothing if not delightfully inconsistent, no? […]
Dandies in the Underworld and Fops in the Clouds
Posted upon the 26th of September, 2010
Here’s a curious business! A couple of months ago, a writer – Ms Baran-Unland – dropped me a line, explaining that she was working on a novel with a nineteenth-century setting – Bryony, scheduled for publication for the turn of 2011 – and was interested, for research and for the entertainment of the readers of […]
The Public’s Peacocks, Part Two
Posted upon the 23rd of July, 2010
Today’s Public Peacock is the Presidential Model – a fop who rose so high, his rank had to rush to keep up with him. He changed the face of American politics like no head of state since Lincoln, and he did it his way, from his pince-nez to his riding-boots. He was a man of […]