The Antiquary...

by ~e

Yes. The Antiquary. That is the book I am currently wading through. Wait, don't get me wrong. I love to read, and if you don't find me talking to my friends, doing school or helping my dear mummy around the house, I'll probably be curled up on my bed in my beautiful bedroom that my papa has made for me, reading one of my faves.

Walter Scott's writing is particularly wordy, and although very astounding and brilliant, it is somewhat breathtaking and can be a somewhat daunting task. (Especially if you have to read 15 chapters per week. AAAAHHHH!!!!) However, if I can make myself concentrate and if I try to enjoy the style of writing for what it is, I've found that the plot line is very enjoyable and thrilling.

One of the main characters is Jonathan Oldbuck of Monkbairns. He's the character that Sir Scott describes as the Antiquary, who, because of his own personal disappointments, has taken refuge in the obsessive study of miscellaneous history. He has a curiously passionate love for books and this is very evident in his speech.
Speech? Did someone say speech? Did I also mention that the dialect that Sir Walter Scott uses is completely Scottish? Did I mention that I happen to love the Scottish accent and jargon?
Well, now you know...
Back to Mr. Oldbuck, his bookishness is very prominent throughout and some very good quotes about books are found within the pages because of it.

And so I'll leave you with my favorite quote... (so far)

'For he would rather have, at his bed-head,
A twenty books, clothed in black or red,
Of Aristotle, or his philosophy, (ok, maybe not Aristotle, but you get the general idea.)
Than robes rich, rebeck, or saltery.' - Quoted from the Canterbury Tales


With ~e's permish, I am ammending her post, instead of topping it with a new one, to say how well timed it is, as we are hoping to make our annual trek this coming Saturday to the Clanjamfry --- Memphis' annual Scottish festival. It's not on the grand scale of the one the Beehive attends in Texas every June, but it is great fun nonetheless. Last year the Beehive joined us on the beautiful, ivy league grounds of old Evergreen Presbyterian Church, near Rhodes College, for a full day of tartans, bagpipes, and kilt swishing. (The Wolf River Pipe Band Pipe Major is just too dashing!) They've got the sheepdogs, the traditional Scottish games, the food, the music, the displays of pipes and swords and geneologys galore.

So. We'll don our status as honorary scots (thoroughly welsh, at least, so we feel entitled), go watch the games, enjoy the celtic bands and the dancers, (buy some jewelry), and who knows, we may even eat some haggis in honor of Great Scot.

~rachel tsunami