First impressions last, and Pliny the younger's letters are a sumptuous joy to read. Sincerely. Though I recall dimly two letters touched upon in A101 and A397, the rest are a sheer delight to behold, ingest and digest thoughtfully. What magnificent style, another Ovid, another Cicero, another enigma.
Besides enjoying Tacitus and Pliny to the superlative degree, I have been dwelling on two things, one happy, the other sad.
Rainbow Land: that scene in The Campaign where Cam' (Will Ferrell) Brady writes an imaginary fiction from the perspective of an eight year old boy, full of innocence and pure wonderment at the world, the stars and all things.
On the other hand, I am deeply saddened at the departure of Mnemosyne from the Hallowed Hall (The Unseen University). Like Peter's rock, the very foundation upon the ground made up of Classical syllogisms and aphorisms upon which I tread carefully is made up, of the careful guidance, the wording in layman's terms of what is essentially a jolly complicated situation, and like an eight-year old boy in Rainbow Land, taking his first few baby steps on a bicycle (stabilisers and all) was guided gently, carefully, down an otherwise rocky and uneven surface upon which to cycle. Dr. James, I shall miss dearly. Mnemosyne, a Muse, another wonder, an exquisite writer, a speaker whom speaks so clearly in received pronunciation that the lady makes the finest crystal look ruddy and besmirched. Paula, ever dearest Paula, I shall lament thee, sincerely.
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