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“It’s a terribly difficult piece to stage. It’s all over the place. Part horror, part comedy, part medieval morality play, part Hamlet.” P177. Same could be said about this story. It’s the most plot rich I’ve ever read by him.

It was supposed that the working classes were in favour of Melmotte, partly from their love of a man who spends a great deal of money, partly from the belief that he was being ill-used - partly, no doubt, from that occult sympathy which Is felt for crime, when the crime committed is injurious to the upper classes.

(So much could be said of trump today!)

P250. If a thing can be made great and beneficent, a boon to humanity, simply by creating a belief in it, does not a man become a benefactor to his face by creating that belief?
At the expense of veracity? suggested Mr. Booker.
At the expense of anything? rejoined Lady Carbury with energy. One cannot measure such men by the ordinary rule.
You would do evil to produce good?

‘Such a man rises above honesty,” said Mrs. Hurtle,’ asa great general rises above humanity when he sacrifices an army to conquer a nation. Such greatness is incompatible with small scruples. A pigmy man is stopped by a little ditch, but a giant stalks over the rivers. ‘
Continues pp220-221 - this is trump….

“Ah I have heard of him. He is a great man-a Frenchman- is he not?…you know him of course?”
‘Yes I know him. I see him once a week. ‘
‘I would sooner see that man than your Queen, or any of your dukes or lords. They tell me that he holds the world of commerce in his right hand. What power-what grandeur!’
‘Grand enough,’ said Paul, ‘if it all came honestly. ‘

Maybe the humans are that very element of chaos that keeps the world alive. Or maybe we really can do without them. I don’t know if there’s anything more you can teach us. My feeling is you’re keeping information from us. What do you expect? The negotiations have completely broken down.

If you are not one of my descendants then all I ask of you is that you live the country as I do, and when you come into a room, discreetly observe its pictures and its furnishings, and sympathise with painters and craftsmen.

She took a natural delight in beauty and order. This is one of the finest gifts which a human being can possess; next to the gift of faith, it bestows more joy on its possessor than any other. Sophia accepted the existence of vice without a feeling of horror, but it bored and annoyed her because it usually upset order and spoiled beauty.

Sense and Sensibility for the terminally opaque.
Much like the Critique, you have to read the book to get the joke.

Abandoned. Beautiful writing but not for me.

Embarking on my second book by Alexandra Harris who has such insight into English art and literature and psyche and a comfortable way of expressing it. Her use of quotes and selection of illustrations I spires. Can't wait to get started.

"I'm a feminist but when I was choosing a new headshot I asked my husband, 'Does this photo of me look a bit "Dove campaign for for real beauty"?' And he said,'No, darling, you look lovely,' and I thought,'Well, that campaign's failed.' "

Loved the podcast so can't wait to read the book.

Abandoning for now, but I'm still interested in his viewpoint on values as so will press on. Otherwise these are slightly one-sided arguments that wander on from aspect to aspect. Not the tight, dense, logical style of Rowan Williiams which I prefer.

Ooooh- lefty trendy vicar stuff! (Sadly not my words - lol) Just started - can't wait.

And now for something completely different...

Fitzcarraldo publishers publish fantastic finds, this being one of them lately acquired at Blackwells in Oxford. If you like Angela Carter or Margaret Astwood, maybe even Meg Wolf, this one is for you.

Because it's time for a good story about a journey.
Because the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby's new book examining British values compares Remainers and Brexiters to taking a journey with either Marvin the Paranoid Android (Hitchhiker's Guide) or Dr. Pangloss (Candide), respectively.
Because who can resist a Ship of Fools style travel narrative with a guy called Melchior Sternfels von Fuchshaim?

Reading beautifully. This is going great to be a great Christmas ....