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Walter Scott
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Sir Walter Scott, Bart. (August 14, 1771 - September 21, 1832) was a prolific Scottish historical novelist and poet popular throughout Europe. In some ways he was the first author to have a truly international career in his lifetime, with many contemporary readers all over Great Britain, Ireland, Europe, Australia, and North America. He is sometimes known as the "Great Magician."

His novels and poetry are still read, but with nothing like the popularity he once enjoyed. But many of his works remain in current lists of classical works in English literature. Famous titles include Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, Lady of the Lake and Talisman.



Early days

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1771, the son of a Scottish solicitor of limited means, the young Walter Scott survived a childhood bout of polio that would leave him lame in his right leg for the rest of his life. To restore his health he was sent to live for some years in the rural Scottish Borders district with his grandparents. Here he learned the speech patterns and many of the tales and legends which characterized much of his work. Also, for his health, he spent a year in Bath, England.

He also learned by heart James Macpherson's Ossian poems, which it was claimed at the time were translations dating back to the Dark Ages, but later discredited when this was found to be untrue.

After studying law at Edinburgh University, he followed in his father's footsteps and became a lawyer in his native Scotland. After an unsuccessful love affair with Williamina Belsches of Fettercairn - she married Sir William Forbes - Scott married in 1797 Margaret Charlotte Charpentier (or Charpenter), daughter of Jean Charpentier of Lyon in France. They had five children. In 1799 he was appointed sheriff depute of the county of Selkirk.

In his earlier married days, Scott had a decent living from the monies he earned at the law, his salary as deputy sheriff, his wife's income, some revenue from his writing, and his share of his father's rather meagre estate.

Literary career launched

Beginning at age 25 he started dabbling in writing, first translating works from German then moving on to poetry. In between these two phases of his literary career, he published a three-volume set of collected Scottish ballads, The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. This was the first sign of his interest in Scotland and history from a literary standpoint.

After Scott had founded a printing press, his poetry, beginning with The Lay of the Last Minstrel in 1805, brought him fame. He published a number of other poems over the next ten years, including in 1810 the popular Lady of the Lake set in the Trossachs, portions of which (translated into German) were set to music by Franz Schubert. One of these songs, Ellens dritter Gesang, is popularly called "Schubert's Ave Maria".

Another work from this time period, Marmion, produced some of his most quoted (and most often mis-attributed) lines. Canto VI. Stanza 17 reads:

Yet Clare's sharp questions must I shun,
Must separate Constance from the nun
Oh! what a tangled web we weave
When first we practise to deceive!
A Palmer too! No wonder why
I felt rebuked beneath his eye;



The novels

When the press became embroiled in pecuniary difficulties, Scott set out, in 1814, to write a cash-cow. The result was Waverley, a novel which did not name its author. It was a tale of the last Jacobite rebellion in the United Kingdom, the "Forty-Five", and the novel met with considerable success. There followed a large set of novels in next five years, each the same general vein. Mindful of his reputation as a poet, he maintained the anonymous habit he had begun with Waverley, always publishing the novels under the name "Author of Waverley" or attributed as "Tales of..." with no author. Even when it was clear that there would be no harm in coming out into the open he maintained the façade, apparently out of a sense of fun. During this time the nickname "The Wizard of the North" was popularly applied to the mysterious best-selling writer. His identity as the author of the novels was widely rumoured, and in 1815 Scott was given the honour of dining with George, Prince Regent, who wanted to meet "the author of Waverley".


In 1820 he broke away from writing about Scotland with Ivanhoe, a historical romance set in 12th-century England. It too was a runaway success and, as he did with his first novel, he unleashed a slew of books along the same lines. As his fame grew during this phase of his career, he was granted the title of baronet, becoming Sir Walter Scott. At this time he organised the visit of King George IV to Scotland, and when the King visited Edinburgh in 1822 the spectacular pageantry Scott had concocted to portray George as a rather tubby reincarnation of Bonnie Prince Charlie made tartans and kilts fashionable and turned them into symbols of national identity.


Financial woes

Beginning in 1825 he went into dire financial straits again, as his company nearly collapsed. That he was the author of his novels became general knowledge at this time as well. Rather than declare bankruptcy he placed his home, Abbotsford House, and income into a trust belonging to his creditors, and proceeded to write his way out of debt. He kept up his prodigious output of fiction (as well as producing a non-fiction biography of Napoleon Bonaparte) until 1831. By then his health was failing, and he died at Abbotsford in 1832. Though not in the clear by then, his novels continued to sell, and he made good his debts from beyond the grave. He was buried in Dryburgh Abbey where nearby, fittingly, a large statue can be found of William Wallace?-one of Scotland's most romantic historical figures.


Assessment

Scott was responsible for two major trends that carry on to this day. First, he popularized the historical novel; an enormous number of imitators (and imitators of imitators) would appear in the 19th century. It is a measure of Scott's influence that Edinburgh's central railway station, opened in 1854, is called Waverley Station. Second, his Scottish novels rehabilitated Highland culture after years in the shadows following the Jacobite rebellions. It is worth noting, however, that Scott was a Lowland Scot, and that his re-creations of the Highlands were more than a little fanciful. It is known that he invented many clan tartans out of whole cloth, so to speak, for the visit by George IV to Scotland in 1822. Nevertheless, even though he is less popular in these days, the echoes of Waverley and its sequels reverberate still.

Scott was also responsible, through a series of pseudonymous letters published in the Edinburgh Weekly News in 1826, for retaining the right of Scottish banks to issue their own banknotes, which is reflected to this day by his continued appearance on the front of all notes issued by the Bank of Scotland.

Many of his works have been illustrated by his friend, William Allan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Walter_Scott

News in England for today - the sort of thing our journos think worthy of note:
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain ordered an inquiry on Sunday into how an undercover reporter with a tabloid newspaper got a job at the military academy where the Queen's grandson Prince Harry was studying.

The News of the World newspaper said its reporter had got a job at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst despite giving false references and not being qualified for the job.

The report follows another security blunder in June, when a reporter for the Sun newspaper entered the academy carrying a dummy bomb.

On that occasion, Defence Secretary John Reid said he had demanded an immediate investigation into this "serious security breach" and ordered Sandhurst to improve their security.

Francis, mon ami. Now how could you be listening to that song at the same time as me. You're much too far away to hear my player.

Potty-mouthed? New English words are just lush

Thu Aug 11

LONDON (Reuters) - Do chuggers bother you when you want to rock up to a restaurant with your cockapoo to hoover a supersized ruby murray?

Confused? Then you need to refer to the new Oxford Dictionary of English to understand a host of new words that appear for the first time in its latest edition.

Among the new entries are "potty-mouthed" (meaning using or characterized by bad language), "lush" (very good) and "scopophilia" (sexual pleasure derived chiefly from watching others when they are naked or engaged in sexual activity).

Some words, such as "demographic" (a particular sector of a population) have become commonplace but only now make it into the dictionary.

They are joined by those emerging from new technology like "phishing" (fraudulently sending emails purporting to be from reputable firms to get individuals to reveal personal details).

Many of the new words are simply formed by mixing two others together, such as charity and mugger making "chugger" (someone who approaches passers-by in the street asking for donations for a charity) and "labradoodle" (a cross between a Labrador retriever and a poodle).

"To suit the pace of our lifestyle today there is a growing tendency to mix words together to make entirely new ones called blends," the dictionary researchers said.

They also said there were now 350 ways of insulting someone -- from "chucklehead" to "muppet" -- ten times more than there were complimentary expressions, while there were 50 words for good-looking women, there were only about 20 for men.

And for those without a dictionary to hand, "rock up" means arrive, "cockapoo" is a mix between a cocker spaniel dog and a poodle, "hoover" means to eat something quickly, and "ruby murray" is rhyming slang for a curry.

Good morning, Bob. If I'm not mistaken, Cats was adapted from T.S. Eliot's book of verse for children. Who would ever have believed, listeners, that Thomas Sterns would have written something like that.

Thanks for the bio, Boston. and indeed it is serendipitous that Francis was listening to that song as you played it for our listeners. Ah, me, even the OED has succumbed to such language. <smile>

Clary, thank you for that news update about Prince Harry. Security breaches are everywhere it seems.

I am certain, folks, that our Raggedy will be along in a bit to give us the celeb updates and in my little section it seems that a member of the old Chicago group is having a birthday today, so let's hear a song from them:



Chicago - Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is Lyrics
As I was walking down the street one day
A man came up to me and asked me what the time was that was
on my watch, yeah
And I said
Does anybody really know what time it is
I don't
Does anybody really care
care
If so I can't imagine why
about time
We've all got time enough to cry
Oh no, no


And I was walking down the street one day
A pretty lady looked at me and said her diamond watch had
stopped cold, yeah
And I said
Does anybody really know what time it is
I don't
Does anybody really care
care
If so I can't imagine why
about time
We've all got time enough to cry
Oh no, no


And I was walking down the street one day
Being pushed and shoved by people trying to beat the clock,
oh no, I just don't know,
I just don't know
And I said, yes I said


Background Vocal:
People runnin' everywhere
Don't know the way to go
Don't know where I am
Can't see past the next step
Don't have to think past the last mile
Have no time to look around
Just run around, run around and think why


Does anybody really know what time it is
I don't
Does anybody really care
care
If so I can't imagine why
about time
We've all got time enough to die
Oh no, no

and, listeners. McTag will appreciate Sir Walter Scott, I'm certain.

Incidentally, there is a group called The Serendipity Singers, and here is a funny song by them that reminds parents not to give their kids ideas:

The Serendipity singers - Beans in my ears

My mommy said not to put beans in my ears
Beans in my ears, beans in my ears
My mommy said not to put beans in my ears
Beans in my ears

Now why would I want to put beans in my ears
Beans in my ears, beans in my ears
Now why would I want to put beans in my ears
Beans in my ears

You can't hear the teacher with beans in your ears,
Beans in your ears, beans in your ears
You can't hear the teacher with beans in your ears,
Beans in your ears

What's that you say, let's put beans in our ears
Beans in our ears, beans in our ears
What's that you say, let's put beans in our ears
Beans in our ears

You'll have to speak up I got beans in my ears
Beans in my ears, beans in my ears
You'll have to speak up I got beans in my ears
Beans in her ears

Say mommy we've gone and put beans in our ears
Beans in our ears, beans in our ears
Say mommy we've gone and put beans in our ears
Beans in our ears

That's nice boys just don't put those beans in your ears
Beans in our ears, beans in our ears
That's nice boys just don't put those beans in your ears
Beans in our ears

I think that all grown ups have beans in their ears
Beans in their ears, beans in their ears
I think that all grown ups have beans in their ears
Beans in their ears

Love it!

Not only McTag will appreciate Sir Walter Scott, I'm as well most thankfull about the mentioning of my brother-in-name on this programme! :wink:

That's terribly clever, Walter.

Of course we all know Scott's beloved poem:

Breathes There the Man... From the Lay of the Last Minstrel
by Sir Walter Scott

Canto Sixth

I

Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
"This is my own, my native land!"
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned,
As home his footsteps he hath turned,
From wandering on a foreign strand!
If such there breathe, go, mark him well;
For him no Minstrel raptures swell;
High though his titles, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim;
Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentred all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonoured, and unsung.

I read Man Without a Country when I was a wee thing, and I will always be reminded of that canto.

Lost In A Lost World

I woke up today, I was crying,
Lost in a lost world,
'Cos so many people are dying,
Lost in a lost world.
Some of them are living an illusion
Bounded by the darkness of their minds,
In their eyes it's nation against nation,
With racial pride, sad hearts they hide,
Thinking only of themselves,
They shun the light,
They think they're right
Living in the empty shells.

Oh, can you see their world is crashing?
Crashing down around their feet
And angry people in the street
Are telling them they've had their fill
Of politics that wound and kill.
Grow, the seeds of evolution.
Revolution never won,
It's just another form of gun
To do again what they have done
With all our brothers' youngest sons.

Everywhere you go you'll feel them searching,
Everywhere you turn you'll feel the pain,
Everyone is looking for the answer,
We'll look again, come on my friend,
Love will find them in the end.
Come on, my friend, we've got to bend
On our knees and say a prayer.

Oh, can you feel the world is pining?
Pining for someone who really cares
Enough to share his love
With all of us, so we can be
An ever-loving family.
Have you forgotten we're all children?
Children from a family tree
That's longer than a centipede
And started long ago
When you and I were only love.

I woke up today, I was crying,
Lost in a lost world,
'Cos so many people are dying,
Lost in a lost world.


Mike Pinder
The Moody Blues

Highway 61 Revisited

Oh God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"
Abe says, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"
God say, "No." Abe say, "What?"
God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but
The next time you see me comin' you better run"
Well Abe says, "Where do you want this killin' done?"
God says, "Out on Highway 61."

Well Georgia Sam he had a bloody nose
Welfare Department they wouldn't give him no clothes
He asked poor Howard where can I go
Howard said there's only one place I know
Sam said tell me quick man I got to run
Ol' Howard just pointed with his gun
And said that way down on Highway 61.

Well Mack the Finger said to Louie the King
I got forty red white and blue shoe strings
And a thousand telephones that don't ring
Do you know where I can get rid of these things
And Louie the King said let me think for a minute son
And he said yes I think it can be easily done
Just take everything down to Highway 61.

Now the fifth daughter on the twelfth night
Told the first father that things weren't right
My complexion she said is much too white
He said come here and step into the light he says hmm you're right
Let me tell the second mother this has been done
But the second mother was with the seventh son
And they were both out on Highway 61.

Now the rovin' gambler he was very bored
He was tryin' to create a next world war
He found a promoter who nearly fell off the floor
He said I never engaged in this kind of thing before
But yes I think it can be very easily done
We'll just put some bleachers out in the sun
And have it on Highway 61.

Good day to all. Hope it's a lovely one.

Just wondering who was singing "Memory" when Bob and Francis were listening. I love Betty Buckley's (original cast member of Cats) version.

August 14 birthdays:

1473 - Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury, daughter of George, Duke of Clarence
1625 - François de Harlay de Champvallon, Archbishop of Paris (d. 1695)
1642 - Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (d. 1723)
1653 - Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle, English statesman (d. 1688)
1688 - Frederick William I of Prussia (d. 1740)
1740 - Pope Pius VII (d. 1823)
1771 - Sir Walter Scott, Scottish historical novelist and poet (d. 1832)
1840 - Richard von Krafft-Ebing, German psychologist (d. 1902)
1851 - Doc Holliday, American gambler and gunfighter (d. 1887)
1861 - Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress (d. 1955)
1863 - Ernest Thayer, American poet (d. 1940)
1870 - John Galsworthy, English author (d. 1933)
1882 - Gisela Richter, art historian (d. 1972)
1910 - Pierre Schaeffer, composer (d. 1955)
1911 - Shri Vethathiri Maharishi, founder of World Community Service Center
1920 - Nehemiah Persoff, actor
1925 - Russell Baker, columnist
1926 - René Goscinny, French comic-strip author (d. 1977)
1926 - Lina Wertmüller, director
1930 - Earl Weaver, Baseball Hall of Fame manager
1935 - John Brodie, football player
1940 - Dash Crofts, musician
1941 - David Crosby, guitarist, songwriter
1943 - Jimmy Johnson, American football player and broadcaster
1945 - Steve Martin, comedian and actor
1945 - Wim Wenders, director
1946 - Antonio Fargas, actor
1946 - Susan Saint James, actress
1947 - Danielle Steel, novelist
1950 - Gary Larson, cartoonist
1950 - Bob Backlund, professional wrestler
1952 - Carl Lumbly, actor
1952 - Debbie Meyer, swimmer
1953 - James Horner, Academy Award-winning composer
1954 - Mark Fidrych, baseball player
1956 - Rusty Wallace, American race car driver
1959 - Marcia Gay Harden, Academy Award-winning actress
1959 - Earvin "Magic" Johnson, basketball player
1960 - Sarah Brightman, singer
1961 - Susan Olsen, actress
1964 - Brannon Braga, writer, director
1965 - Emmanuelle Béart, actress
1966 - Halle Berry, Academy Award-winning actress
1973 - Rana Faheem Aslam, Pakistani journalist
1976 - Alex Albrecht, co-host of The Screen Savers
1977 - Juan Pierre, baseball player
1977 - Philip Stamper, pro wrestler, actor
1983 - Mila Kunis, television actress
1983 - Elena Baltacha, Ukrainian-born, British tennis player
1986 - Terin Humphrey, United States Olympic gymnast in 2004

Rex, Thanks for that Moody Blues song. It's ties in nicely with Walter's coat of arms.<smile> Yes, my friend, many of us are lost in a lost world

edgar, That was a fantastic song. Thanks, Texas.

Here's an interesting item, listeners:



Top three best driving tunes:
--"They Can't Take That Away From Me," by Frank Sinatra
--"Don't Cha Wanna Ride," by Joss Stone
--"Canon in D," by Pachelbel
Three tunes to avoid while driving:
"Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1," by Edward Elgar
"Firestarter," by Prodigy
"Kim," by Eminem

I would think that Eminem would be an artist? to avoid, period.

Raggedy, thanks so much for once again keeping us up to date on our celebs:

I have a confession to make, listeners. I really never cared for Steve Martin until I saw him in a movie that was designed to be a modern version of Silas Marner.

Who among our listeners can name that movie?

Well, I have stuff to do, folks. Please carry on and see if anyone can alert Yitwail that we are on the air. <smile>

Antonio Fargas


The status of Antonio Fargas is legendary. Since his initiation into the world of film at the age of fourteen, when his exceptional interpretative skills led to a role in Shirley Clark's 'Cool World', he has been noted for the unforgettable characters he creates, most famously through his role as the incorrigible and loveable 'Huggy Bear' in TV's 'Starsky & Hutch'.

Whether perfecting outrageously comedic characters as in Robert Downey's 'Putney Swope' and Keenan Ivory Wayan's 'I'm Going to Git You Sucka', or chilling the audience through a convincing rendition of a ninety year old witchdoctor, as in the Broadway play, 'The Great White Hope', Antonio's performances have generated a near endless array of enthusiastic acclaim from some of the industry's most respected critics of film, television and stage.

The end of summer is in sight so let's look forward to what lies ahead.

COLD WEATHER--Degrees & Activity:
60 Californians put on sweaters (if they can find one).
50 Miami residents turn on the heat.
45 Vermont residents go to outdoor concerts.
40 You can see your breath.
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
Minnesotans go swimming.
35 Italian cars don't start.
32 Water freezes.
30 You plan your vacation to Australia.
25 Ohio water freezes.
Californians weep pitiably.
Minnesotans eat ice cream.
Canadians go swimming.
20 Politicians begin to talk about the homeless.
New York City water freezes.
Miami residents plan vacation further South.
15 French cars don't start.
Cat insists on sleeping in your bed with you.
10 You need jumper cables to get the car going.
5 American cars don't start.
0 Alaskans put on T-shirts.
-10 German cars don't start.
Eyes freeze shut when you blink.
-15 You can cut your breath and use it to build an igloo.
Arkansans stick tongue on metal objects.
Miami residents cease to exist.
-20 Cat insists on sleeping in pajamas with you.
Politicians actually do something about the homeless.
Minnesotans shovel snow off roof.
Japanese cars don't start.
-25 Too cold to think.
You need jumper cables to get the driver going.
-30 You plan a two week hot bath.
Swedish cars don't start.
-40 Californians disappear.
Minnesotans button top button.
Canadians put on sweaters.
Your car helps you plan your trip South.
-50 Congressional hot air freezes.
Alaskans close the bathroom window.
-80 Hell freezes over.
Polar bears move South.
Viking Fans order hot cocoa at the game.
-90 Lawyers put their hands in their own pockets.

Ship of Fools

We're setting sail to a place on the map
From which no-one has ever returned
Drawn by the promise of the joker and the fool
By the light of the crosses that burned
Drawn by the promise of the women and lace
And the gold and the cotton and pearls
It's the place where they keep all the darkness you need
You sail away from the light of the world on this trip, baby

You will pay tomorrow
You're gonna pay tomorrow
You're gonna pay tomorrow

Oh, save me, save me from tomorrow
I don't want to sail with this Ship of Fools, no, no
Oh, you've got to save me, save me from tomorrow
I don't want to sail with this Ship of Fools
I want to run and hide
Right now

Avarice and greed are gonna drive you over the endless sea
They will leave you drifting in the shallows
Drowning in the oceans of history
Traveling the world, you're in search of no good
But I'm sure you'll build your Sodom like you knew you would
Using all the good people for your galley slaves
As your little boat struggles through the warning waves
But you don't pay

You will pay tomorrow
You're gonna pay tomorrow
You're gonna pay tomorrow

Oh, save me, save me from tomorrow
I don't want to sail with this Ship of Fools
Oh, you've got to save me, save me from tomorrow
I don't want to sail with no Ship of Fools

Oh, where's it coming from
Where's it going now
It's just a, it's just a Ship of Fools

Lyrics By
World Party

I Pity the Poor Immigrant

I pity the poor immigrant
Who wishes he would have stayed home
Who uses all his power to do evil
But in the end is always let so alone
That man whom with his fingers cheats
And who lies with every breath
Who passionately hates his life
And likewise fears his death.

I pity the poor immigrant
Whose strength is spent in vain
Whose heaven is like ironsides
Whose tears are like rain
Who eats but is not satisfied
Who hears but does not see
Who falls in love with wealth itself
And turns his back on me.

I pity the poor immigrant
Who tramples through the mud
Who fills his mouth with laughing
And who builds his town with blood
Whose visions in the final end
Must shatter like the glass
I pity the poor immigrant
When his gladness comes to pass.

I love it when Joan Baez sings "I Pity The Poor Immigrant..."

Did Dylan write that?

Correct, music and lyrics by Robert Allen Zimmerman.

thx