Reply-to: trollope-l@onelist.com
Subject: [trollope-l] Ellen on the Epistolary Trollope
From: "Howard Merkin" List members in North America will not be surprised to hear that Ellen's
talk on the epistolary Trollope was received at the Trollope Society AGM
yesterday with great acclaim and appreciation. I shall not attempt to
summarise it, since I am sure that Ellen will post it partly or wholly on
her web site when she gets home, and it will in any event be available in
the issue of Trollopiana which gives details of the AGM.
The majority of people at the meeting were not involved in the internet, and
had frankly never heard of Ellen before. Nevertheless they followed with
fascination her outline of the three ways in which Trollope used letters in
his novels, and were most impressed with her erudition and clarity of
thought. I also greatly enjoyed the opportunity of meeting her and having a
few brief words after the meeting.
Howard
Reply-to: trollope-l@onelist.com From: RansomT@aol.com
I second Howard Merkins comments on Ellen's talk. It was a most interesting
evening and the talk was packed with fascinating insights on Trollope and his
letters. I also very much enjoyed meeting up with some of the names on the
list, and I wish I had been able to meet more. It is so unexpected when you
come face to face with someone who has become familiar through the modern
equivalent of letters, and yet have only known them until then through their
thoughts and opinions. It takes away the external stereotyping of people.
Very interesting. I wonder if others there found the same?
It was a great evening and I can't wait to read Ellen's book.
Teresa Ransom
Subject: Re: [trollope-l] Ellen on the Epistolary Trollope
From: Lmatlantic@aol.com
Thank you Howard-I'd like to hear more about it. I have been in previous
years (alack- could not get away so close to Thanksgiving). Were there many
questions? Did you meet fellow List members? Were there a good number of
Americans?
Etc. Etc.
Laurie
From: "Angela Richardson" I was at the London Trollope Society's AGM (with
my two wonderful house guests Catherine Crean and
Joan Wall) and was able to hear Ellen's talk on the
subject of the letters in Trollope's novels. It
was a great tour de force which revealed her depth
of knowledge and penetrating insights, ranging over
all of Trollope's novels. Question time was like
an encore revealing even more facts and information.
It was so lovely to meet people from the Trollope
list, to have two actually living with me, to meet
others at the AGM and finally to go in a party together
to Barsetshire. The tour guide in the Cathedral found
herself with the most erudite group of Americans she'd
ever met and I'll never forget the group of scholarly
heads bent over the Magna Carta, trying to establish
exactly what language it was written in.
(The guide was thoroughly proved wrong).
Thank you all so much for coming over.
Angela
From: "Joan F. Wall" Thanks to all who worked so hard to do this for us.
Joan
From: "Catherine Crean" From: "Catherine Crean" Angela said Ellen's talk was a "tour de force" and indeed it was. I have
seldom been so excited as I was Tuesday night at the Reform Club in Pall
Mall. Those of us who were on the Trollope walk on Monday had been in the
Trollope Club for tea as guests of John Letts. Thank you, Mr. Letts, for a
very special afternoon. The Reform Club's magnificent Library was the
setting for both our Monday tea and Ellen's talk. After the business portion
of the AGM was finished, John Letts introduced Ellen most graciously. Many
of the people attending the AGM were not familiar with the Trollope-l list
and many are not internet users. In his introduction, John Letts made the
point that the comments readers of Trollope make on the internet are
"important and worthy of preserving." The internet is a new venue for people
to discuss Trollope - a venue unfamiliar to many readers of Trollope. After
the introduction, Ellen "took her position on the hearth rug" so to speak,
and began her talk. Ellen mesmerized the audience with her lecture. She had
her facts well in hand, she had a unique topic to present, and she she
incredible presence and vitality. I felt as if I were hearing a symphony
where movements and passages follow one upon the other - sometimes
harmoniously and sometimes with contrast. Ellen's gift is not only her
knowledge of Trollope, but her ability to weave many threads together in a
coherent argument. I look forward to reading her talk, but hearing Ellen
expound on Trollope with passion, understanding, and scholarship was a rare
experience. The applause at the end of Ellen's talk was sustained and
heartfelt. Ellen answered quesitons, and then we all sipped wine and and
enjoyed informal conversation. I met Teresa Ransom who inscribed my copy of
her biography of Fanny Trollope. I wish I could have seen Teresa in her one
woman show on Fanny Trollope. I will have to wait for my next trip to
England. Ellen was surrounded by admirers, and everyone I spoke to had great
praise for Ellen's talk. On the evening of the AGM, at at subsequent
occasions, I was struck by one thing above all others. There is a sense of
fellowship among readers of Trollope. This fellowship knows no geographic
boundaries. This fellowship is selfless and inclusive. Trollope himself
would have been an enthusiatic member such a fellowship. I have seldom felt
such warmth and comraderie as I felt at the AGM on the night of Ellen's
talk. We were truly honoring the Trollope, both the man and his works. Where
could Trollope have found such fitting advocates as John Letts and Ellen
Moody?
From: "Howard Merkin" You will have gathered from other messages that there were a great many
enthusiastic questions after Ellen's talk. As I said, a number of people
that I spoke to were interested in everything that she had to say, and
expressed a keenness to find out more about the internet, and the Trollope
List.
Sadly, I did not succeed in meeting any fellow list members, other than
Ellen. I went round the gathering of 50/60 people looking for an American
appearance, and listening for American accents, without any success.
Obviously all the list members present succeeded in disguising themselves
effectively. Next time I shall wear a hat with a sign on it! I didn't even
make contact with Henry, even though at one stage John Letts went round
trying to find him for me.
You will have got a good impression of the occasion from the postings from
Angela, Joan and Catherine. I am so sorry that I was not, after all, able to
get away from the Fens in time to join the Monday excursion to Kensal Green
and the Trollope walk, as I had hoped to do.
Howard
When I and the other Americans got back we wrote in too:
From: "Ellen Moody" Re: My Week in London
I too will chime in. I had a deeply gratifying week. Jim, Isabel, and
I took a flight that left Washington at 9:40 pm, USA EST, and arrived
at Heathrow at 10 am, London GMT. We slept on the plane: what
else can you do when there are 32 inches between the back of
your seat and the seat in front of you? (Yes, we went by steerage.)
GMU (George Mason University) bought my ticket, and Jim planned
for us to come to the apartment we rented while
the concierge was on duty so we got in promptly, rested, showered,
changed clothes (like good Victorian characters), and then
Jim called Henry. Then I heard Henry's voice loud and clear.
Miraculously, we were in walking distance of where Henry's
group led by the remarkably knowledgable Bill Streeten. It seems
I have been to many Trollope sites without ever recognising
them. Jim had rented an apartment for us which was on York
Street and overlooked the church in which Trollope's sister,
Cecilia, was married. All around this area of London Bill has
mapped out walks in which one can pick up moments in the
lives of Trollope or his mother and the imaginative stories of
his characters. Among other routes and houses, we traced
the route Emilius took to murder Mr Bonteen, the route
Mr Bonteen took, how Phineas managed to save Mr
Kennedy in an earlier book, where this or that character
lived or did this or that. Bill's grasp of the physical realities
of the novels' many scenes brings home to you how much
Trollope's novels derive from his memory and imagination
dwelling on London's hierarchical and labyrinthian landscape.
Tuesday we rested, and I gave my talk in the evening. My
subject was a complicated one: epistolarity in Trollope. The
reason I use this super-abstract word is it takes into account
all the real characteristics of the experience of a letter as
it occurs in society -- all of which Trollope exploits. By this
I mean (among other things) the difference between the real
thoughts of someone, the words he or she might use, and
what he or she will write down; the documentary nature of a
letter which can be used against people; how a letter makes
people both present and absent to one another and how
writers and recipients take advantage of this; how letters
allow people to pour out their souls, and how they can
equally be studied performances. How they import meanings
into a narrative Trollope knows he cannot control.
Trollope makes acts of reading and writing letters narrative
events in his novels too -- so we get a multi-perspective
as we read -- for we interpret the letter as does the
narrator. I also went into how Trollope uses letters to
bind together and tell his stories. I demonstrated that
Trollope's use of letters and semi-epistolary narration is
central to his story-telling technique, distinguishes
him from all other Victorians, and can be studied in three
separate phases. I had lots of examples from the letters,
and quoted the novels wherever I could insofar as time
permitted. It will appear in the next _Trollopiana_ so I'll
say no more.
Afterwards I met a number of our list members. I had
met Sig, Nan, Toria, Catherine, Joan & Henry on Monday.
I was delighted to talk to Howard and Teresa. I so enjoyed
the numbers of people who came up to me to confide
ideas they had long had about Trollope which we shared.
John Letts had a copy of my book, _Trollope on the Net_
waiting for me. To me it is beautiful. It is a finely made
book physically, with reproductions of the original
illustrations from the ovels, and I think _dulce et utile_. I hope
everyone will enjoy it. I will later this week or early next
put on our list information on how to buy it through e-mail
and the post for those who are not in the Trollope Society.
I am told it will cost £17.50 or $29.95.
As others have said, the lecture is held in the library
of the Reform Club. The library consists of
a comfortable size pair of rooms. Behind the huge
building is a beautiful garden and on the other side
of the garden two other older clubs: the Atheneum
and the Travellers. I believe Trollope belonged to
both.
On Wednesday Jim and I made it to Kensal Green
where Anthony & Thackeray are buried -- and a lot
of other Londoner autors.
I can add to what others have said that it is a fully
functioning cemetery. There are fresh graves, and
it's really not a place for show in the way of the Protestant
Cemetery in Rome. It's not easy to find individual
tombstones. The map they give you at the gate is,
according to my husband, worse than useless.
Thursday was another high point. Angela had organized
a trip for a group of us to Salisbury Cathedral. We
got on the train at around 9:30; the day included
a tour round the cathedral by a guide who was
well-informed. She did not give a short potted
or predigested talk about a subject she didn't
know very well. She loved that church and talked
for a full hour and one half and could have gone
on further. It was not her fault she had a group
of people who were well-read in some of her
areas, and inclined really to listen and question
what she said. I think she enjoyed our paying
real attention to her. It is true that she suggested
Magna Carta was not written in Latin, and a
group of us poured over a copy under glass in
the church store (yes the church has a store
just like a museum), and discovered it was in
Latin. The document itself was fascinating.
It had curious clauses in which the barons
singled out individuals they apparently were
not keen on, and forbid John to favour them;
it also had some interesting clauses about
women: widows were expected to accept a
man's proposal to them to become their
second husband unless they could provide
security (money and land) in proof they
needed no husband. This reminded me of how
in Trollope women are expected to say yes to
a man's proposal unless they love some other
man or can produce some strong reason why
they refuse him.
The cathedral is also a working church. It's
not just a beautiful place with a deeply green
shaded cloister, choirs, chapels, sewn
alter cloths (modern) and stained glass
windows of 20th century creation.
Angela pointed out some figures by
Burne-Jones.
Angela took us to an inn several of whose
walls and roof derive from the 13th century.
It stands next to a building built in the 16th
century, and overlooks a beautiful stream
filled with waterbirds. We had tea there.
Jim played Mother and poured. We talked
of Chaucer. A good moment we will all
remember.
Jim, Isabel, and I also made it to a couple of museums,
saw Peter Grimes, the full trilogy of Aeschylus
in two parts: Agamemnon and The Libation
Bearers were brilliantly performed at the National
theatre. We also managed Noel Coward's brave
autobiographical A Song at Twilight (he
reveals his homosexuality). Standing by the Thames
at night on the bridge which you walk across from
the main part of London to the South Bank you
see magnificent buildings, many lights, and
so many boats. The old steps of the walls
of the embankment are not yet gone.
A less happy note: I have wondered for 3 trips
now who are the women beggars one sees everywhere
around London who are dressed like gypsie. They always
have an infant wrapped round their shoulders, and
come up to people in a sing-song determined
demand-like request for money. There are so
many of these women. They dress alike; always
have the infant. The infant is always the same
age. There are never children trailing behind them.
There is some act and costuming going'
on here. In the US one does see many homeless
people, but it is rare to see a child in the street with
them. If a women refuses help, I have supposed her child
is taken from her. Not that I approve of anyone taking
a woman's child from her.
By myself I had a couple of business meetings!
With Martin Sheppard I looked forward to another
book, this one on Jane Austen's two Bath novels
(Northanger Abbey and Persuasion). I also
met with a group of baroque musicians who go
round England playing beautiful (and very sexy)
17th and 18th century music. They are interested
in the life and poetry of Anne Finch for whom I
wrote half a biographical-literary study which I have
put on my homepage, as well as a complete annotated
chart of all her poems in chronological order,
showing their provenance, manuscripts,
editions, and which anthologies you can find
them in.
We went home Sunday. Right now I am waiting for
British Airways to bring to my house the large
suitcase we brought home with us which included
many of our clothes and the six copies of my book --
as well as Isabel's homework. This suitcase didn't
make it onto the plane with us. Many airlines
have decided they have in effect a monopoly of
the air as a group. They can ignore their passengers'
comfort (witness steerage), can overbook a plane, and
make people stand in line for hours to put
away their baggage. Then they need not hire enough
employees or pay sufficient attention actually
to get people's suitcases onto the correct plane.
I thought of Dorothy and Toto when I got home.
As those of us familiar with The Wizard
of Oz know, after the adventures are
concluded and journeys achieved, she says
there's no place like home,
and we hear the click, click of her shoes,
we leave the excitement and colour of high life
to return to the quiet good world of
black-and-white again.
Ellen
(Two days later:
Dear All, my suitcase arrived in the wee hours of
this morning. The man was literally afraid to come to
the door. Other customers must get very angry.
Ellen)
To Trollope-l
November 30, 1999
Re: The Warden and Dr Thorne Sites
I forgot to mention that on Thursday when a group of
us went to Salisbury Cathedral we also visited a
compound (probably a US term) which is said to be
made up of precisely those buildings and space
Trollope described in The Warden. As we walked
away from the Cathedral, we came upon a series of
enclosed gardens which were cultivated by the side
of houses built well before the 20th century. One
of these walled-in enclosures lacked grass: on
the one side you saw an old stone building, blackened
here and there, tall older sash windows, much
beige and gray. Here the 12 bedesmen lived. One
could say why in the 19th century such people would
have been seen as living in comfort. A kind of L-shaped
building faced the stone building. It was larger, and
was Mr Harding's mansion. In the center of the
courtyard was a circled stone garden. Here Dr
Grantly harangued the old men.
On Monday when a group of us followed Bill Streeten
around London, we saw the block on which the
Greshams had their home.
A little later in the week my husband told me he walked
over to where the workhouse Trollope faced had been.
It is now a large institutional building. The older one
was pulled down and replaced. The rest of the facing
blocks contain mostly early 20th century terraced
houses. All but the new building which replaced
the workhouse stems from around 1890.
Cheers, Subject: [trollope-l] London
From: Sigmund Eisner Let's start with Sunday, Nov. 21, the day after we arrived. We were
graciously entertained at lunch by Robert and Vicki Wright, who live in
Kensington, not far from our hotel. There we met Henry, who was later
to conduct us on our tour through Kensal Green cemetary. After lunch
Robert drove us on a tour of London, which included the amazing "Eye of
London," a new 450 foot ferris wheel located just off Westminster Bridge
and looks like a huge front wheel of a bicycle. Monday was the tour
through the cemetary, which has been described by others. We did see
the graves of Trollope, Thackeray, and Wilkie Collins. Then we all got
into taxis and rode to the West End, where we walked where Phineas Finn,
Mr. Emelius, and Mr. Bonteen walked in Phineas Redux. Our guide was
Bill Streeter, who has cleverly made up maps of places mentioned by
Trollope. We ended up at the Reform Club, where we were greeted by John
Letts and where we had tea. On this day I was very pleased to meet
Ellen, her husband Jim, her daughter Isobel, Catherine Crean, Joan Hill,
Angela, and her husband Paul, and others whom I had just known as names
on the net. We had dinner with Angela, Paul, Joan, and Catherine. The
next day was Ellen's lecture. Ellen was just as well organized in her
lecture as she is on the net. The subject, which we all now know, was
Trollope's use of letters. Ellen made her points in logical order, one,
two, three. The lecture was every bit as big a success as others have
told us. Also, I had the privilege of leafing through Ellen's new book,
which I advise all Trollopians to buy and enjoy.
On Wednesday we went to the museum at Wimbledon, which we all wanted to
see, and Tori visited her old college, Richmond University of London.
Thursday was the great trip to Salisbury. Angela was our guide, and we
saw not just the Cathedral but the very buildings which were the origin
of Hiram's Hospital and Mr. Harding's house. Congratulations to Angela
for providing us with a marvelous day.
After the Trollope business was over, we went to Melton-Mowbray in
Leicestershire to visit old friends and then to Cambridge, where I spent
the day going over manuscripts in the Trinity College Library, while Nan
and and Tori shopped.
We took a quick trip to France by the Chunnel to visit and old friend
who is a recent widower. Then we came back to the Jury Hotel and
prepared for our trip home the following day.
I have six photos which I would like to show you. Not being very good
with attachments, I'm going to make a separate message for each one of
them. Do bear with me.
And, again, I want to offer warmest congratulations to Ellen, who was
the real reason for our trip to England. Those of us who were at her
lecture were more than impressed. We were overwhelmed.
From a snail-mail letter to my long-time friend, Karen Dubno, who lives in New York City
Dearest Karen,
As you can see from the public postings, the lecture went very
well for me. Something did bring out in me on the spot my
ability to perform. The old A student in dramatic reading
is still alive in me. Of course I couldn't tell of the bad
stress and sleeplessness, headaches, hives, the fact that my
chest would tighten up and it was hard for me to catch my breath.
I also didn't tell of the 'official business' at the meeting which
prefaced my talk. It consisted of re-affirming who
runs the Trollope Society and describing its monies.
We watched an election whose option only one person
opposed and only for a moment. John Letts was
given as a gift personally to him some £10,000 by an American
millionaire, on condition Letts keep the society going and
publish a Trollope book once a year (it had been 4 a year,
but now the novels are all published). Then the man gave
the society another $35,000.
An interesting sidelight: the atmosphere of the Reform Club
is somewhat uncomfortable. At least I feel it to be so. The average
employee wears very old-fashioned "class" marking clothes:
bell-hop uniforms, stiff maid's dresses and the like.
wear absurd clothes. One of our American friends made the mistake of coming into
the Reform Club in sneakers. The people controlling the
entrance (men in frock coats) tried to forbid her entry. She
was forced to go up the back elevator. The attitude of those
enforcing the rules is predicated on how
they are treated and the rules that they too must obey.
As to my private experience, Last Sunday we left
Washington at 9:40 pm, EST last Sunday and arrived in
London, 10 o'clock London time. We made it to our
flat in 2 hours, rested just a bit, washed, dressed, and
then called Henry Vivian-Neale. We actually met him
and a number of the people who showed up at the lecture,
and followed an elderly man, Bill Streeten around the area of London
in which our flat was located. This for 3 more hours.
We were in Trollope country: Bill Streeten could tell you
where so many of the characters in Trollope did this
or that or lived -- and where the Trollopes lived too.
The flat Jim took for him, me, and Isabel looked over
the church in which one of Trollope's sisters was married.
We got to the Reform Club at 6 o'clock London time, met
Letts and had a very rich English tea (Jim downed three super-sweet
cakes). There was good talk. I kissed and hugged
Sigmund Eisner. Then Jim, I and Isabel went back to
our flat around 8.
This was wonderful, but my body was superconfused.
I couldn't sleep. I found myself wide awake around
1 in the morning, but feared the Restoril would affect
my ability to perform. So I took a fiornal for the terrific
headache that was forming. Two hours and two
stories by Dinesen later the headache was gone,
but no sleep. So I took a Restoril. I slept until
10. As of today I am still only managing 4 hours
a night.
The first practice in the morning of Tuesday November
23rd was weazy. The Restoril interfered with my
producing energy for verve and pizzazz
in the reading. Still I knew I couldn't have done it
without sleep. I rested again, and around 2 practised
again. This time it went very well.
It went even better in front of the people. I did say
I remembered getting an A in dramatic reading in
college, and Laura gets her talent for dramatic
enactment from me. I did read it very well. Not
perfect. I stumbled here and there, once in an
attempt at too much eye contact, another time
in an attempt to depart from my written script.
They also liked the content. One of the Big Men
at the table (all officials of the Society) said when
I'd done, he wished every time they had a paper
like mine, and declared 'this was not literary
criticism.' Yes it was. But it was not
jargon nonsence. I really went into the novels,
and talked in ordinary language. Jim said the audience
was responding because they knew all the books --
as a Janeite audience will know Austen's books and
get all the allusions and jokes.
There was a reasonable crowd. I recognized
the faces of a couple of Trollope scholars
who lived in London. It was said that there were many more people than usual.
This was remarked by several people. I think the people
from Trollope-l made a difference. I would say there were about
110 people in the room. After I finished I was strongly
applauded. There were lively questions. A bit later
several people came up to me and
talked to me in tones of intense enthusiasm about
Trollope: I could see they hardly ever get a chance
to talk about their hero in this way.
From the list: I met Teresa Ransom: a small blonde
Australian woman who was once and is still in part physically lovely.
Howard Merkin is a shy tall Englishman -- so nice
in person. Henry Vivian-Neale similar.
Sig, his wife, and daughter were there; Catherine
Crean, Joan Wall, Angela Richardson and her
partner. Sig is a elderly man, very kind,
very sensible. There was also a woman who told me
she is in an English Johnson society, and asked me if
I would come and talk to them sometime. Really.
We exchanged names; I have lost hers, but hope
she has not lost mine. She suggested I could make a talk about
someone Johnson knew: Richardson, perhaps
a later 18th century contemporary Not that I would have the
time: the audience would be academic, but not
nailed to the cross of deconstructionist kinds of
talk.
Martin Sheppard was there. John
Letts seemed pleased. He bought Jim, I and Isabel
dinner at the Reform Club afterwards. One man,
Pelham Ravenscroft (that's his real name) joined
us.
I felt a real exultation afterwards. Could I have e-mailed
you, I would have sounded happy. I felt good because
I felt I had earned it. Many people remarked on how
much work it must have taken.
I was overexcited and couldn't sleep all night, but didn't mind
so much.
The second important moment for which I went also
went well. About 5 in the evening Linda Brand and
her co-musician, Helen SomethingOrOther showed up
at my flat. We talked for 3 hours. They are women
I am very congenial with. Both are in their early
30s; Linda plays the recorder and teaches; she has
2 young children. Helena plays the harpischord
and also teaches. I don't know that we came
to any agreement over a specific task for me to do,
but we did like one another and talked together
about possibilities. I showed them my big books of
poetry; they said they would get them. We talked
of what poems, what a narrative life would be like
to fit their musical program. Their problem is money.
The government no longer supports groups like
theirs; they would have to pay for a narrator.
They also encounter ignorance. Those who hire
them, say Anne Who? People who hired them are
afraid the audiences won't come. Yet to do this
would popularise their very high-minded jigs (baroque
music with accompanying operatic soprano).
Linda talked of trying to get Eastwell Park to
provide a venue. At any rate, if they can manage
something, they will, and I can and will work with
them on Anne Finch. Another result of my time
on the Net :).
Our apartment was large and lovely. Isabel
had a larger room than we did. We overlooked
a school and she watched the children play.
She seems to have enjoyed herself. She
came to everything but my meeting with
Linda Brand and Helena and Sheppard.
We had a long day in Salisbury Cathedral
with Angela and the Americans who came --
which Isabel enjoyed very much. Angela
took us to a 13th century inn by a mill
to have tea. Jim took Isabel to
the zoo during the time I met Sheppard.
The weather cooperated. It was mild, and
often sunny. I carried my coat a lot. Isabel
wore a gorgeous red cloak I bought her
about 3 years ago. The first time she
got some real wear out of it. As usual, Jim
seems to grow English or taller when we come
to England. At the inn Angela invited him to
play Mother and poured. He did. He and
Angela understood one another.
The trip home was very bad. Jim and I
say we'll never take British Air again.
Love And one year later:
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 10:39:16 Hi there,
I couldn't let the morning pass without wishing you, Jim
and your beautiful daughter a good day. I remember sitting
down with you three for thanksgiving at Salisbury last
year to a quiche and scone. This year will be a little
more traditional but I find myself thankful so much for
last year's trip.
How wonderful it is to think that on the train a year ago
you were discussing the possibility of the book you're now
writing.
I thank you for all the help you've given me with Fanny
Burney. I'm enjoying her and Fielding very much. Do you
have other authors of the time--lesser known ones--whom
you like?
I hope the three of you (and your other daughter if she's
there) have a lovely day.
warm regards, Re: Happy Thanksgiving Too!
Dear Joan,
Off-list I have just been talking with Angela about our happy
time last year. She remembered too.
It was and shall remain a high point
for me: It seems like some sort of dream. I worked
for months on that paper; then I spent three week
reciting it to the walls of my little study twice a day;
I made myself an absurd podium out of a
stack of books on a table and would practice
and practice. I was so worked up I was on a
high emotional crest -- in order to get myself
to do it. I had never given any paper to
peers anywhere. And I succeeded. And then
we all met three times. I still remember Angela
sitting on the train as we all boarded looking
about at us all as if she couldn't believe it
was happening. It did. What a beautiful
memory. How extraordinary to have met Sig
at long last ...
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2000 17:33:13 Dear Ellen,
I am fascinated with how much last year meant to me.
After all, I didn't give a talk or do anything really
but be a tourist. Much of it I think has to to with
Angela, who made my stay at her home so wonderful.
She and Paul were so incredible to just open up their
home and lives to me (and of course Catherine) for a
week. I remember so much of it vividly that I feel
it has something to do with meeting names that come
at me on the computer screen. Since I'm also on
the Collins list, I had read Paul's mail and been on
to his web page so when he walked into his home on
the first day and I was in the hall, I recognized
him immediately.
Also getting to know a little of Catherine, who I
didn't remember well from postings, was a real challenge
to me. She and I are totally different, would never
have spent a week together under any other circumstances
and it made for a very interesting week.
You write of Angela on the train not being able to
believe it was happening. Did any of us really
believe it? And yet tea at the inn was such a
warm, lovely experience. I'm really sorry to hear
about Sig and will email him tonight. I remember
how he cared for you and wanted you so much to
succeed because of your worth.
I had dinner yesterday at a neighbor's who luckily
had found a fresh turkey--all 23 pounds of it.
There were only eight of us, but all were to leave
with dinners for the next few days. One of the
two vegetables I brought was a new, partly made
up from my head recipe for sweet potatoes. I
just peeled them, sliced them into what would be
very fat white potatoes for deep frying, then
coated them very lightly with oil, put some
brown sugar on top and put in the over on a
tray. In 15 minutes they were cooked and loved
by all but the 6 year old.
Weather here has been very cold lately. We've
hardly gone over 40. Sunday we had about 2" of
snow. Early tomorrow we may have some freezing
rain or sleet--I can't wait.
I had just found Margaret Oliphant's Autobiography
and letters in my favorite used bookstore, so as
soon as I finish Wives and Daughters (for a local
group), Amelia for my class. I brought Udolpho
back from a used book store in London, but haven't
touched it as yet. Now I'll wait for Romance of
the Forest -- if I can find it. I read Belinda
along with the other group on Janeites but got
tired of its taking so long. I didn't much like
it. Too stiff. Thanks for the other suggestions.
I'll start looking for them on line ....
Joan
Subject: Re: [trollope-l] Ellen on the Epistolary Trollope
Ellen
Ellen
To: Ellen2@JimandEllen.org
From: "Joan F. Wall"
Subject: Happy Thanksgiving
Joan
To: Ellen Moody
From: "Joan F. Wall"
Subject: High Points
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