Dawn

Dawn

Thursday, May 09, 2013

Grinley Gibbons was an 17th century woodcarver whose skill was so outstanding it would be an insult to call him a master carver. Sadly for Gibbons, his astonishing baroque style fell out of fashion and he didn't quite hack it as a stone carver. In fact, there's a little bit of irony in the fact that his most criticised work was the tomb of the only man in England to have an odder name than his – Cloudsley Shovell. But, happily for Gibbons, he was posthumously redeemed by someone with quite a normal name – Horace Walpole. And here's the place - Strawberry Hill House - in which Grinley's work was once again displayed as it should have been.

One of the several BBC4 podcasts I enjoy is called Beyond Belief. This is always a religious discussion and there's a moderator, even though 3 or 4 religious Brits would never actually need one of these. The talking hardly gets above a whisper and no one but no one interrupts anyone else. But I digress . . . Being an ex-Christian atheistI'm not influenced by any of the views put forward – but nonetheless the discussions fascinate – and sometimes amuse - me. Like this morning's reference to Jesus protecting the faithful from an angry and wrathful God the Father. And a Muslim lady talking about jinns (spirits) that could be responsible, as demons, for depression.

Talking of talking . . . I regularly find myself telling myself how lucky we are to speak the same language as all the American experts who are brought into discussions in TV documentaries. And that nearly all of their European counterparts speak excellent English. Of course, in other circumstances, subtitles would be used but what a dreadful second-best that would be.

And talking of building . . . Blenheim Palace, near Oxford, is the seat of the Churchills. Essentially it's a bit of egregious triumphalism on the part of John Churchill, who had a good deal of success leading British troops against the French in the War of the Spanish Succession between 1702 and 1711. In fact, he defeated them not just once but ten times, and was handsomely rewarded for it. Perhaps the best examples of his approach are the 'flaming finials' on the palace towers. There are 16 of these and each displays an exploded hand grenade on top of an upside down (i. e. defeated) fleur-de-lis, the symbol of Louis XIV.

Knowing how Spain's rich and famous lead charmed lives, no one will be much surprised that a Spanish court has suspended corruption charges brought against the King's daughter, on the grounds there wasn't enough evidence she'd been an accomplice in the embezzlement case involving her husband. This decision reverses that of the investigating magistrate and it's always possible charges will be reinstated if new evidence is found. But I doubt that anyone in Spain is expecting that. Meanwhile, the princess's husband has been left his passport and told he's free to take a job in the Middle East, notwithstanding what looks like a strong case against him.

Another example which springs to mind is the CEO of the Santander Bank, who was charged with a criminal offence 20 years and finally found guilty in 2011. Not before time, he resigned a week or so ago with a pardon in one pocket and a fat pension in the other. The wages of sin.

Finally . . . There used to be a phrase in English – 'the Canterbury pace' – which described the speed at which a horse-rider would move from point A to point B. Over time, this was shortened to 'canter'. As for 'trot' and 'gallop', you're on your own. 

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