And we'll both sit down together, love, to hear the nightingale sing

[sovay]

Hello, nightingale! Goodbye, sleep! Shut up, Keats!

Thanks to a broken water main in Weston, none of the tap water in Lexington is drinkable unless boiled. The same if you want to wash your hands—although apparently you can shower in it. I am not sure how this fine distinction is supposed to work, but as I spent my day faring forth on errands and returning to yardwork, I think I'll just shower very quickly and try not to osmose.

Can anyone recommend a good biography of the Duke of Wellington?

Comments

[desperance.livejournal.com]

"Wellington: the Iron Duke" by Richard Holmes is a good military biography; not so good on his early life and positively skimpy on his political career post-Waterloo...

[sovay]

"Wellington: the Iron Duke" by Richard Holmes is a good military biography; not so good on his early life and positively skimpy on his political career post-Waterloo...

Hm. The political career was one of the things I wanted to know more about. But I'll check it out!

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I thought that might be it. Holmes is ... not prejudiced, just limited: he's a military historian. Very good on battles, but he knows his own strengths and doesn't try to overreach them.

Tomorrow's a bank holiday and the library is closed; Tuesday, I could scout the shelves and see what else is there? (Apart from his own despatches, which I know about: if you want to check the catalogue for yourself, you'll find it here, and I can take a look at anything on your behalf...)

[sovay]

Tuesday, I could scout the shelves and see what else is there? (Apart from his own despatches, which I know about: if you want to check the catalogue for yourself, you'll find it here, and I can take a look at anything on your behalf...)

You are amazing. Thank you so much!

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're most welcome. (Do you know the story about the Duke being ambushed by a gang of toughs at the height of the royal divorce scandal, 1820-ish? He was out for a ride, they surrounded his horse and refused to let him pass until he had doffed his hat to the queen [who at the time was overseas and allegedly committing adultery with a commoner]. He said, "Gladly, gentlemen," and doffed his hat, and said, "The Queen - and may all your wives be like her...")