literature

188d

<p>“Somehow hearing the play in Scots gave Anglophone audiences an insight into Tremblay that had hitherto eluded them”</p><p>—Mark Fisher on MICHEL TREMBLAY: PLAYS IN SCOTS – Scots translations of 8 plays by the Quebecois playwright</p><p>1/4</p><p><a href="https://www.critical-stages.org/29/michel-tremblay-plays-in-scots-two-vols/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.critical-stages.org/29/michel-tremblay-plays-in-scots-two-vols/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.critical-stages.org/29/mic</span><span class="invisible">hel-tremblay-plays-in-scots-two-vols/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/scots/" rel="tag">#Scots</a> <a href="/tags/scotslanguage/" rel="tag">#Scotslanguage</a> <a href="/tags/drama/" rel="tag">#drama</a> <a href="/tags/theatre/" rel="tag">#theatre</a> <a href="/tags/quebec/" rel="tag">#Quebec</a> <a href="/tags/tremblay/" rel="tag">#Tremblay</a> <a href="/tags/translation/" rel="tag">#translation</a> <a href="/tags/internationaltranslationday/" rel="tag">#InternationalTranslationDay</a></p>

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2y

<p>English novelist and poet Charlotte Brontë died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1855.</p><p>She is best known for her novel Jane Eyre, which she published under the gender neutral pen name Currer Bell. Along with "Jane Eyre," her other notable works include "Shirley" (1849) and "Villette" (1853). Brontë's writing is celebrated for its exploration of social issues, particularly the role of women in Victorian society.</p><p>Books by Charlotte Brontë at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/408" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/408"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/408</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

Portrait by George Richmond (1850, chalk on paper)

Cover page of The Search After Hapiness [sic]: A Tale by Charlotte Brontë

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171d

<p>My father passed with his penny letters<br>Through closes opening and shutting like legends<br>When barbarous with gulls<br>Hamnavoe’s morning broke…</p><p>—“Hamnavoe”, by George Mackay Brown (1921–1996) – born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a>, 17 Oct</p><p>“I have never seen his poetry sufficiently praised.”<br>—Seamus Heaney</p><p>A 🎂 🧵</p><p>You can listen to George Mackay Brown read his poem “Hamnavoe” online via the Poetry Archive</p><p>1/7</p><p><a href="https://poetryarchive.org/poem/hamnavoe/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="poetryarchive.org/poem/hamnavoe/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">poetryarchive.org/poem/hamnavo</span><span class="invisible">e/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poem/" rel="tag">#poem</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/orkney/" rel="tag">#Orkney</a> <a href="/tags/20thcentury/" rel="tag">#20thcentury</a></p>

Hamnavoe
George Mackay Brown

My father passed with his penny letters
Through closes opening and shutting like legends
When barbarous with gulls
Hamnavoe's morning broke

On the salt and tar steps. Herring boats,
Puffing red sails, the tillers
Of cold horizons, leaned
Down the gull-gaunt tide

And threw dark nets on sudden silver harvests.
A stallion at the sweet fountain
Dredged water, and touched
Fire from steel-kissed cobbles.

Hard on noon four bearded merchants
Past the pipe-spitting pier-head strolled,
Holy with greed, chanting
Their slow grave jargon.

A tinker keened like a tartan gull
At cuithe-hung doors. A crofter lass
Trudged through the lavish dung
In a dream of corn-stalks and milk.

In the Arctic Whaler three blue elbows fell,
Regular as waves, from beards spumy with porter,
Till the amber day ebbed out
To its black dregs.

The boats drove furrows homeward, like ploughmen
In blizzards of gulls. Gaelic fisher girls
Flashed knife and dirge
Over drifts of herring,

And boys with penny wands lured gleams
From the tangled veins of the flood. Houses went blind
Up one steep close, for a
Grief by the shrouded nets.

The kirk, in a gale of psalms, went heaving through
A tumult of roofs, freighted for heaven.
And lovers Unblessed by steeples lay under
The buttered bannock of the moon.

He quenched his lantern, leaving the last door.
Because of his gay poverty that kept
My seapink innocence
From the worm and black wind;

And because, under equality's sun,
All things wear now to a common soiling,
In the fire of images
Gladly I put my hand
To save that day for him.

Edited 171d ago

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1y

<p>English essayist, poet, playwright Joseph Addison was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1672.</p><p>In 1711, he co-founded "The Spectator" with Steele. Unlike their earlier venture, "The Tatler," which Steele had begun in 1709, "The Spectator" was more focused and systematic. His plays, such as "Cato, a Tragedy" (1713), also left a mark on English literature, influencing figures such as Voltaire and George Washington. </p><p>Books by Joseph Addison at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1024" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1024"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/1024</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/theatre/" rel="tag">#theatre</a></p>

Portrait of Joseph Addison with flowing long hair, gazing into the distance.

Cover of The Tatler, Volume 2 by Sir Richard Steele and Joseph Addison.

Edited with Introduction & Notes
by George A. Aitken
Author of
"The Life of Richard Steele," &c.

Vol. II

New York
Hadley & Mathews
156 Fifth Avenue
London: Duckworth & Co.
1899

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40d

<p>See How Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’ Inspired Centuries of Artists—From Caravaggio to René Magritte</p><p>A show at the Rijksmuseum brings together paintings, sculptures, film and other artworks that reinterpret the ancient Roman poet’s tales of transformation</p><p>by Christian Thorsberg</p><p><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-how-ovids-metamorphoses-inspired-centuries-of-artists-from-caravaggio-to-rene-magritte-180988224/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-how-ovids-metamorphoses-inspired-centuries-of-artists-from-caravaggio-to-rene-magritte-180988224/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-n</span><span class="invisible">ews/see-how-ovids-metamorphoses-inspired-centuries-of-artists-from-caravaggio-to-rene-magritte-180988224/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorial&lctg=93133550</span></a></p><p>Metamorphoses at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21765" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21765</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Metamorphoses (Italian). - Printed in Venice: for Zoane Rosso Vercellese at the request of the noble man Lucantonio Zonta of Florence, in the year 1487, on the 10th day of April. - 146 c.; [*]4, a-r⁸, s⁶; fol. - Typographical mark in the explicit.

A woodcut-illustrated opening page of a 15th-century printed book, framed by an ornate Renaissance border. The border features putti, birds, foliate scrollwork, vases, and grotesque masks arranged symmetrically on all four sides. A frieze of nude figures in a landscape runs along the bottom panel.

The central woodcut illustration depicts a bearded robed figure standing amid various animals — a lion, a rabbit, and a fox — in a landscape with a large rock or mountain, trees, and celestial bodies including a sun with a face and a crescent moon. Two winged birds fly above.

Below the woodcut, the text begins in Italian in two columns, with two decorative woodcut initial letters — a large ornamental I and a P — marking the start of paragraphs. The text opens with "Incomicia il primo libro methAmorphoseos de Ouidio in prosa vulgare traduto con le alegorie. Capitulo primo."

At the bottom centre is a circular library stamp.

Ovidius Naso, Publius - Available in the BEIC digital library and uploaded in partnership with BEIC Foundation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamorphoses#/media/File:Ovidius_Naso_-_Metamorphoses,_del_MCCCCLXXXXVII_Adi_X_del_mese_di_aprile_-_1583162_Carta_a1r.jpeg

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1y

<p><a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1901.</p><p>Publication of Maurice Maeterlinck's The Life of the Bee in Belgium.</p><p>He infuses his observations of bees with reflections on human society, mortality, and the universe, using the hive as a metaphor for human society. The book discusses various aspects of bee life, including the architecture of the hive, the life cycle of the bees, their social organization, and their production of honey. </p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38527" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38527</a></p><p><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4511" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4511</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Cover of Publication of Maurice Maeterlinck's The Life of the Bee in Belgium.

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1y

<p>American author E. E. Smith was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1890.</p><p>E. E. "Doc" Smith is considered a major figure in the history of science fiction literature, particularly for his development of the space opera genre. His first major work, "The Skylark of Space" (1928), is often considered one of the first space operas. Perhaps his most famous work, the Lensman series, began with "Triplanetary" in 1934.</p><p>Books by E. E. Smith at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/9515" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/9515"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/9515</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

E. E: Smith c. 1960

A man in his old age wearing a suit and tie while sitting at a table.

Amazing Stories, Volume 3 Number 5, August 1928. Cover illustration by Frank R. Paul. From the contents page: Our Cover this month depicts a scene from the first installment in this issue of the story entitled THE SKYLARK OF SPACE by Edward Elmer Smith and Lee Hawkins Garby, in which the scientist, who has discovered a chemical substance for the liberation of intra-atomic energy, is making his initial tests, preparatory to his interplanetary flight by means of this liberated energy, which makes possible his interstellar space-flyer. Also in this issue is en:Armageddon 2419 A.D. The main character and narrator is Anthony (Buck) Rogers.

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1y

<p>English sociologist, economist, feminist and social reformer Beatrice Webb died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1943.</p><p>Some of her key works, often co-authored with her husband, include The History of Trade Unionism (1894) and Industrial Democracy (1897). One of her most significant research endeavors was her study of the British poor, which resulted in the seminal work The Poor Law Report of 1909. </p><p>Books by Beatrice Webb at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/42231" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/42231"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/42231</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Beatrice Webb (19th century photo) Illus. in: Harper's weekly, 1894 June 23, p. 584. Uncropped original from en:Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division found at TITLE: A group of English socialists

Cover of The History of Trade Unionism by Sidney Webb and Beatrice Webb (Revised edition extended to 1920).

LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO.
39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON
FOURTH AVENUE & 30TH STREET, NEW YORK
BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, AND MADRAS
1920

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1y

<p>"The burning soul, the burden'd mind,<br>In books alone companions find."</p><p>American writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1879.</p><p>She initially gained recognition with the publication of her novel "Northwood: Life North and South" (1827), which addressed the issue of slavery in America. Under her leadership, the magazine "Godey's Lady's Book" became one of the most influential women's magazines in America.</p><p>Books by Sarah Josepha Hale at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/43680" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/43680"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/43680</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Sarah Josepha Hale, 1831, by James Lambdin

Cover and frontispice of Frontispiece of the second edition of Northwood: Life North and South by Sarah Josepha Hale

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1y

<p>Danish novelist, poet, and scientist Jens Peter Jacobsen died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1885.</p><p>His literary career is highlighted by his two major novels: "Niels Lyhne" (1880) and "Fru Marie Grubbe" (1876). "Niels Lyhne" is an autobiographical novel that follows the life of its eponymous hero, who struggles with faith and existential doubt in a seemingly indifferent world.</p><p>Books by Jens Peter Jacobsen at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/2193" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/2193"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/2193</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Danish writer Jens Peter Jacobsen.

An elderly man with glasses and a mustache in a vintage photograph.

Cover of Niels Lyhne by J. P. Jacobsen

Translator: Hanna Astrup Larsen

NEW YORK
THE AMERICAN-SCANDINAVIAN FOUNDATION
LONDON: HUMPHREY MILFORD
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

1919

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1y

<p>French writer Anna de Noailles died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1933.</p><p>Some of her notable poetic works include "Le Cœur innombrable" (The Uncountable Heart, 1901), "L'Ombre des jours" (The Shadow of Days, 1902), and "Les Éblouissements" (The Dazzlements, 1907). Her salon in Paris was a gathering place for many of the leading intellectual and artistic figures of her time, including Marcel Proust, Colette, and Jean Cocteau, among others. </p><p>Books by Anna de Noailles at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/25065" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/25065"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/25065</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Princess Anna-Élisabeth Bibesco Bassaraba de Brancovan, who became Comtesse de Noailles, (1876-1933), French poetess and novelist.

An elegant lady in a fashionable hat and fur coat.

Cover of the book

COMTESSE MATHIEU DE NOAILLES

La
Domination
— ROMAN —

Pyrrhus ne pouvait être heureux ni avant ni après avoir conquis le monde.
Pascal.

PARIS
CALMANN-LÉVY, ÉDITEURS
3, RUE AUBER, 3

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1y

<p>English poet, author and humorist Thomas Hood died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1845.</p><p>His humorous works often included puns and wordplay, which became immensely popular. These works were frequently published in magazines, including Punch. Some of his well-known comic poems include "Miss Kilmansegg and Her Precious Leg" and "The Song of the Shirt", which highlights the dire conditions of the working class and is considered one of his best works.</p><p>Thomas Hood at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/6181" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/6181"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/6181</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Thomas Hood, by unknown artist. 1799-1845

Oil painting portrait of Thomas Hood seated in front of a striped red curtain, wearing a dark coat and a cravat, with a contemplative expression.

Cover of The Comic Poems of Thomas Hood.

Antique book cover titled "Hood's Comic Poems, Complete Edition, Illustrated" featuring ornate embossing and a central illustration of an owl holding a glass.

Edited 1y ago

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184d

<p>From Canonmills To Coral Islands<br>10 Nov, Edinburgh – free</p><p>From his first day at school in Canonmills to his last day as a world-famous author on the Pacific island of Samoa, Robert Louis Stevenson (RLS) led a remarkable life.</p><p>Join folk singer & RLS biographer Jeremy Hodges for a musical journey through that lifelong adventure, featuring Stevenson’s own poetry.</p><p><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-canonmills-to-coral-islands-tickets-1757066466099" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.eventbrite.com/e/from-canonmills-to-coral-islands-tickets-1757066466099"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.eventbrite.com/e/from-cano</span><span class="invisible">nmills-to-coral-islands-tickets-1757066466099</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/19thcentury/" rel="tag">#19thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/victorian/" rel="tag">#Victorian</a> <a href="/tags/robertlouisstevenson/" rel="tag">#RobertLouisStevenson</a> <a href="/tags/edinburgh/" rel="tag">#Edinburgh</a> <a href="/tags/samoa/" rel="tag">#Samoa</a></p>

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1y

<p>American illustrator Jessie Willcox Smith died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1935.</p><p>Smith’s career took off when she began working for the Ladies' Home Journal, for which she created many covers and interior illustrations. She illustrated over 60 books throughout her career, including classics such as Charles Kingsley's The Water-Babies, Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses, and Clement Moore’s The Night Before Christmas.</p><p>Jessie Willcox Smith at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/7158" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/7158"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/7158</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/art/" rel="tag">#art</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Jessie Willcox Smith, estimate between 1880-1910.

Black and white photograph of a seated woman (Jessie Willcox Smith) in vintage clothing, wearing glasses and a dark high-collar dress, with her left arm resting on a chair.

Fairy Tales, Boston Public Library
Smith, Jessie Willcox, 1863-1935 (artist); L. Prang & Co. (publisher).

An illustration of a woman and two children reading a book titled "Fairy Tales" in a garden, sitting on a hammock with lush greenery and flowers in the background.

Cover image from from The Princess and the Goblins - by George MacDonald, illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith, 1920.

Jessie Willcox Smith, illustrator - http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/34339

Vintage painting of a young girl in a white headscarf and blue cloak, reaching forward with a curious expression, with a dark, shadowy background and parts of a flower barely visible.

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171d

<p>“I remember being excited by its ingenious allegory, allusions to nuclear holocaust behind something timeless, almost heraldic. I was drawn, surely, to the unusual combination of spiritual reach and humour, as well as recognising the poet’s extraordinary gift for characterisation in miniature.”</p><p>—John Greening on discovering George Mackay Brown</p><p><a href="https://wildcourt.co.uk/discovering-george-mackay-brown/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="wildcourt.co.uk/discovering-george-mackay-brown/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">wildcourt.co.uk/discovering-ge</span><span class="invisible">orge-mackay-brown/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poem/" rel="tag">#poem</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/orkney/" rel="tag">#Orkney</a></p>

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188d

<p>John Buchan: A Man For Our Time?</p><p>Prof Murray Pittock discusses John Buchan – a literary legend & a man ahead of his time on issues from Scottish nationalism to the rights of indigenous peoples. Recorded at the 2025 Beyond Borders International Festival.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5zPRJt1Hdg" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5zPRJt1Hdg"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5zPRJ</span><span class="invisible">t1Hdg</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/buchan/" rel="tag">#Buchan</a> <a href="/tags/johnbuchan/" rel="tag">#JohnBuchan</a></p>

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187d

<p>For want o luve we live on hate,<br>For want o Heven praise the State,<br>For want o richts we worship rules,<br>For want o gods the glibbest fules…</p><p>—Sydney Goodsir Smith, “Prolegomenon: The Deevil’s Waltz”<br>published in A KIST O SKINKLAN THINGS: an anthology of Scots poetry<br>from the first & second waves<br>of the Scottish Renaissance (ASL, 2017)</p><p>Happy <a href="/tags/scotstober/" rel="tag">#Scotstober</a>! </p><p><a href="https://asls.org.uk/publications/books/volumes/a-kist-o-skinlan-things/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="asls.org.uk/publications/books/volumes/a-kist-o-skinlan-things/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">asls.org.uk/publications/books</span><span class="invisible">/volumes/a-kist-o-skinlan-things/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/20thcentury/" rel="tag">#20thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/scots/" rel="tag">#Scots</a> <a href="/tags/scotslanguage/" rel="tag">#Scotslanguage</a> <a href="/tags/poem/" rel="tag">#poem</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/scotstober/" rel="tag">#Scotstober</a> <a href="/tags/richts/" rel="tag">#richts</a></p>

Sydney Goodsir Smith
Prolegomenon
The Deevil’s Waltz

Rin an rout, rin an rout,
Mahoun gars us birl about,
He skirls his pipes, he stamps his heel
The globe’s gane gyte in a haliket reel.

There, the statesman’s silken cheats,
Here, the bairnless mither greits,
There, a tyrant turns the screw,
Here, twa luvers’ broken vows.

Enemies out, enemies in,
Truth a hure wi the pox gane blinn,
Nou luvers’ lips deny luve’s name
An get for breid a chuckie-stane,

We kenna hert, we kenna heid,
The deevil’s thirled baith quick an deid,
Jehovah snores, and Christ himsel
Lowps in the airms o Jezebel.

The sweit that rins frae his thorned brou
Is black as the staunan teats o his cou
In the waltz o tears, an daith, an lies,
Juliet’s fyled wi harlotries.

O luve itsel at Hornie’s lauch
Skeers lik a caunel i the draucht,
The dance is on, the waltz o hell,
The wund frae its fleean skirts is snell.

It whups black storm frae lochan’s calm,
Sets banshees in the house o dwaum,
Gars black bluid spate the hert o me
—An watters guid-sirs’ barley bree!

A few damned feckless fanatics
Wad halt the borneheid dance o Styx,
Their cry o truth the whirlwind reaps,
For pity’s deid, and mercy sleeps.

Orpheus alane dow sauve frae deid
His ravished Bride gin but she’d heed—
Ay, truth an luve like Albyn’s life
Hing wi a threid, kissed be a knife.

Ilk derkenin owre some huddered toun
The pipes an fiddles screich an boom,
The cauldron’s steered by Maestro Nick
Wi a sanct’s shin-bane for parritch-stick.

He lauchs his lauch, the angels greit
Wi joy as they dine on carrion meat;
Ablow, bumbazed, dumfounered cods,
We seek the starns in dubs an bogs.

Oor ingyne’s deaved, oor mous are shut,
Oor saul contract like a runkled nut,
Een cannae see the trees for the wuid
An hert is cauld for want o bluid.

For want o luve we live on hate,
For want o Heven praise the State,
For want o richts we worship rules,
For want o gods the glibbest fules.

Obey, Obey; ye maunna spier!
(Libertie’s disjaskit lear!)
While Cloutie pipes it’s crime tae think,
—It’s taxed e’en higher nor the drink!

O, rin an rout, we birl about,
Tae the rhythm o the Deil’s jack-boot,
Black as auld widdie-fruit, Mahoun
Bestrides a kenless mappamound.

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185d

<p>Concrete Scottish Connections: Finlay, Jandl, Gomringer, & Satie<br>22 Oct, Edinburgh – free</p><p>Ian Hamilton Finlay, Ernst Jandl, & Eugen Gomringer – all born in 1925 – helped shape concrete poetry, breaking linguistic barriers & reimagining the power of words</p><p><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/concrete-scottish-connections-finlay-jandl-gomringer-and-satie-tickets-1743611311369" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/concrete-scottish-connections-finlay-jandl-gomringer-and-satie-tickets-1743611311369"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/concret</span><span class="invisible">e-scottish-connections-finlay-jandl-gomringer-and-satie-tickets-1743611311369</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/german/" rel="tag">#German</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/concretepoetry/" rel="tag">#concretepoetry</a></p>

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1y

<p>Italian diplomat, author, philosopher and historian Niccolò Machiavelli was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1469.</p><p>The Prince is a 16th-century political treatise written in the form of a realistic instruction guide for new princes. "Discourses on Livy" is another important work by Machiavelli, which is a broader political analysis but centers on the concept of republican government, as opposed to the monarchical focus in "The Prince".</p><p>Books by Niccolò Machiavelli at PG<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/563" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/563"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/563</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Portrait of Niccolò Machiavelli by Santi di Tito, c. 1550–1600.

Portrait of Niccolò Machiavelli standing in traditional Renaissance attire, featuring a black robe with a red mantle, posing with his right hand resting on a stone ledge, against a muted brown background.

Cover page of 1550 edition of Machiavelli's Il Principe and La Vita di Castruccio Castracani da Lucca.

The Prince is a 16th-century political treatise written by the Italian diplomat, philosopher, and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli in the form of a realistic instruction guide for new princes.

Edited 1y ago

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187d

<p>THE GREAT NORTH ROAD by Robert Louis Stevenson, with Stuart Campbell<br>12 Nov, Blackwell’s South Bridge, Edinburgh. Tickets £3–12</p><p>THE GREAT NORTH ROAD – a rollicking tale of highwaymen, murder, mayhem and doomed love – is one of fourteen works RLS left unfinished. Acting as a literary sleuth, Stuart Campbell has taken it upon himself to complete the unfinished tale. </p><p>@bookstodon </p><p><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-great-north-road-by-robert-louis-stevenson-with-stuart-campbell-tickets-1680543664339" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-great-north-road-by-robert-louis-stevenson-with-stuart-campbell-tickets-1680543664339"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-gre</span><span class="invisible">at-north-road-by-robert-louis-stevenson-with-stuart-campbell-tickets-1680543664339</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/robertlouisstevenson/" rel="tag">#RobertLouisStevenson</a> <a href="/tags/historicalfiction/" rel="tag">#HistoricalFiction</a></p>

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1y

<p>Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1519.</p><p>He was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested on his achievements as a painter, he has also become known for his notebooks, in which he made drawings and notes on a variety of subjects, including anatomy, astronomy, botany, cartography, painting, and paleontology.</p><p>Books by Leonardo Da Vinci at PG<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1629" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1629"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/1629</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/art/" rel="tag">#art</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

STUDY FOR "THE LAST SUPPER" (ACADEMY, VENICE)
PHOTO, BRAUN, CLÉMENT

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/56844/pg56844-images.html

STUDY FOR BACKGROUND OF "THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI" (UFFIZI, FLORENCE)
PHOTO, BRAUN, CLÉMENT

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/56844/pg56844-images.html

STUDIES OF HANDS (WINDSOR)
PHOTO, BRAUN, CLÉMENT

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/56844/pg56844-images.html

STUDY OF DRAPERY FOR A KNEELING FIGURE (WINDSOR)
PHOTO, BRAUN, CLÉMENT

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/56844/pg56844-images.html

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185d

<p>What Was Behind Jonathan Swift’s Modest Proposal?</p><p>Swift’s savage animosity towards the Irish Protestant elites is front and center in his biting (perhaps literally) critique of the landlord class.</p><p>By: Matthew Wills </p><p><a href="https://daily.jstor.org/what-was-behind-jonathan-swifts-modest-proposal/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="daily.jstor.org/what-was-behind-jonathan-swifts-modest-proposal/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">daily.jstor.org/what-was-behin</span><span class="invisible">d-jonathan-swifts-modest-proposal/</span></a></p><p>Modest Proposal at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1080" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1080</a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Jonathan Swift by Charles Jervas detail.

The portrait focuses closely on Jonathan Swift’s face and upper torso. He is turned slightly to his left, glancing off-camera rather than straight ahead.

His expression is dignified and composed, with a calm confidence. There’s a slight flush to his cheeks, and his lips are closed.

He wears a full curly wig, with soft lines and volume framing his face.

His clothes include clerical attire: a white neckcloth or bands under a darker coat or robe.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jonathan_Swift_by_Charles_Jervas_detail.jpg#/media/File:Jonathan_Swift_by_Charles_Jervas_detail.jpg

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171d

<p>Robert Fergusson (1750–1774) died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a>, 17 Oct, aged just 24. Notable for his poetry in both Scots & English, his works include “Auld Reikie”, “The Daft Days”, & “Hallow Fair”. His legacies are broad, from the literary & cultural to the medical.</p><p>1/5</p><p><a href="https://robert-fergusson.glasgow.ac.uk" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>robert-fergusson.glasgow.ac.uk</a></p><p><a href="/tags/scottish/" rel="tag">#Scottish</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a> <a href="/tags/18thcentury/" rel="tag">#18thcentury</a> <a href="/tags/robertfergusson/" rel="tag">#RobertFergusson</a> <a href="/tags/scots/" rel="tag">#Scots</a> <a href="/tags/scotslanguage/" rel="tag">#Scotslanguage</a></p>

A head and shoulders portrait in oils of Robert Fergusson by Alexander Runciman (1736–1785). Runciman has painted his friend, a young poet, lost in creative thought. His exaggerated features – huge eyes, full lips – suggest brilliance and intensity.

Edited 171d ago

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1y

<p>English writer and poet Edith Nesbit died <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1924.</p><p>She published over 60 books for children, including novels, collections of stories, and picture books. Among her most famous works are "The Railway Children," "Five Children and It," and "The Phoenix and the Carpet." Her work is seen as a precursor to the modern children's fantasy literature genre, influencing later writers such as C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling.</p><p>Books by Edith Nesbit at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/407" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/407"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/407</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a></p>

Nesbit, c. 1890

Black and white portrait of Edith Nesbit with stern expression, short curly hair, wearing a dark high collar dress with a decorative frill.

Red cover of "The Enchanted Castle" by E. Nesbit featuring an embossed illustration of three children and a castle behind a fountain, with gold lettering.

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1y

<p>English novelist and poet Charlotte Smith was born <a href="/tags/otd/" rel="tag">#OTD</a> in 1749.</p><p>Smith's first significant literary success came with the publication of "Elegiac Sonnets" in 1784. In addition to her poetry, Smith wrote several novels: her first novel, "Emmeline, or The Orphan of the Castle" (1788), was followed by others such as "Ethelinde" (1789), "The Old Manor House" (1793), and "Desmond" (1792). </p><p>Books by Charlotte Smith at PG:<br><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/41281" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/41281"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho</span><span class="invisible">r/41281</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/literature/" rel="tag">#literature</a> <a href="/tags/poetry/" rel="tag">#poetry</a></p>

Portrait of Charlotte Smith by George Romney.

Portrait of Charlotte Smith wearing a large, frilly bonnet, depicted with soft facial features and looking slightly to her right. The artwork uses a mix of fine detail in the face and looser strokes in the hat and background, with predominantly neutral and earthy tones.

The Young Philosopher was Smith's last novel and a piece of "outspoken radical fiction".

Charlotte Turner Smith - Eighteenth Century Collections Online
Smith, Charlotte Turner. The young philosopher. Vol. 1. London: Printed for T. Cadell, Jr. and W. Davies, 1798.

Title page of the book "The Young Philosopher: A Novel" in four volumes by Charlotte Smith, featuring an excerpt of poetry, indicating it was printed in London by T. Cadell Jun. and W. Davies in the Strand, 1798.

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