"Even though more people today are interested in wild birds than ever before, it still takes courage to be a bird watcher. This is because for hundreds of years the main interest in birds has been to kill them or take their eggs, and so, to the majority of grown-up people, it is incredible that anyone should want to spend his time just watching birds. In fact, young bird watchers will often find that they are suspected of having a catapult up their sleeves or, in spring, of being merely out to rob any nests they find. Although this is how a lot of people feel, that should not stop you taking an interest in birds. By always telling the truth to farmers, gamekeepers and the like, and by asking politely for permission to go on their land, wonders can be done, and it all helps to get bird watching , and the study of natural history generally, regarded as a normal and exciting hobby for civilized boys and girls, far better than many of the aimless pastimes on which so many of us spend our free time." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So ,dear readers, what do you make of that ? It certainly seems very old-fashioned in many ways. I don't think I've ever actually seen a gamekeeper ! The wonderful " spending his time" gives us pause for thought. And it seems that only "civilised" boys and girls are eligible ! I think the writer is hinting at Grammar-school pupils only*. It is the opening paragraph of a "slim volume." When do you think it might have been written ? And by whom? I've written about it on here before ..... so you really ought to know. All will be revealed after the vital musical interlude.... Which, for no particular reason except its sheer loveliness, here's Roy Harper "doing" "Another Day" live........ subtle chords by the way. And here's the "Sing-along-with-Roy" version ... lucky you ! I promised you I would show you the book that it was the first paragraph of so here it is... ..... 1950's ...... Bruce Campbell .... I bought my first copy ( the one on the right) upstairs in Boots the Chemist in Newark at the tricky age of 10..... upstairs in the book department, incongruously.
I was swotty twerp back then. * Grammar schools, by the way, were so-called because they taught LATIN grammar. Unfortunately, I got dragged by my hair out of my Latin class by one of the many vicious bastards that couldn't teach a fish to swim ! And I sat outside the Latin classroom for 1½ years. But eventually I learned Latin by myself, and I now feel very smug that (a) he will be dead and gone by now, and (b) I have read "Winnie ille Pu" and "Domus Anguli Puensis" in your actual Latin.
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AuthorThat's the author up there ... I was young and sprightly then. Archives
October 2022
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