Category Archives: Sharing

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

08 Tuesday Oct 2019

Posted by in kindness, respect, Sharing

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Image result for images of meghan markle and prince harry

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (MSN)

I will write on The Princess of El(l)is, but I can’t resist mentioning Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex.

When I was a child in a very Catholic Quebec, we were taught that one could not speak ill of others. It was called médisance, and it was considered a sin. In fact, my parents would not allow us to engage in any form of gossiping and to judge others. We had to report mistreatment and were protected, but there were rules of conduct.

So, given the education I received, I have looked upon the negative comments about the Duchess of Sussex as uncharitable, and since it has been said, among other falsehoods, that she faked her pregnancy, the word uncharitable fails to describe the villainy of her detractors.

It started with the price of her clothes. As you know, Meghan is African-American, divorced, and a former actress. She may therefore have feared rejection from the Royal family of Britain and fought this fear by dressing impeccably. As a matter of fact, dressing well is expected of Britain’s Royals. Meghan’s beauty and elegance are assets to the Crown, and so is her engaging personality. She may not continue to purchase very expensive clothes at the rate she did, but she is unlikely to stop wearing lovely clothes.

Moreover, given that the Duchess of Sussex was in her mid-thirties and had a successful career when she and Prince Harry met, it was to be expected that she would combine certain personal endeavours and her duties as a Royal.

Meghan may not be perfect. Who is? But those who are defaming her are harming a human being and may destroy their prey, which is very wrong.

I admire Prince Harry and love Meghan’s spontaneity and warmth.

 

Love to all of you.

Image result for picture of meghan markle

The Duchess of Sussex (Time)

© Micheline Walker
8 October 2019
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Sorry, computer problems

01 Tuesday Oct 2019

Posted by in Sharing, Uncategorized

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Muse, perhaps Clio, reading a scroll (Attic red-figure lekythos, Boeotia, c. 430 BC) (Wikipedia)

Yesterday’s posts exists. However my computer is broken and the post is no longer correct.

The post will have to be moved to new post and I need he humility to say that although it worked for several  weeks, I did not fix my computer.

The post is not lost. But it must be moved to a new location and I must purchase a new computer.

Apologies and much love to everyone.💕

Micheline

Just a few words

31 Saturday Aug 2019

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Lion Resting, 1650 - 1652 - Rembrandt

Lion Resting by Rembrandt (WikiArt.org)

A Mystery

On 29 August 2019, I put in a short note at the very bottom of my post. The note was about my posts on Molière.

Navigating the Internet, I saw an invitation to rate one of my posts on Molière. This had never happened before. Besides only experts could rate scholarly articles, but they would not rate a post. Experts assess articles submitted for publication in a journal and books submitted for publication as monographs.

I wrote a PhD thesis on Molière and have published articles on some of his plays. I have not published a book on Molière because of other assignments. I would like to write a book on Molière, but that may not be possible. I no longer have access to a research library and my pension fund is too small for me to support the costs involved in writing a book.

Besides, I am now 75 years old and in poor health. I am nevertheless rereading the plays of Molière and writing posts as I read. These are accessible for free. There is no “pay” button on my site.

I have a loving community on WordPress, which is all I need.

In fact, I will have to spend more time resting. In my last post, I wrote “taught” instead of “thought.” That is a clear sign of fatigue.

I don’t know who decided that my posts on Molière should be rated. Moreover, I cannot understand why anyone would do this. Scholarly articles are much longer than posts. They contain several quotations by fellow scholars, and few images are used.

Let us hope this will not happen again, not without my consent.

Love to everyone 💕

 

Rembrandt

220px-Europa_copy

© Micheline Walker
31 August 2019
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A Note to my Readers

28 Wednesday Aug 2019

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geronte-scapin

Géronte et Scapin (Gallica)

This is a note I intend to erase.

While writing my post, I suddenly felt enormous, crippling, fatigue. There is nothing one can do. I transferred the post from Word to WordPress, but left out most of Act One, accidentally. The part I did not include was Reason, Destiny, Youth and a Father’s Love.

These words are keys to an understand of Molière’s Les Fourberies de Scapin, and to an understanding of Molière’s plays.

I copied my article, including Act One, and put it in a new post. I wanted to avoid old versions coming up.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is a difficult illness. I caught a virus in 1976, a long time ago, and never recovered fully. The same thing happened to Florence Nightingale, but the triggering factor may have been something other than a powerful virus. The virus damaged my brain because the rate of perfusion of blood to the brain slowed down. However, my intelligence has not been affected, so work was my best remedy and it has remained just that. Furthermore, myalgic should be removed because I am not in pain. I have migraines, but who doesn’t?

Allow me to rest a little and I will conclude reading Les Fourberies de Scapin.  In Act Three, Scapin puts Géronte in a bag, changes his voice several times to make Géronte think others are beating him. Géronte gets out of the bag. The good news is that Octave is no longer a prisoner of the Turks, which was a fourberie, and Zerbinette has been saved.

I’ll rest a little more and post the details.

Love to everyone 💕

Micheline

 

 

 

A Delay

09 Friday Aug 2019

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Dugazon dans Sgnanarelle du Festin de pierre

Sganarelle par Dugazon (théâtre-documention.com)

Above is an image of Sganarelle praising tobacco. Molière‘s Dom Juan is an obscure play. As the curtain lifts, Sganarelle,  Dom Juan’s valet, is praising tobacco. A critic called this praise of tobacco an encomium, but a paradoxical encomium. I believe I found this information in a book or article by Patrick Dandrey.

I read several books on Molière before entering a sabbatical I would devote to writing my book on Molière. It didn’t happen. The Chair of my department called me in and asked me to prepare two new courses in areas I was not familiar with. I could not say no because I feared him.

When I returned to work, I realized that during my absence, no one upgraded the language lab component. It took me two months to upgrade it. So, my workload triggered a serious episode of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. I was vulnerable and accepted to move to Sherbrooke. That was a mistake. One should not make serious decisions when one is unwell.

However, here I am preparing my final will. My mind took me back to what had been my home: Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

My University eliminated me, using a ruse, because of an illness I could manage, given normal circumstances. I can work on a full-time basis, if assigned a normal load of courses. What my university did to me was very wrong.

Beware of wills.

So, we are returning to Dom Juan and specifically to the relationship between Dom Juan, the character, played by La Grange, and Sganarelle, Molière’s role.

Love to everyone 💕

Michel Lambert
“Ma bergère est tendre et fidelle,” air sérieux
Stephan van Dyck
Musica Favola Ensemble

© Micheline Walker
10 August 2019
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A Moment of Grace

06 Thursday Jun 2019

Posted by in Sharing, War

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The Family of Trees
Félix Vallotton – 1922

I did not intend to write an article today. But I just realized that today is the anniversary of D-Day, and I have a story to tell. In fact, it is a story I have already told, but … 

One of my uncles survived D-Day for reasons he cannot understand. He then went north to Holland where he was asked to accompany prisoners of war who were being transported. They were seated at the back of a truck. All was well.

Out of the blue, one of the prisoners leaped from his seat and lowered my uncle’s body. My uncle nearly fell and he lost his rifle. The prisoner of war then helped him get up and retrieved the rifle. My uncle could not understand what had happened. So, the soldier showed him a metal wire the truck had just driven past. It would have decapitated my uncle had this “enemy” not seen it and acted promptly. 

This was a moment of grace and innocence. It was a moment so precious that my uncle never forgot. In peacetime, the two young men would have enjoyed a long conversation over coffee. War had separated them.

It has been seventy-five years. Yet, tears still come to my uncle’s eyes when he remembers. 

Schubert, Trio op. 100 – Andante con moto
Par le Trio Wanderer (Voyage d’hiver 2007 – Carte Blanche au Trio Wanderer, réalisation Jean-Pierre Barizien – CLC Productions)

Chrysanthemums and Autumn Foliage
Félix Vallotton – 1922

© Micheline Walker
6 June 2019
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Sharing

24 Friday May 2019

Posted by in Art, Sharing

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miss-bowles.jpg!Large

The Strawberry Girl by Joshua Reynolds, 1775 (WikiArt.org)

I apologize for not writing for several days. My computer is on the blink.
I may need help.

Kind regards to everyone  💕

boy-holding-a-bunch-of-grapes.jpg!Large

Boy holding a Bunch of Grapes by Joshua Reynolds, 1770 (WikiArt.org)

© Micheline Walker
24 May 2019
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Claude Lorrain & a Carpe Diem

16 Thursday May 2019

Posted by in Comédie-Ballet, Comedy, Molière, Sharing

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Claude Lorrain – Pastoral scene with classical ruins.  Grenoble – Musée des Beaux Arts  (about-France.com Baroque and Classicism)

A Carpe Diem

Croyez-moi, hâtons-nous, ma Sylvie,  Believe me, let us hasten, my Sylvia,  
Usons bien des moments précieux;  and profit well by the precious time ;
Contentons ici notre envie,  let us here satisfy our desires.
De nos ans le feu nous y convie:  The passions of our age invite us ;
Nous ne saurions, vous et moi, faire mieux  you and I could not do better.

Quand l’hiver a glacé nos guérets,  Winter has covered our fields with ice,
Le printemps vient reprendre sa place,  Spring comes to take her place again,
Et ramène à nos champs leurs attraits;  and to our pastures gives their charms.
Mais, hélas! quand l’âge nous glace,  But when, alas ! old age has chilled our feelings,
Nos beaux jours ne reviennent jamais. our happy days return no more.

Ne cherchons tous les jours qu’à nous plaire, Let us seek all day naught but what pleases us;  
Soyons-y l’un et l’autre empressés;  let us both be earnest about it ;
Du plaisir faisons notre affaire, let pleasures be our business ;
Des chagrins songeons à nous défaire: let us get rid of all our troubles;
Il vient un temps où l’on en prend assez. a time will come when we shall have enough of them.
Quand l’hiver a glacé nos guérets, …

La Pastorale comique, Sc xiii, p. 7.
The Comic Pastoral, Sc 15, p. 51. (transl. Henri van Laun)

A Pastoral Landscape by Claude Lorrain, 1647 (WikiArt.org)

As you know, I hope to publish a book about Molière. I have not read all of Molière for decades. My PhD thesis was a discussion of six plays. The University of British Columbia’s Library has sent me a PDF copy, which I will convert into text I can edit.

Although I will seldom include the libretto in my little book, I am reading the plays of Molière in their entirety. The carpe diem located above is an “air.”

I apologize for posting rather long articles.

 

Love to everyone  💕

Benedetto Ferrari : « Non fia più ver » Philippe Jarrousky (contre-ténor) 

pastoral-landscape-1677

Pastoral Landscape by Claude Lorrain, 1677 (WikiArt.org)

© Micheline Walker
16 May 2019
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Monday …

08 Wednesday May 2019

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Walter J. PHILLIPS R.C.A. (Can. 1884 – 1963) (Invaluable)

I love Mr. Phillips’ tree. This is the work of a very good artist. I am reminded of the West Coast of Canada, where I lived for several happy years. Looking at that tree cheered me up. It is an old tree, but age has graced it.

Let me tell a story. Monday, I had a doctor’s appointment. I took a cab. I have been feeling a little depressed and feared driving. So many drivers exceed the speed limit or will not allow a person to change lanes.

On my way back home, the cab driver, who was not an immigrant, many are, told me that, if immigrants were unhappy here, they should go back home. We didn’t need them.

So, I told him that they were home. 

—ooo—

THE ROYAL BABY

Fortunately, the Royal baby was born on an otherwise sad Monday. I was very happy to learn that the Duchess of Sussex was delivered of her baby boy safely. I was afraid it would be a difficult birth and hoped she would give birth in a hospital.

Prince Harry said that he was very proud of his wife. I am also very proud of Meghan. The baby is beautiful, and I have never seen a happier Prince Harry. 

Congratulations to the happy parents and their Royal baby: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. I love him.

This is a short post. My next post is nearly ready. I am not discussing Mélicerte, but Mélicerte and La Pastorale comique were both performed at Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the action of both plays takes place in the Vale of Tempe, in Greece.

These two plays were never performed at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, la troupe du roi‘s Paris venue. Le Sicilien ou l’Amour peintre was performed at both locations: Saint-Germain, successfully, and the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, less successfully.  

Love to everyone 💕
(I edited or eliminated comments I made in the Comments section of my post on Molière’s Mélicerte. There are events I should forget. I’m still alive.)

 

Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74
Alison Balsam and Lestyn Davies
The English Concert, Trevor Pinnoc

Walter J. PHILLIPS R.C.A. (Can. 1884 – 1963) (Invaluable)

© Micheline Walker
8 May 2019
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Dear Readers, encore …

05 Friday Apr 2019

Posted by in Comedy, Molière, Sharing

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Long posts cause earlier drafts to surface. In fact, putting in images causes earlier drafts to surface. Therefore, as first published, my post was a draft …

I am getting older, but matters are not too severe. I make spelling errors and get confused looking for the English translation of the original French text. Wikisource publishes fine translations.

—ooo—

However, I did take my post away and wrote a conclusion I had hesitated to publish. The many spectacles point to a rather dark world vision on the part of Molière. Was/is society this powerless and humanity, so frail? Molière is a very complex author.

Ironically, Molière had started to die when he played the Imaginary Invalid, on 17 February 1673. That was reality.

It could be that an editor removed a few lines or a paragraph or two from the draft. It  was very long. Although a paragraph or quotation may have been removed, the post is complete, and its conclusion, entirely mine.

I thank you for your kindness and apologize for not having read as many of your posts as I normally do during the last few days. Weeks have started to go by so quickly. 

My kindest regards to all of you.

Micheline

Lully — Te Deum

Le_Malade_imaginaire_décor_Pizzi

Décor pour Le Malade imaginaire by Pier Luigi Pizzi (commons.wikimedia.org)

© Micheline Walker
5 April 2019
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