We are surrounded by invisible laws and conventions, we all sin, and cover our sins in chiffon and diamonds. The chiffon is quite transparent, everyone can see through it, still chiffon is a veil, and then the diamonds! We are all vulgar at heart, and if the diamonds glitter, what does it matter where they come from or how they were bought? To be artificial, and to be a little more improbable and impossible than one’s neighbour, is to be a perfect success.
Further reading
Ronald works the room
Concerning the Eccentricities of Ronald Firbank
At home with Ronald Firbank
Doubles: Ronald Firbank
Vainglory
Circles: Evan Morgan
Augustus John | portrait studies
Albert Buhrer | Firbank illustrations
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Hi there: I was just thinking about some of the folk you present on Strange Flowers: Natalie Barney, Romaine Brooks, Djuna Barnes – all celebrated women whose works I know well. I would like to suggest a much lesser known, but very prolific writer (though perhaps a more prolific translator, interpreter & being) whose birthday will be June 6: Edouard Roditi. He was a professor of mine at the beginning of my graduate career, a friend, a mentor and, of course, a cross to bear. Genius polymath. By far the most articulate linguist I’ve met (I did a ph.d at UC berkeley in French/Comparative Literature) in many moons of travelling & living in Europe. An art critic, poet, biographer (Oscar Wilde, Magellan) and historian. An American out of place in the states; a classmate of Paul Goodman in Chicago in the late 30’s; a guest professor at Brown, Oberlin, UC Santa Cruz, SF State, Kansas, UC Berkeley. Here’s the link to his wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edouard_Roditi. A great person by any standard. And, of course, too brilliant for his own good…
Thanks,
greg
Amen.