Philobiblon: Two short lessons in how to write

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Two short lessons in how to write

1. "I shall never believe in ghosts until I hear of one that spends its time turning on the hot water or switching the electric light off and on. A ghost that merely glides past all these fascinating modern improvements is not, to my way of thinking, genuine or convincing." (p.15)

2. "Indeed, from their willingness to provide tea and sell fudge, it is clear that the old houses of Alfriston fully appreciate the profit to be made from those who are so starved of beauty that they will go miles to look at a thatch." (p. 102)

These from H.V. Morton's I Saw Two Englands, 1939 (covering journeys before and after the outbreak of war).

As befits a highly prolific writer he's uneven, but when he's good he's very good.

He's even got a personal society.

More later, hopefully.

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