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Search - News Of England Or A Country Without A Hero

News Of England Or A Country Without A Hero
Author: Beverley Nichols

NEWS OF ENGLAND Or, A Country Pf ttkout A Hero By BEVERLEY NICHOLS DOUBLEDAY, DORAN COMPANY, INC. New York 1938 CL COPYRIGHT, 1938 BY BEVERIBY NICHOLS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED FIRST EDITION FOR FRANCIS YEATS-BROWN Bengal Lancer Dear Y-B, There was a day when you disagreed so strongly with one of my books that you honoured me by writing a reply to it.... more » Across the cover of that book was printed in large letters, Beverley Nichols Refuted. I wish that on the cover of this book I might return the compliment, and write Yeats-Brown Refuted 9 . But News of England, far from being a refutation of your philoso phy, is in some ways an endorsement of it. That, at least, is how it seems to me. You are too generous a man to say told you so. The fact remains that you did, and I am glad to have the opportunity of here acknowledging it. As ever, B. N. Contents CHAPTER PAGE I A COUNTRY WITHOUT A HERO ... i II TOWERS OF BABEL 17 III THE SOUND OF THE SIRENS .... 30 IV UP IN THE CLOUDS 45 V THE GODDESS OF CHANCE .... 59 VI THE SOBER TRUTH 74 VII THE FLOCK AND THE FATHERS ... 85 VIII STUDY IN RED 101 IX HOME OF LOST CAUSES 117 X PAGLIACCI 134 XI SOCIETY PAGEANT 143 XII FINE FEATHERS 157 XIII DIVERTISSEMENT 168 XIV WAVE LENGTH 180 XV SOFTLY, SOFTLY, CATCHEE MONKEY. , 196 vii CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE XVI DISTRESSED AREA 213 XVII BLACK DIAMONDS 227 XVIII DOWN THE MINE 237 XIX INTERLUDE AT LINCOLN 245 XX UNKNOWN QUANTITY 261 XXI THE BITTER END 284 mii NEWS OF ENGLAND Or, A Country Without A Hero CHAPTER I A Country Without a Hero A GREY CLOAK, a brace of greyhounds, a pair of gilt spurs, a pound of cumin, a salmon spear, a pair of white gloves, a hundred shillings and a pound of pepper , . . these are the gifts which, in the year 1938, are still presented to King George VI of England on his visit to the Duchy of Cornwall. He travels from London by one of the speediest trains in the world. It flies through a country that even his father would hardly recognize, so quickly are the old landmarks passing. As he receives these feudal dues, which seem to have been brought not only from another civilization but from another world, the fastest bombers in Europe dip in salute, high above him. But still the ancient gifts are laid at his feet ... a grey cloak, a brace of greyhounds, a pair of gilt spurs. It is not merely a picturesque anachronism. It is a highly significant trait in the national character, that character which clings steadfastly to ancient forms, long after the realities which moulded them have been for NEWS OF ENGLAND gotten, and long after the spirit which inspired them has died away. It is as significant as the bunch of newly-cut flowers which the Recorder of London always carries with him as, in his scarlet robe, he enters the court of the Old Bailey to administer the law of the land. The fragrance of those flowers drifts back through the centuries, to the time when the stench of the wicked was so over powering that the delicate nostrils of the court were offended, and sought protection in the pinks and laven ders which might then be plucked not so very far away, in the fields of Lincolns Inn, To-day, the prisoner at the bar has had a bath, whether he likes it or not. The court is air-conditioned and centrally heated. But the flowers remain in the hand of the Recorder, apparently fadeless a symbol of the unbroken continuity of English law. It is this almost passionate adherence to the language of the past, at the very moment when we are thinking in the language of the future and often determining the cadences of that language, this obstinate practice of pouring our new wine into old bottles, which makes England the despair of foreign observers. A country which so persistently says one thing and does another is inexplicable. Worse than inexplicable. Perfide. At the same time, it is exceedingly interesting. More interesting to-day than at any time in history...

ISBN-13: 9781406740943
ISBN-10: 1406740942
Publication Date: 3/15/2007
Pages: 312
Rating:

0 stars, based on 0 rating

Publisher: Garnsey Press
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

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