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Malice (Maxine's dollie) wanted me to remind you:
On this day in 1816, the Shelleys, Lord Byron and entourage gathered at the Villa Diodati on Lake Geneva
to tell the ghost stories that would trigger Frankenstein.
This most legendary of storm-tossed evenings was a literary lightning bolt.
When word circulated that the infamous Byron had taken up residence at the Villa Diodati on Lake Geneva,
one enterprising hotelier installed a telescope in order that his guests might get a close-up of the
"League of Incest" --Byron, Shelley, Mary Shelley, Claire Clairmont (half-sister to Mary, pregnant with Byron's child), John Polidori (Byron's physician) -- in action.
One gossipy note sent back to England from a nearby villa testified to Byron cavorting with "another family of very suspicious appearance,"
though the communicant admitted, "How many he has at his disposal out of the whole set I know not. . . ."
Meow!
Blaise Pascal was born
on this day in 1623.
Many of his arguments reflect a paradoxical view of life, and recommend a tempered, via media approach to living. The above, from Section II of the Pensées, leads on to this:
This is our true state; this is what makes us incapable of certain knowledge and of absolute ignorance. We sail within a vast sphere, ever drifting in uncertainty, driven from end to end.
Nothing stays for us. This is our natural condition and yet most contrary to our inclination.
A novel biography of Mary Shelley:
On this day in 1816, the Shelleys, Lord Byron and entourage gathered at the Villa Diodati on Lake Geneva
to tell the ghost stories that would trigger Frankenstein.
This most legendary of storm-tossed evenings was a literary lightning bolt.
When word circulated that the infamous Byron had taken up residence at the Villa Diodati on Lake Geneva,
one enterprising hotelier installed a telescope in order that his guests might get a close-up of the
"League of Incest" --Byron, Shelley, Mary Shelley, Claire Clairmont (half-sister to Mary, pregnant with Byron's child), John Polidori (Byron's physician) -- in action.
One gossipy note sent back to England from a nearby villa testified to Byron cavorting with "another family of very suspicious appearance,"
though the communicant admitted, "How many he has at his disposal out of the whole set I know not. . . ."
Meow!
Many of his arguments reflect a paradoxical view of life, and recommend a tempered, via media approach to living. The above, from Section II of the Pensées, leads on to this:
This is our true state; this is what makes us incapable of certain knowledge and of absolute ignorance. We sail within a vast sphere, ever drifting in uncertainty, driven from end to end.
Nothing stays for us. This is our natural condition and yet most contrary to our inclination.
A novel biography of Mary Shelley:
Oh thanks so much for the zombie book! I shall read it soon. Can't wait :))
ReplyDeleteMicahel:
ReplyDeleteWe zombie fans have to stick together, right?
wait, what...
ReplyDeletedamn you zombies.
Ever see the movie Gothic? It's about that fateful night with the Shellys. Very atmospheric.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting.
ReplyDeleteHugs and chocolate,
Shelly
Oooh, wish I could have been there with Byron and the Shelly's. It must have been such fun!
ReplyDeleteAlex mentioned Gothic. I may have to check that out. The video was interesting-and so were their lives. And tragic...
ReplyDeleteI'm with Gwen. I would've loved to have been part of that ghost story-telling gathering.
ReplyDeleteJeremy:
ReplyDeleteZombies are your bane, aren't they? :-)
Alex:
I'll have to see GOTHIC!
Shelly:
Thanks! :-)
Gwen:
Wouldn't it have been something to be a guest at that party?
Words Crafter:
Yes, their lives were tragic. And the video was fun, wasn't it? Especially Robert E Lee and the raptors!
Susan:
We might have become famous ourselves!!
Horror is my drug!
ReplyDeleteI loved going through every single bit of your post.
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