tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post6823699182641267524..comments2024-03-29T14:45:32.326+13:00Comments on The Imaginary Museum: The English Opium-EaterDr Jack Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01805945600952222957noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-1979616390996020862017-12-28T21:03:11.653+13:002017-12-28T21:03:11.653+13:00Well another coincidence of names. I read St. Augu...Well another coincidence of names. I read St. Augustine's Confessions. I have read it and enjoyed poetic disproofs (almost) of the existence of God. In so doing he writes some beautiful lines or ideas. Yes, he probably started the trend.<br /><br />A hauntingly extreme example of a modern 'confessionalist' is Herve Guibert whose diary (The Mausoleum of Lovers) is very powerful, sometimes frightening because of his ideas (perhaps Artaudian). Hogg is also taking the idea of election to extremes.<br /><br />But de Quincey is also a fascinating link. I must re-look at it. I was reading a few pages where he describes his desperate search for Ann. Dickens has a character who is an opium addict in his last book Edwin Drood. Perhaps he was influenced by de Quincey.<br /><br />Yes, things are going well. I caught up with Olwyn, Yves and Renee Harrison and a few others. Renee is deep into his philosophy as is Olwyn of course. But a jolly time was had by all and I didn't drink alcohol at all. Nor did Victor. Others did. <br /><br />Best for the season and the New Year!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10272507198753290435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-1885254976244435232017-12-28T07:37:30.006+13:002017-12-28T07:37:30.006+13:00No, I don't know any Dave Ross, Richard. My tw...No, I don't know any Dave Ross, Richard. My two elder brothers are called Jim and Ken, respectively.<br /><br />Hogg's <i>Confessions of a Justified Sinner</i> is one of the greatest of all Gothic novels, I think. I didn't know about the Alice Munro story. Hogg is a fascinating character, though. I visited the memorial to him by a loch in Scotland more than once: "He taught the wandering waves to sing" was the inscription. Rather a bold claim, I thought at the time.<br /><br />I think St. Augustine's Confessions were the prototype all others since have followed more or less. Rousseau certainly helped to make it an archetype of Romanticism, though.<br /><br />I hope the holiday season is treating you kindly.<br />Dr Jack Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01805945600952222957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29676463.post-74424845908256613622017-12-27T22:57:50.432+13:002017-12-27T22:57:50.432+13:00Interesting again as I made a point of getting a c...Interesting again as I made a point of getting a copy of this book. I think I had read 'The Confessions of a Justified Sinner' and (Father forgive me my sins I have the 1001 Books one must read! In any case I bought the Everyman edition which seemed very good. I read it in 2014. I recall Ann. It is rather haunting and sad. I was after the 'infinity' and the strangeness of his dreams. His life is interesting I thought and his reasons for leaving home. <br /><br />Now I also, after having bought that,I found that among the books I once had for sale there was the edition you picture, the one with 'both the revised and Original Texts with its sequels SUSPIRA...' etc. I haven't read that copy. It has a longish life of De Quincey. I think I shall read this edition. The Confessions is quite long so I may not notice any difference but it certainly looks substantial. <br /><br />This all reminds me as does the intro to the Everyman edition, that there are and even were in de Quincey's day, a lot of "Confessions" (Rousseau is only one I want to read). Also Hogg's dark novel is a great read. I recall more of it I think. In a longish story Alice Munro writes (partly) about Hogg. <br /><br />But on the front end paper there is a name: Dave Ross written in largish writing.<br /><br />Your brother, one of? I know of the younger I think he is, or is he the elder?<br /><br />In any case, (tho I didn't think much about it when I read it the first time); it is a coincidence, something of which I think you are, I believe, considerably fond Jack! Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10272507198753290435noreply@blogger.com