What are we reading?

[WorldForgot]

I read Sally Rooney's novelz, and liked Beautiful World, Where Are You? the best. It sacrifices the simplicity in favor of layered annui - so it's much less 'romance' and much more youthful mea culpa. I especially enjoyed the discussion on Bronze Age collapse (culled from Josephine Quinn's "Your own ships did this!") and Catholic interpretation.

Rooney's observations work well because our agitated modernity iz so saturated in 'discourse' that it's a welcome respite to have essentially 'emotional smut' emails and texts between the four main characters ricochet and digress wrestling it for us, a sweet supply of self-pity and insight. Best friends and meaning, everyone wondering whether we can forgive ourselves for our intimate priorities amidst a rapidly spiraling global mess

[Scrooby]

In the meanwhile, Phoebe being a bidden guest made herself as gorgeous as might be to please the eye of Ganymede; and Montanus suited himself with the cost of many of his flocks to be gallant against the day, for then was Ganymede to give Phoebe an answer of her loves, and Montanus either to hear the doom of his misery, or the censure of his happiness.

Rosalynde, or Euphues golden legacie (1592)
Thomas Lodge
(New York : Elston Press, 1902), 112.

[Scrooby]

[WorldForgot]

Beautiful ~

[Scrooby]

Gunther Zainer's Epistles and Gospels
[ Augsburg, c.1474 ]
in
Some notes on early woodcut books, with a chapter on illuminated manuscripts
William Morris
New York : Elston Press, 1902.

[Scrooby]

Do arme your selfe against that day, them to confound.

Spenser, Faerie Queene, 2.3.15

[Scrooby]

Amour me tuë

Love slays me, yet I would rather not tell
of this sweet pain it is for me to die,
for I fear someone might want to rescue me
from this tender torment behind my sigh.

Though it's true that my love-sickness hopes
that time will return my vigour to me,
still and all I'd not have my lady come cure
my languishment, so pleasing is this ache.

Be still, my heart; I feel the day coming
when my mistress, after so long absent,
seeing the care that wears down all my thought,

will hold me in her arms for a whole night
bountifully, and in this way will pay
all the interest of my substantial pain.

Pierre de Ronsard
1553

Amour me tue, et si je ne veux dire
Le plaisant mal que ce m'est de mourir :
Tant j'ai grand peur, qu'on veuille secourir
Le mal, par qui doucement je soupire.

Il est bien vrai, que ma langueur désire
Qu'avec le temps je me puisse guérir :
Mais je ne veux ma dame requérir
Pour ma santé : tant me plaît mon martyre.

Tais-toi langueur je sens venir le jour,
Que ma maîtresse, après si long séjour,
Voyant le soin qui ronge ma pensée,

Toute une nuit, folâtrement m'ayant
Entre ses bras, prodigue, ira payant
Les intérêts de ma peine avancée.

[Scrooby]

Aucassin & Nicolete
Eragny Press, 1903.
photograph by Scrooby