Previous William Thomas Sherman Info Page postings, quotes, observations, etc.
["Sloop John B by The Beach Boys live (1980)"]
Here's some "trivia" for you ~ Both terms "Whig" and "Tory" are evidently of derogatory origin, not unlike the use of Donkeys and Elephants as symbols to represent modern American political parties; for “Whig” derives from “Whiggamore” and refers to a group of Scottish rebels of 1648; later scoffed at as characteristic of those widely out of touch with the British public in being against the Restoration of Charles II; as well, “whig” make us think of “wig” suggesting false pretense; specifically in the cant and religious affectation attributed to Presbyterians and Puritans by their enemies. “Tory,” the title for Royalists and Anglicans (and presumably as well those perceived as “Catholic” by some of their opponents), emanates from an Irish word for “robber;” and was reportedly introduced by the infamously scurrilous (or, if you prefer, tragically misguided) Titus Oates about 1680.
Presumably much of the religious strife of the 16th and 17th century in Britain was in some measure the result of spirit people (being themselves medically sick) infecting the congregatons, including their practices, character (encouraging falsehoods and distortions), and the spiritual atmosphere of such; thus corrupting them, and as a result making that denomnation look very bad, and which then compelled some to invent a faith or sect of their own in reaction. So that often what people rejected in another denomination was really the spirit people, and those within the denomination under the spirit persons' influence, who made the given religion look bad; thus fomenting conflict and misunderstanding. I generalize, of course, but I think in and with this interpretation we have one singularly plausible thread of explanation.
Fortunately for me, I earlier today learned that the University of Virginia Library already has available a transcribed version of the 1861 edition of The Poetical Works of Samuel Woodworth at
http://xtf.lib.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=chadwyck_ap/uvaGenText/tei/chap_AM1249.xml;brand=default
On the other hand, and for whatever reason, their copy does not include the Introduction, and which latter contains other scarce verse by Woodworth, as well as the Halleck poem we posted just the other day. The end of the introduction is also about as far as I got transcribing; so at least my typing was not for naught. For any interested then, you can download this intro as a .doc file at: http://www.gunjones.com/WOODWORTH-Intro.doc
Finally, and for fun, here's the Peerless Quartet, c. 1909, singing Woodworth's most famous song, commonly known as "The Old Oaken Bucket," and with accompanying text.
[""Old Oaken Bucket", Peerless Quartet"]
THE BUCKET
How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood,
When fond recollection presents them to view!
The orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled wild-wood,
And ev'ry loved spot which my infancy knew!
The wide spreading pond, and the mill that stood by it,
The bridge and the rock where the cataract fell,
The cot of my father, the dairy-house nigh it,
And e'en the rude bucket that hung in the well --
The old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket,
The moss-covered bucket that hung in the well.
That moss-covered vessel I hailed as a treasure,
For often at noon, when returned from the field,
I found it the source of an exquisite pleasure,
The purest and sweetest that nature can yield.
How ardent I seized it, with hands that were glowing,
And quick to the white-pebbled bottom it fell;
Then soon, with the emblem of truth overflowing,
And dripping with coolness, it rose from the well --
The old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket,
The moss covered bucket that hung in the well.
How sweet from the green mossy brim to receive it,
As poised on the curb it inclined to my lips!
Not a full blushing goblet could tempt me to leave it,
The brightest that beauty or revelry sips.
And now, far removed from the loved habitation,
The tear of regret will intrusively swell,
As fancy reverts to my father's plantation,
And sighs for the bucket that hangs in the well --
The old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket,
The moss-covered bucket that hangs in the well!
New businesses built over the murder of older ones, as if crime and murder were merely a form of being competitive. And you are not supposed to notice or say anything. Let others act as and be what they will; I myself am neither a coward nor a fool, and, let the record show, will have none of it. Perhaps that is why it was necessary to subject me to ongong physical violence (18 years worth) and brain torture radios.
Most who know their maritime history will be readily familiar with historical vessels such as the H.M.S. Victory or U.S.S. Constitution, and which are, at least at core, the original ships. Yet around the globe there are a number of full scale replica historical craft that have been constructed in recent decades; among them the Hermione (which we have already remarked on a number of times) at Rochefort, France; Santisima Trinidad (from Trafalgar) at Malaga, Spain, and the 17th century Dutch merchant ship Batavia (seen in video below) kept at Batavia Werf in Lelystad, the Netherlands. It is reported also that Batavia Werf is at present in the even more ambitious process of reconsructing Admiral de Ruyter's Zeven Provincien of 80 guns (a ship similar to the Friesland I'd done a model of.) To these and like efforts, we salute you all. And though a given ship may be a nation’s property, as Harry Truman said of the Los Ninos defenders of Mexico City (1847), "Brave men don't belong to any one country."
["Keren VOC schip Batavia"]
"Destiny?" "Chief commander?" "Chief commander on this earth?" Very high titles indeed. Does anybody know what these two are talking about? Oh, you do know what they are talking about. Then why is it if you know what they are talking about, what they are talking about can't be discussed (rationally, scientifically?) And yet such silence (on a topic so obviously important) is tolerated; such acquiesence to such a childish treatment of spirit people is treated as higher wisdom among the establishment elite; so that are not society's commanding and most affluent elite, after all, childish people -- and who, as such, are, and by their own admission, puppets being used by someone else? (No offense to Mr. Bradley or Mr. Dylan here; rather my criticism is aimed at what many take to be and themselves accept as conventional wisdom.)
["Main Ingredient-Everybody Plays The Fool" -- live on "Soul Train"]