"To live is so startling, it leaves little time for anything else." (Emily Dickinson)

Sunday, 25 March 2012
Occupy 'Switch to Summer Time'!
"Ever since summer time had been inaugurated a few years before, it had been one of the chronic dispensions of Tilling. Miss Mapp, Diva and the Padre flatly refused to recognize it, except when they were going by train or tram, when principle must necessarily go to the wall, or they would never have succeeded in getting anywhere, while Miss Mapp, with the halo of martyrdom round her head, had once arrived at a summer-time party an hour late, in order to bear witness to the truth, and in consequence, had got only dregs of tea and the last faint strawberries. But the Major and Captain Puffin used the tram so often, that they had fallen into the degrading habit of dislocating their clocks and watches on the first of May, and dislocating them again in the autumn, when they were forced into uniformity with properly-minded people. Irene was flippant on the subject, and said that any old time would do for her. The Poppits followed convention, and Mrs. Poppit, in naming the hour for a party to the stalwarts, wrote "4:30 (your 3.30)." The King, after all, had invited her to be decorated at a particular hour, summer time, and what was good enough for the King was good enough for Mrs. Poppit.
The sermon was quite uncompromising. There was summer and winter, by Divine ordinance, but there was nothing said about summer time and winter time. There was but one Time, (...)
The doctrine was so much to her mind that Miss Mapp gave a shilling to the offectory instead of her usual sixpence, (...) The Padre, it is true, had changed the hour of services to suit the heresy of the majority, and this for a moment made her hand falter. But the hope, after this convincing sermon, that next year morning service would be at the hour falsely called twelve decided her not to withdraw this handsome contribution.
E.F.Benson Miss Mapp
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E.F.Benson,
Miss Mapp,
switch to summer time,
Tilling
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14 comments:
Britta - can it be true? Are you also a fan of Miss Mapp and Lucia and the wonderful cast of characters that works so hard to maintain standards? Thank you very much for this morning smile!
Our clocks changed two weeks ago.
Dear Pondside,
I am an ardent admirer of Lucia and Georgie and Miss Mapp,and am very happy to hear that we both are like-minded!
You might hear my silvery laugh in Canada, when Husband sees a like-mindedness between me and Lucia: as proud member of the E.F.Benson Society I only took my Sable to the Silver Jubilee in St. Paul's and later to the dinner in the Guild Hall in London - and the feast was utterly gorgeous!
Well, this is priceless. My favorite phrase (though I don't know that I could tell you why) is "the last faint strawberries." I can just imagine them, wilting in their little bowl.
Dear Susan,
oh, now I see them too: turning into that strange lifeless more-lilac-than-rose colour, limp and a little bit smudgy - and I see Elizabeth Mapp, eating them nevertheless, but gloating.
Wrong word: not 'gloating', but full of simmering wrath.
I don't know these people, I must investigate! Daylight saving ends 1st of April here x
Oh, yes, simmering wrath! Perfect.
Dear Penny,
if you like this form of mild satire (have a look into the books at Amazon first): it is a real joy to read! 'Lucia' is a person who tries to bring the torch of culture to a very tiny English village, and Mrs. Mapp is her rival. Hilarious - all taking place in a time long past (they still have a King) - but the character traits are of course the same as today :-)
Thoroughly enjoyed this, Britta. (And the ensuing comments.) I feel very much like Irene: flippant on the subject... any old time would do....
I've thought about sending out similar invitations as well: "4:30 (your 3.30)." Haha! But really, any old time will do!
EF Benson was brilliant. :)
Dear Jayne,
yes, he was!
Though too much lenience might lead to limpy strawberries :-)
Hi
We don't have summer time but I've heard that we did have one a long time ago. I don't know why we abolished it.
PS
Thank you so much for your reply on the King Friedrich's post the other day. "but the price was also that he learned to speak with double tongue" I found it very interesting!!
But then you are lucky, dear Sapphire: no need to change your bio- and sleep-rhythm every six month!
I'm still following Friedrich II steps - a fascinating personality.
I do not understand why we must change the clocks every six months. The cat certainly does not understand why her breakfast time must change. I'm just now becoming accustomed to the "spring forward" mode adopted a few weeks ago.
Dear Walk2write,
I do neither - and experts say its not saving energy. (But wasting ours :-)
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