(urth) Lepanto

[Alice K. Turner]

Andrew Bollen:

>> I've never read Chesterton before, but his "Lepanto" (below) surely is
>> horrendously awful.

To which vizcacha replied:

> I wouldn't say it's _that_ bad. Like Kipling, if you encounter it at a
> certain age, it's quite thrilling. It also works better if you recite it 
> out
> loud; the alliteration and meter are stirring. Or at least I remember 
> these
> impressions from when I was a certain age. Check out _The Man Who Was
> Thursday_, or a light dose of Father Brown if you want something by
> Chesterton that you might enjoy more.

Oh, I agree completely. This kind of writing is completely out of fashion 
now, but "Lepanto" is actually a fine example of robust Victorian jingoism, 
or, from Orwell's point of view, admiration for Catholic conquistadores. But 
you really have to admire the nerve of:

Love-light of Spain--hurrah!
Death-light of Africa!
Don John of Austria
Is riding to the sea.

At least when read aloud. Nobody mentioned, btw, what a splendid piece of 
invective prose the Orwell excerpt is, so I will.

-alga