A conversation between the late Jack Mavrogordato, old school English falconer (he knew T H White, who described him as "a charming man, approximately five inches tall..."), and the more ancient Major Allen, about the still more ancient E B Michell, past master of the merlin, ca. 1976, as recorded in the English Falconer:
M: He was an amateur boxer, wasn't he?
A: Light, middle, and heavyweight boxer of England: he boxed all three weights. He used to despise gloves, he said it was like cockfighting without using spurs. He was extraordinary.
M: How we've changed from those days.
A: He was a Senior Classic, he was a very clever man. He'd eaten rats at the Siege of Paris, he codified the laws of Siam, he wrote a book on curries.
M: He was a lawyer wasn't he?
A: Barrister.
M: I never knew that.
A: And of course his brother was one of the famous masters of Rugby and was murdered.
6 comments:
Mavro calling someone short is like the iron skillet calling the Dutch oven black.
No, no-- THW called MAVRO short.
I have their letters... would have to get permission to quote though.
"a very clever man. He'd eaten rats at the Siege of Paris, he codified the laws of Siam, he wrote a book on curries" Now that's a legacy!
Ah...that makes more sense. Because, even without any knowledge of TH White's stature I'm going to hazard that he could look right over M.'s head.
I should say that J.M. is a personal hero for lots of reasons, a full heir to Mitchell and godfather to the rest of us.
One of those Commonplace quotes should be a good candidate for our subtitle. I sort of favor the rat-eating under siege...
I thought one might do. We can start with the whole one you suggest (attribute to Major Allen on EB Michell-- no "t"!)
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