[ilds] Durrell on the French

[Bruce Redwine]

Charles,

I'm glad we agree.  What Darley means, however, is abundantly clear  
and not at all flattering to the French:

"Nevertheless there is no woman too humble, too battered, too old, to  
receive those outward attentions -- those little gallantries and  
sorties of wit which I have come to associate with the Gallic  
temperament; the heady meretricious French charm which evaporates so  
easily into pride and mental indolence -- like French thought which  
flows so quickly into sand-moulds, the original esprit hardening  
immediately into deadening concepts" (AQ, 1968, p. 37).


Bruce


On Oct 9, 2009, at 4:11 PM, Charles Sligh wrote:

> No, Bruce, that was neither my meaning nor my intention.
>
> I seem to agree with what you write.  I think.
>
> Perhaps we are taking the long way around?
>
> Let's take stock.
>
> Durrell the Man admired French food and drink and manners.  Check.
>
> Durrell the Writer beget Darley, who says something rather curious  
> about French thought tending to harden into moulds.  Check.
>
> What does Darley mean?
>
> I do not know.
>
> Charles
>
>
> ***************************************
> Charles L. Sligh
> Department of English
> University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
> Charles-Sligh at utc.edu
> ***************************************

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