Sundries, Notions, Gimcracks, Bathyscapes, Pedantry, Whimsy, White Elephant & General Miscellany.
Ah, and Shelley's "Ozymandias."
To all Young Men of Spirit. Seamen, Landsmen, and Boys, who wish to strike a Blow for Freedom and to cause the Corsican Tyrant to wish that he had never dared the Wrath of these British Isles. His Majesty's Ship Sutherland of two decks and seventy-four guns is at present commissioning at Plymouth, and a few Vacancies still exist to complete her Crew. Captain Horatio Hornblower in command has lately returned from a Cruize in the South Sea during which in command of the Frigate Lydia of thirty-six guns, he engaed and sank the Spanish vessel Natividad of two decks and more than twice the force. The Officers, Petty Officers, and Men of the Lydia have all joined him the the Sutherland. What Heart of Oak can resist the Appeal to Join this Band of Heroes and Share with them the new Glories which await them? Who will teach Monsieur Jean Crapaud that the Seas are Britannia's where no frog-eating Frenchman can show his face? Who wishes for a Hatful of Golden Louis d'or Prize Money? There will be Fiddlers and Dancing every evening, and Provision at sixteen ounces to the Pound, the Best of Beef, the Best of Bread and Grog at midday every Day of the Week and Sundays, all in addition to the Pay under the Warrant of His Most Gracious Majesty King George! In the Place where this notice is read can be found an Officer of His Majesty's Ship Sutherland who will enlist any Willing Hearts who Thirst for Glory.
All I seem to listen to lately is Lucero, Billy Bragg, and Pantera.
Great : Amis, Melville, and Tristram Shandy. 'L--d! said my mother, what is all this story about? -A COCK and a BULL, said Yorick - And one of the best of its kind, I ever heard.'
Couldn't Live Without : O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels, Forester's Hornblower novels, Fraser's "Flashman Papers," the collected writings of Joseph Mitchell, R.L. Stevenson's "Kidnapped," Caleb Carr's "The Alienist."
Underappreciated : Larry McMurtry, the poetry of Robert Graves, the novels (and letters) of Robertson Davies, the essays of E.B. White, A.J. Liebling on boxing ("the sweet science...").
Woefully (and inexplicably) Ignored : Jaroslav Hasek, Flann O'Brien, Mervyn Peake, Bruno Schulz, Delmore Schwartz, E.W. Hornung's "Raffles" stories, Hoffmann's "Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr," Melville's "White Jacket."