« Scotchfinder Update
New Shoes »

Scolding Carpenters

Dempster […] said, “We have hardly a right to abuse this tragedy [”Elvira”]; for bad as it is, how vain should either of us be to write one not near so good.”  JOHNSON.  ”Why no, Sir; this is not just reasoning.  You may abuse a tragedy, though you cannot write one.  You may scold a carpenter who has made you a bad table, though you cannot make a table.  It is not your trade to make tables.”

(The Life of Samuel Johnson, James Boswell.  Page 257, Everyman’s Library Edition.)

Tue, 27 Feb 2001 21:33:49 -0600
Under reading
Comments feed | Trackback |
Login

Your ad here for US$1/month.  Find out how.


Leave a Reply, but read first

  1. Feel free to leave replies even to very old posts.
  2. You have pretty much free rein to write whatever you like.  Just make it contentful and it will probably stay, even if you are abusing me.  Just:
  3. Don't bother spamming.  Your links are automatically tagged "nofollow".  You won't increase your Google rating.  Nobody will click them anyway.  Save us both some time.
  4. Advertising Policy: The URL field is for personal blogs, not commercial enterprises.  Have a valid website or product to advertise?  Those do get clicked, and it's cheap.  Click here to advertise.  Otherwise, your URL is subject to deletion at editor's discretion.