Another of Plato's Observations

[VertOlive]

---Stephen said, 'Will I tell you another of Plato's observations?'

'Pray do,' said Jack, his smile briefly returning.

'It should please you, since you have a very pretty hand. Hinksey quoted it when I dined with him in London and we were discussing the bill of fare: "Calligraphy," said Plato, "is the physical manifestation of an architecture of the soul." That being so, mine must be a turf-and-wattle kind of soul, since my handwriting would be disowned by a backward cat; whereas yours, particularly on your charts, has a most elegant flow and clarity, the outward form of a soul that might have conceived the Parthenon.'---


From The Commodore, Book 17 Aubrey/Maturin series by Michael O'Brian

[Deb]

I'm reading Master and Commander - very enjoyable. O'Brian seems to have been an odd character - fell out with most of his family but it doesn't affect the writing. That's not uncommon. Hardy, Yeats and T S Eliot were difficult, verging on downright unpleasant.

[oldstoat]

I have loved O’Brian’s novels since I first read Post Captain in the 90s. He has a command of elegant precise prose which few can match.