To the Wall

quote

to a person uninstructed in natural history, his country or seaside stroll is a walk through a gallery filled with wonderful works of art, nine tenths of which have their faces turned to the wall.

Thomas Henry Huxley

unquote

That little quote is on the back of one of my bird books, one I specially bought for the scratch board illustrations...the quote is below one of Mirror Lake..and in the scene is an Ouzel.

Now, I didn't know that the many times I looked through this book..that the bird was an Ouzel...now I do...having seen them...and become very fond of them..

Becoming fond of something....sometimes I think that is as important as love...and in some ways a better thing...as you can be fond of a lot of things and people without the drama of love. It's like friendship, something that grows with time.

The tourists "faces" hereabout are "to the wall"...I mean, I'll never know much about each one....and I think only familiarity with a place or person can bring about fondness.

I think that's what Huxley is trying to articulate...and it doesn't just apply to the Natural world...it can be anything...Drew was on...then a Time Life informercial for '70s songs...now, I'm familiar with those...and very fond of them..just the short clips of the songs evokes their feeling....then Feed the Children on...it usually follows Drew...and I'm not familiar with Africa...but the testimonials of those on the show indicate that going there and seeing for themselves the suffering...well, the africa kids faces were no long to the wall for them.

In the corner of the Creek pic is Owl Log...having sat there many times now...well, it's like an old and favorite chair!

In the lens are flaws...chips from the drop on Dana...other photogs will complain...but they dont understand...I'm fond them...and dont find they mar the pic!

Acne informercial on now...well, somethings we become familiar with unwillingly...and hardly fond of!!...time for channel flip!...the Croc hunter has just gathered up some kind of hawk like bird...and a road killed kukabara...

"To the wall.." has a Latin American ring...as it's what's said by revolutionaries...that they'll take their cause 'to the wall'...that is..the firing squad!

Lemego get Goya's famous painting...

I'm familiar with Aldous...Thomas his brother...letmesee...brb...

quote

Huxley was the founder of a very distinguished family of British academics, including his grandsons Aldous Huxley the novelist, Sir Julian Huxley the first Director General of UNESCO and a founder of the World Wide Fund for Nature, and Sir Andrew Huxley the physiologist and Nobel laureate.

inquote

Among many things scientific..he coined the term 'agnostic'..though on what scientific evidence..oh, he'd likely claim some lack...I dont know!!

DavidDavid

Tree in the Door

Nov. 23, 2007