You'd have to be mad to read Sir Charles Grandison. It's hugely long, for a start - seven volumes in the version I read - and it's all about a good man, which of course cuts down the action a great deal.
The reason I'm raving about it today is that pretty much one whole volume of Sir Charles Grandison consists of a list of the details of the hero's wedding.
At the time I read it, I thought this was a bit over-the-top.
But, today, being the day of my younger daughter's wedding, I begin to see that Richardson actually managed to give us quite a concise account of all the necessary arrangements.
In case you're thinking of reading Sir Charles Grandison despite my warning, I can tell you it's quite fun if you're not in a hurry. It's really very like a soap opera: people spend most of the time sitting around drinking beverages and yacking, and then just occasionally something terribly dramatic happens.
We won't have as many countesses at my daughter's wedding as Sir Charles Grandison had at his, but we hope to have a good time all the same.
There'll be lots of cake, anyway, if not countesses. And I know which I prefer.
Word To Use Today: wedding. This word comes from the Old English weddian, and is related to the Gothic wadi, which means pledge.
Ooh! Congratulations! I hope all went well.
ReplyDelete(and I apologise - I've been away so am terribly behind on all my favourite blogs)
It was utterly brilliant and the best day ever, thank you, Ed. I haven't really come down to earth, yet. So many friends made so many contributions, from Professor Will who brought along his Punch and Judy, to Pat who made a cake with icing apparently made of lace even though she had two broken fingers.
DeleteAnd there was a young army of people who came the day before to make salads, put up tents, and help clear away all the rubble...fantastic!
Excellent! Punch and Judy at a wedding? Really? What a brilliant idea. I wish I'd thought of that when I got married.
DeleteYep. There's nothing like a few scenes of domestic violence to get a marriage off to a good start.
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