Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 8:25 PM
Hello, Dr. Waite. Hope you're feeling well, today. Last
night, I managed to acquire a photocopy of the article
by Christopher Moore.
____________________________________________
I see that he already asked you about your 1947 self,
and your recollections about R.B.'s passing. I find it
intriguing that your path to academia was not as direct
as I thought.:)
______________
"He turned to university. Dissatisfied at the University
of Toronto, he switched to the University of
British Columbia ('Well, I knew a girl out West')..."
Ah yes...thank goodness for girls out West. :)
_______________
GEORGE WILSON. How did he know that "summers
walking in Europe" would be so nourishing for mind &
spirit? The advice reminds me of something you said
to us students, so long ago.
"If you ever get the chance to learn a traditional craft,
from an old barrel maker, or old anything...don't pass
it up - you won't be sorry."
Daniel:)
____________________________________________
Sat, Aug 17, 2013 at 8:40 PM
Dear Dan,
In re walking in Europe: Wilson would spend those long
Dalhousie summers, in effect from 30 April to 25 Sept.
walking Europe with his colleague Adshead
Professor of Mathematics. He would say you cannot
understand mediaeval Europe without having seen it, or
least what's left of it. Mutatis mutandis, Greek, Roman
history. So walking the Roman wall in the north of
England matters; you have to see, and feel, the
Parthenon in Athens; you have to be knocked off your
feet when you enter the 13th century Cathedral of
Chartres; you have to feel like tears in front of
Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" or Michelangelos' "David".
Trudge the battlefield of Waterloo, of Culloden; see
where the Turks broke the walls of Constantinople in
May 1453; or here in North America, Gettysburg,
Quebec, Louisburg. seeing Tolstoy's grave at
Yasnaya Polyana, or his proof sheets for
"War and Peace"; history was alive once. So Wilson
said in effect, "Forget for the moment publishing your
PhD thesis, however publishable your professors at
Toronto may think it is. It can doubtless stand some
maturing."
So off I went for 4 summers 1954-1957, and again for
another two 1959-60.
That's enough of a lecture!
Best wishes,
Peter Waite