Choose an author as you would a friend
Wentworth Dillon, Earl of Roscommon (c.1633 -1685) was an Irish poet and translator. This particular quote comes from his Essay on Translated Verse.
Examine how your Humour is inclin'd,
And which the Ruling Paƒƒion of your Mind;
Then, ƒeek a Poet who your way do's bend,
and chuƒe an Author as you chuƒe a Friend.
For those whose medieval English might be a bit rusty, ƒ is a variation on the letter s known as long s. The rules of use were complicated but in general it was used at the beginning or middle of a word, but not at the end.
Long s was used in countries whose languages derived from Latin up until the late 18th century. Britain and the USA were among the last to abandon it - The London Times switched in September 1803, and Acts of Congress in the USA stopped being published with a long s from 1804.
The long s lives on in calculus where it is used as the integral symbol--and, occasionally, in churches that still use the King James Bible--adding a certain frisson to some readings, as illustrated in the 1994 episode of the British comedy, The Vicar of Dibley.
This quote & biography originally ran in an issue of BookBrowse's membership magazine. Full Membership Features & Benefits.
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton
As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide.
The Flower Sisters
by Michelle Collins Anderson
From the new Fannie Flagg of the Ozarks, a richly-woven story of family, forgiveness, and reinvention.
The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu
Debut novelist Wenyan Lu brings us this witty yet profound story about one woman's midlife reawakening in contemporary rural China.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
