Winnowed Wisdom
Stephen Leacock
The average Canadian lives in Red Hat Saskatchewan stands 5 8 and weighs 139. It would seem he's put on some weight since 1926.
To learn the tone of Leacock's take on Shagsper remember that he wrote the sonnets before he died. And lest we get too high flown remember that the road to Stratford upon Avon in Ontario leads through Punkydoodle Corners, also Shakespeare and quite properly London on the Thames is to the South, Waterloo to the East, and None of It to the North.
Jest is made of Henry I-VIII plays. Given the dubious status of the present holder of that name Henry IX is in doubt.
Among my observations is the fact that back then people still crossed the pond on luxury liners so news was slow to spread. WW#2 soldiers got to cross on Cunard's Queens painted gunmetal grey to match the seas they crossed. None were ever hit.
Some of Leacock's humour is rather dated and facetious. It is interesting to see how some of his prognostications have turned out nearly a century later. All in all I like Gregory Clark's gentle humour better.
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