Eye - 09 November 2012
From whales to ducks
Moby’s first mate
An avid fan of Herman Melville got in touch to remind Eye of the other side of the literary coin in his book: ‘Anne Adams (2 November) is right about the monstrous Quaker shipowners in Moby Dick. But Eye might remind its readers that the wisest and most humane character in the book, the first mate Starbuck, is also a Quaker. He is the only one who dares confront Ahab about his fatal obsession with the white whale.’
A tale of two Hartshills
The Quakerly connection between John Halifax, Gentleman and Hartshill does not, it seems, relate to the Friends of Hartshill Meeting (19 October).
Clare Barnett informs Eye: ‘We are in Hartshill, Warwickshire, but the author mentioned is from Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent. Of course, this meant you have set a challenge on finding an actual literary connection with Hartshill (Warwickshire). The best I can do is some lines from Adam Bede by local Nuneaton author, George Eliot…
“Preaching on the Green!” said Mr Irwine, looking surprised but quite serene. “What, that pale pretty young woman I’ve seen at Poyser’s? I saw she was a Methodist, or Quaker, or something of that sort, by her dress, but I didn’t know she was a preacher.”’
Going quackers
‘Quakersnacks’ – at first glance, what springs to mind? Has that high profile porridge producer put a new range of snacks together? Is this the name of an ethical ‘tuck shop’ for Friends? Perhaps… but only if Friends crave treats made up of water plants and natural grains!
Gillian Robertson, the Friend’s trusty office volunteer, recently came in brandishing a flyer from St Albans City and District advertising ‘Quakersnacks’ – a new project ‘aimed at educating people about the effects of feeding waterfowl’. Whilst we may all have fond memories of feeding bread to the ducks at our local park, they can’t readily digest it. This can cause problems such as: malnutrition, which makes them slower at escaping predators; disease, from the overcrowding of areas where ducks are fed; and aggression, towards both new feathery arrivals and humans. So, if you’re feeling friendly towards local waterfowl, try to resist sharing your sourdough!
Having a clear out?
Friends may like to emulate Dorking Meeting as we head into winter. The Dorking Grapevine newsletter says: ‘Sorting through your wardrobes ready for winter, and got good quality men’s items to spare? Know someone else doing the same?’ Friends are asked to donate their wares to a local charity.
The deadline for delivery of clothes to Dorking Meeting has passed but perhaps other Friends might consider launching a similar scheme, maybe including appealing for clothes for women and children too.
Raymond Mgadzah
Comments
Please login to add a comment
