December 26, 2008


Dickens

Forgive my imprecision. I am traveling and wifi-ing. I don’t have the book in front of me. But Mr. Crisparkle, one of my favorite characters from Dickens’s The Mystery of Edwin Drood (which I am still reading), at one point either says or thinks something along the lines of “It is my profession to make no professions.” I like that a lot.

posted by Cooper Renner in aesthetics 

comments

3 Responses to “Dickens”

  1. Sheila Ryan on December 26th, 2008 at 11:33 am

    Might you have in mind that point in Chapter 17 (“Philanthropy, Professional and Unprofessional”) wherein Mr. Crisparkle says, “I may regard my profession from a point of view which teaches me that its first duty is towards those who are in necessity and tribulation, who are desolate and oppressed . . . . However, as I have quite clearly satisfied myself that it is no part of my profession to make professions, I say no more of that”?

    Lucky for you I have a memory like a steel trap.

  2. Cooper Renner on December 27th, 2008 at 10:07 am

    Oh, you are good! Very good indeed. And what lovely characters this book (pardon me) sparkles with. Truly.

    I bet Sheila’s favorite is the stone-throwing little boy whose name escapes me at the moment.

  3. Sheila Ryan on December 27th, 2008 at 12:42 pm

    A hideous little boy called Deputy, was he? Oh, he does fill me with glee.

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