Grandes principios. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.

``My dear Mr. Bennet,'' said his lady to him one day, ``have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?''

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.

``But it is,'' returned she; ``for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.''

Mr. Bennet made no answer.

``Do not you want to know who has taken it?'' cried his wife impatiently.

``You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.''

This was invitation enough.

``Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.''

``What is his name?''

``Bingley.''

``Is he married or single?''

``Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!''

``How so? how can it affect them?''

``My dear Mr. Bennet,'' replied his wife, ``how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.''

``Is that his design in settling here?''

``Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.''

``I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better; for, as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you the best of the party.''

``My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.''

``In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.''

``But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood.''

``It is more than I engage for, I assure you.''

``But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know they visit no new comers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not.''

``You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying which ever he chuses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.''

``I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference.''

``They have none of them much to recommend them,'' replied he; ``they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.''

``Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.''

``You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.''

``Ah! you do not know what I suffer.''

``But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.''

``It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.''

``Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty I will visit them all.''

Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develope. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.

¿Cuál prefieres?

La primera de Queen?

O la versión de Glee? A mí me apasiona Glee, me apasionan los número musicales; las historietas me interesan menos. Pero me doy cuenta de que me encantan las versiones que hacen y casi tengo más en el Ipod que las originales....

Una Caperucita de Roald Dahl (Revolting Rhymes)

Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
by Roald Dahl

As soon as Wolf began to feel
That he would like a decent meal,
He went and knocked on Grandma's door.
When Grandma opened it, she saw
The sharp white teeth, the horrid grin,
And Wolfie said, ``May I come in?''

Poor Grandmamma was terrified,
``He's going to eat me up!'' she cried.

And she was absolutely right.
He ate her up in one big bite.
But Grandmamma was small and tough,
And Wolfie wailed, ``That's not enough!
I haven't yet begun to feel
That I have had a decent meal!''
He ran around the kitchen yelping,
``I've got to have a second helping!''
Then added with a frightful leer,
``I'm therefore going to wait right here
Till Little Miss Red Riding Hood
Comes home from walking in the wood.''
He quickly put on Grandma's clothes,
(Of course he hadn't eaten those).
He dressed himself in coat and hat.
He put on shoes, and after that
He even brushed and curled his hair,
Then sat himself in Grandma's chair.
In came the little girl in red.
She stopped. She stared. And then she said,

``What great big ears you have, Grandma.''
``All the better to hear you with,'' the Wolf replied.
``What great big eyes you have, Grandma.''
said Little Red Riding Hood.
``All the better to see you with,'' the Wolf replied.
He sat there watching her and smiled.
He thought, I'm going to eat this child.
Compared with her old Grandmamma
She's going to taste like caviar.

Then Little Red Riding Hood said, ``But Grandma,
what a lovely great big furry coat you have on.''
``That's wrong!'' cried Wolf. ``Have you forgot

To tell me what BIG TEETH I've got?
Ah well, no matter what you say,
I'm going to eat you anyway.''
The small girl smiles. One eyelid flickers.
She whips a pistol from her knickers.
She aims it at the creature's head
And bang bang bang, she shoots him dead.
A few weeks later, in the wood,
I came across Miss Riding Hood.
But what a change! No cloak of red,
No silly hood upon her head.
She said, ``Hello, and do please note
My lovely furry wolfskin coat.''

Roald Dahl, Revolting Rhymes

from Revolting Rhymes (Jonathan Cape, 1982), by permission of David Higham Associates for the Estate of Roald Dahl. Recording made for Calibre Audio Library which is a registered charity, used by permission of the Estate and of Calibre. Calibre brings the pleasure of reading to people who have sight problems, dyslexia or other disabilities through a free, nationwide postal service of audio books. www.calibre.org.uk

En el día de la madre

My son, my executioner

I take you in my arms
Quiet and small and just astir
and whom my body warms

Sweet death, small son,
our instrument of immortality,
your cries and hunger document
our bodily decay.
We twenty two and twenty five,
who seemed to live forever,
observe enduring life in you
and start to die together.

Donald Hall

Qué pasará....

Este es un docu muy interesante - que le he robado a http://desayunarcafesolo.blogspot.com.es/, no tanto por el mensaje, que no comparto, sino porque explica muy bien cómo funciona el mundo y da cifras muy interesantes sobre lo que producimos y cómo lo producimos. Introduce conceptos que raramente se manejan y que sin embargo son cruciales para entender realmente el proceso industrial; un ejemplo, la energía que consume la producción de más energía. No basta con hablar de energía alternativa sin tener en cuenta cómo de eficiente es.

Pero lo más importante, y que no se dice en este documental, es lo siguiente: el australopitecus se convirtió en hombre con un cerebro la mitad de capaz que el nuestro; luego inventó la escritura; descubrió América; le dió una definición a "lo justo"; redactó gramáticas, venció a la peste negra en la Edad Media sin medicinas; calculó la circunferencia de la tierra sin ordenadores, pensó en la física cuántica y ha fabricado el IPad. A mí no me cabe la más mínima de las dudas de que ya tenemos la solución a todos y cada uno de los problemas que se plantean. Eso no significa que en el proceso no queden víctimas, lo cual es trágico si alguna de ellas somos nosotros o un ser querido. O está la extinción, que será trágica para los que la vean, igual que lo fuera morir de peste en el año 1.o00 o ser negro en Louisiana en el año 1.900.

El ser humano, desde que es, nunca ha retrocedido. Es probable que lo que hoy conocemos como Occidente esté en período de maduración y marchitando en favor de culturas más dinámicas. Es probable que el Estado del Bienestar esté viendo sus últimos días, o es posible que el capitalismo como lo conocemos esté llegando a su fin. No creo que una "vuelta" hacia atrás sea posible. El ser humano se ha juntado en ciudades porque es una manera más eficiente de vivir, comparado con el mundo rural, la agricultura intensiva ha dado de comer a más gente que ninguna otra; el comercio globalizado es el más eficiente y el más justo que da entrada a la mayor cantidad de productores y consumidores en mejores condiciones. Pero quizá haya llegado el momento de encontrar una nueva fuente de eficiencia transladando los centros de negocio a los suburvios, o mejor aún, a casa de los particulares y finalmente encontremos la solución en el teletrabajo; quiero pensar que el futuro se está construyendo es estos momentos sobre la base de las nuevas formas de comunicación. Pero mucho me temo que mi sueño tarde mucho en realizarse. De momento tenemos para muchos años de petróleo y no creo que nadie esté interesado en anticipar demasiado el momento del cambio, que llegará cuando tenga que llegar. No creo que yo lo vea, ni mis hijos, incluso ni los hijos de mis hijos. Pero veremos otras cosas.


     

Si el primero salió adelante.................porqué no va a poder este?