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Orts 18, 1989, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

1. The Society held its AGM on November 24, and the Committee were confirmed in office. We hope to carry a fuller report in “Orts” 19.

2. The Society still has tentative plans for a gathering in Huntly at the end of September 1990. Costs are estimated at £120 for a shared room, £140 for a single room and £70 if you want to follow the day programme only. (Events would extend from a Monday evening dinner and welcome to a Friday departure.) Further details should reach members soon. In the meantime it is good to report that enquiries regarding …

Orts 15, 1989, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

1. Annual General Meeting. A dozen people attended the AGM of the Society, held at 58a Westbourne Park Villas, London, on Friday November 18th. The evening fell into two parts, with business first followed by Rachel Johnson’s talk on the MacDonald family and Pilgrim’s Progress. The business section resolved to have a joint meeting with the Lewis Carroll Society in the coming year, and noted that North Wind had cost slightly less than last year to produce. The treasurer told the meeting that the Society now had £177.78 in its account. Tony Richardson, the architect, gave an update on the …

Orts 12, 1988, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

1. We have a new look to the Newsletter to go with a change of personnel. Bill Raeper, who has hitherto edited the Newsletter, will in future be editing North Wind. Tony and Kathy Triggs are now responsible for Orts, and any contributions, remarks or information should be sent to them at 22, Sherwood Close, BINGLEY, W Yorks. BD 16 3EL. UK.

Orts 13, 1988, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

We are much saddened to hear of the death, after a long illness, of Joyce Hines in New York on November 26 1987. She was a student of George MacDonald’s works for a very long time, and was a founder of the Society.

Orts 11, 1987, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

1. Many of you may have been wondering what has been happening to us! We are alive and well and, after a period of re-evaluation over these past months, are now ready to stride on into 1988 and beyond. Some people say that no news is good news. In our case no news has simply been no news. Suddenly, however, a lot is beginning to happen and we promise that we will be more regular with our newsletters from now on.

Orts 9, 1986, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

1. After what seems a long winter it is good to look out of the window and see the sun shining at long last. Spring usually brings on a new burst of energy and here is the newsletter – apologies for the slight delay.

Orts 10, 1986, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

1. Already the damp autumn weather has arrived and thoughts are turning towards Christmas. A little Mediterranean respite was granted to Freda Levson, Jean Schurer and Bill Raeper, however, when they travelled to Bordighera in Italy from the 13th to the 20th September at the invitation of the Anglo-Ligurian Club to join in their annual celebrations commemorating the death of George MacDonald on September 18th. The club itself flourishes under the energetic presidency of Miriam Masterton and seeks to unite Italians and English speakers adopting the principles that MacDonald himself used at Casa Coraggio. Certainly the warmth and generosity of …

Orts 6, 1985, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

1. The end of the year saw the end of the Financial Year for the Society and we are pleased to report that we are still in the black. As usual, the main expenditure was on postage, stationary, and the Journal. The figures are as follows: Balance at 31/12/83 £64.55 Debit Credit Postage £15 £51 Stationary £18 £22 Journal £180 £4.96 Unpaid cheque £5 £43.13 £94.60 Balance at 31/12/84 £62.24

Orts 8, 1985, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

1. The first thing to report is that the Drinks Party held on 4th July at the Heinz Gallery, Portman Square was a great success. There was a sizeable number of people there and the talk given by Dr. Neil Jackson was both interesting and informative. Freda Levson tried to explain the close ties between the Troups and the MacDonalds, but some of us got lost in the genealogy. It is easiest to think of F.W. Troup whom the exhibition at the Heinz Gallery was honouring, as a king of “nephew” of MacDonalds. Troup was a distinguished architect in his …

Orts 7, 1985

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

The most important of news to impart to the Society is that there will be a drinks party on Thursday 4th July at the Heinz Gallery, Portman Square to which all members are invited – and you can bring a guest. This evening is part of the celebrations of the F.W. Troup Exhibition which will be taking place in the gallery at that time. F.W.Troup, a relative of MacDonald’s, was a distinguished architect, Huntly born and bred, who became a distinguished architect. He died sometime in the 1940s.

Orts 4, 1984, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

1. It is with deep regret that we announce the death in Edmonton, Canada, of Richard (Dick) MacDonald, at the age of 83. Dick was the youngest child of Benard, tenth child and fifth son of George MacDonald, and his wife Belinda Bird. He was educated at St Edward’s School, Oxford, and at St Paul’s School, London, and he served with the Imperial Army from 1917 to 1919. With his wife, Inez Thomson, he emigrated to Canada in 1920 and joined the Soldiers’ Settlement Board in Edmonton with which he remained for nine years.

Orts 5, 1984, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

We regret that there has been some delay in the production of this newsletter, and we hope to do better in [the] future. North Wind No. 3 is out and we hope that you have received your copy and found it interesting. We owe Kathy Triggs a debt of gratitude for not only editing it so ski[l]lfully, but also for undertaking the onerous task of typing it and seeing it through the press. She would welcome your comments, contributions, letters, etc.

Orts 3, 1983

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

It was with pleasure that we welcomed Dr. Rolland Hein and students from Wheaton College USA, the Revd. John Rogers from Kentucky USA, Dr. Georgette Lormant from Paris and Dr. Glen Cavaliero from Cambridge, at the meeting at Church House on Wednesday, June 29th. Reports of the talks given by Dr. Hein and Dr. Cavaliero appear elsewhere. We are most grateful to Mr Nigel Sustins for so kindly organizing the gathering.

Orts 2a, 1982, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

Together with the Church House and Lion Publishing, the Society recently held its most successful meeting so far. The Archbishop of York, Stuart Blanch, gave an interesting and amusing talk on his personal debt to George MacDonald. We will be producing the talk for our next newsletter. As the Archbishop began, a group of people walked past the closed door talking, making just enough noise to disturb the audience. A lady, sitting near the door, walked quickly out shh-ing to the offenders. She saw, a little too late however, that the Archbishop of Canterbury was leading the group. Following the …

Orts 1, 1981, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

This is the first of a hopefully regular series to keep you informed of the Committee’s intentions and also to act as a method of communication between all our other members world-wide. Our membership is now rapidly approaching sixty, from afar afield as Japan and Sweden, which I am sure would have surprised George MacDonald himself as well as pleasing him.

Orts 2, 1981, The George Macdonald Society

Orts: The George MacDonald Society Newsletter

Our second General Meeting held on the 6th May, had the pleasure of welcoming two of our members from abroad. From America, Professor Joyce Hines and from France, Mlle. Georgette Lormant.

Phantastes Chapter 12: A Threefold Cord, Unknown

German Romantic and Other Influences

This poem appears in MacDonald’s A Threefold Cord (1883), where MacDonald is credited as contributor and editor. In this volume, individual authors are not credited. While some have thought that this passage is by MacDonald himself, Nick Page persuasively argues that the poem should be attributed to MacDonald’s friend Greville Ewing Matheson. See Page, Phantastes: Special Annotated Edition (Paternoster, 2008)

Phantastes Chapter 11: The Excursion, William Wordsworth

German Romantic and Other Influences

Lines 836-842 from Book II of William Wordsworth's The Excursion (1814).

Phantastes Chapter 9: Dejection: An Ode, Samuel Taylor Coleridge

German Romantic and Other Influences

From Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Dejection: An Ode" (lines 47-49 and 53-58). Coleridge published the poem in 1802.

Phantastes Chapter 13: I Prithee Send Me Back My Heart, John Suckling

German Romantic and Other Influences

Lines 13-18 from “I prithee send me back my heart” by the poet Sir John Suckling. Suckling (1609-1641) is associated with the Cavalier Poets, poets who supported King Charles I. Suckling is the inventor of the card game cribbage.

Phantastes Chapter 19: The Innocent Iii, Abraham Cowley

German Romantic and Other Influences

Abraham Cowley (1618-1667) was an English poet whose work echoes the metaphysical wit of John Donne. The lines quoted are lines 5-8 of “The Innocent III” (1647).

Phantastes Chapter 14: Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare

German Romantic and Other Influences

William Shakespeare (1564-1616), The Winter’s Tale, published in 1623 in the First Folio.

Phantastes Chapter 20: The Faithful Shepherdess, John Fletcher

German Romantic and Other Influences

John Fletcher (1579-1625) was a contemporary of William Shakespeare and followed him as main playwright for the King’s Men. The Faithful Shepherdess (produced in 1608, probably published in 1609) is also important for Fletcher’s definition of tragicomedy, which highlights the importance of near-death to the genre.

Phantastes Chapter 22: The Revenger's Tragedy, Cyril Tourneur

German Romantic and Other Influences

Cyril Tourneur (1575-1626) was an English dramatist, a contemporary of Shakespeare; Tourneur was also a soldier and politician. The Revenger’s Tragedy (1607), as its name implies, is a revenge tragedy, and comments on the battle to avenge the destruction by the giants that lead to the brothers’ deaths. Literary critics now believe that the play was written by Thomas Middleton (1580-1627).

Phantastes Chapter 24: The Honest Whore, Thomas Dekker, Thomas Middleton

German Romantic and Other Influences

Thomas Dekker (1572-1632) was a dramatist and writer of popular pamphlets describing London life. This line comes from the play The Honest Whore, Part II (1605 or 1606). The Honest Whore, Part I, a collaboration between Dekker and Thomas Middleton, was performed in 1604.

Phantastes Chapter 13: The Water Is Wide, Unknown

German Romantic and Other Influences

Lines are from an old Scottish ballad, “The Water is Wide,” dating from the seventeenth century. We note, for interest’s sake, that Bob Dylan and Joan Baez sing a version of this song in the 1975 film Renaldo and Clara.

Phantastes Chapter 23: Astrophel: An Elegy, Or Friend’S Passion, For His Astrophill, Matthew Roydon

German Romantic and Other Influences

Matthew Roydon (1580-1622), Elizabethan poet and friend of Sidney’s. In 1593, Roydon published his elegy for Sidney: “Astrophel: An Elegy, or Friend’s Passion, for His Astrophill.” MacDonald quotes lines 103-106. “The lineaments of Gospell bookes,” suggests that Sidney’s face exhibited a spirituality of a kind found in the four gospels of the New Testament

Phantastes Chapter 23: The Countess Of Pembroke’S Arcadia, Philip Sidney

German Romantic and Other Influences

Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1583) was an Elizabethan courtier, soldier, and poet. The quotation derives from The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia (1590), and sets out Sidney’s definition of a gentleman. Late in his writing career, MacDonald published a collection of excerpts from Sidney: A Cabinet of Gems, Cut and Polished by Sir Philip Sidney (1892). MacDonald lectured on Sidney as early as 1854.

Phantastes Chapter 20: The Faerie Queene, Edmund Spenser

German Romantic and Other Influences

Edmund Spenser (1552-1599), most famous for The Faerie Queene (1590; 1596), is a key influence on MacDonald generally and on Phantastes in particular. John Docherty writes that “MacDonald bases his upon the figure Phantastes living the forebrain of the ‘House of Alma' (the human body) in book 2 of Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene” (“Sources of Phantastes,” North Wind: A Journal of George MacDonald Studies, vol. 25, 2005, pages 16-28).

Phantastes Chapter 15: Campaspe, John Lyly

German Romantic and Other Influences

Campaspe, an Elizabethan play by John Lyly (1584). The lines quoted are from Act 3, Scene 4, and they indicate the notion of a Platonic beauty, an ideal beauty that the artist can never capture perfectly