Southwell, Péguy, Geffrey Hill & Evelyn Waugh

Here is part of a recent exchange with my esteemed and distinguished French author-friend:

Dear G,

Many thanks for your latest missives. I enjoyed your verse (of which, more below) but I was especially interested in the news of your commission which linked Southwell, Péguy and Geoffrey Hill. You have motivated me to look closely into Péguy and Hill. I wonder if Études anglaises will be publishing your recension online, as I'd very much like to read it.

I went into London on Saturday and found myself in the Tyburn Convent. Before leaving, I located Southwell's name on the list of martyrs. His family crest is up in the cornice. I also found in the porch a picture taken by a US marine who was posted to the US Embassy in 1944. It shows the damage suffered by the 1903 convent when  a V2 exploded in Hyde Park at 5.30 am on Sunday 18th of June.

I greatly enjoyed the pith and elegance of your AberPentelope - so much so that I immediately set to work with a will. Unfortunately a lisp seems to have obtwuded itself into the letters. I cwave your forbeawance. We Bwits mean well...

The twain fair flew, look you, along the wails
With steely wheels a-dancing mountain weels;
Past Offa's Dyke, next Eistedfoddy twials,
Then finally the mining, whining, twolls,
Land of whose fathers* fair Bwitannia wules!

*Possible allusion to Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Old Land of My Fathers). Here is a link recalling a visit by an intrepid band of Gauls to the intimidating national folk Temple where the Cymric anthem may be heard.

In the back of my mind was Evelyn Waugh's Decline and Fall which I re-read last year. He's pretty caustic on the Welsh... but if you can stand the politically-very-incorrect, I think you'd find this tale of a young teacher's experiences in a small, private Welsh school extremely diverting. Here is an excerpt:

“The Welsh character is an interesting study," said Dr. Fagan. "I have often considered writing a little monograph on the subject, but I was afraid it might make me unpopular in the village. The ignorant speak of them as Celts, which is of course wholly erroneous. They are of pure Iberian stock-- the aboriginal inhabitants of Europe who survive only in Portugal and the Basque district. Celts readily intermarry with their neighbours and absorb them. From the earliest times the Welsh have been looked upon as an unclean people. It is thus that they have preserved their racial integrity. Their sons and daughters rarely mate with human-kind except their own blood relations. In Wales there was no need for legislation to prevent the conquering people intermarrying with the conquered. In Ireland that was necessary, for there intermarriage was a political matter. In Wales it was moral. I hope, by the way, you have no Welsh blood?”

"None whatever," said Paul.

“I was sure you had not, but one cannot be too careful. I once spoke of this subject to the sixth form and learned later that one of them had a Welsh grandmother. I am afraid it hurt his feelings terribly, poor little chap. She came from Pembrokeshire, too, which is of course quite a different matter. I often think," he continued, "that we can trace almost all the disasters of English history to the influence of Wales. Think of Edward of Carnarvon, the first Prince of Wales, a perverse life, Pennyfeather, and an unseemly death,* then the Tudors and the dissolution of the Church, then Lloyd George, the temperance movement, Nonconformity and lust stalking hand in hand through the country, wasting and ravaging. But perhaps you think I exaggerate? I have a certain rhetorical tendency, I admit.”

"No, no," said Paul.

“The Welsh," said the Doctor, "are the only nation in the world that has produced no graphic or plastic art, no architecture, no drama. They just sing," he said with disgust, "sing and blow down wind instruments of plated silver....”

--Dr. Fagan, a schoolmaster in Decline and Fall (1928), by Evelyn Waugh (1903-1966)

*I recall that one tour leader with an Arts et Vie group was quite familiar with the tragic and lamentable history of Edward II and his painful 'end', sparing no details of sa mort atroce et ignominieuse. I just checked and you did indeed yourself include a reference to it in 'La Grande-Bretagne' at p110.