Wednesday, 27 May 2009

At The Pines

A lucky find at Oxfam just now - one I had been hoping to get my hands on for a long time: At The Pines by the gloriously named Mollie Panter-Downes (surely an escapee from a Betjeman poem). Originally published in The New Yorker, this is an account of the respectable years of Swinburne, when he was living in the care of his friend, the now otherwise forgotten Theodore Watts-Dunton, in a villa in suburban Putney. Max Beerbohm's wonderful account of a visit to Number 2 The Pines says it all really - but I'm very glad to have this book. Seriously underpriced too - considering how long it's been unavailable - at a mere £1.99. A lucky find indeed.
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7 comments:

  1. Brit27 May 2009 at 15:29

    Swift through the quadrangle rides splendid Mollie,
    Volumes of Swinburne bulge in her gowns.
    Fortunate volumes! Oh, but what folly,
    To pant down the lane after Mollie Panter-Downes!

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  2. Brit27 May 2009 at 15:46

    And so forth.

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  3. Susan B.27 May 2009 at 15:48

    I didn't know Swinburne had ANY respectable years. I mainly know of him for his fascination with spanking, a sexual-arousal method shared by his buddy Charles Reade, that Renaissance Victorian (if there is such a thing!).

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  4. Nige27 May 2009 at 15:53

    Excellent Brit - a tricky name to scan, needs a line to itself. Mollie Panter-Downes, Mollie Panter-Downes...
    Spanking indeed Susan - I believe he wrote some rather dainty pornography on the theme. Enthusiastic boozing too, tho a couple of glasses were enough to undo him...

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  5. Brit27 May 2009 at 16:02

    Yes, I've assumed Downes is one syllable, and stessed MOLL and PANT.

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  6. Anonymous27 May 2009 at 22:18

    Michael Allen - the Grumpy Old Bookman wrote a novel about Swinburne - he posted extracts on his blog which were very good.

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  7. Nige28 May 2009 at 15:03

    Thanks for the link Elberry - great fun.

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