Defending the 12th century since the 14th; blogging since the 21st.

Catholicism, Conservatism, the Middle Ages, Opera, and Historical and Literary Objets d'Art blogged by a suburban dad who teaches law and writes stuff.


"Very fun." -- J. Bottum, Editor, FIRST THINGS

"Too modest" -- Elinor Dashwood

"Perhaps the wisest man on the Web" -- Henry Dieterich

"Hat tip: me (but really Cacciaguida)" -- Diana Feygin, Editor, THE YALE FREE PRESS

"You are my sire. You give me confidence to speak. You raise my heart so high that I am no more I." -- Dante

"Fabulous!"-- Warlock D.J. Prod of Didsbury

Who was Cacciaguida? See Dante's PARADISO, Cantos XV, XVI, & XVII.


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Now burn, new-born to the world,
Double-natured name,
The heaven-flung, heart-fleshed, maiden-furled
Miracle-in-Mary-of-flame,
Mid-numbered He in three of the thunder-throne!

--Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ, "The Wreck of the Deutschland"
posted by Cacciaguida at 11:16 PM

 
Saint Francis and Saint Benedight
Bless this house from wicked wight;
From the night-mare and the goblin,
That is hight good-fellow Robin;
Keep it from all evil spirits,
Fairies, weazles, rats, and ferrets'

From curfew-time
To the next prime.

- "Cartwright" (quoted in the Christmas Eve chapter from Washington Irving's Sketchbook)
posted by Cacciaguida at 3:09 AM

 
Pope Benedict signs heroic virtue decrees (part of the beatification process) for John Paul II -- and for Pius XII!
posted by Cacciaguida at 1:15 AM

 
Ready for some serious scholarship on early Scotland?

James E. Fraser, From Caledonia to Pictland: Scotland to 795, New Edinburgh History of Scotland I, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 2009. Pp. xii + 436; illus. Paperback ISBN 9780748612321, £19.99. Alex Woolf, From Pictland to Alba 789–1070, New Edinburgh History of Scotland II, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 2007. Pp. xv + 384; illus. Paperback ISBN 9780748612345, £19.99.

First page of an academic review can be viewed here.
posted by Cacciaguida at 5:26 PM

 
UK judge issues arrest warrant for former Israeli foreign minister for pursuing foreign policy someone in UK doesn't like

Only one way to stop this kind of "universal jurisdiction"/"human rights" horseshit: Israel can issue a warrant for the judge who issued the warrant. And drop a hint that Israel, unlike the airhead rest of the world, actually knows something about extraterritorial enforcement.

UPDATE: "UK ponders law change after Tzipi Livni arrest warrant." Jolly good and about bloody time. Don't miss the Livni video statement in this link.
posted by Cacciaguida at 12:58 AM

 
Eve on why "all that matters is that you get to Heaven" can't possibly be right from a sound-and-orthodox Catholic viewpoint: here.
posted by Cacciaguida at 10:11 PM

 
"William V." Start practicing saying it?
posted by Cacciaguida at 11:46 PM