Paragraph of the month nomination.

In Evan S. Connell's essay, "Eca Suthi...", a disquisition on the
origins of the Etruscans (yes, one can quite hear the eyes of the
audience glazing over), the author quotes a moderately lengthy and
exquisitely dense paragraph by "Massimo Pallottino, professor of
Etruscology and Italic archeology at the University of Rome," in
defense of Pallottino's own feelings on the subject of who the
Etruscans were (and, by corollary, were not), where they came from
(and where they did not), where they went (and where they did not),
what became of them, et cetera.....all of which need not concern us
here and now.....or anywhere at any time, for that matter.

What matters is what Connell says in response to Pallotino:

"Obviously this is not the stuff of which best-sellers are made, even
in light doses, and with Pallottino one is forced to swallow page
after page of it. The result is tedium sinking inexorably toward
stupefaction, together with a dull realization that whatever the man
says probably is correct. To read him is appalling. No dreams, my
friend, just facts. Facts and deductions. Deductions followed by
occasional impeccable qualifications. One is reminded of those
medieval ecclesiastics wondering how many angels could dance on the
head of a pin, it is all so academic. The difference, of course,
being that these churchmen had not the least idea of what they were
talking about, while Professor Pallottino knows precisely."

Dense, adumbrated, sly prose. One discovers that to scoff, to admire,
and to wonder are not antithetical.

Who among us does not wish he (or she) could do likewise.....go ahead,
don't be shy.

giles
who has often wondered (and sometimes asked.....without forthcoming
enlightenment) whether or not the style of dancing might make a
significant difference.