Re: Where are the lakes of yesteryear?


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Posted by Spencer Hines on September 07, 1998 at 16:19:03:

In Reply to: Re: Where are the lakes of yesteryear? posted by Forrest Brownell on September 07, 1998 at 14:33:15:

Ouch! Sorry to the group if I have brought the internet scourge
of flaming to Tarboard.

While it's true that the Ransome attitude toward some locals
reflects his class background, still you must admit that he doesn't
restrict his main characters to public school types.

I for one think that my country and certainly the UK as well will be
immeasurably the less if we ever lose strong regional accents and
people who don't live completely in the majority culture. I also think
it is very educational--particularly for young people--to learn that
not everyone sails plastic boats for fun on the water.

Certainly anyone who has had much experience with Maryland's watermen
(and women) doesn't have much of a patronizing attitude. We go out
in our recreational sailboats and these people go out day after day,
winter and summer, working hard and handling their boats like real
seamen. They are certainly proud of their heritage and do get respect.

When I said that they are charming I meant it not in the sense of
quaintness, but in the literal sense--
go stay on Smith Island and you will receive a gracious, humor-filled
welcome.

I think that we don't need to be ashamed of Ransome's love of older,
possibly dying cultural ways of life like that of the charcoal burners.
I think it's clear that Ransome in many ways admired them and recognized
the strength that had helped make Britain. In a world that is fast
losing it's connection with the natural world and is becoming
isolated from physical hardship, there's a lesson here.

On my original subject, I have stayed in Maine and found it really
wonderful. It's good to hear that the lake district isn't all over-
developed!

SPencer


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