Line-by-line all you like. But tell us what you will do with this: Bin gar kine Russin, stamm aus Litauen, echt deutsch.

Without Eliot's eyes, from Eliot's place and Eliot's time, it is nearly hopeless.

I used to rebel against the idea that literature was universal: it reflects - I would insist - the moment and location of its creation. Eliot, who I don't much care for, except he turned a good sounding verse here and there, Eliot is pretty good evidence that I had a point.

Jonathan

Nancy,

you saw while you were in New York how badly new (untenured) teachers got pushed around, ordered to do all sorts of iffy and worse than iffy things. You also saw how easy it was for principals to get rid of them before the tenure decision even came up.

That's not a better system. Not even close.

Jonathan