I had planned this morning, in order to avoid all the build-up chat and the ITC adverts, to watch a recording of the Rugby World Cup Semi Final between England and New Zealand. Unfortunately the recording failed. I therefore had to watch on the ITV Hub with all the trimmings. But what a cracking match it was.
Afterwards I finished reading
Because of the quality of the engravings I have shown here both front and back of the dust jacket.
The frontispiece reproduces one of the artist’s paintings. Although the author does not say so, the halfpenny, or one old halfpenny, would have been the toll fare for crossing the bridge. One crossing the Regents canal at Harrow road near my London counselling room is still called the Halfpenny Steps.
Having recently finished reading Normandy ’44, depicting the devastation inflicted on the French countryside by the insufferable violence of the battle for Normandy, I felt in the need of some gentle poetic prose and bucolic beauty. It was natural that my next book would be one by Robert Gibbings, in this case “Till I end my song”, published by J.M. Dent in 1957.
The author’s exquisitely supple and sinuous wood engravings profusely supplement his riverain ramblings displaying profound knowledge of nature in all its forms; charming anecdotes gleaned from country folk and from history, myth, and legend; a pleasing sense of humour and a wonderful command of language.
As usual with Mr Gibbings I show sample sheets from the book, bearing both a selection of the illustrations and the text that accompanies them.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s plump piri-piri chicken breasts; savoury vegetable rice topped with an omelette; and tender green beans, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Fleurie.
Oh to be in England now that the Long White Cloud got spanked . . .
🙂 Thanks a lot, Leslie. Now we want a Welsh victory today. 🙂
Your comment about the game left me wondering – but colonialist left me in no doubt. No wonder it is so very quiet here this morning, we are in mourning apparently 🙂 Mr Gibbings writes beautifully and these little snippets you left here were most enjoyable – I chuckled several times at his understated humour. Especially the lava-lava. Though he wasn’t as kind to his young robin as you and Jackie are to Nugget, perhaps you should read that snippet to him to ensure his world view is widened……….
I liked the humor, too. “Is that chair wide enough for you?” asked the waiter.
The waiter went on in the same creepy vein. 🙂
Yes, that gave me give a chuckle too Jodie.
That one gave me a chuckle as well!
Had I published a bit more of his robin story you may have appreciated him more. He fed it mealworms from his hand – and it pooped on his papers. The game was really ‘cracking’ – in that there was much good rugby from both sides, but the surprising thing was that England dominated.
Aha! It’s a book worth tracking down for sure! I heard a bit more about the game today – the word is England deserved the win 🙂
Very much so, Pauline. I think the shock for NZ was that this was the first time they had experienced any real opposition in the tournament. John Knifton says there are several copies of the book on Abe Books. Thanks very much.
Lovely, thanks Derrick – and John.
Seems such a delight–beautiful pictures–are they woodcuts, even? Precision and grace. I will seek it out… somewhere, I hope! (It was a bit hard t read this post due to formatting. But the book is lovely.)
THanks for persevering, Cynthia. They are woodcuts – so difficult to believe.
Astonishing!
(PS I am reading a thoroughly enjoyable mystery by Josephine Tey, now deceased, but apparently quite well known in England. Do you know of her?)
I do, Cynthia. I have three. Many thanks.
That certainly was a high scoring game for England…congratulations! Sorry about the recording but I guess a favorable outcome made it okay.
Yes, indeed, Jill. Many thanks.
How curious that Mr Gibbing’s robin also has a teapot, albeit one closed to his investigation.
I’m pleased you appreciated that, Gwen. I just had to include it. 🙂 Thanks very much.
Magnificent drawings throughout the book, thank for sharing Derrick….
You were on my mind when I posted this one, Ivor. Thanks very much.
Sometimes our spirit needs a rest. With all the chaos and turmoil we are suffering in this country, I have turned to light reading and viewing to help calm the jitters.
Yes. I don’t think I’ve ever done this so consciously before. Thanks very much, Laurie.
Me, either. It’s the times we live in. We’ve got Trump, you’ve got Boris. What the heck.
Quite.
What a delightful book. I was interested when I read the word ‘astaxanthin’ when he was referring to the salmon. I assumed it was a colour but google was all on about antioxidant drugs made in Queensland from tiny little sea creatures. I wonder if Google would say the same thing if you asked. I am sure it would be different as I have noticed when I go to Google it is always Australia-centric. I used to be able to just type in Google UK or Google South Africa et cetera. But they have made it harder to do now.
Anyway that is a really nice book so I will duck over to my bookseller and see if he has a copy.
I have quite a collection of Gibbings. Even if this one is not available the others may be. Thanks very much, Paol.
I will look for others, Thank you
You are right about Google. No mention of Australia here.
A lovely gentle book like this makes me so nostalgic. I read old books even when I was a kid, and although this wouldn’t have been too old then (haha), it reminds me of some of the ones I read. Books were works of art, and there was a real sense of the way a gentle life could be. Of course, real life frequently conflicted, as you know from the book you just finished!
Quite so, Luanne. Thanks very much.
I find it curious, how quickly we can change our moods by what we see or read. A book has the same effect as a movie and can send your blood pressure racing up or calm you down. Calm is so much better!
So right, Ronnie. Many thanks.
What a wonderful read to wake up to! Beautiful illustrations, a wonderful command of the language with delightful words and phrases. Thank you for sharing!
I’m pleased you liked it, Anne. Thanks very much.
That is a delectable indulgence, Derrick. Those pages have been neatly reproduced.
Thank you very much, Uma
How wonderful! The illustrations AND the story! So many things included that are a part of your life…robins, flowers, a garden, other animals, ETC! A wonderful read, indeed! A “great escape” from the stuff in life! Do we just love and appreciate a good book!?!? 🙂
That last sentence on page 234 made me smile! 🙂
Thank you for sharing the book with us!
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn X
Abebooks have various editions of this book, all at pretty low prices. It certainly has wonderful illustrations, particularly of Halfpenny Bridge, with its tiny, un-necessary, arch by each bank.
Thanks very much, John
What a delightful book.
Thanks a lot, Andrew
I spotted Nugget! He’s on the Teapot between pp57 and pp113 ! 🙂
Congratulations to England’s side for making the finals.
Many thanks, Bob. Well spotted 🙂
What a lovely post, Derrick. A beautiful story, artistic wood carvings and the adventure of sports!
Thanks very much, GP
Those illustrations are exquisite!
Thank you very much, Merril
The engravings are beautiful, Derrick. The bird on the teapot reminds me of Nugget!
Many thanks, Lavinia. I just had to include that one 🙂
The match started as I set off for work and we were ahead before I reached the ring road. 🙂
I checked the internet at full time and was amazed that we hadn’t blown it.
All that and a magnificent book recommendation in your post. Thanks for the excerpts.
Thanks very much, Quercus.
Beautiful engravings. I found myself reading the prose under them and getting caught up and wanting more. May have to go get the book…
From what you’ve shared, I can see how Till I End My Song would be a restorative for the spirit. I tried to find a digitized copy on Internet Archive, but the site is down fro maintenance at the moment.
John Knifton says there are a number of copies on Abe Books. Mine is a first edition. Sometimes I have found later copies of books have less successfully reproduced illustrations, so that might be worth checking.
Just calling in on my old site as I find some time, when your lovely post popped up. Lovely to see that you are continuing in your “out of town” manner and that you now have just under 3,000 followers. What a lovely old fashioned book full of delicious words and such wonderful bookplate etchings. Thanks so much for sharing – wishing you both well!
So pleased to hear from you, SOL. We are doing well, as I hope you are. Thanks a lot.
Looks like a delightful book with elegant illustrations; a pleasure to read.
Indeed. Many thanks, Dolly.
Very welcome, Derrick
Oké, ik wil ook iets publiceren op me blog uit de Nederlandse literatuur … , ook iets met illustraties … , dan zal ik ze ook eens een scheetje laten ruiken … , ik dacht meteen aan Annie … , iets van de oude meesters … Ja, lijkt me prachtig … Amsterdam, 29 – 8 – 2020 * http://www.friedabblog.wordpress.com *
Thank you very much Frieda