August 27, 2010
In praise of the early Canadians.
I have been reading a book on Canadian history, Canada A People's History, and am quite impressed with the statesmanship and courage of the native Indians, the spirit of adventure and stoicism of the early French-Canadians, who arrived from Europe and threw themselves into exploring the North American wilderness, and the entrepreneurship and determination of the early Scottish explorers like MacKenzie and Thomson, who explored to the Pacific. While the First Nations people, French and British have often competed with each other and fought, it is the interaction of these founding people that has created that Canada that we enjoy today.
August 27, 2010
Mozart - refinement and cruelty.
I was listening to the gentle, refined and uplifting music of Mozart at dinner. Then I thought of the cruelty and brutishness of that time, and even of our time. I was reminded of the range of behaviour that humans are capable of.