[PW] Finger in the Dike

[Simon Cauchi]

On 19/12/2007, at 7:10 AM, Nichael Cramer wrote:

> "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, ..."
>                                                      -- Shaxespear,
> King John, IV,ii

Let's see. I quote from memory:

To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.

I quoted this once when, as an employee in a NZ publishing house, I 
opposed the publication of a gilt-edged edition of a certain poet's 
selected works. To no effect: the book was published anyway, but I 
don't remember how well it sold. I think it was just the top edges that 
were gilt.

I love that "garnish".

Simon Cauchi
<simon.cauchi at xtra.co.nz>