Now your Pen shall be as liquid and infinite as your Mind as you complete 'Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets'!"
— Wayne, Teddy
Author
Work Title
Date
2004
Metaphor
Now your Pen shall be as liquid and infinite as your Mind as you complete 'Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets'!"
Metaphor in Context
Christmas Eve at the Spotted Pig, and Boswell presents me with a Fountain-Pen carved of African Ivory that definitely cost more than the maximum Allowance of 10 Pence. "Happy Clandestine Gift-Exchange!" he beamed. "Now your Pen shall be as liquid and infinite as your Mind as you complete Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets!" I had to thank him in front of everyone, then hand over my Gift. "Oh, Dr. Johnson, how fortuitous that we are each other's Clandestine Gift-Exchangers!" he shouted so everyone could hear. "It is as if Destiny itself had a Hand in the Selection!" When he opened his Present--a Parchment requesting he physically restrain himself from drawing within two Furlongs of me--he howled, "I love Gifts that play Gags on the Recipient!" and slapped me much too hard on the Back.
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Teddy Wayne, "Johnson's Life of Boswell," McSweeney's (12/15/2004). <Link to McSweeney's>
Date of Entry
10/29/2015
