The Corner

‘Let well-tuned words amaze’

Boris Johnson issues a clarion call for more poetry memorization. He misses one of the side benefits, though: the tiny thrill of pleasure when you spot a line you know, inserted by some subtle writer in his prose. George Will, in one of his pieces, described Donald Rumsfeld as having “a heart too soon made glad.” You pause, and smile, and pass on; but for a moment there, even reading about politics seemed worthwhile.

John Derbyshire — Mr. Derbyshire is a former contributing editor of National Review.
Exit mobile version