Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Thursday 21 April 2011

Happy birthday Ma'am


Today is the 85th birthday of H.M The Queen.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/apark999/queen.jpg

Whilst I have no reason to thnk that Her Majesty will read my blog, putting apost online to express my good wishes is a way of expressing loyalty to both Her Majesty as Sovereign and to the institution she embodies.

All of her realms have been fortunate to possess her as their Queen, and to have as their monarch not only a skillful exponent of the art of kingship in the modern world but also a woman of serious purpose combined with good sense and humour. Commentators often speak of the Queen's dedication, and that is a good word to describe her, but at times it becomes a cliche. Maybe one tribute we can pay her is to stop using such terms in that way and to actually reflect upon the very real way in which she has maintained her constitutional and personal compass bearings in an age of change and uncertainty which has swirled not just around around her and the monarchy, but around her realms and territories and their peoples.

Long may she reign

2 comments:

ricardus said...

You are lucky HM does not read your blog. "Realms"?

As a great man once said, "by recognizing the division of the realm into separate realms, are we not opening the way for that other remaining unity – the last unity of all – that of the person, to go the way of the rest?"

Once I Was A Clever Boy said...

I meant her realms of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the other realms beyond the sea.