In Which Nothing Is Said, And Great Deal Isn't Implied

This is the cover of Quadrant Magazine for this month!

It's the magazine of choice for Right-Wing Death Metrosexuals! Check out the covers of some previous issues of Quadrant...

Apparently, there was a time when Quadrant used to have actual cover-art, pictures, cartoons, and illustrations. Now the best thing to look forward to visually are the headings to the articles (In bold! And sometimes in CAPITALS!) and the columns (and very nice columns they are too).
Interestingly, just recently, Quadrant seem to have been trying to get in on the fashion racket. See the evidence here: and note the sunglasses!

Whatever, I still like the magazine. Against my better judgment - (not that I have a better judgment, so perhaps I should say against my least-worst judgment) - I found myself discussing the merits of conservative writers over on Alexis' blog the other day. I should have recommended* Quadrant then: it is always a joy to read, with the literature edited by Les Murray, regular poetry reviews, thoughtful essays, and the requisite 'cranky old bastard' rants by former Melbourne University Press publisher Peter Ryan.

Just while I've got this thing on**, look what I got in the mail on Wednesday...

"One Touch Of Venus", by S J Perelman (with lyrics by Ogden Nash). This book is ridiculously rare - I had to hit abebooks to find copies of it. It combines a libretto by a favourite humourist with songs by a favourite poet, and it's a handsome publication to boot. They turned it into a movie, with Ava Gardner playing the part of Venus (a statue that comes to life), but apparently it wasn't very good. Well, it's a handsomely written play, and it has one of Ogden Nash's best songs in it:

More than a catbird hates a cat,
Or a criminal hates a clue,
Or the Axis hates the United States,
That's how much I love you.

I love you more than a duck can swim,
And more than a grapefruit squirts,
I love you more than a gin rummy is a bore,
And more than a toothache hurts.

And there's more where that came from!

Music was written by Kurt Weill, though it's not included in this publication. Methinks I might have to do some more browsing of the internet. Be warned, folks: I could be slowly evolving into an Antiquarian. I'm popping off now to grow a beard and start smoking a pipe while leafing through many a volume of forgotten lore, or Viz Magazine, whatever I can get my hands on first. Cheerio!

UPDATE! - Well, what won't we talk about today, then?

*Hah! As if I know what I'm talking about!

** Photoblogging? Sheesh, how low can this blog go?