Oh how I love Victorian era British children stories...

"Don't you think it's rather nice to think that we're in a book that God's writing? If I were writing a book, I might make mistakes. But God knows how to make the story end just right--in the way that's best for us."

--Edith Nesbit The Railway Children page 224

I love Victorian children stories because they often speak truth even when the author's life was filled with situations not for children stories. Also, unlike stories of today, the parents are usually good, wise people who care for their children and are smarter than parents in modern books.


My other favorite quote is from the first page:

Roberta was the eldest. Of course, Mothers never have favorites, but if their Mother had had a favorite, it might have been Roberta.

Haha!!! I am the eldest in my family, and this is totally true. I am not my mom's favorite, but my siblings think I am just because I have a lot more freedom and get the benefits that come with the responsibility that I receive. I can understand my mom better than they can and I get along with her better. We don't fight because any rules she would put I me I would already put on myself. I am not her favorite, but if she had a favorite, I might have been.

Another quote from Boxen

As I mentioned before, Boxen: The Imaginary World of the Young C.S. Lewis contains a collection of short stories Lewis wrote when he was young about talking animals.

In this scene, Puddiphat is asking two sailor characters to go out for the evening, one is trying to reform the military and the other is in the process of being reformed(see my other blog post on this book). Bar used to be all about having a good time, so for him to decline Puddiphat's invitation is surprising.

Boxen pg 183 In The Sailor: Volume II

'My dear Viscount,' protested Bar, ' we must decline your hospitality if it entails mixing with these low actresses, whose presence recalls a chapter in our life, which we would fain forget.'

'This is Saul among the prophets,' laughed Puddiphat. 'But come along, the girls can dine at the inn."

The book of 1 Samuel in the Bible describes when King Saul winds up prophesying even though God was no longer supporting him. "So it became a saying: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'" which I always assumed meant that someone did something out of character for them.

The quote in Boxen excited me because I have always wanted to be able to use this saying, but had never actually seen or heard it used. Now to have confirmation that I can mention Saul being among the prophets and know that I am not the only person in the past century to use the phrase.

I always wondered why people at churches don't use this saying. I resolve to use this saying sometime soon.

I think I should start a Metro book club...

Yesterday, I was reading D.A. Carson's Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church on the Yellow line. A boy with a slightly Southern accent said next to me, and I kept reading.

I chuckled at an Alice in Wonderland reference in a footnote (page 84).

When the boy stood up to get ready to get off the Metro, he said, "Just out of curiosity, what are you reading?"

I told him a bit about the emergent church movement how Carson analyzes it and he asked me a couple of questions. When he first sat next to me, he looked vaguely familiar, but I have no idea why.

I think it's funny that not 24 hours after my last Metro-ride-book-conversation, I have another, with a completely different book.

Each led to interesting conversations too, even if neither lasted longer than a few stops.

Boxen

Boxen: The Imaginary World of the Young C.S. Lewis contains a collection of short stories Lewis wrote when he was young about talking animals. One of my goals in life is to read everything by Lewis, and so it was fun to read this book. This quote is from the last story in the book, about a military officer in Boxen.

Boxen pg 164 In The Sailor A Study Volume I

'I know, My Lord,' replied Cottle, 'that his Lordship intends to reform the navy: but I have not yet been informned what part I may endeavour to play in such a work.'

'Well,' said Oliver, 'you entered to day on your first ship, and you as yet know little of your fellow-officers. You are young, and, I trust, vigorous, and I am entrusting you with a task which may alter the world.'

Cottle glanced at his muscular shoulders, as if expecting to see them crushed by such a imposition.

I find the image of a the shoulders crushed by the weight of the task assigned humorous. While very different from the Narnia chronicles, there were instances where I think I could see that he was indeed the same author.