Thanks MaryAnn! :D On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 at 3:43:43 AM UTC-7, Maryann Santos wrote: > > Thank you, Linda, for this very cogent response.You should write for the > NYTimes Book Review! > > MaryAnn > > On Mon, Sep 14, 2015 at 8:23 PM, linda <[email protected] <javascript:>> > wrote: > >> >> Hi Lillian, >> >> >> I'm sorry I wrote that Ashe "never visited the islands." That was a >> knee-jerk reaction and probably wrong. >> >> >> I should have said that Ashe is a very unreliable source. He was a fairly >> prolific writer, and some of his books are easily available now through >> google books and the internet archive. I've downloaded a few and skimmed >> them a bit. They look like fairly typical examples of what was a popular >> new literary genre in the late 17th and early 18th centuries: travel >> writing. >> >> >> From a modern perspective, interpreting the accuracy of these early >> travel accounts has its own set of issues, but add on top of that, that >> Ashe was a noted scoundrel. In his lifetime, he was notorious for penning >> scandalous "memoirs" of living people and then blackmailing the subjects to >> keep the books from being published. He was also accused of theft, of >> plagiarizing much of his account of America, and of fabricating parts of >> his own autobiography. His book on the Azores has to be considered in that >> light. >> >> >> Taking into account Ashe's reputation and behaviour, the information >> contained in Ashe's book might or might not be correct. He might have seen >> something he describes with his own eyes, he might have copied the >> description from another book, or he might have made it up entirely. >> >> >> I have a copy of an article published in 1814 in *The Quarterly Review* >> (author >> not credited). It summarizes the state of knowlege about the Azores at the >> time and then proceeds to review the book by "T.A." * History of the >> Azores, or Western Islands*. The reviewer conjectured that the book was >> partly compiled in a library, was partly made up, and was so badly written >> in places that it might have been partialy written by a foreigner--though, >> I'm not sure if this was meant to be a 19th century English insult or >> if the reviewer was serious. >> >> >> The reviewer states that he knows the places described by T.A., and he >> points out several instances where the reality of the locations do not >> correspond to the descriptions in the book. T.A. describes a monastery in >> the valley of Furnas, it's gardens, and it's dozen or thirteen priests. >> According to the reviewer, these "have no substantial existence". In >> another instance, T.A. spends four pages in an "scurrilous invective" of a >> religious institution at "Porto Fermosa." The reviewer states that " At the >> little village of Formosa there neither is, nor ever was a convent, a >> chapel, or a church." >> >> >> Further, >> >> >> "...[T.A.] goes to Santa Cruz in St. George's where no such place exists; >> finds that wine is the staple produce of Fayal, which never exported a >> single pipe [barrel] of its own growth; and swells the population of the >> islands to half a million, which is about three times the actual >> number...", >> >> >> and finally, >> >> >> "The manners and customs of the inhabitants of St. Michael's [as >> described by T.A.] are so unlike the [actual] manners and customs of the >> Portugueze [sic], that we shall not notice them. >> >> >> Given Ashe's reputation, I can easily imagine that the review could have >> been intended as a personal rebuke of the man himself. I haven't fact >> checked either Ashe's book, or the statements in the review, so I can't >> weigh the truth of either, but I'm inclined to believe the review to be the >> more accurate piece. YMMV. >> >> >> Have you read the Bullars' description of the Azores? It was written a >> bit later, in about 1840, and is in my opinion a very good book. I think >> it's mostly objective and always interesting, and I believe it provides an >> accurate picture of life in the islands in the mid 19th century. If you >> google "bullar azores" you should find links to the free downloads >> available from google books and the internet archive.org. >> >> >> >> best wishes, >> >> >> Linda >> >> p.s. please forgive the spelling errors-- spell check isn't working, and >> though I can't see them, I'm sure they're there. >> >> On Monday, September 14, 2015 at 12:30:40 PM UTC-7, Lillian Palko wrote: >> >>> I googled Thomas Ashe and he was a scroundal of sorts, but for the life >>> of me I believe he must have been on San Miguel based upon the detail of >>> his writing.....especially describing the ports, plant life, volcanic >>> activity etc. Is anyone else sort of a half believer for part of his work? >>> >>> On Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 10:27:41 AM UTC-7, Cheri Mello wrote: >>>> >>>> Lillian P found this old book about the Azores online: >>>> http://purl.pt/17103/1/index.html#/6/html >>>> >>>> I didn't read the whole thing. Lillian said that the writer was >>>> describing the islands for Britain for possible purchase or something. >>>> >>>> Beginning on image 292, is a chapter on Sao Miguel and some manners and >>>> customs. This is written in the language of the early 1800s, so it's kinda >>>> different. I don't understand what "veil" the writer is talking about. He >>>> makes it sound as if all the women there are dressed like widows. In one >>>> part, I wonder if he is describing the capote?? And what's all this stuff >>>> about the woman only stay home or go to Mass? How in the world did they >>>> ever get married? >>>> >>>> Can someone else shed more light on this? It does say that the writer >>>> (British) is observing a woman (Spanish) who lives on Sao Miguel. So I'm >>>> thinking his perception may not be that of the typical Azorean peasant. >>>> >>>> Cheri Mello >>>> Listowner, Azores-Gen >>>> Researching: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das >>>> Tainhas, Achada >>>> >>> -- >> For options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail >> (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the >> right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my >> membership." >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Azores Genealogy" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected] <javascript:>. >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores. >> > > > > -- > *MaryAnn Santos* > Senior Advisement and Student Affairs Administrator > Department of Art and Art Professions > NYU/Steinhardt > 212.998.5702 > [email protected] <javascript:> > > Follow us at > > *Twitter / @NYUart <https://twitter.com/NYUart>Instagram / @nyuart > <http://instagram.com/nyuart>* > *Facebook / NYU Art Department > <https://www.facebook.com/pages/NYU-Art-Department/53833145389>* >
-- For options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership." --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores.
