tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7499582243291531753.post7973122968844334155..comments2023-10-12T07:13:01.637-04:00Comments on The American Literary Blog: Bierce: found to be a holeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7499582243291531753.post-34595374624326187702011-04-06T09:29:41.643-04:002011-04-06T09:29:41.643-04:00The friend in question was Mrs. Josephine McCracki...The friend in question was Mrs. Josephine McCrackin of California. "Your" country was the US - so, yes, Bierce is dismissing his own country.Rob Velellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14284492589098267999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7499582243291531753.post-79581230828822447032011-04-05T23:36:07.973-04:002011-04-05T23:36:07.973-04:00Woah, this "battle/political knot" thing...Woah, this "battle/political knot" thing brings up his sentiment to the "female friend," that "Most of what is going on in your own country is exceedingly distasteful to me...." <br /><br />A question: to what country is he referring? America, I presume, although it's not quite clear from the passage.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7499582243291531753.post-15739914560132641432011-04-05T23:18:47.749-04:002011-04-05T23:18:47.749-04:00Your "Devil's Dictionary" mention ab...Your "Devil's Dictionary" mention about the whole "political knot" thing circles back to another line in the letter (to a "female friend"): "Most of what is going on in your own country is exceedingly distasteful to me." To what country is Bierce referring? I wondered about that when I first read the entry, since in the posting several countries are mentioned. Was he referring to America, or another nation? Thanks for the dialogue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7499582243291531753.post-26004472740369586462011-04-05T16:16:06.524-04:002011-04-05T16:16:06.524-04:00I love the slip either way! There is some speculat...I love the slip either way! There is some speculation that Bierce wanted to die in battle, having himself survived through in several. (<i>The Devil's Dictionary</i> defines "battle" as "a method of untying with the teeth of a political knot that would not yield to the tongue.")Rob Velellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14284492589098267999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7499582243291531753.post-29382509717202027322011-04-05T14:01:29.454-04:002011-04-05T14:01:29.454-04:00Yes, that whole passage from the letter has a &quo...Yes, that whole passage from the letter has a "ride off into the sunset" quality. And even if Bierce did not commit suicide per se, he could certainly have put himself in a position where death was a distinct possibility. (Almost typed that last word as "opportunity": perhaps a Freudian--or Bierceian--slip?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7499582243291531753.post-70432884164134977272011-04-05T10:38:48.801-04:002011-04-05T10:38:48.801-04:00It's a great quote! I almost titled the post &...It's a great quote! I almost titled the post "Bierce: the good, good darkness." I like "found to be a hole" because it works well with the lack of truth in the news report. Bierce's early biographers grappled with the possibility of suicide, but dismissed it quickly. Quotes like these, however, definitely make you wonder...Rob Velellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14284492589098267999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7499582243291531753.post-9480117681450123022011-04-04T22:51:54.514-04:002011-04-04T22:51:54.514-04:00One has to appreciate the hauntingly poetic (or po...One has to appreciate the hauntingly poetic (or poetically haunting) quality of that letter's last sentence: "May you live as long as you want to, and then pass smilingly into the darkness--the good, good darkness."<br /><br />A romantic until his end, enigmatic though that be....<br /><br />Thanks for the intriguing post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com