The Battle of the Blogs

Ben W. writes:

In days of yore, Jonathan Swift in “The Battle of the Books” wrote:

[8] While things were in this ferment, discord grew extremely high; hot words passed on both sides, and ill blood was plentifully bred. Here a solitary Ancient, squeezed up among a whole shelf of Moderns, offered fairly to dispute the case, and to prove by manifest reason that the priority was due to them [the Ancients] from long possession, and in regard of their prudence, antiquity, and, above all, their great merits toward the Moderns. But these denied the Premises, and seemed very much to wonder, how the Antients could pretend to insist upon their Antiquity, when it was so plain (if they went to that) that the Moderns were much the more Antient of the two.

Today, with the “Battle of the Blogs,” we write:

While things are in this ferment, discord grows extremely high; hot words pass on both sides, and ill blood has plentifully bred. Here a solitary Conservative, squeezed up among a whole website of Liberals, offers fairly to dispute the case, and to prove by manifest reason that the priority is due to the Conservatives from long possession, and in regard of their prudence, antiquity, and, above all, their great merits toward the Liberals. But these deny the Premises, and seem very much to wonder, how the Conservatives could pretend to insist upon their superiority, when it was so plain (if they went to that) that the Liberals were much the better of the two.

Swift continues with his Battle of the Books:

[25] Lucan appeared upon a fiery Horse, of admirable Shape, but head-strong, bearing the Rider where he list, over the Field; he made a mighty Slaughter among the Enemy’s Horse

[28] B—ntl—y durst not reply; but half choaked with Spleen and Rage, withdrew, in full Resolution of performing some great Achievment.

While we write the Battle of the Cleavage:

[25] Lawrence appeared upon a fiery Horse, of admirable Shape, but head-strong, bearing the Rider where he list, over the Field; he made a mighty Slaughter among the Enemy’s Horse.

[28] Mary Jackson durst not reply; but half choaked with Spleen and Rage, withdrew, in full Resolution of performing some great Achievment.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at August 21, 2007 12:39 AM | Send