Category Archives: history

The Moral Calculus of War

Politicians—like every man jack and woman jill of us—are inherently motivated primarily if not wholly by their own several self-interests … precisely as are the most ostentatiously and performatively pious, peace-preaching lefties. This does not change the moral calculus of war. Anyone who denies that is a fool, a liar, or, of course, both. TheContinue reading “The Moral Calculus of War”

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus. Now do the little things.

The 28th February is, when it is not a leap year, the feast day of S Oswald of Worcester, Bishop and Confessor: Bishop of Worcester and Archbishop of York. He was of an Anglo-Danish family from the old Danelaw—his uncle Oda was Archbishop of Canterbury and his kinsman Oskytel preceded him at York—, living andContinue reading “Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus. Now do the little things.”

Repent ye…

I am grieved, disgusted, and enraged by the murder of two—of two more—young Israelis, as I am by all the evils going unchecked in this day: the assailing of Israel and of the Jewish people not least, whom the Almighty shall doubtless vindicate and avenge in accordance with His ancient promises and which wickedness weContinue reading “Repent ye…”

‘For all the saints, who from their labours rest’:

Every day has its saint—commonly a right smart of them: including this, the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. The Anglican Kalendar is more parsimonious than is the Roman, or the Orthodox, so far as red-letter observances go; but every day has its saint. Between—for example—, and inclusive of, 15 to 23 January, there are amongstContinue reading “‘For all the saints, who from their labours rest’:”

Remember, remember

Another Guy Fawkes Night: Bonfire Night. ‘The only man who ever went into Parliament with honest intentions.’ V-for-interminable-comic-book-and-cinema-preachiness. Fireworks. 1605 and All That. (Or, as I privately call it, that time when a bunch of my second through sixth cousins, against the urgings of various fifth cousins, tried to blow up my first cousin andContinue reading “Remember, remember”

For all the saints, who from their labours rest

Today is the Eve of All Hallows’ Day, Hallowe’en, the first day of the three days of Allhallowtide, the Fast before tomorrow’s Feast which begins with the Vigil this night, with the First Evensong of All Saints’ Day, Hallowmas. Allhallowtide shall then conclude, as ever it does in the eternal cycle of the Church Year,Continue reading “For all the saints, who from their labours rest”

Finis Palæstinæ. Delenda est.

It is impressed upon me that those with close personal ties to the region, or with family present in the warzone, particularly but by no means exclusively Jews or Israelis, may find my necessary afterword too much to read as they mourn or wait in dreadful suspense for news of their families, friends, and neighbors.Continue reading “Finis Palæstinæ. Delenda est.”