Klarinet Archive - Posting 000120.txt from 2004/11

From: Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org>
Subj: [kl] 'Acquisitive'
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2004 08:50:14 -0500

On 4 Nov, "Forest Aten" <forestaten@-----.net> wrote:

> I was just thinking today about a post you made recently about the
> possessive nature of the "American". I remember being in the Cairo Museum
> of Antiquity (several times now) and having the docent address the group
> saying time and time again, "the original is in a museum in London" :-)

Interesting. I never ever thought of the quote as being to do with material
things at all.

"The Americans are a cheerfully acquisitive race; much is given to them, and
the rest they take."

I always took this to refer to ideas or techniques, rather than objects or
territory, and to be ruefully admiring rather than denigratory. Perhaps it
was the context I first heard it in.

Though I do see that it could apply in the other sense, and quite take your
point about the British Museum;-)

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd tony.p@-----.org
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