From: "Jeanie Smith" <jean_e_smith@hotmail.com>

Subject: Cambridge Conference

Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2003 13:05:51 +0100

Hello All I have the great pleasure of writing up the recent conference at Magdalene College for The Thomas Hardy Journal at the moment. In view of the fact that there are many out there who couldnÕt attend, we thought it would be good to share something of our wonderful three days with Forum readers. Magdalene College was a splendid location for the first joint event of the Thomas Hardy Society and TTHA, with the River Cam flowing close by and the magnificent architecture softened by beautiful gardens. Many of you will know that Hardy received an honorary degree (Litt.D.) from Magdalene in 1913 and became an honorary fellow of that college in the same year. Furse Swann's investigation into HardyÕs connections with Cambridge and the Moule Family (which we learned to pronounce Mole!) was so extensive that it had to be spread over the two afternoons. There is not space here to go into great detail but our visits to Queens', King's, St John's, Trinity followed HardyÕs 1873 visit to see Horace Moule, through to his 1914 visit as honorary fellow to see old friends, when he dined at the Porte-Latin Feast at St John's (see 'Editor's Notes' in your Oct 2002 Journal for an explanation and sample menu for this event!). We all benefited from Furse's research into the lives and Cambridge associations of the Moule family and I would love it to be made available in print or on the web. The lectures were on those manuscripts we were able to see while visiting Cambridge, Times Laughingstocks, Moments of Vision and Jude the Obscure. One realized the great advantage of narrowing the scope a little, as the lectures complimented each other and sent us scurrying back to our rooms to read, with the new knowledge or insight we had acquired. The lectures on the poetry (Dr James Gibson, Prof. William W Morgan, Prof. Dame Gillian Beer) and on Jude (Prof. Robert Schweik, Prof. Dennis Taylor) encouraged us to look again at the revisions Hardy made and why and to look at the poetry as individual volumes of work. We were also able to look at how others had read Hardy and adapted him for TV and film. We read Hardy aloud, both in JimÕs lecture and in an after dinner meeting where we had the addition of some beautiful music played on piano by Philip Lange. Above all, the Conference was in that long Hardy Society tradition of a friendly meeting of like minded people, to celebrate their love of a great writer. Best wishes and thanks to all who worked so hard to organise a wonderful conference, can we do it again?

Jeanie Smith

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Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2003 10:31:05 -0400

From: Rosemarie Morgan <rosemarie.morgan@yale.edu>

Subject: Re: Cambridge Conference

 

Thanks Jeanie!

 

For a "first" joint effort (TTHA & Hardy Soc) this conference certainly augured well for future events of this kind.

 

I'll be posting some images on News Updates just as soon as I can set up a page for them.

 

Back again, soon.

 

Cheers,

Rosemarie

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Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2003 07:09:47 -0700

From: Betty Cortus <hardycor@owl.csusm.edu>

Subject: Re: Cambridge Conference

 

Thanks, and congratulations Jeanie, on a wonderfully comprehensive re-creation of the Cambridge Conference. You have certainly whetted our appetites for the next one. This conference was a momentous first step in a new direction for TTHA, and its organizers, in collaboration with their THS colleagues deserve every praise.

 

Betty Cortus

 

PS. Apologies for failing to sign my name to my last posting. I should remember to practice what I preach!

Betty

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From: "ann WHITLOCK" <ann@whitlock282.freeserve.co.uk>

Subject: Re: Cambridge Conference

Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2003 18:13:02 +0100

 

I agree with your comments Jeanie.

 

Apart from the special atmosphere of the environment, there was a sense of something special about the Cambridge Conference.

 

It is always difficult to define exactly what contributes to success, but one particular aspect was the way in which everyone shared thoughts and experiences, whether on organized walks, at coffee breaks, or in the magnificent candle lit dining hall. This is of course an advantage of a residential course, but the programmed and the well managed organization influenced the good level of interaction.

 

The lectures were presented in an informal and relaxed way; as though they were spontaneous thoughts, with the listeners drawn in and involved. There was plenty of opportunity for ongoing discussion, and much sharing of individual views. The music after dinner on the second evening was a combination of gifted playing and an instrument of haunting beauty.

 

Two things which moved me greatly. The first was to see the manuscript of Moments of Vision - how different from a facsimile. There was something about the quality of the ink and the paper which created a nearness to Hardy which I found surprising.