This morning's Times carries an interesting article on page 4 about the forthcoming auction tomorrow of the diary of George Hodge, a lower deck seaman in Nelson's navy. The handwritten record is accompanied by drawings and paintings of naive charm. And what a fitting name! Could there be a more English name (apart from Tommy Atkins, perhaps) than Hodge? (Dr Johnson's cat was called Hodge.)
You can read Simon de Bruxelles's account here:
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4535185.ece
There is also a spirited comment by the Literary Editor of the Times, the erudite and urbane Philip Howard (I'm his number 1 fan). 'Here is the true grog and hard tack from one of the men below decks who ruled the waves and waived the rules to build the British Empire......these tales and pictures from the lower deck fill in a hole below the waterline in Britain's triumph. These are copper-bottomed history of hard pounding, gentlemen and romance. The right place for them is the British Library.'
See
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/article4535154.ece
But will the British Library be bidding? I expect the diary will go for much more than the £26,000 suggested. Is it too late to start a Fighting Fund? My pen is poised over my chequebook.
I have just checked the Howard link and it does not seem to work. Hmm. Just Google 'Times on line George Hodge Philip Howard' and you can read the piece.