LOL “Chinese whisper,” yes that is a polite way of describing how ‘fern leaves’ eventuated into ‘laurel leaves,’ which then eventuated into ‘oak leaves.’
Just out of interest, in the opening page of the book ‘New Zealanders at War’ by Michael King, he has included two quotes, the first quote by John Ruskin I think is worth mentioning. —
“The only history worth reading, is that written at the time of which it treats the history of what was done and seen, heard out of the mouths of the men who did and saw it.”
Interestingly, author Angus Ross used the very same Ruskin quote in the Preface (page VIII / IX) of the “Official History of New Zealand 23rd Battalion,” published in 1959.
The quote itself is an extract from John Ruskin’s book the ‘Stones of Venice Volume III: The Fall,’ which was first published in 1886. (Page 234 Appendix 9). —
“The only history worth reading is that written at the time of which it treats, the history of what was done and seen, heard out of the mouths of the men who did and saw.
One fresh draught of such history is worth more than a thousand volumes of abstracts, and reasoning’s, and suppositions, and theories; and I believe that, as we get wiser, we shall take little trouble about the history of nations who have left no distinct records of themselves, but spend our time only in the examination of the faithful documents which, in any period of the world, have been left, either in the form of art or literature, portraying the scenes, or recording the events, which in those days were actually passing before the eyes of men.”
Well, at least I was inspired by it.
Some more of my favourite Ruskin quotes are. —
“Our duty is to preserve what the past has had to say for itself, and to say for ourselves what shall be true for the future.”
“Say all you have to say in the fewest possible words, or your reader will be sure to skip them; and in the plainest possible words or he will certainly misunderstand them.”
(Perhaps something I should try)
“There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey."
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