'i, though i brought no fuell, had desire with these articulate blasts to blow the fire'
O thou which to search out the secret parts
Of the India, or rather Paradise
Of knowledge, hast with courage and advise
Lately launch'd into the vast Sea of Arts,
Disdaine not in thy constant travailing
To doe as other Voyagers, and make
Some turnes into lesse Creekes, and wisely take
Fresh water at the Heliconian spring;
I sing not, Siren like, to tempt; for I
Am harsh, nor as those Scismatiques with you,
Which draw all wits of good hope to their crew;
But seing in you bright sparkes of Poetry,
I, though I brought no fuell, had desire
With these Articulate blasts to blow the fire
--John Donne to Samuel Brooke
Though we think of doing research as a lonesome activity, I wouldn't argue with that, but I feel there's usually a helping hand, especially when I need it. Since my Master's, coursemates and senior PhD students have replied me with long e-mails answering my questions. When she said that a simple article made her realise why she wanted to work on the topic in the first place, I, too, had the same experience. Then there's the text itself. As the old secondary school teacher in The History Boys describes, it is as if an invisible hand reaches out from the book to hold yours. After the tute on Wednesday, am encouraged to read/think about King Lear in relation to A Jovial Crew. At one of my Master's tutorial, I said to my then tutor that I didn't like Lear that much, he suggested I should go and brush my teeth, for this is a play that makes him become a better man every day. Now reading Lear alongside Brome's vagrants, I think I shall have a different point of view.