The story of Agassiz and the fish appears early on in ABC of Reading. Agassiz asks his students to describe a fish. Off they go an come back with a list of scientific terms etc. He tells them to have another go and they do a similar thing. Eventually he tells them to *look* at the fish. It is a good story and is intended as part of Pound's attack on those who "know everything" about a subject without actually understanding it. I don't think the story of Agassiz and the fish is a very apt analogy for the sort of thing that goes on in this list. One of the uses of a list of this sort is to serve as a sort of online, specialist "Notes and Queries". It is probably a less effective medium for appreciative criticism or the expression of joy and admiration for Pound's work. I expect these things can be taken as read in anyone who has bothered to sign up. Of course, apart from a few critics of genius such as Pound and Empson most people (including myself) have difficulty writing about poets or poetry without sounding desperately solemn. >From: Tim Bray <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Ezra Pound discussion list of the University of Maine > <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Some Personal Observations on Pound >Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 07:43:45 -0700 > >At 11:36 PM 9/14/99 -1000, Everett Lee Lady wrote: > >Those who contribute to this list certainly don't seem to know anything > >about the lesson of Agassiz and the fish, for instance. > >True, in my case. Care to relate it? -Tim ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com