Fascinating read, as always. Will you ever run out? Today’s post made me think of the incredibly rare written traces my wife and I leave each other in the course of our lives. They’re mostly notes we leave the other when one of us departs: “Out on a walk,” I’ll write in the early morning. “This is where love lives,” Sara writes to me on a sticky note that I find when she’s away on a business trip.
There is an old postcard I got at a junk shop where the letter writer writes a poem to accept the recipient's dinner invitation, and I always thought he sounded insufferable, but I see now that he might have just been flirting customarily. He wrote:
"Dear E- Where the will is not strong and the flesh is quite weak, the mere mention of food makes the tummy go tweek. Your nice invitation I can hardly refuse. You’ve so little to gain – and I’ve nothing to lose. And so I will close – wishing most truly – “The Top of the Mornin’ to All”—Mr. Dooley"
Now I want to create a book and send it around to everyone on Substack! Fascinating read. I’ll be thinking a while about the parallels between this and current social media; there are definite similarities in the way users post. (Although, given the effort, this is likely more thoughtful than the quick status update or post flung off a phone.)
A wonderful post, Jillian! It's made me think of the 'autograph album' that Ma was talking to the girls about in one of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. Out of all of the series of books I read as a child I wish I'd kept those - they were so beautiful to read.
Thanks for enlightening us on the Friendship Album (“man trap” smh) concept. Such a clever way to capture witty “posts.” And sharing Constance, the champion of wearing life like a loose garment, with us. Cheers!
Hi Jillian, this is just a side note but I wanted to say that Tite Street where Oscar Wilde lived is a really well know street for many artists and famous people. We have a blue plaque scheme here in London where a blue plaque is put up on the houses of notable past residents. It’s a favourite pastime of mine to walk london looking for all the ones related to literature. Here is some history of Tite street itself and it’s past residents.
Another fascinating post! I absolutely love the idea of these friendship books--and would treasure having one. Having said that, I think I'd feel terrific pressure at having to come up with something beautiful and witty and meaningful to write in someone else's. Haha. A bit like yearbooks, I suppose, only much more elegant and for fabulous people.
Interesting to learn about Wilde's wife! I didn't know that she conducted interviews and was part of this material culture. Thanks for unearthing this history!
Dec 12, 2022·edited Dec 12, 2022Liked by Jillian Hess
As a retired person, I still have not shook the habit of working. I manage a non-profit genealogy library as a part-time activity. Interacting with old documents is one of my favorite aspects of the hobby. It is always fortunate when someone leaves hand-written notes behind. I advise my family members (and others who I might become involved with at the job) to treasure and prioritize two things in their discovery of their family. One is handwriting and the other is to record the voice or even video record if possible. I have recordings of my Mom but not my Dad. I wish I had both. Whenever I interview a family member, I record it. Recently got some advice from a professional interviewer. It is all even better when we use the best tools available at a given time and she was a great help. As a former science and technology guy, I use well-designed technology to help with understanding handwriting. My Mom had wonderful handwriting while my Dad's would have been a challenge for the best AI.
Oscar Wilde should be on everyone's TBR.
While a completely different experience, I had an experience early in my career. Our task was to develop specialized control system software to replace a now obsolete system. The original documentation for the design of the system was provided to a large extent on engineering ruled paper and were the hand-written notes of the key designers from the 1960s. The coolest thing was it was clear that a modest number of people had contributed as the handwriting differed from element to element. I learned so much about the philosophy and theory of operation of the designers from those pages. Nowadays, such things are done in a smattering of application software programs. What is lost forever is the evolution of the ideas as it is common for firms to release software to a given client with a revision 0 stating it as the baseline. The evolution of the thought that led to your supposed "finished product" resides in the ether forever.
This is amazing. I know a writer who keeps a journal like this. I didn't know they had a name. He once admired a pocket square I was wearing so I gave it to him. His wife smile and said, "That's gonna go in his book."
Wonderful piece, and great to see Constance amplified. The Wilde family home in Dublin is just at the back of Trinity, and if you walk past Trinity end at the corner of Merrion Sq, you get to see this lovely monument to OW: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde_Memorial_Sculpture; Constance is also commemorated in sculpture nearby now.
Such a lovely read as our family muddles through the dreaded Covid Virus! Loved learning about the Friendship Album Jillian! While reading your post, I couldn't help thinking about some of the similarities between the album and today's social media interactions. And going one step further, the act of signing many types of albums in social settings...wedding albums, funerals, yearbooks etc. The need for human connection via pictorial or written is ongoing. All seeking documentation in real time in some form or other.
Loved the artwork on the page with the lock of hair!
On another note, I'm enjoying your posts so much, I recently shared your Substack in my Monthly Newsletter which is separate from my account on Substack. Keep up the great writing Jillian! xx
Thank you for the wonderful piece and all the effort you put into this delicate newsletter, Jillian.
We also had friendship albums between the ages of 10 and 13. Girls kept and wrote them, and boys belittled us because they saw our albums as useless and ridiculous. We called them "Memory Notebooks." Same traditions in different cultures..
I also didn't know about Constance Wilde. Thanks for introducing her to me :)
Fascinating read, as always. Will you ever run out? Today’s post made me think of the incredibly rare written traces my wife and I leave each other in the course of our lives. They’re mostly notes we leave the other when one of us departs: “Out on a walk,” I’ll write in the early morning. “This is where love lives,” Sara writes to me on a sticky note that I find when she’s away on a business trip.
There is an old postcard I got at a junk shop where the letter writer writes a poem to accept the recipient's dinner invitation, and I always thought he sounded insufferable, but I see now that he might have just been flirting customarily. He wrote:
"Dear E- Where the will is not strong and the flesh is quite weak, the mere mention of food makes the tummy go tweek. Your nice invitation I can hardly refuse. You’ve so little to gain – and I’ve nothing to lose. And so I will close – wishing most truly – “The Top of the Mornin’ to All”—Mr. Dooley"
Now I want to create a book and send it around to everyone on Substack! Fascinating read. I’ll be thinking a while about the parallels between this and current social media; there are definite similarities in the way users post. (Although, given the effort, this is likely more thoughtful than the quick status update or post flung off a phone.)
A wonderful post, Jillian! It's made me think of the 'autograph album' that Ma was talking to the girls about in one of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. Out of all of the series of books I read as a child I wish I'd kept those - they were so beautiful to read.
Thanks for enlightening us on the Friendship Album (“man trap” smh) concept. Such a clever way to capture witty “posts.” And sharing Constance, the champion of wearing life like a loose garment, with us. Cheers!
Hi Jillian, this is just a side note but I wanted to say that Tite Street where Oscar Wilde lived is a really well know street for many artists and famous people. We have a blue plaque scheme here in London where a blue plaque is put up on the houses of notable past residents. It’s a favourite pastime of mine to walk london looking for all the ones related to literature. Here is some history of Tite street itself and it’s past residents.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tite_Street
Another fascinating post! I absolutely love the idea of these friendship books--and would treasure having one. Having said that, I think I'd feel terrific pressure at having to come up with something beautiful and witty and meaningful to write in someone else's. Haha. A bit like yearbooks, I suppose, only much more elegant and for fabulous people.
Interesting to learn about Wilde's wife! I didn't know that she conducted interviews and was part of this material culture. Thanks for unearthing this history!
As a retired person, I still have not shook the habit of working. I manage a non-profit genealogy library as a part-time activity. Interacting with old documents is one of my favorite aspects of the hobby. It is always fortunate when someone leaves hand-written notes behind. I advise my family members (and others who I might become involved with at the job) to treasure and prioritize two things in their discovery of their family. One is handwriting and the other is to record the voice or even video record if possible. I have recordings of my Mom but not my Dad. I wish I had both. Whenever I interview a family member, I record it. Recently got some advice from a professional interviewer. It is all even better when we use the best tools available at a given time and she was a great help. As a former science and technology guy, I use well-designed technology to help with understanding handwriting. My Mom had wonderful handwriting while my Dad's would have been a challenge for the best AI.
Oscar Wilde should be on everyone's TBR.
While a completely different experience, I had an experience early in my career. Our task was to develop specialized control system software to replace a now obsolete system. The original documentation for the design of the system was provided to a large extent on engineering ruled paper and were the hand-written notes of the key designers from the 1960s. The coolest thing was it was clear that a modest number of people had contributed as the handwriting differed from element to element. I learned so much about the philosophy and theory of operation of the designers from those pages. Nowadays, such things are done in a smattering of application software programs. What is lost forever is the evolution of the ideas as it is common for firms to release software to a given client with a revision 0 stating it as the baseline. The evolution of the thought that led to your supposed "finished product" resides in the ether forever.
This is amazing. I know a writer who keeps a journal like this. I didn't know they had a name. He once admired a pocket square I was wearing so I gave it to him. His wife smile and said, "That's gonna go in his book."
I really enjoyed this post & appreciate the link to Walter Crane's Painting Book on PDR. Beautiful images!
Another great post, Jillian! I have to confess - I know nothing about Constance Wilde, so thank you for introducing her to me : )
Wonderful piece, and great to see Constance amplified. The Wilde family home in Dublin is just at the back of Trinity, and if you walk past Trinity end at the corner of Merrion Sq, you get to see this lovely monument to OW: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde_Memorial_Sculpture; Constance is also commemorated in sculpture nearby now.
Such a lovely read as our family muddles through the dreaded Covid Virus! Loved learning about the Friendship Album Jillian! While reading your post, I couldn't help thinking about some of the similarities between the album and today's social media interactions. And going one step further, the act of signing many types of albums in social settings...wedding albums, funerals, yearbooks etc. The need for human connection via pictorial or written is ongoing. All seeking documentation in real time in some form or other.
Loved the artwork on the page with the lock of hair!
On another note, I'm enjoying your posts so much, I recently shared your Substack in my Monthly Newsletter which is separate from my account on Substack. Keep up the great writing Jillian! xx
The closest I think we had to this was signing yearbooks in high school. Is that still a thing do you suppose?
Thank you for the wonderful piece and all the effort you put into this delicate newsletter, Jillian.
We also had friendship albums between the ages of 10 and 13. Girls kept and wrote them, and boys belittled us because they saw our albums as useless and ridiculous. We called them "Memory Notebooks." Same traditions in different cultures..
I also didn't know about Constance Wilde. Thanks for introducing her to me :)