Reflecting

Wednesday, January 22nd., Cadogan Square, London.

Out of sorts today. Bit of a chill on the liver. Didn't sleep well last night; not even as well as usual. And I couldn't settle to my nap this afternoon, so I am now lethargic, mildly irritable and generally dejected. We are all more or less slaves to our internal organs, especially the digestion. Wells described it nicely in the first part of "Mr. Polly". He was aiming for humour of course, but truth was there.

I was at the British Museum on Monday, just getting ideas, though I didn't get any. Went in to look at the Elgin marbles. I hear that the Greek government want them to be returned and put on display in Athens. Not back in place on the Parthenon, but in a specially constructed museum. I was in Athens a couple of years ago and ascended to view the Parthenon. Impressive, and moving. My overall feeling was sadness that the place had been more or less destroyed as part of a minor skirmish in a stupid war, after thousands of years of standing proud above the city. Having been brought to England by Elgin has probably saved the sculptures from damage and perhaps destruction, and I am glad they are in London to be seen by people like me whenever we wish. But I would be hard pressed to mount a moral defence for their retention now.

I look about London and wonder if there is anything here that would excite people in two thousand years time if it were still in place? Plenty of monumental architecture of course but nothing original that stands out. The Tower probably. Perhaps Greenwich Naval College? The Reading Room at the B.M.? What would most reflect our age and genius in my opinion would be one of the great stations - St. Pancras or Paddington. I don't expect people will still be using trains in two thousand years but I think they would admire the 'spirit' of the station in the way we admire the Parthenon.

An outing

Saturday, December 4th., George Street, London.

Today I began work on the film and other things, though short of sleep. Pressure of financial responsibilities means that I have to work well or not. But I have felt worse than this!

I took Marguerite this afternoon to see Japanese prints at the British Museum, and was more impressed than the first time even. Of course the mummies held Marguerite on her way through their rooms. She is obsessed when she sees them by the fact that they once lived, loved etc. Sentimental twaddle. To be just she showed just as much interest in the Greek sculpture. We were struck anew by the size and grandioseness of the B.M. It is a very efficient affair. Crowds of people, especially girls, most of them uncomprehending. Experts giving popular lectures.

i was thinking later about the mummies. Is it morally defensible to dig up and put on display human remains, however old they are? As I understand it these people believed that they had to preserve their bodies so as to have an after-life. They would be horrified to find themselves being gawked at by crowds of sensation seekers. The more I think the less satisfactory it seems to me. Perhaps I shall compose an article on the subject.