The telling quote: the young men are dead, the words are from the letter, ellipses are Lee’s:
<<To tell you the truth, I have practically no emotion left. I … have not even troubled to clean my nails. I have not done my hair. When I read a book I cannot finish it …. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. When the doctor came I assumed a grave expression. Yet he guessed that I had only one wish — I cant [sic] even now write that down. …. Always to see that mountain. It drives me mad.>>
The last four words are crossed out—the app won’t let me show that.
How very interesting. A quite different sort of story. The letter writer of the final version is mildly peeved by the mountain. Whereas as I read this one its narrator is contemplating suicide? Yes I agree the ellipses are from the transcription. Never seen VW use them like that or use them at all.
I want to add, because I obscurely feel it is relevant, that Leslie Stephen, VW’s father, was a great alpinist, a conqueror of Swiss (and other) peaks. Plenty of symbolism at another level available there, and probably not worth pursuing. Thank you very much for the link, giving us her blessing should we prefer not to dwell on symbols. I had not heard of the story. The date is arresting: she died on 28 March. That thought sent me to Hermione Lee’s biography, which briefly mentions “The Symbol” (pp748-79, so I had heard of it, and forgotten) and has a telling quote from an early draft. Apparently she began writing it in late November 1940: coinciding more or less with the onset of her last depression—according to Lee’s account, not Leonard’s (which dated it from January ‘41).
Thank you, Susan. Well, as you could see tomorrow, I do think her Dad's alpinism (and writing about it) is well worth pursuing ... I've just been editing my follow up post about the story, scheduled for 10.30 tomorrow morning (Wednesday 19th). I'd be most interested to see the 'telling quote' if you were to post it here, or as a comment to tomorrow's post.
Oh, I’m sorry—I didn’t mean it wasn’t worth *your* following it. Given your stack title and all! I meant from my pov, and I look forward to your thoughts!
Oh gosh. I didn’t know about this story but got the name for my publication from an encounter, which is - yes - both symbolic and NOT. Thanks for sharing this!
Yes I couldn't quite work out why your Substack was named after the Matterhorn - and still can't to tell you the truth! Is there one of your posts that explains or expounds?
Here's the original post about it, though expanded upon over the last couple years. Truth be told, there's a rebrand coming in a few months. Also, apparently when you move out of Switzerland you're not supposed to use Swiss places anymore - just ask Toblerone! :)
Ah I get it more or less. (And thanks for not using the word 'liminal'!) We overnighted at Rifugio Teodulo on the Tour of Monte Rosa - though you may be at the ski station higher up. Your take on the mountain interestingly different from V Woolf... And in her Dad's day the Alps were "sort of British".
Hey, thanks for this. I’m staying with Mrs D for the time being…my mind may not be agile enough to take on Woolf on a mountain while living through a day in Westminster.
Part of what it's about is a tease against readers who try to interpret 'symbolism' in To the Lighthouse / Mrs Dalloway. Which is such a natural thing to do, including by followers of the Mrs Dalloway Reading Group. But in the end the lighthouse is just a lighthouse, the mountain is just a mountain.
The telling quote: the young men are dead, the words are from the letter, ellipses are Lee’s:
<<To tell you the truth, I have practically no emotion left. I … have not even troubled to clean my nails. I have not done my hair. When I read a book I cannot finish it …. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. When the doctor came I assumed a grave expression. Yet he guessed that I had only one wish — I cant [sic] even now write that down. …. Always to see that mountain. It drives me mad.>>
The last four words are crossed out—the app won’t let me show that.
How very interesting. A quite different sort of story. The letter writer of the final version is mildly peeved by the mountain. Whereas as I read this one its narrator is contemplating suicide? Yes I agree the ellipses are from the transcription. Never seen VW use them like that or use them at all.
I *assume* the dots are Lee’s!
I want to add, because I obscurely feel it is relevant, that Leslie Stephen, VW’s father, was a great alpinist, a conqueror of Swiss (and other) peaks. Plenty of symbolism at another level available there, and probably not worth pursuing. Thank you very much for the link, giving us her blessing should we prefer not to dwell on symbols. I had not heard of the story. The date is arresting: she died on 28 March. That thought sent me to Hermione Lee’s biography, which briefly mentions “The Symbol” (pp748-79, so I had heard of it, and forgotten) and has a telling quote from an early draft. Apparently she began writing it in late November 1940: coinciding more or less with the onset of her last depression—according to Lee’s account, not Leonard’s (which dated it from January ‘41).
Thank you, Susan. Well, as you could see tomorrow, I do think her Dad's alpinism (and writing about it) is well worth pursuing ... I've just been editing my follow up post about the story, scheduled for 10.30 tomorrow morning (Wednesday 19th). I'd be most interested to see the 'telling quote' if you were to post it here, or as a comment to tomorrow's post.
Oh, I’m sorry—I didn’t mean it wasn’t worth *your* following it. Given your stack title and all! I meant from my pov, and I look forward to your thoughts!
Oh gosh. I didn’t know about this story but got the name for my publication from an encounter, which is - yes - both symbolic and NOT. Thanks for sharing this!
Yes I couldn't quite work out why your Substack was named after the Matterhorn - and still can't to tell you the truth! Is there one of your posts that explains or expounds?
Sure, thanks for asking -
Here's the original post about it, though expanded upon over the last couple years. Truth be told, there's a rebrand coming in a few months. Also, apparently when you move out of Switzerland you're not supposed to use Swiss places anymore - just ask Toblerone! :)
https://thematterhorn.substack.com/p/xxiv-cultural-differences-at-the
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/05/matterhorn-mountain-toblerone-packaging-design-switzerland
Ah I get it more or less. (And thanks for not using the word 'liminal'!) We overnighted at Rifugio Teodulo on the Tour of Monte Rosa - though you may be at the ski station higher up. Your take on the mountain interestingly different from V Woolf... And in her Dad's day the Alps were "sort of British".
Hey, thanks for this. I’m staying with Mrs D for the time being…my mind may not be agile enough to take on Woolf on a mountain while living through a day in Westminster.
But, I will come back to it.
Well it's only 1200 words (about 3 pages). And it's a great aid when trying to read symbolism in Mrs D because the message is basically don't bother!
Indeed.
A very good use of my time. And, you know what? My mind felt quite up to the task.
There’s still all the shtick about time and events and the past kicking off, but in bracing mode. Quite cleared my head.
And made me smile (I mean the fall down the crevasse is awful, but the sharp eye is very funny).
Quite so. It's surprisingly playful. That's something I picked up too.
A very interesting story. Thank you for drawing my attention to it Ronald! Look forward to reading your commentary next week.
Part of what it's about is a tease against readers who try to interpret 'symbolism' in To the Lighthouse / Mrs Dalloway. Which is such a natural thing to do, including by followers of the Mrs Dalloway Reading Group. But in the end the lighthouse is just a lighthouse, the mountain is just a mountain.