The first snowfall of the season – Jane Austen and Ludwig van Beethoven – The perplexities of Mitch McConnell – Evening statistics
The first winter snowstorm has been something of a washout. It started off with a fine spirited show of swirling snowflakes, but as it progressed it quickly became mixed with rain and the actual accumulation is well under an inch. When I cleared the sidewalk and driveway I was doing more of pushing slush to the side than of shoveling snow. There is still some degree of precipitation going on, but it is more drizzle than anything else. It certainly will be inadvisable to drive tomorrow if it is avoidable, since the combination of half-melted snow and rainfall will be transformed to ice overnight.
Today is the 245th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen and the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven. Actually, there is some doubt about the latter date: Beethoven’s baptism, which occurred December 17th, 1770, is officially recorded, but his birth certificate is lost. He himself regarded the 16th as his birthday, and we may as well do the same. The works of both endure while various seemingly decisive historical events that occurred during their lifetimes are the most distant of memories. Who, for example, is familiar with the crisis that raged over Great Britain concerning the trial that resulted from George IV’s desire to divorce his wife Caroline of Brunswick, or even of the scandal that rocked France and indeed the rest of Europe of the execution of the Duc d’Enghien by one of Napoleon’s kangaroo courts? Both of these were burning issues during Austen’s and Beethoven’s lifetimes. But now such episodes are known only to a handful of historians, while millions continue to read Austen’s fiction and listen to Beethoven’s music. And so, perhaps, in due time the numerous frolics and vagaries of the current administration will diminish to the status of mere footnotes. I cannot honestly offer any contemporary authors or musicians as comparable in stature to these two giants, but still I allow myself to hope that with the passage of time Trump will cease to claim the attention he is now receiving from his compatriots and will dwindle into his natural insignificance.
In her portrayal of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice, incidentally, Austen seems to have been describing Trump’s spiritual ancestress:
“When the ladies returned to the drawing room, there was little to be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without intermission until coffee came in, delivering her opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted. She inquired into Charlotte’s domestic concerns familiarly and minutely, and gave her a good deal of advice as to the management of them all; told her how everything ought to be regulated by so small a family as hers, and instructed her as to the care of her cows and her poultry. Elizabeth found that nothing was beneath this great lady’s attention, which could furnish her with an occasion of dictating to others.”
Not that everyone is submitting tamely at this point to Trump’s dictatorialness. Mitch McConnell, while not displaying anything remotely comparable to the amount of spirit of an Elizabeth Bennet, is showing at least a degree of genuine resolution by calling upon his fellow-Republicans to accept the Electoral College vote and move on. It is conceivable that at least one Republican Senator will align himself with Mo Brooks’s intention to challenge the vote on January 6th. Several are convinced that the party base remains behind Trump despite his loss. Those who wish to run for president in 2024 – e.g., Ted Cruz or Josh Hawley – may well believe that there is no political gain in sitting on the sidelines and, potentially, a major upside for being the one willing to stand up and appear as Trump’s advocate. We shall see if McConnell has the ability to contain them.
Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 74,512,236; # of deaths worldwide: 1,654,266; # of cases U.S.: 17,388,570; # of deaths; U.S.: 314,539. This has been one of the worst days yet: more than 243,000 new cases, well over a third of the amount of new cases today worldwide, and nearly 3,500 deaths.