As in most obituaries, the author said little about the man; they rarely do. But the reticence here was greater than usual. It mentioned that Ravenscliff left a wife, but did not say when they married. It said nothing at all about his life, nor where he lived. There were not even any of the usual phrases to give a slight hint: 'a natural raconteur' {loved the sound of his own voice}; 'Noted for his generosity to friends' {profligate}; 'a formidable enemy . . .' {a brute}; 'a severe but fair employer . . .' {a slave-driver}; 'devoted to the turf' {never read a book in his life}; 'a life-long bachelor' {vice}; 'a collector of flowers' {this meant a great womaniser. Why it came to mean such a thing I do not know.} More browsing
( Iain Pears )
[ Stone's Fall ]
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