Suite101 e-Book
This Sceptred Isle, Volume I, January to March

Table of Contents

• Prologue
• January
  • Point-to-Pointing, Winter’s rural sport
  • Diana’s Gowns at Kensington Palace
  • Robert Burns Night
  • Banqueting House and King Charles the Martyr
  • Travelsleuth’s Diary of Social Events
• February
  • The King is Dead! God Save The Queen!
  • For You, dearest Muse, upon St. Valentine’s Day
  • A Gastronomic Accolade for Pub Grub
  • Travelsleuth’s Diary of Social Events
• March
  • Lyonesse. Magical Isles of Scilly
  • Rock of the Nation. A Tribute to the Queen Mother.
  • Fox Hunting – The End?
  • Paddy’s Day Celebrations
  • Travelsleuth’s Diary of Social Events

Prologue.

This is about Shakespeare’s England and its colourful seasons; seasons that have woven their magic over the centuries into the cultural and social heritage of “This Sceptred Isle” To paraphrase Shakespeare’s 104th sonnet must surely be considered presumptuous, but after three score years and ten I shall allow myself that pleasure and beg both your indulgence and his shade’s pardon. To me, fair Land, you never can be old, For as you were when first your eye I eyed, Such seems your beauty still. Many winters cold Have from forests shook their summers' pride, Seventy beauteous springs to yellow autumn turn'd In process of the seasons have I seen, Seventy April perfumes in hot Junes burn'd, Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green.

I hope that in this distillation of five years of writing about Royal Britain for Suite101 you will gain some appreciation of the love I feel for this green and pleasant land, its age old customs, ever evolving culture, its pageantry, and its heritage. If my words persuade you to pay a visit to the isles of Britain, these articles will have served their purpose. If you are unable to travel, I hope that they will at least provide interesting and diverting reading and will lead you to some of the great British poets whose lines I quote so liberally.

Stuart Buchanan MacWatt,
Isle of Wight, 2004.

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