This morning, I have received many letters about expanses of time. I’ll explain what I mean. In my column, I talk a little about Jacques Barzun, the famed cultural historian. He was born in 1907. A great influence on him was his great-grandmother, born in 1830. Little Jacques thought that 1830 seemed as distant as the Middle Ages. Anyway, a man who lives in San Antonio today, in 2011 — I’m speaking of Barzun — was very close to a woman born in 1830. “Kind of neat,” as I say in that column.

Well, I’ve received many delightful letters, on “expanses of time” (for lack of a better phrase). Let me share with you one: “Dear Jay: President John Tyler was born in 1790. One of his grandsons lives in the family plantation today. Yes, I said one of his grandsons: Harrison Ruffin Tyler.” Whose father was a president of William and Mary, incidentally.

You could have fun with time like this all day. Now have to work — see you.