Wisdom Is the Most Terrible Ordeal

We always brought away more than we could take them on our visits to the Maryland farm: the stimulation of his ideas and his insight into history, which always brought an ordinary journalist up short; his mysterious humor, his profound pessimism which, curiously, left a sense of the stature not the meanness of man; we would also drive off with some of Esther’s preserves, and plants to put in our garden—we brought away so much of their affection. The conversations didn’t just touch on men and the world. We also talked about children and growing up and such matters, calves, lambs, which fascinated Whittaker.

I have a letter from him dated March 1, 1951: “After several days of warm fine weather we had cold and sleet last night, so Willett’s Lillian, having carefully watched the weather, decided to lamb. Esther found the shivering lamb early this morning. Willett’s Lillian is the grand champion of Maryland. Therefore she would have to have her lamb on the coldest day, and to have the weakest lamb. I have been working over it for an hour or so, filling it with warm milk and Haig & Haig. I’ve rigged it an incubator on the gas stove. It has got over its drunk and is now warm, sassy and baaing like an Ingersoll watch being wound. It is also doing its best to upset the incubator. Lots of trouble. . . .”

DN

About the Author

Duncan Norton-Taylor

We always brought away more than we could take them on our visits to the Maryland farm: the stimulation of his ideas and his insight into history, which always brought an ordinary journalist up short; his mysterious humor, his profound pessimism which, curiously, left a sense of the stature not the meanness of man; we would also drive off with some of Esther’s preserves, and plants to put in our garden—we brought away so much of their affection. The conversations didn’t just touch on men and the world. We also talked about children and growing up and such matters, calves, lambs, which fascinated Whittaker.

I have a letter from him dated March 1, 1951: “After several days of warm fine weather we had cold and sleet last night, so Willett’s Lillian, having carefully watched the weather, decided to lamb. Esther found the shivering lamb early this morning. Willett’s Lillian is the grand champion of Maryland. Therefore she would have to have her lamb on the coldest day, and to have the weakest lamb. I have been working over it for an hour or so, filling it with warm milk and Haig & Haig. I’ve rigged it an incubator on the gas stove. It has got over its drunk and is now warm, sassy and baaing like an Ingersoll watch being wound. It is also doing its best to upset the incubator. Lots of trouble. . . .”