From Lavinia’s Journal (L2.6)

Santiago de Compostela, Sunday.m

I was at the flea market in the Praza de Cervantes this morning. The sun was slanting perfectly toward the scant dozen vendors beneath the nondescript arches of a building used for something or other.

Remember Me When This You See. Book of Autograph Verses. by Lillian Morrison. 1961.

That just popped into my head now, probably because one guy had two old autograph books for sale and I recall seeing some growing up. Mom used to quote lines from Remember Me When This You See. In more recent times people write more superficial things, but years ago they were sappier. Autographs could be more dignified if we knew how important they become over the years.

Gravestone. I think I saw The phrase Remember Me… on one. It was sad, but then all of them are. Sad and silent.

Getrude Stein documentary. When this you see, remember me. Film was by Perry Miller on Gertrude Stein as a resident of Paris, because she wanted to do a film about Paris. 1970. 

Stein certainly was the Grande Dame - more so than the Earth Mother. Nothing overly affectionate in her style. Still, a great writer. Stein began writing, influenced by Cezanne's idea to let each part be as important as the whole. Not sure why I remember that. Don’t know if I heard or read it, either.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Lavinia’s strength is: Remembering and using threads.

Like Baldacci's Memory Man Amos Decker? (Decker’s memory condition is different, but Lavinia does suffer at times dragging all the past around as she does. She’s gotten better, but not entirely.)

Lavinia does her best remembering through reading and writing. Pictures can help, but words are more forceful, press harder on her thoughts.

END EDITOR’S NOTE

(Journal continues)

Remember is a .verb (can be used with a direct object).

Things the dictionary says when defining the verb:

to recall to the mind by an act or effort of memory; think of again: 

to retain in the memory; keep in mind; remain aware of:

to have (something) come into the mind again: 

[Lavinia: To re-member, to member again, right. But is there a verb to member? ]

to consider a person deserving of a gift, reward.

Here’s what I found about the origin of the verb. (Abbreviated)

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English remembren, from Old French remembrer, from Late Latin rememorārī, equivalent to re-re- + Latin memor “mindful” (see memory) + -ārī infinitive suffix 

To recall to the mind; think of again.To retain in the memory. 

From Mid. Eng. remembren, from Old Fr. remembrer (“to remember”), from Late Latin rememorari (“to remember again”), from re- + memor (“mindful”), from Indo-Euro *mer-, *(s)mer- (“to think about, be mindful”). Cognate with Old Eng. mimorian, mymerian (“to remember, commemorate”), Old English māmorian (“to deliberate, plan out, design”). More at mammer. 

Mammer? I never heard that English word before, but if Shakespeare knew, I can learn it.

Compare to:

From Mid. Eng. mameren (“to hesitate, be undecided, waver, mutter”), from Old Eng. māmrian, māmorian (“to think through, deliberate, plan out, design”), from Proto-Ger *maimrōną (“to take care, worry”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer-, *smer- (“to fall into thought, remember, take care”). Related to old Eng. māmor (“deep thought, deep sleep, unconsciousness”), old Eng. mimorian (“to remember”), Dutch mijmeren (“to ponder, muse”). More at remember.

https://qz.com/1608611/a-lost-botany-book-highlights-the-feminist-history-of-illustrating-plant-life/

https://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/2020/05/charles-and-nancy-wollstonecraft.html

Anne Kingsbury WOLLSTONECRAFT. Author of NATURAL rights of Women. (1791-1817)

Wait! Is she Anne K.W. Referred to at the bottom of several pages looking for a translator (like Pirandellian characters looking for an author?) her husband was the son of Mary Wollstonecraft and the brother of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley? Of course. Charles had been sent to the States and married there. 

Mary the mother died young, age 38, soon after daughter Mary was born. Lots have speculated on that event as inspiring Frankenstein. Not my area of interest.

Another thread in the tapestry, but what connected Anne Kingsbury to Santiago or Galicia? Why is her essay here? In my bundle of papers given to me by the strange person outside the new O Asasino Restaurant? Is it the original article?

So Charles W had died young, after a not really lengthy marriage to Anne. She continued on to Cuba, which seems a bit odd, but maybe not. Before dying young as well, she produced very professional botanical drawings. 

Anne immediately reminded me of Kate Furbish of Brunswick, Maine. Kate’s illustrations have now been published in a gigantic volume. She certainly covered all of the state, and it’s large. As a single woman in her time, traveling alone must have been challenging.

What am I saying? I’m traveling alone, too. It’s not against the law.

Anne’s book, Specimens of the Plants and Fruits of the Island of Cuba, has only recently been digitized, but at least it has been made accessible to unlimited viewers. 

Women botanical artists were a class unto their own and more often than not their art in combination with science was made possible by travel. (See Merian et al)

Anne Kingsbury, 36 and widowed, died in Cuba in 1817. There was no reason why she would not have contact with Britain for family reasons or with Spain because she was living in one of its colonies. She obviously was serious about her artwork and her writing. After all:

She was related to the Wollstonecraft women by marriage, but her essay about Natural Rights of Women was published in 1825 under a pseudonym, D’Anville. Anne hidden inside her unisex pseudonym. Anne hidden her whole life and long afterward. Hidden. Maybe brilliant.

Why?

Literary cross-dressing again? Like Rosalía. Were so many women doing that in the past? Trying to pass? By their names? Their dress?

I’ve never heard of Anne K. W. Not her incredible botanical illustrations. Not her essay that sound like an echo of Vindication the the Rights of Woman (1792). After all Mary the elder was technically her mother-in-law. If they never met and I realize they couldn’t have, at least the ideas were shared.

Why am I all over the map again? What connects these women and makes me write about them?

Why oh why did I let a stranger give me all those papers? I may know how to do some kinds of research, but I’m no detective. And if they’re stolen, having them in my possession is not the smartest idea.

Why did I get caught up in this? I don’t remember any more.

There is a lesson in all of this, for sure. Do I need to learn it?

Labyrinths and Minotaurs.