We used to sing “Rule Britannia, two tanners make a bob, three make eighteen pence and four two bob”. That was in the days when a penny weighed a lot and would wear a hole in your pocket.
At least the Empire Day stood for something concrete. “Britishness” doesn’t, since it has to include the Scots and the Welsh as well as newer groups. Just can’t be loyal to faddish abstract favoured by liberals.
Actually, I’d say the motto that’s most seen on all British streets now is “This is a no smoking area”. That’s it.
March 18th, 2008 at 9:22 am
We used to sing “Rule Britannia, two tanners make a bob, three make eighteen pence and four two bob”. That was in the days when a penny weighed a lot and would wear a hole in your pocket.
At least the Empire Day stood for something concrete. “Britishness” doesn’t, since it has to include the Scots and the Welsh as well as newer groups. Just can’t be loyal to faddish abstract favoured by liberals.
Actually, I’d say the motto that’s most seen on all British streets now is “This is a no smoking area”. That’s it.
March 19th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Yeah, I think it really has to be either for something concrete (”Empire”, skittles), or else an anniversary of something (July 4).