Hello All:

Well, if by nice one means being pleasant, then perhaps that's a good
thing to take away. However, if nice is taken to mean always being
agreeable, as in no expressed differences, then that is not at all
what I'm saying.

I must confess that my previous post was somewhat influenced by
rather excellent Madeira that I find does even more than malt can to
justify God's ways to man,* let alone making sense of Twain or any
perceived personality clashes on this delightful list.

I suppose the main point I was trying to make under that amber spell
was that one can say anything one likes without direct, brutal or
seeming offense to others if one takes time to write it well. I know
online mails are often more akin to transcriptions of thoughts
hastily spoken but, in the spirit of the Great American Subject of
this list, it might be a wonderful thing if everyone considered
putting in some joyful effort to be less abrasive and thus more
persuasive when the occasion is called for.

I look forward to continued reading here and remain

Yours cordially,
Benjamin van der Wel


(*Paraphrase/redaction of John Donne's famous lines.)