Wednesday

Mar. 31, 1999

To His Coy Mistress

by Andrew Marvell

Broadcast Date: WEDNESDAY: March 31, 1999

Poem: "To His Coy Mistress," by Andrew Marvell (b. 1621).

At sundown tonight the Jewish festival of PASSOVER will begin, a celebration marking the Hebrews' liberation from slavery in Egypt and their flight across the Red Sea about 3,000 years ago.

It was on this day in 1889 that construction of the EIFFEL TOWER was completed, nearly two years after it had begun. It had been built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution and for the World's Fair of 1889, being held in Paris that year.

It's the birthday of the American diarist MARY BOYKIN CHESNUT, born 1823 in Pleasant Hill, South Carolina. She was the wife of the U.S. Senator from South Carolina who resigned to take up a commission in the Confederate Army. Mary Chesnut accompanied her husband on his military missions during the war and, beginning in February of 1861, started a diary where she wrote her views of military and political leaders and Southern society during the Civil War—over a thousand pages in all. It was only published over 20 years after her death and has since become a classic of Civil War literature.

It's the birthday in 1621 of the English poet ANDREW MARVELL, born 1621 in Yorkshire. He wrote many satirical poems about politicians of his age, and it was only after his death in 1678 that a volume of lyrical poems was found amongst his effects.

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

 

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