September 18-20 is Lichfield's Heritage Weekend, though to mark Dr Johnson's Birthday it's going to be Georgian-themed this year.

There's a pdf of the leaflet available for download which promises such delights as a second-hand book fair at Wade Street Church, a display of Johnson's letters at Lichfield Library, a tour of Lichfield's Old Grammar School (now part of Lichfield District Council House and not usually open to the public) and the chance to get your silhouette cut by artist Steve Abbott.

Memoirs of the Celebrated Mrs Woffington has tickets for Johnson's tercentenary supper on September 19th, and will be reporting on all the birthday action!

Photograph © Memoirs of the Celebrated Mrs Woffington.

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Hierogliphick Reveal'd

As nobody got the Hierogliphick on the King's Birth Day (I knew I should have offered a prize!) here's the answer:

Britons all hail! your Monarch's natal Day,
Check then your Phrenzy, learning to obey;
And in loud Plaudits every Briton sing,
God bless our Army, and long live the King.

Hierogliphick photograph © Memoirs of the Celebrated Mrs Woffington.
Portrait of King George III by Allan Ramsay from Wikimedia Commons.

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Word of the Week: Cold Pig

To give cold pig is a punishment inflicted on sluggards who lie too long in bed: it consists in pulling off all the bed clothes from them, and throwing cold water upon them.

From: Captain Grose's 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

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Hierogliphick on the King's Birth Day

My Birthday card of a 'hierogliphick', originally published February 1798 to mark George III's birthday. Can you work out what it says? (click on the image to blow it up larger).

Photograph © Memoirs of the Celebrated Mrs Woffington.

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A Wonderful Birthday

Well, I couldn't help mentioning it but it's my birthday today and I think it's fair to say, I've been completely spolit. Check out the rather beautiful 18th-century-style wrapping above - the paper below has a velvety flock design, and the one above is pink with tiny gold birdcages on it. Just gorgeous...

I'm amazed by all my thoughful cards, including my aunt's (below) which is a clever mock-up of an 18th-century playbill and has elements from my blog printed inside (such as the shoes from my toolbar). I'll do a separate post on my boyfriend's card, which is a 'hierogliphick on the king's birthday' dating from 1798.

I was also given a DVD set of Mozart operas live from Drottningholm, one of which was recommended to me by Tutta Rolf. I can't wait to get watching those :)



Photographs © Memoirs of the Celebrated Mrs Woffington.

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