Paris in the 18th century du Tron-Renversé (the Place of the Overturned Throne, now Place de la Nation). There, at the height of the Reign of Terror, between 11 June and 27 July, 1,376 persons were beheaded, or about thirty a day. After the execution of Robespierre himself, the reign of terror came to an end. The guillotine was moved to the Place de Grève, and was used only for the execution of common criminals. The University of Paris had fallen gradually in quality and influence since the 17th century. It was primarily a school of theology, not well adapted to the modern world, and
The Man Whose Pharynx Was Bad The Man Whose Pharynx Was Bad "The Man Whose Pharynx Was Bad" is a poem from Wallace Stevens's first book of poetry, "Harmonium." First published in 1921, it is in the public domain in the United States. One point of entry into this poem is Stevens' attitude towards the weather. Is it all he cared about or does it converge with reflections on the passage of time and attendant issues such as ennui and ageing? (The difference between Helen Vendler and Harold Bloom on this matter is noted in the main Harmonium essay, the section "The musical imagist".) This poem