CALLED AN OLD FART...

 In  the  nicest  possible  way. 

A mature  aged  member  of   the Little Darwin team , certainly no oil painting  in appearance, recently spoke to  Darwin scholar and gentleman , agronomist   Robert  Wesley -Smith , a  continual source of  interesting news   and story  ideas ,  for information  about  an inscription of  note  he had  found in  a  book  while  trying  to knock  his  untidy  volumes  into  some kind  of  order. 

During   discussion about  the book, its author  and the inscription,  which  will be  the subject  of  a  post  in  this  blog ,  Wes , above ,    mentioned  that  an  old   friend , in his 80s , who  had  led an   adventurous  life  in  New Guinea and the Territory ,  has  an   interesting   collection  of  books .  Wes  expressed  concern   about  the  future  of   the  books.

This  was  because of  the  experience Wes  had trying  to find a place  for the  8000 volume collection  of  Adelaide academic  , Harry Medlin , a commando during  WWll, his  time as  a prisoner of war  causing him to take a  great interest  in  Asia , resulting  in an extensive library .   Wes  rated  the  collection  as  bloody interesting, but could not  get any institution, including  the Northern Territory  government  , which claims Darwin is the gateway to Asia,  to  take  it.  

Wes  went on  to  say  it seemed  "only old farts " such as he himself , and  this writer , were   interested  in  books .  In   his case, Wes  is  a young 77;  this scribe is  sprinting  into  the  80s , still  reluctantly culling books, sheet music , records , photographs, ephemera . Tucked  away in  the Little  Darwin  disorderly den  is activist  Wesley-Smith's  own  Azaria   Chamberlain  file .