And yet there are some who would have us not write, who would seek to stem the flow of fresh ideas. We are people assembled here today who touch, who explore, whose insatiable curiosity is our greatest strength, and one of the touchstones of civilization. Words are the vehicle by which we become among, with each other, have readers, and in the process confirm our communal nature. You come too. Once, when a number of famous writers were asked why they write, more than a few memorable statements were offered.
Writing is hard work, as is editing.
My thoughts instantly go to how many times that incitement engendered inspiration or self-damning frustration. We all need such a scroll above our desks . . . I want to say something about editing, because I believe in it so. Perhaps even more than writing, it is the cleaving together of all the talents a scholar can bring to bear, so that what is absent is just as important as what is present. Sometimes a physically impossible task.