G.Shimanovich: Following inconclusive conclusion of consistency discussion I opened [...] chapter 3 of The Gift:“Who cares what Chernyshevski thought of Pushkin? Rousseau was a lousy botanist, and I wouldn’t have been treated by Dr. Chekhov for anything in the world.”
Now, that is consistency, in light of what Alexey told us[ Yesterday was the 31th anniversary of VN's death. I recently learned that VN died on the same day as J. J. Rousseau, 199 years (why not 200? either Jean Jacques was granted a superfluous year of life, or VN didn't want to plagiarize) after the Swiss-born writer. Chekhov (1860-1904), too, died on July 2, but the date is by the old style (it corresponds to July 15 of the Gregorian calendar).]

JM: Consistency, coincidence? 
Before ending Pale Fire VN knew that Shade was born on July 5, 1898 and died on July 21st,1959 -but I doubt he'd foreseen that he, himself, would die on  July 2, on the same day as Rousseau and Chekhov.
 
Alexey added a playful query: VN died [...] 199 years (why not 200? either Jean Jacques was granted a superfluous year of life, or VN didn't want to plagiarize) after the Swiss-born writer...
Shade was born one year before VN and we know that Kinbote was as confused about Shade's age (check PF, note 167) as VN said he'd been, about his own and his brother's. 
 
In honor of the "greatest invented poet" (quoting V.Nabokov), the preterist John Shade, on his birthday (and let's not forget to add, Charles Xavier  Vseslav and Jakob Gradus ), I selected an inconsequential, zestful image of a flipping hop-flopping bird  from the collection of his published poems:  
                                                  ... the stiff vane so often visited

                                                  By the naïve, the gauzy mockingbird*

                                                  Retelling all the programs she had heard;

                                                  Switching from chippo-chippo to a clear

                                                  To-wee, to-wee; then rasping out: come here,

                                                  Come here, come herrr’; flirting her tail aloft,

                                                  Or gracefully indulging in a soft

                                                  Upward hop-flop, and instantly (to-wee!)

                                            70   Returning to her perch — the new TV.

 

 

 

 

...................................

* Mimus poliglottus

  
 
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