NABOKV-L once again thanks Ms. Kunin
----- Original Message -----
From: Carolyn Kunin
To: Vladimir Nabokov Forum
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2003 9:22 AM
Subject: Another Old Parr

To the List,

Paar of Chose and Zapater of Aardvark who are introduced in I ch 3 of Ada, do certainly seem to be in the Bashmachkin (i.e. footwear) family but when he reappear in II ch 4 the philosopher seems to have aged and is referred to as "Old Paar," in which guise he turns out to be "Old
Parr,"the English Methuselah:

Thomas Parr 1483-1635 was a farm worker who became famous for his longevity, was presented to Charles I and after his death, shortly afterwards, was buried in Westminster Abbey.    Thomas Parr is unusual because he was a man of lowly birth who became famous in his lifetime, was painted, written about, presented to the King and buried in Westminster Abbey with the rich and famous. [...] Parr was one of very few Œordinaryš people whose name is still known today.

In Ada Old Paar and Van discuss what to do with a blind "chronophobe" (Muldoon, I believe) and consider moving him to Kingston (London?) for further study, but he dies before this plan can be achieved. Old Paar, though healthy, had himself gone blind, but when taken to London to be presented to the King he did die in short order.

One of his portraits may be viewed at > http://www.darwincountry.org/category.php3?trail=2908

Carolyn