Archived essays


Articles in this section

  • Great music

    by Ray

    A selection of musical texts and interpretaions of the very highest level of artistic inspiration. Date Composer Work/Movement_______ Artist(s) Label time Comments________________________ 1 1708 Bach Cantate BWV 106 "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit"/ Chœur Süddeutscher Madrigalchor & (...)

  • Marcel Proust and the 4th Dimension

    by Ray

    While the concept of a fourth dimension of "space-time" is generally associated with the theory of General Relativity developed by Albert Einstein between 1907 and 1915 and published in 1916, we would like to point out in ths anniversary year of the publication of the first volume of Marcel (...)

  • Extracts from the Minutes of the annual Smith-McWilliam picnics (1907-1945)

    by Ray

    The first Smith-McWilliam family picnic in Embro in 1907, which brought together 73 the descendants of the McWilliam and Smith pioneers who had emigrated to the West Zorra township in Ontario from Scotland between 1846 and 1853, was such a success that it became a yearly event.
    The photo and (...)

  • The Maisley McWilliams in Canada family history book (1846-1939)

    by Ray

    This carefully-researched booklet is a complete history of the extended "Maisley McWillam" family in Canada up until 1939.
    It contains photos, biographies, and a complete list of all of the known descendants of the five members of the McWilliam family and their Innes-Smith-Shearer-Hamilton (...)

  • La littérature de langue allemande — un survol personnel

    by Ray

    Ce relevé des livres par des auteurs allemands, autrichiens et suisses que j’ai fréquentés depuis de bien nombreuses années représente, me semble-t-il, un bon échantillon de la littérature de nos assez mystérieux voisins d’outre-Rhin.
    Il est certes utile d’avoir des notions d’allemand, car nombre (...)