The Oxford Don

Sunday's can be great. Because of what I imagine to be her work schedule, Margalit Fox of the NYT can be counted on to usually have a by-lined obituary appear in Sunday's paper (or online) that is informative as well as entertaining.

Take today's take on the death of Kenneth Dover, a highly opinionated scholar of Greek literature who passed away at 89.

Apparently Mr. Dover so disliked a colleague of his at Oxford that he bluntly wished the guy dead, put it in writing, and basically sought legal advice if his wishes came true, even if they weren't through any of his own direct efforts. When the chap finally did succeed at committing suicide, Mr. Dover did not hold back on his joy.

Colin Dexter's Morse and Sergeant Lewis were thus denied a case. But who knows, Mr. Dexter might have taken license with the emotion to kill and turned it into a great story. I've read a good deal of the Morse mysteries, but can't specifically remember a Don whacking a Don. (You wonder if they need permission from the other Dons.) More careful readers of the books might identify the one that might have been turned into a murder.

Regardless, Mr. Dover reminds me of an actress I read about who I can never remember who said of another actress who just passed away: "Don't expect me to say something nice just because she's now dead." Something like that. And it's not Tallulah Bankhead. On either side of the quote.

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