Quote:
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Originally Posted by fernando
Hi Jim,
I hate to think that a scholar like Mr. Norman is includable in that sort of people who thinks that Portugal was/is one more province of the Spanish Kingdom, therefore not worth to mention as also a country under Spanish domain at the period in question (1580-1640). This omission, together with that of not mentioning that cuphilts were also largely used in Portugal, both in this period as also long afterwards, denote a considerable gap in his work ... says i, within my ignorance  .
End of catharsis 
Fernando |
Hi Fernando,
This appears to be one of those times when it would have been preferable to paraphrase rather than quote, and as the late Mr. Norman was a truly great scholar whom I respected deeply, I doubt any oversight in his comments concerning the cuphilt was intentional. I think it is an altogether unfortunate case where his thoughts were likely focused on geographic situation, and perhaps in terms that the link between Spain and Portugal were presumed known by the reader.
Thanks to you I have learned to be very cautious in qualifying such comments and have, as I have often mentioned, learned how extremely important Portugal has been in exploration,colonization and trade, completely independant of Spain. As a very thorough scholar, as I knew him to be, I am sure he would welcome the opportunity to correct this unfortunately worded sentence.
Please accept my apologies for my own oversight in not properly vetting the quote I used.
All very best regards,
Jim