Pericles, I just picked the name out of thin air, sounded sort of provincial, the words are mine. I have no idea who the real Fred Smollett is or was, I don't recall ever hearing the name. It just popped into my head. Coincidence. But I don't want to ruin his name with my ramblings. Twas an exercise in third person.

It's Squeers fault anyway, getting a person thinking about philosophy in the first place. I was just trying to see some beauty in the whole idea, and the crystal popped into my head - probably from that Keats Grecian Urn thing -"Truth is beauty, beauty is truth.." The onion came from that Shrek movie where he's speaking of getting to know someone - I just applied it differently.

Still, prone to anger; puffed with his own importance - I don't believe I'm highly prejudiced, though I have been accused of not being as tolerant as I thought I was, and also been accused of being arrogant; but, is the guy dead and has somehow snuck into my head? (I've never been good at seeing myself as I really am, or how others see me - very frustrating.)

I like the idea of the crystal anyway, many facets, transparent but fragmenting light into its spectral rainbow. But of course it's a lame attempt at trying to tie down truth. For where does that start or end? It gives me a headache thinking about it, so I just dabbled with a fair degree of poetic licence, to see where it might lead. Still, I like the piece all the same - and it's an original "salt".

Thanks for those thoughts Squeers and Poirot, much appreciated. I know I tend to be overly sensitive, but it is the nature of the beast, I'm afraid. Always been that way, and it's not easy to change old habits. One thing is sure, this thread, and the scratching the surface searching for answers has been most absorbing. Guess I'm an uneducated sod, but the Paideian educational concept has been really quite intriguing.

My bad, Saltpetre, I didn't read the context sufficiently thoroughly.

>>Pericles, I just picked the name out of thin air, sounded sort of provincial, the words are mine<<

My apologies for getting so antsy - my only defence is that I love the language, and what it can accomplish when used properly. Forgive, please.