• Description of the complexion of Edward Cullen (the Robert Pattinson character) in Twlight: “literally sparkles”; “like thousands of diamonds” are “embedded in the surface.”
• Description of livestock in the West Country, as written by Dorothy Wordsworth in her journal in 1798: “the sheep glittering in the sunshine.”
Conclusion: English sheep are vampires.
Quotes from Twilight were lifted from Jenny Turner’s terrific essay about the series and movie for the London Review of Books. While I was looking it up, I came across this Twilight-inspired WikiAnswer exchange (presented here with spelling, grammar corrected):
Q. Does vampire skin really sparkle in the sunlight?
A. Unfortunately, vampires don’t really exist.
That is unfortunate — and, according to this news item on i09, also correct: “Two physicists have published an academic paper where they demonstrate, by virtue of geometric progression, that vampires could not exist, since they would almost immediately deplete their entire food supply (a.k.a, all of us).” (Last link via Rebecca Skloot.)
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
