Historians Are Dangerous People

There seems to have been a bit of hubbub, a squabble or bruhaha, if you will, over some remarks that may or may not have been said by the British education secretary Charles Clarke. It seems Friday last that he had some unkind words for the teachers of history:

"I don't mind there being some medievalists around for ornamental purposes, but there is no reason for the state to pay for them," he said on a visit to University College, Worcester. He only wanted the state to pay for subjects of "clear usefulness", according to today's Times Higher Educational Supplement.

[...]

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said: "The secretary of state was basically getting at the fact that universities exist to enable the British economy and society to deal with the challenges posed by the increasingly rapid process of global change."

How dare he! Besmirching the good name and røle of antiquarian studies! He should be drawn and quartered and his remains thrown hither and yon with a trebuchet.

Pardon, but it seems all the truth may not be out in Merry Olde England. Today, the Guardian has a response from Mr. Clarke.

According to a transcript released by the college Mr Clarke argued against "a medieval concept of the university as a community of scholars unfettered by difficulties and problems of the wider society".

On state funding of such a concept he said: "We might do it at say a level of a hundredth of what we do now and have one university of medieval seekers after truth that we thought were very good to support them as an adornment to our society."

He conceded his analysis may not be accepted "because there may be one or two medievalists in the room".

Forsooth! Methinks he be still a right bastard! Methinks this faux English is most dubious and foul, a veritable pox upon a language when so ill used, so crapulent in nature, odious and repugnant! Fie, fie and now desist, though rapacious villain, deflowerer of free English verse!

The blogger responsible for that last paragraph has been sacked.