HOMAGE TO JORGE LUIS BORGES
1899 - 1986
Of all the cities in the world, of all the homelands that a man
seeks to earn, Geneva seems to me to be the one most likely to
bring happiness. Thanks to her I discovered, since 1914, French,
Latin, German, Expressionism, Schopenhauer, the doctrines of Buddha,
Taoism, Conrad, Lafcadio Hearn and nostalgia for Buenos Aires.
Also love, frienship, humiliation and the siren call of suicide.
Things remembered are always pleasant, even trials. These are
personal reasons, but I can give a more general one. Unlike other
cities, Geneva has no emphasis. Paris is not unaware that she
is Paris. Benevolent London knows that she is London. Geneva,
however, barely realizes that she is Geneva. Here are the towering
shadows of Calvin, Rousseau, Amiel and Ferdinand Hodler, but no
one speaks of them to the traveller passing through. Geneva, somewhat
like Japan, has renewed herself without losing her past.
JORGE LUIS BORGES
(Atlas)
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