Blog #1 Quarter 2

I just started reading a book called, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, a novel by Susanna Clark. So far, the book has started with the description of the York society, a society of magicians that discuss old magic, but don't practice it. This is one of the earlier quotes in the book that describes the society, "In fact to own the truth, not one of these magicians had ever cast the smallest spell, nor by magic caused one leaf to tremble upon a tree, made one mote of dust to alter its course or changed a single upon any one's head. But with this one minor reservation, they enjoyed a reputation as some of the wisest and most magical gentlemen in Yorkshire." This quote made me think that, really if they can't do magic they shouldn't be able to call themselves magicians because they're just as ordinary when it comes to magic as the regular old people who are not in the society. I also think they shouldn't be some of the most respected gentlemen in Yorkshire if they can't even do the one thing that they are revered for. Anyway, in the beginning we also meet Mr. Segundas and Mr. Honeyfoot who are 2 of the members of the society that want to know why nobody ever does magic anymore. So they go to visit a sort of recluse magician because the magicians of the society aren't very helpful at all in answering their question. The York magicians before had asked him to join, but he sent a letter of refusal. When he sent his letter back the York society speculated that, "any body with such small handwriting could ever make a tolerable magician." and I thought this was funny because handwriting has nothing to do with magic (or at least I think it doesn't) and they aren't even tolerable magicians themselves because they can't even do magic, so who are they to judge. Anyway I thought this recluse magician had the right Idea because so far this society just seems like a group of phoneys. So Mr. Segundas and Mr. Honeyfoot go visit this recluse man who's name turns out to be Mr. Norrell. So because his name is in the title I predict that he is going to be a very important character in this book and I also think that the main plot of this book is that the 3 men are going to either try and find out how the magic disappeared or try to bring the magic back to everyone in England.