During the past thirty years, I have never broken my writing routine, but this year was to prove a sad exception, when my oldest friend, Neil Bruce Copp, died of cancer at the age of 66.
I flew back to London on Tuesday for his funeral, and was touched that his wife, Monique, invited me to deliver the eulogy. It is ironic that one's popularity may be judged by the attendance at one's funeral, and on Tuesday over 500 mourners crammed into St Andrew's Church in Ham, with several rows of people having to stand at the back of the church, and even more outside.
I flew back to London on Tuesday for his funeral, and was touched that his wife, Monique, invited me to deliver the eulogy. It is ironic that one's popularity may be judged by the attendance at one's funeral, and on Tuesday over 500 mourners crammed into St Andrew's Church in Ham, with several rows of people having to stand at the back of the church, and even more outside.
Neil was born in Buckinghamshire, where, during the civil war, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham married the daughter of General Fairfax, Cromwell’s chief of staff. Buckingham’s epitaph to his father-in-law, rings just as true today for Neil Bruce Copp, as it did 400 years ago for General Fairfax:
He never knew what envy was, nor hate;
his soul was filled with worth and honesty,
and with another thing quite out of date, called modesty.
I am now back at my writing desk, working on the film script for Paths of Glory which I expect to have finished in time for the novel's publication date on March 6th.
He never knew what envy was, nor hate;
his soul was filled with worth and honesty,
and with another thing quite out of date, called modesty.
I am now back at my writing desk, working on the film script for Paths of Glory which I expect to have finished in time for the novel's publication date on March 6th.
8 Comments:
Hello Mr. Archer
Please visit Jaipur in India if possible, its one of the most famous tourist places in India.
Jeffrey,
I am deeply sorry for your loss. A true friend is so hard to find and to keep one for that long even more difficult. My condolences to you and to his family.
In sympathy ~ Cren
Dear Jeffrey,
I am sorry i have not been to your blog for awhile I have been busy with an unusual case.
I am deeply sorry for the loss of your oldest friend. And I am sorry that you are greiving in the middle of writing. It must be hard for you.
Excuse my ignorance but what is an eulogy.
I shall be writing to you by email separately about something that I hope you have the time to help me with.
Take care, Jeffrey
yasmin
Birmingham. UK
Mr archer im 28 years old and have never really been into reading books till i borrowed a kane and abel off a friend now im in the process of starting a collection all thanks to you.
p.s im only collecting yours at present so keep them coming thanks for all the hours of reading Keith
yasmin - a eulogy is a speech or a piece of writing in praise of a person. Regards, Jeffrey's PA.
Hello Mr Archer, Im very sorry about your loss. I do know that in time it will ease but that does not help right now.
I just wanted to say that i am on your prison diary no 111 at the moment and i think these diary's are definately your best work. I am a single parent of 4 boys so i dont get much chance to read but i cant put these down. My heart goes out to you for what you had to endure in prison and i think you are a very brave man to make what you could of a bad situation. Best wishes to your wife and sons for being so strong at such a hard time. Cant wait for Paths of Glory. (Kane and Abel was the first book i ever read). Bye Mary
When I think of what he went to prison for, then look at what people are doing in government today and getting away with it. It make my blood boil.
He was picked on and the punisment did not fit the crime. Someone was out to get him. It stinks.
One's popularity may indeed be judged by the attendance at one's funeral - if you are unfortunate enough to die young(ish). At 58, I have been to one or two funerals, including my husband's, at which the number of mourners and hangers-on has been quite dramatically large and varied.
However, as time elapses, our (can't keep up the 'one') would-be funeral attendees die off, left, right and centre, and we ourselves start to go a bit ga-ga and boring, thus precluding us from creating a new circle of younger friends.
So, people who were popular in their heyday will not necessarily have this demonstrated by the crowds at their funeral.
That is, of course, unless they are a celebrity of some sort, in which case there will never be a shortage of mourners.
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