- "In 1598 the inscription came to the attention of Western Europe when it was seen by [Robert Sherley]?, an Englishman on a diplomatic mission to Persia in the service of Austria."
I'd like to change the above (showing my disregard for passive voice), but I don't know what to change it to. "In 1598 the inscription came to the attention of Western Europe when [Robert Sherley]?, an Englishman on a diplomatic mission to Persia in the service of Austria, saw it" sounds odd--incomplete somehow--did he write back about it? return with news of it? Sorry to quibble; it's just that the rest of it is so well-written & interesting that this sentence sticks out like a sore thumb (to me, anyway). --KQ
How about: "Western European scholars did not become aware of the inscription until 1598, when it was observed by[Robert Sherley]?, an Englishman on an [[Austria}Austrian]] diplomatic mission to Persia." Just a go - it's a tough sentence. - MMGB
- Well, I had to go with the passive voice because I'm really not sure myself. I could only find one source about Sherley ("It's an cuneiform inscription...and don't call me Sherley"), and it was distressingly vague. It wasn't Sherley himself who brought it to European attention, just someone with him, and I don't know how he (or she) got the word back to Europe. That makes the form you have (ending in "saw it") -- what I had at first too -- put the verb so far away from the action that it needs to watch it on TV. Devil and the deep blue sea....-- Paul Drye
Lol. Ok then. --KQ
Very nice, Paul, et al. This calls in the best kinda way for a picture - surely there's one in public domain! --
MichaelTinkler
- At least a couple of which I'm aware. Do we have a way to upload them? --Paul Drye
I've never tried to put up an image, but I think JHK emailed a family tree to Larry? I looked and didn't see any nice ones online, so I hope you've found a better one! --MichaelTinkler
- Images for Wikipedia should be e-mailed to JasonR. --Zundark, 2001 Dec 11
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