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It is winter. Many parts of the garden are now dormant, and the time has come to cut back the roses. This is more fun than it should be. Some day, perhaps, I will sit down and write Parables of the Pruner: a rose guide for revolutionaries, tyrants, and evil overlords, by N. Macchiavelli. For now, just a few observations for dealing with the pathetic former regime rosebushes left un- or badly pruned by weak-minded fools.
1. Start with the dead things (stumps, twigs, vampires, zombies etc).
2. Move on to the weak and extraneous (especially sycophants and camp followers).
3. Next, remove those that, while strong and healthy, are going in the wrong direction (this is for the good of society - do not show mercy, even if they cling to your shirtsleeves).
4. Cut back to suitable growth points (there is still some debate about the necessity of extremities such as fingers or elbows).
You should now have the makings of a healthy subject. If subject fails to bloom in spring - or, in fact, dies - this was clearly the result of years of neglect by the former regime and not your attentions, and nothing could have been done to save it.
1. Start with the dead things (stumps, twigs, vampires, zombies etc).
2. Move on to the weak and extraneous (especially sycophants and camp followers).
3. Next, remove those that, while strong and healthy, are going in the wrong direction (this is for the good of society - do not show mercy, even if they cling to your shirtsleeves).
4. Cut back to suitable growth points (there is still some debate about the necessity of extremities such as fingers or elbows).
You should now have the makings of a healthy subject. If subject fails to bloom in spring - or, in fact, dies - this was clearly the result of years of neglect by the former regime and not your attentions, and nothing could have been done to save it.
