il Giardino Romantico

攝於Walker Art Gallery
'David Garrick as Richard III' by William Hogarth

『你一定是Sandy吧！』在我們第一次見面的那天，他叫出了我的名字。我非常訝異的原因，是因為學校系統註冊時，我用的是我中文名。只有在email往來時，會附上Sandy。經過了一整年的email往來，終於見到他一面，被他這麼一叫出我的名字，真的讓我感動至今。或許只是小事，但你要知道，被人家記得名字，真的是一件很令人感動的事情！記得當時與新同學們初次見面，我們都抱持著緊張又興奮的心態等待著與老闆碰面。我根本不知道該期待什麼。雖然Jen早已經告訴我他是大好人一個，我也相信她。但總是要親自碰面過才會真的知道。

在我們第一次面談的那天，老闆秀了照片中那幅畫給我們看，並且說『這是我們這個MA最恰當的代表』。有什麼會比一張十八世紀編輯/演員飾演莎士比亞『里查三世』的畫像還更具代表性的呢？

記得當時，我們幾人一同緊張地走進老闆的辦公室。但是等到老闆一開口，並叫出我們全部的人的名字後，我們就再也不緊張。他就是有這種神奇的『魔力』，可以在任何的時候讓你感到『沒有什麼好緊張的！』。他可以讓你相信，你的想法很獨特，你的存在很重要。因為這股『魔力』，使得每一次上課時，每一個人都很樂意的踴躍發表自己的想法。如果他有稍稍不贊同你的想法，他會讓你『感覺到』他的不同意，但他絕對不會當著你的面前撕破你的臉。如果他有稍稍覺得你的思考方向不對，他一定會先稱讚並表揚你願意發表的意願，再細心的引導你至正確的方向。

每一次上課，他總是會先寒暄問暖一番，再切入主題開始正式的討論。或許聽起來微不足道，但是你要相信，這一個小小的舉動對我們來說意義是多麼的重大。因為這樣寒暄問暖，開啟了我們討論的意願。整整兩小時，從無冷場。每一次上課，他總是會大費周章的將熱水瓶與茶杯帶到研討室來，讓我們討論累了，可以拿杯茶在手中，休息一下，再繼續討論。

我們對他的敬愛，來自於他那總是能讓你感到你是很特別的。對他的敬愛，來自於他讓你感受到跟其他人一樣，都很重要。對他的敬愛，來自於他對自己的工作以及研究的熱忱。對他敬愛，是因為他才智過人，卻還是依舊如此的謙虛。我們敬愛他，因為他是他。

目前已經來到課程尾端的開始。我覺得應該事實後來跟大家介紹一下我這偉大的老闆 - Michael Davies。他對我們激發的靈感比其他的教授帶給我們的還要多。他就像是個魔法師一樣，將整個課程都帶活了。如果這個課程是一齣戲，而我們是演員，那他則是一位不折不扣的最佳導演！

十年前，一位恩師帶領了我進入文學的世界。因為他的兩三句話，讓我相信我可以有所貢獻。十年後，Michael再次的讓我感受到同樣的感覺。對我來說，他的一個點頭認同，意義非凡。如果你學術上有問題找上他，他不會直接給你答案。但他會漸漸的引導你，使得你能夠自己找到你正在找尋的答案。或許對於構想階段來說，初步會有一種有幫等於沒幫的感覺，但到最後，你才會了解：這才是最高境界的『教學方式』！

當我想到最後一次的面會已經定好日期在九月十七號那天，也就是提交論文的那天，心裡不僅就開始覺得非常感傷與不捨。雖然這只是這一段人生結尾的開關，而目前我也還只希望能夠順利渡過這兩週的煉獄，但一想到課程就要結束了，還真非常感傷。

能夠有一個像Michael這樣的老闆，真的是我們這一群人前世修來的福氣。老闆指導的兩門莎老頭課程，是整個MA裡面我認為最有收穫、最快樂、但同時也最痛苦的兩門課。當我聽到以前上過他的課的學生提起他時， 他們的表情總是透露出『Michael是個傳奇人物！』甚至『Michael簡直就是神！』的表情。這點真的不難想像。從去年九月至今，每一次見面，他總是面帶著燦爛的微笑。如果有人遲到或甚至沒出現，他依舊面帶微笑。即使有人沒有交出不被評分的作業，他那微笑，也依舊不變。這就是他無敵樂觀的個性。而這是我們有些人要花一輩子去學習的態度！

Michael，誠心的謝謝您的教導！


"You must be Sandy!" he exclaimed upon the first meeting of our MA programme.  I was astonished by the fact that he actually remembered my name.  Perhaps I shouldn't have been so surprised, since we had been emailing each other for quite a while before I actually made it to Liverpool.  But seeing that I had registered using my Chinese name, it was still quite an effort for him to link that name to Sandy.  I cannot tell you how nervous, and excited, I was when I was waiting in front of his room with my newly met course mates, to meet him for the first time ever.  I had no idea what to expect.  My friend, Jen, had told me that he was a nice guy.  Of course I took her word for it, but the thing is, you never know until you've actually met the person yourself. 

Upon our first meeting, he showed us a picture of the painting in the picture above.  He told us that the picture was a perfect summary of our MA - an 18th century editor/actor portraying Shakespeare's 'Richard III'.  What else could best depict the MA of English Renaissance and 18th Century Literature? 

The fact is, we all walked into the room feeling equally nervous, but by the time he spoke, and referred to each and every one of us by our first names, all of us felt at ease.  He has the ability to do that.  What we all love about him, is the way he is always capable of making you feel like you are the best there ever is in the world.  Because of this magical power, when we sit in his tutorials, we all feel completely comfortable in discussing whatever thought we have in our minds.  If he does not agree, you can 'feel' it, but he won't tell you straight in your face.  If you are thinking in the wrong direction, he won't confront you and say, 'No, I don't think so.'  He'd compliment your contribution to the discussion, then guide you to the right direction. 

Every tutorial, he would start by asking how everyone is.  Perhaps it seems trivial, but you have no idea how much this means to us and how much it helps to open the floor for the real discussion.  Every tutorial, he'd trouble himself by bringing his kettle, tea, and mugs, so that we could have drinks in our hands in the middle of our two-hour session, and ease up our nerves for more discussions on the works. 

We love him because he makes us feel special.  We love him because he makes us feel that we are just as important as everyone else.  We love him for his enthusiasm for what he does.  We love him because he is wise and intelligent, yet still capable of maintaining his modesty and humility.  We love him, simply because he is Micheal Davies. 

As I arrive at the beginning of the end of this MA, I feel that it is time for me to finally introduce to you the director of our MA, who has inspired us more than any other tutor during the course of this programme.  Somehow, he is like a magician.  The MA would not be the same without him.  If the MA is a play, and we the players, then he did one heck of a job directing us. 

A decade ago, a teacher inspired me into exploring the literary world.  She opened up my interest in this area by proving to me that I have the potential to contribute.  A whole decade later, Michael once again serves as the same inspiration.  One nod of approval means the world.  When you approach him with an academic issue, he doesn't give you the answer straight away, but instead, guides you into searching for the answer on your own.  During the process of brainstorming ideas for assessments, this may initially feel frustrating, but there is simply no better way of 'teaching'. 

I pains me to think, that our final meeting had already been scheduled.  We are to meet one final time on the 17th of September, the day we hand in our dissertation.  Although this is only the beginning of the end of my MA, and I am in such a desperate mood of hoping I could get through my final pile of assessment by the beginning of June, I am already saddened by the fact that the MA is almost over. 

We are all extremely luck to have Michael as our director.  The Shakespeare modules with him were the most thought-provoking, informative, and enjoyable, though painful at certain points.  I have heard his prior students speak of him, as if he were a legend, a deity.  It would not be hard to imagine, as through out the course of our sessions, not once, had I ever see him put on an expression other than a smile.  If people failed to show up, or failed to turn in unassessed works, he'd smile.  That is how optimistic he is.  And that's something some of us will take a whole life time to learn!

Thank you Michael, for being who you are.

利物浦大學【文藝復興及十八世紀英國文學】網站：
MA in English Renaissance and 18th Century Literature
Micheal Davies

天仙說：這篇沒祕！？對呀！我老闆人這麼好！當然要讓全世界都知道～～