| BACK BLUEPRINT NEXT MAY 15, 2006.
Since it’s tomorrow today and I take up my lyre. .... [long, cryptic, unscripted pause].... Hey!!! Wait a sec! Hold on! This thing’s out of tune! Dratted Cats! How can a bard be expected to croon When three resident felines, who so little respect had, That they dared to tamper with the tools of “The Toriad.” O Gentle Auditors! like you, I, too, am wondering What ARE they doing all night with that G string?
Because they’ve just now popped in at the middle. Here is the song written to be their very own creed, Till they scroll down, peruse, and get up to speed; For the rest, hum it, to maintain the mood And while away the time during the repair interlude.
“What in heck’s this party for?” Five, six, seven, eight! “Don’t ask me, I came in late.”
MAY 14, 2006. Being the Actual Day, Second and Third Fyttes added below: MAY 13, 2006. A modern text:
For Robin Victoria
Hearken, my pigeons, and you shall hear, Of the birthday revels for Torey the Dear, The Darling divine, the Delight of all From here to Alaska, the Number One Doll. On the fourteenth of May this Sprite was born; Lush peonies bloomed in praise of that morn, The biggest and brightest, a soft blush of red, Was just the same size as that sweet baby’s head. Twenty years later those flowers still bloom, Now Torrey, All-Glowing, does over them loom; Grown past an armful but still just as joyful, Throwing Sprite-Light on corners no longer so dull. A Spark! A Ray! A Laser! She gleams, And brightens all around her for miles, it seems. (This is starting off sappy but it has to get better, Since Tory and laughter must go together.)
Apologia “Ahem…. From now on the metre may grow a trifle careless, The stanzas? A tad loose, too, as I hereby confess, The heroic couplets may sometimes stagger in parts-- For when an epic, composed in fyttes and starts, Relates an event as said event progresses -- Time being urgent since the news is red-hot-- Writing fresh saga first hand, (on the spot,) And the rhyme scheme as well, like as not. Though metrically pitiful, with accents quite awful Still journalistically sound, I shall follow The Rule, (A laudable goal!) of What, When, Where, Who and Why. In reporting this topic, note: I’ve defined four already: The Who is Fair Torey, The Why is her birthday, The What -- her party, For the When -- see Fytte one, verse two, Leaving yet untold the last W." So….
Where was this Revel for Torey celebrated? For her, nothing passé, retro, antiquated. The obvious place, of course, once I tell you The Host. (I haven’t told you who yet, because I don’t like to boast, Or name-drop either, which someone might take a notion To think, hearing the places I go to in my profession.) He (The Host) was another who, too, shined in May -- was, in fact, at his zenith. And who wanted One especially special to share his joy with. For TAURUS, Tory’s Zodiac Pet, in a new scarlet sash, Had decided to sponsor this birthday bash. He and his intergalactic cohorts, With other universal matter of all sorts, Thought it important to do something fabulous, not nebulous, To honor Torrey, Best Beloved, an earthly borealis, They thought that Ms. T., the Star Terrestrial, Deserved, should, would and ought to have a Gala Celestial. Therefore: Knowing the sponsor, the cause, the effect, and the season, The location’s a simple deduction, as any scientist could reason. It had to be roomy to hold all the guests, yet practical. The place for the party was easily predictable, It could only be held in the Blue Dome of Heaven! Darwin could have told you, it was a natural selection. (And it was just big enough, too! )
Which, the reader, (you! ) if curious, will begin to question: Who are the guests? What do they wear? What kind of gifts to bring when they get there? What in the world, (this or another,) does one buy? For such a Maid, born in May, when the venue’s THE SKY?
The Guests Fauna and flora, both lunar and earthly, Streamed in hordes to honor her, their Torey so worthy. People and planets, objects of strata, air and lava, Animate beings, plus intergalactic phenomena, From crust to core and beyond stratospheric, They Rolled, Ran, Swam, Flew, Spun to this Astral Picnic. Lest some critic should think this list incomplete, And think that their birthday party with this could compete, Know that her guests were not limited to things breathing air. Of course, (after all, it’s her Major! ) marine inhabitants did appear. Multiple Nautical Species were there -- the Genus' are various -- With land-goggles, earth-fins and water tanks, looking pretty hilarious. (N. B. All purists out there, I am aware, that the plural of Genus
Unfathomably, at least to me, coming from fathoms deep The jellyfish, bearing gifts, did timidly creep, .... I mean float. This was a marvelous surprise, considering the fact, That for them to come at all was a wonderfully brave act. For, in truth, I’ll just tell you a little-known story: These little gelatinous creatures are mighty afraid of our Tory! No one knows, why, it’s a scientifico-, socio-, ethno-, psychological mystery, This unwarranted dread from time immemorial, it must be heredity. I saw it myself, many years ago, and it happened like this:-- In semi-tropical waters near Key Largo, Torey, the Tot, took a trip, And trod the Atlantic sands bent on her first maiden dip, Waves beckoned her forward with true benthical motion, She toddled onward but stopped short, seeing that vast, vast ocean. She analyzed, mulled, pondered and calculated a bit, Concluding her little left little tootsie she could chance to the wet.
“Come back,” she called, “There’s room here for two!’ But nothing she lisped appeased it, naught she could do, She asked everyone: the breeze, palms, sun, and the crabs by the sea, To even a seagull, she cried, “Why won’t the pretty pet come play with
It would not come back! And Torrey could not go to it, Not ready to wade yet in an uncharted current. But it made her sad then, and still makes her blue That she makes them so anxious, but what can she do? Even now, when she, in the sea, like a dolphin can sport, The same thing happens, it’s a common report. The minute she immerses one measly toe in the brine, Jellyfish see IT!!! then shrink, shriek, shake, scurry and whine. Though now she could swim after them, now that she‘s able, She knows they would panic as at a Medusa most terrible. So, until Torri has mastered the jellyfish language, No chasing! (She does her best not to cause them more anguish.) This is the source, the origin, a tale fraught with drama But not the reason! Alas! For NO ONE can explain this Hydra Phobia! Hence... With this history, now we find this puzzling predicament; I know you heard it and can share the amazement, Of seeing Jellyfish float skyward, and each with a present! They’ve lulled their neurosis!!! (I suppose the impossible is Now possible, by applying some sort of aquatic hypnosis.)
To give an adequate description of the scenery, The costumes, the dialogue, all the acts of revelry, Is a task I am determined to do to all’s satisfaction. Toiling heroically, to date, has bred slight exhaustion But never fear, there’s no fever yet, so please, no sorrow, I’ll take two aspirin and take up the story tomorrow.
And for this fact you care, Just step into a street car, and You'll soon be passing fare. More Cozzens online: XXXII. Private Theatricals, XXXIII. Trinity Church-yard. MAY 11, 2006. From p. 74 of The New Pun Book:
And more from Cozzens' Sayings, Wise and Otherwise, online now: XXVIII. Wives and Weathercocks, XIX. Indian Summer --- When? XXX. La Creche, XXXI. Gypsies. And got rid of the Easter mention on the front page (finally!). MAY 10, 2006. From p. 81, of 70 Limerick Lyrics:
Said, "No matter whatever I gebt, My creditors claim A share of the same, Which makes me discouraged, you bebt." More Cozzens online: XXVII. My First Drama, MAY 9, 2006. From p. 113 of The New Pun Book:
"He did, but she dyed." And more from Cozzens: XXV. A Christmas Piece, XXVI. Oxyporian Wines. MAY 8, 2006. From p. 116 of The New Pun Book: More Cozzen's online from Sayings, Wise and Otherwise: XXIV. German Wines, and a Wine Cellar (contributed by Henry P. Leland). MAY 7, 2006. From p. 123 of 700 Limerick Lyrics:
Had a manner vivacious and get. People's names she forgot, But that bothered her not, For she calmly addressed them as "set." Finally figuring out one of my problems with images, I can now put up an offering from Gary Jessey, a talented, kind and funny man:
MAY 6, 2006. Just so nobody gets sick of limericks, I'll toss in some puns from The New Pun Book, Collected, Edited, and Arranged from the Notes of Two Learned Pundits; Frank Vernon and Co.; New York; 1906. Here's one from p. 100: "Are any of the colors discernible to the touch?" asked the school teacher. "I have often felt blue," replied the boy at the head of the class. And online now is Cozzen's: XXIII. Was Champagne Known to the Ancients? MAY 5, 2006. Jumping forward to p. 62, (I can't resist):
Jad justled to get in jis je; He took off jis jat And jappily sat Upon the fence, crying "Joore!" Some examples of Greek Wit, attributed to Aristippus and Bias, translator and source not credited, and a short poem, Beauty, by Anacreon (563-478 B.C.), translated by Thomas Stanley, from Volume I of The Bibliophile Library of Literature, Art and Rare Manuscripts. And more online, from Cozzens', Sayings, Wise and Otherwise: XIX. The Race of the Hare and the Hedgehog, on the Little Heath by Buxtehude. From the Low German of Schroder, XX. What is the Cause of Thunder? XXI. A French Breakfast, XXII. Dainty Hints for Epicurean Smokers, MAY 4, 2006. From, p. 12 of 700 Limerick Lyrics, selected and arranged by Stanton Vaughan:
Low cut at the front and the bacque, And a lovely bouquet Worn in such a cute wuet As only few girls have the knackue. Tidbit on accents in French, per multilingual Bill Thayer. On finding lately in English texts with the odd French phrase, accents are often misplaced or reversed haphazardly, I wrote him for advice. For example, in Cozzens, A French Breakfast, the expression "a la" is accented differently each time. He said, "There's no accent on "la"; the grave accent is on "a": à la mode. The grave accent, as you can see, is the reverse (à) of the acute accent mark, which is the only accent mark used in English (one per language ought to be plenty!). Bill also adds that: "(There does exist a word "là" -- also with grave -- but it's infrequent compared to the definite article "la", which is the word in this expression. For the future: acute accents in French can only be found on the letter E; it's one of these exceedingly rare rules without a single exception.)" Also online from Cozzens, Sayings, Wise and Otherwise: XVI. Up the Rhine, XVII. The First Oyster-Eater, (Funny!) XVIII. A Literary Curiosity. MAY 3, 2006. Tinkered with site: reducing sizes of some of the longer pages to decrease loading time. MAY 2, 2006. More online from Cozzens: XIV. The Noses of Eminent Men. XV. Bunkum Museum. From p. 12:
Exclaimed with a feeling of peign, "Though I'm legally heir, No one seems to ceir That I haven't been born with a breign." MAY 1, 2006. From p. 8 of 700 Limerick Lyrics:
He raised the dust To blind the bad man's eye.
And the ladies are sad, rather than glad, That the devil didn't have his say. They think it unjust To raise the dust To get in the poor man's way.
My remedy is this, and I trust, not amiss: When the dust begins to fly, Just put on specks, Which will prevent the flecks From getting in your eye.
Now online: Lord Chesterfield on Lying. More online, too, from Sayings, Wise and Otherwise, by Frederic S. Cozzens: XI. Sitka: Our New Acquisition. XII. Phrases and Filberts. XIII. "Does Queen Victoria Speak English?". APRIL 30, 2006; From p. 12,
Confessed he was feeling quite blue, "For," says he, "as a rule, When the weather turns cool, I invariably get in a stew!" Re-formatted the first essays by Frederic S. Cozzens, Sayings, Wise and Otherwise (which includes all the text of Dr. Bushwhacker and Other Wise Men, with a few more essays). Also added 4 more chapters. Online and proofed are: I. A Talk about Tea, II. Journey Around a Tapioca Pudding, III. The Radiant Dinner-Castor, IV. Chocolate and Cocoa, V. Notables and Potables, VI. A Peep into a Salad Bowl, VII. Madame Follet, VIII. Old Phrases, IX. Art, X. Accidental Resemblances, F. S. Cozzens, is my favorite American author of the 19th century, he is the author of the charming, and at times wildly (though subtly so) funny, The Sparrowgrass Papers, which is on Elfinspell, too. APRIL 29, 2006. From p. 11, of 700 Limerick Lyrics: There lived in the village of Beaulieu A couple who'd gone there but neaulieu; Their child was named Vaughan As soon as 'twas baughan, But, alas, he proved treaulieu unreaulieu.
Seem to take great delight when they lai, But there isn't much doubt That our fishers for troubt, With these folks, in their falsehoods, can vai ! century, translated by Thomas Roscoe is online. APRIL 27, 2006. From p. 9:
Whose husband's homecomings were rare, Had he danced on her chest She'd have felt quite at rest, For at least she'd have known he was there. APRIL 26, 2006. Some 16th century stories by Ortensio Lando, translated by Thomas Roscoe are online now (not proofed). This one is for Richard L. of Best Buy Homes in Pikeviile, Kentucky (from P. 9 of 700 Limerick Lyrics):
Who owned quite a famous game rorcester, But when it grew old, It had to be sold, It could not fight as it urcester. APRIL 25, 2006. Henry Adams', an American historian's account of the Battle of the "Constitution" with the British "Guerriere" in 1812. The description relies heavily on nautical terms unfamiliar to us land-lubbers. Did people who sailed the ocean regularly talk like this all the time? Or is this a sort of intellectual snobbery, like name-dropping or psychobabble?. It would be nice to see the primary sources for this account. Now, one from p. 8 of 700 Limerick Lyrics:
Unexpectant of sorrow or wough; The pappoose began bawling, And the bread-pan in fawling Crushed the Indian corn on her tough. A Diary entry with later comments by John Adams on a visit to the French Court, in 1778, before he became the second President of the United States. Some more wonderful extracts of the story of The Man With the Broken Ear, by Edmond About, a prolific 19th century French author. I am tantalized enough, now I will find the whole text of both of his novels sampled here. Don't worry, I'll share. APRIL 24, 2006. Some pretty interesting stories by the 16th century Italian Anton- Francesco Grazzini, translated by Thomas Roscoe are online, but not proofed. From p. 7:
Who said, "I have songs and I'll singham;" He sang a few times -- Now the funeral chimes Sound doleful whenever they ringham. A few letters by Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams, when he was ambassador to England, 1784-5, describing social life, fashions and her presentation to the King and Queen of England. APRIL 23, 2006. Another from 700 Limerick Lyrics, p. 7:
Who one day in his arms tightly lr.; But straightway he swore He would do so no more, Which the same, it was plain, greatly shr. And an excerpt from Rookwood, by William Harrison Ainsworth, describing Dick Turpin's Ride, is online: which was partly responsible, after its serial appearance, in popularizing the criminal type as a 'hero' type. Some Ancient Egyptian Love Poetry is online, too. The translator is uncredited, I'm sad to say. APRIL 21-22, 2006. Another from 700 Limerick Lyrics, p. 6:
Said, "To spell, I will not agree, Till they learn to spell 'Soo' Without any ' u,' Or an 'a' or an ' l ' or a ' t.' " Okay, one more:
His course through the water forgacht, And he stuck in the mud With a dull, sickening thud, And the captain then swore a whole lacht. The Usurer's Paternoster, by an unknown 15th century French poet, and three tales by Margaret, Queen of Navarre, from The Heptameron are up. For all these the English translator is equally anonymous, from The World's Wit and Humor, Volume X, French. APRIL 20, 2006. Rustic Chivalry, an unattributed translation of Cavalleria Rusticana -- a short story by Giovanni Verga, is online. APRIL 19, 2006. Chris Phillips, the author of medievalgenealogy.org.uk, was kind enough to do some detective work on a puzzle I had found in a translation I put up last year. How lucky I am to have met such a nice person while working on this site! The conundrum In a nutshell: there are two versions of a text written by Charles to Great to Offa in the eighth century, titled a Letter in one book, and a Treaty in the other book I have. Both versions are here on one page with the sources cited. I wondered about the differences. Chris wrote me the following, after a visit to the British Library, where he kindly investigated the matter, and gave me permission to share the results of his sleuthing: It seems that Haddan and Stubbs give (pp. 496-8) the most complete known Latin text of the letter, citing three sources - MS Cotton Tiberius A.XV, fo. 143; Wilkins' Concilia, from a MS of Ussher, now MS Bodl. Rawlinson Misc. 1074; Spelman's Concilia. They note that it is given "in a mutilated form" by William of Malmesbury. They don't give an English translation. Giles gives a much shorter English version as part of his translation of William of Malmesbury. It is definitely longer than what's on your web page (via Kendall), but is much shorter than the full Latin text given by Haddan and Stubbs. I think it is probably the same that you have on the other page (via Cheyney) - if only I had taken the printout I could say definitely. Giles definitely has the bit about dalmatics, as he added a note explaining what they were. So I'd guess that both Cheyney's and Kendall's texts are taken from Giles's translation of the excerpt in William of Malmesbury, but that for some reason Cheyney refers instead to the full Latin text of Haddan and Stubbs. The complicating factor is that Giles in his preface makes it clear that his edition is based on the earlier one by Sharpe, with some revisions. So it's just possible that that's what Cheyney used - maybe that would account for the slight differences between the two versions. (NB The edition of Giles I looked at was published in London in 1883, in "Bohn's Antiquarian Library", but the preface is dated 1847 and the online British Library catalogue confirms it was first published then.) Now we know! APRIL 18, 2006. From 700 LImerick Lyrics, selected and arranged by Stanton Vaughn; Frank Vernon & Co., New York; 1907, p. 5: There was a young poet in Wemyss, Who cried, ""O, how awful it seems, When asleep late at night, Lovely poetry to wright, And awakening find it's but dreymss!" (Wemyss is a proper name in Scotland and denotes a parish, bay, village or two, a clan and an earl in Scotland. Thanks to this limerick we now know how to pronounce it.) APRIL 17, 2006. 'Tis of Aucassin and Nicolette, The Story of King Constant and The Story of Asenath are up completing Old-World Love Stories translated by Eugene Mason. These last three are also in his other text up on Elfinspell, which has others which aren't in this selection. Aucassin and Nicolette is truly marvelous. The funniest, too. The pictures are not up. I did order the cord for my scanner thought and it is looking at me reproachfully. APRIL 16, 2006. The Lay of Graelent and the Chatelaine of Vergi are now up as translated by Eugene Mason. The first is also in Mason's book, Medieval Romances and Legends, which is online here as well. APRIL 14, 2006. The Lay of the Thorn is online now, translated by Eugene Mason. APRIL 13, 2006. The Lay of Yonec is now online, translated by Eugene Mason. APRIL 10, 2006. Villon, a short poem by Francis B. Gummere, a noted scholar of Early English Literature, from Scribner's Magazine. Cornell University has many 18th and 19th Century Journals, including Scribner's Magazine, online for anyone to use at The Making of America. A definite trend for the better -- open access to libraries partially funded by the nation should be available to the nation. The Lay of Milon is online now, translated by Eugene Mason. APRIL 9, 2006. The Lay of the Ash Tree, translated by Eugene Mason from the French is online. Compare with Edith Rickert's version from the Old English here. Also The Lay of the Honeysuckle is up. APRIL 8, 2006. All of John Fiske -- Unpublished Orations is online and proofed (except title page and portrait). Besides the one on The Discovery of the Columbia River and the Whitman Controversy, there is one on The Crispus Attucks Memorial and one on The Columbus Memorial. Painfully proofed, the chapter on Duns Scotus and Occam from Volume II of The Medieval Mind by Henry Osborn Taylor is online. Undertaken solely because of Paolo Giovio's accolade here. After reading it, glance at the Fiske quote just below, it will make you feel all better. APRIL 7, 2006. Another account of Sir Richard Grenville and the Revenge and the aftermath, as told to a contemporary Dutch seaman, Jan Huyghen van Linschoten: in his Discourse of Voyages --To supplement Sir Walter Raleigh's Account. APRIL 6, 2006. Favorite quote by John Fiske: "In metaphysics a sufficient exercise of ingenuity will enable us to reach a conclusion that seems unshakable until our antagonist with similar ingenuity reaches a conclusion exactly opposite and apparently just as well supported." APRIL 2, 2006. The Discovery of the Columbia River, an Unpublished Oration by John Fiske. Very interesting and very readable history from a well-known historian of the 1800's. MARCH 30, 2006. Some 16th century Italian novels by Giovambattista Giraldi Cinthio, translated by Thomas Roscoe are up (though not fully proofed). Shakespeare used some of these stories as the basis for some of his own work. MARCH 29, 2006. More site revamping. Froissart text is now 'perfect' to chapter 90, including pictures (although those aren't perfect). MARCH 28, 2006. The Sixth Dialogue of Pietro Aretino, The Art of the Procuress is online now. Too, an Anonymous poem or song called While the Days are Going By. MARCH 27, 2006. Some Extracts from the works of Lyman Abbott, a famous and respected American pastor and author: including excerpts from "The Theology of an Evolutionist." Online, The Fifth Dialogue of Pietro Aretino,The Betrayals of Men, which includes the famous description of the Sack of Rome. Also online, The Lay of the Were-wolf, The story, by Marie de France, of Bisclavaret translated into English by Eugene Mason. MARCH 26, 2006. The Fourth Dialogue of Pietro Aretino, The Art of the Courtezan, is online. A Prayer by Saint Ambrose from the 4th Century (unknown translator), from Volume 1 of The International Library of Masterpieces, Literatures, Art, and Rare Manuscripts; edited by Harry Thurston Peck and published by the International Bibliophile Society in 1901. MARCH 25, 2006. The Third Dialogue of Pietro Aretino, The Life of Courtezans. Also up, The Lay of the Nightingale, also called the Lay of the Laustic, and The Lay of Sir Launfal, translated by Eugene Mason, from the French of Marie de France. There is another version of this last, already here on Elfinspell, done by Edith Rickert. Mason's is pleasant but I like Rickert's better, it is much different in some of the details, and much more emotive. King Alfred's description of Ohthere's Narrative of his explorations to the North, from Benjamin Thorpe's translation. 9th century exploration and an account of whales, walruses, and reindeer as well. MARCH 24, 2006. The Second Dialogue of Pietro Aretino, The Life of Married Woman. MARCH 22, 2006. The Translator's Note (Samuel Putnam), and the First Dialogue, The Novice's Feast, by Pietro Aretino is up. MARCH 21, 2006. Well, I just found out the link to Samuel Putnam's Biographical Essay on Pietro Aretino, ("Poison-Flower of the Renaissance", "Scourge of Princes", "the divine Aretino," etc.) was broken. A good thing since it was not proofed completely. Now it is. MARCH 19, 2006. The Dolorous Knight or the Lay of the Four Sorrows, and The Lay of Eliduc, translated by Eugene Mason are now up. MARCH 18, 2006. Do you think it's time to get mention of Valentine's Day off my home page? Crauford Tait Ramage -- An antiquarian's description of his visit to Mons Vultur, Italy and the Land of Horace, including a river nymph and inscription, is up -- from a letter to Notes and Queries, January 1871. A German Picture of the Scotch, from Harper's New Monthly Magazine, December 1850, "borrowed' from Dickens's Household Words. I expect the play being described was much funnier. I can imagine it done by Monty Python types quite easily and laughing my head off. MARCH 16, 2006. The Roses of Paestum by Edward McCurdy is up. And essay, Number VII of Volume 10 of The Bibelot. The description of a 'rain of roses,' makes it worth reading all the rest. MARCH 15, 2006. Another Medieval Lay is up, from Marie de France: The Lay of Gugemar. After putting up one book of Eugene Mason's translations, Aucassin and Nicolette and Other Medieval Romances and Legends, had to get more. This text is called Old-World Love Stories. There are a few of the same ones that appear in the first book, but many are new. This is the first one. MARCH 14, 2006. Long intended and now finally done, Monks and Giants, epic satiric saga by John Hookham Frere. After reading this great poem, read a little more about him here in Chambers Cyclopaedia of English Literature. Those guys, with their warped literary standards of excellence, couldn't help but love it too. It summarizes the poem so don't read it first. Besides some biographical details, it also includes a segment of Frere's translation of the Ancient Greek Comedian, Aristophanes. Makes you want to read the rest! Oh, yes, this poem was taken from A Miscellany, edited by Henry Morley, and fortunately includes the title page of this poem as it was first published before it settled on its final name. Also from that work, is The Cypress Crown, a good story which has been up on Elfinspell for a year already, but poetry was a little harder to put up decently in those more ignorant days of mine. Not nearly so much fun, but informative -- and to link with Paolo Giovio's tribute to him -- is this chapter on Albertus Magnus, from The Mediaeval Mind By Henry Osborn Taylor. Paolo considers him to be the first real scholar since the collapse of the Roman Empire. Back to fun. Some Humor from France in the Middle Ages. Some more Francois Villon, Eustache Deschamps, Doun de Laverne, Ruteboeuf-- with a story borrowed by Poggio 300 years later. This is more like it! Although, being from the series, The World's Wit and Humor, the translator is rarely acknowledged, sadly. n.b.- A 'Villain' in the Middle Ages was a peasant not a bad guy. Also a lot more Villon, if less merry, can be found here. MARCH 12,m 2006. A Narrative by Robert Carey (Cary), an Elizabethan Courtier, of his participation in the battle with the Spanish Armada. For more by and about him go here MARCH 11, 2006. Rocky and Anita, owners of Fielder's Choice, in Pound, Virginia (just over the mountain), contributed the two volumes of Readings in Ancient History, by William Stearns Davis. Nice! From that we Have the Hymn of the Nile, Some inscriptions from Ptah-hotep, Rameses III, Amenemhat I, Beka and some letters from papyri, one by "Pambesa" describing the city of Tanis during the reign of Rameses II, and another by an Egyptian governor, Ebed- tob, telling of a revolt in Palestine. All from before the 11th century B. C. Also up, Gunpowder and Chalk, a story from Dickens' Household Words, a British magazine, then used in Harper's New Monthly Magazine, December, 1850, in the US, from which this is taken. Many 18th, 19th and early twentieth century magazines had content taken from other magazines. Some had no original content of their own. At that time, Harper's had some original content but does 'borrow' extensively from other magazines, this being an example. Permission wasn't felt to be necessary by the vast majority that I have seen. More ethical publications did seem to get permission, although this seems rare, and is restricted to the more learned journals. Copyright laws were clearly a need and since then, have put a halt to much of this abuse. If the majority of businesses were honest they would not have to be regulated, of course. On the other hand, the reading purchasing public did not boycott the businesses who engaged in this practice, either. Tsk, tsk. And more! The Escape of Queen Mary from Lochleven Castle, by Agnes Strickland, more popular history from Harper's New Monthly Magazine, December, 1850. From some of the worst of the editors for 'borrowing', The World's Wit and Humor Encyclopedia of the Classic Wit and Humor of all Ages and Nations, edited by Joel Chandler Harris of Uncle Remus fame, and Andrew Lang, among others, supposed to be such elite authors and role models of literature and its standards! They always credit their own translations when used, of course. A few authors are also so blessed. But many, far too many, aren't. Example, is this extract with no mention of the translator, of The King of the Mountains by Edmond About. Charles Dudley Warner, the Editor of The Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, (1st -1896, 2nd - 1902), states in his preface that he will only use material with permission and with proper attributions. This is a nice change. It is not always true but more so than many others of that time. This series has more of Edmond About's The King of the Mountains, that continues where the above extract left off (or close to it). Since the style is nearly the same, I suspect that the translator is the same, so read a little more. From Volume I, (of 46!) -- A brief biography of Edmond About, a 19th century French novelist and journalist, author unknown, and some extracts. The first ones are also from his novel, The King of the Mountains, used with permission of the publisher, but forgetting to mention the name of the translator (who might be Mary Booth). Then some of Henry Holt's translation of the novel, The Man With the Broken Ear, included with his permission. These are pleasant reading, and the first is funny as well. I will now have to find the whole texts! These are certainly worth the effort. Much better stuff than the novels I was told were so great from that century in school! Also from Volume I, the introductory quote on books by John Milton. MARCH 10, 2006. Now for more on Heloise, with more of the letters by her and Abelard, and the commentary, by Henry Osborn Taylor in his chapter called The Heart of Heloise in Volume II, of The Mediaeval Mind. There is another translation of her first letter to Abelard and other letters not included in the article on Abelard posted earlier. What everybody ignores is the total narcissism of this pair. Poor Astralabius, the son who paid the price of this most selfish, albeit tragic love affair. This is never addressed by all those (men usually) who preach of this great and noble example of romance. With such self-involved people as parents, hopefully he found saner parent substitutes. MARCH 9, 2006. Sea-Magic and Running Water by Fiona Macleod, from The Bibelot Volume 10, No. 4. These were included by Thomas B. Mosher, the editor, before the world knew that Fiona was really William (Sharp)! His essay, as usual, precedes the selections. There is a hint in one of these five essays that he is a man. No spoilers here, find it yourself. These are really good. Mystical and a little eerie but good, not morbid. I typed them at night, and then had to leave for work in the middle of the night half way through. As I was leaving, walking to my car, I heard an owl hooting. . . . I shivered. MARCH 8, 2006. Fragments from Sappho, (7th century B. C., Greek lyric poetess), with various translators -- all (or almost all) very well done. This is Number 5 of Volume I of The Bibelot. MARCH 7, 12006. A Story by Marco Cademosto da Lodi, translated by Thomas Roscoe is up, but not proofed. MARCH 6, 2006. Letters of Nell Gwynne and Kitty Clive, with an excerpt of a letter by Horace Walpole, and Notes, from Notes and Queries Jan. 7, 1871. MARCH 5, 2006. A biographical essay on Abelard and Heloise, by Thomas Davidson. Along with this are his translations of a Letter from Heloise to Abelard, his letter in reply, and a Vesper Hymn by Abelard -- from the Library of the World's Best literature, Volume 1. These two were two of history's most famous lovers. Abelard was also a genius and revolutionized Medieval thought, Heloise was also known for her learning. MARCH 4, 2006. From Volume I of the Bibliophile Library: The Clay Cart by King Sudraka, the earliest written Sanskrit drama known in 1904, written about 1 or 2 BC. Translated by Sir Monier Monier-Williams. Manners and Customs of the Egyptians, by Charles Rollin, an 18th century historian. MARCH 3, 2006. Plutarch (c. 46-127 AD) -- HIs Letter to HIs Wife on the Death of His Daughter. Translator not credited. From Volume i of the Bibliophile Library of Literature, Art, and Rare Manuscripts : The Oldest Story in the World, from about 3100 BC, is up by the Egyptian scribe Annana. Uncredited translator. A Hymn to Merodach, An Akkadian Psalm, 3000 BC. Uncredited translator. The Mother, translated from the Chinese by George Borrow. The Mirage in Egypt, by Theodore Watts-Dunton. Ancient Indian Hymns, essay and translations by Sir Monier-Monier Williams MARCH 2, 2006. Timbs' chapters on The Castle and Abbey of Malmesbury, and Wilton Abbey and Wilton House are up. Some extracts by Julius Caesar, Cicero, Tacitus , Diodorus Siculus, and Strabo about the first contact of the Romans with the Britons, which began the written history of England, translated by Cheyney. MARCH 1, 2006. Painful as it was, A Discourse Of Marcus Aurelius, from Walter Pater's Marius the Epicurean is up and proofed. This text is NumberIV of Volume I of The Bibelot Series.. It certainly demonstrates the value of extracts, being a chapter from this, the major work by Pater. Mosher said this episode demonstrated the best portion of the work which he prized. I disagree, which is fine. You too can discover whether this is your cup of tea or not. If so, the rest of Marius the Epicurean is oniine elsewhere. More My cup of tea, Humor -- two funny stories and a sonnet by Giovanni Boccaccio (14th century), and two extracts from the work of Carlo Goldoni (18th Century). Translator is unattributed. Go to the Archives, for the last year and a half of stuff. Now this page will load faster! |
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| May 16, 2006. (cont. from May 13, go down and start there, Oh ye Late-comers! Then scroll up.) The Fifth Fytte (Frenetic Draft)
(con brio) [boom lacka lacka, boom lacka lacka,] By the way, From Sly and his Family we’ve borrowed this refrain, [boom lacka lacka, boom lacka lacka,] To insert when we require a rhythmical, metrical strain, Not just to syncopate, but to illustrate, in the background, The idea, by onomatopoeia, of the fest’s incredible sound. [boom lacka lacka, boom lacka lacka,] You see that I give credit (despite the misquote), proving my candor, Since no font extant could mimic the attendant Thunder,
Engaged here to play. Yes, Thunder! [boom!] What a coup! [lacka, lacka] As a high-flying host, any party of Taurus’ must be a blast, [boom lacka lacka,] True to Nature, requiring the best, he acted quite fast.
They said
[Boom ! Boom! Boom!] At this news, like you, I rocked and I reeled! “They’re so heavily booked at this time of the year!” I told Taurus, and burst out, “To know that secret, I’d give my left ear. How did you get them, a band so bang up to the minute and all? It’s forecasted their ’06 Storm Tour rolls non-stop through Fall!” [lacka boom lacka] He chuckled with glee, rumbling deep down in his chest, [boom lacka boom] Smilingly snorted and snuffled, but replied nonetheless, “It’s Classified Cosmic Matter. Code Name? Ozone. A Hint?... Well, (for your readers)… let’s just say…….., Thunder clapped with joy, to provide the music for Tory’s Fête!” [boom lacka lacka, boom lacka lacka,] boom lacka lacka, boom, boom!] |