May 8, 2008. History of Flagellation Among Different Nations is complete, now with the pictures.
Once more, Roger Pearse and Bill Thayer helped with some of the proper name problems. Didn't leave a mark on 'em either!
Hoping that they might sort of like the following morsels, in return, from the Historical Magazine, and Notes and Queries Concerning the Antiquities, History and Biography of America, Vol. II., September 1858, pp. 277-278:
IRREGULAR SPELLINGS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, (vol. i. p. 170.) — Your correspondent "Hutchinson," in the June number of the Hist. Mag. gives several examples of the same words being spelled differently on the same page in the "Short Story," published in 1644. His examples convince me that these variations in orthography were intentional; but I never suppsed there was any system in them till I met with the following remark in a late number of the English "Notes and Queries" (2d S. v. 400, May 15, 1858):
"When the pronouns mee. etc., are spelled with a double e, as mee, etc., it denotes the word to be emphatick."
This remark is found in an article on "The First Edition of Paradise Lost," whch I presume from the initials appended, was written by S. W. Singer. The writer is quoting a note by Waldron, upon the first edition of Milton's great poem, and probably the annotator had reference to that work only; but the thought has suggested itself whether this rule will not hold good in other cases of books printed at that period and earlier? I would ask if any uniformity has been observed by your readers in this apparently irregular spelling of the seventeenth century?
TREMONT
BOSTON, July 13.
And in the same issue, p. 280:
YANKEE DOODLE (vol. i. pp. 26, 92, 124, 221, 314; Vol. ii. p. 212). — The following letter, says the National Intelligencer, has been received by a gentleman of this city from our accomplished secretary of legation at Madrid: —
"MADRID, June 3, 1858.
"MY DEAR SIR: The tune Yankee Doodle, from the first of my showing it here, has been acknowledged by persons acquainted with music to bear a strong resemblance to the popular airs of Biscay; and yesterday a professor from the north recognized it as being much like the ancient sword dance played on solemn occasions by the people of San Sabastian. He says the tune varies in those provinces, and proposes in a couple of months to give me the changes as they are to be found in their different towns, that the matter may be judged of and fairly understood. Our national air certainly has its origin in the music of the free Pyrenees; the first strains are identically those of the heroic Danza Esparta, as it was played to me, of brave old Biscay.
" Very truly yours,
"BUCKINGHAM SMITH."
Kossuth, says the Boston Post, informed us that the Hungarians with him in this country first heard Yankee Doodle on the Mississippi River, when they immediately recognized it as one of the old national airs of their native land — one played in the dances of that country — and they began immediately to caper and dance as they used to in Hungary. It is curious that the same air should be found in old Biscay.
Another correspondent says, Watson in his Annals of Philadelphia, vol. ii. pp. 333, 335, gives a good account of the origin of Yankee Doodle.
May 7, 2008. Complete text of the History Of Flagellation Among Different Nations, taken largely from the rare book by the Abbé Jacobus Boileau, is online and proofed with several emendations secondary to frequent misspellings and an inconsistent pattern of punctuation. As always, the usual qualification applies — that finding other peoples' typos is a lot easier than finding my own.
Pictures pending shortly.
The rest of the chapters are:
Online Introduction.
Title Pages and Online Index.
IV. — Corrections of a flagellatory kind, inflicted by force; the common method of correcting offences of a religious nature; and the power of inflicting them possessed alike by Bishops and the heads of Monasteries.
V. — Discretionary power of employing disciplines, established in the convents of Nuns, and lodged in the hands of the Abbesses and Prioresses.
VI. — Confessors assume to themselves a kind of flagellatory power over their Penitents.
VII. — The Church at large claims the power of publicly inflicting the discipline of Flagellation. Instances of Kings and Princes who have submitted to it.
VIII. — A remarkable instance of flagellation performed in honour of the Virgin Mary.
ANECDOTES.
From 700 Limerick Lyrics, p. 54:
A belligerent wren once wattacked an old when —
By wrage and wresentment winduced —
But the wrow wasn't wlong,
For the wren, wyoung and wstrong,
Wrushed the wrathful old when off the wroost.
May 1, 2008. An interesting item in Notes and Queries from the year 1871, relating to General Butler’s law directed towards the ladies of New Orleans, issued May 1, 1862:
“Everybody knows about the order by means of which he put an end to anything like insult being offered to his soldiers by the ladies of New Orleans. An Englishmen who met Butler some time after, in a railway car, spoke to him of this. ‘Do you know,’ said he, ‘where I got that famous order of mine? I got it from a book of London Statutes. I changed “London” into “New Orleans,” that was all. The rest I copied verbatim et literatim.’ ” — Macrae’s Americans at Home, i. 165.
April 30, 2008. The Publisher's and the Anonymous Author's Preface to the History of Flagellation are online. So are:
Chapter I: The use of Flagellations known among the ancient heathens, and
Chapter II: Flagellations of a religious and voluntary kind were practised among the ancient heathens, and
Chapter III: The practice of scourging one’s self
unknown to the early Christians, and
Chapter IX: Formation of the Public Processions of Flagellants. Different success they met with in different countries.
For people taking chemistry classes, a limerick from 700 Limerick Lyrics, p. 110:
A jolly young chemistry tough,
While mixing a compounded stuff,
Dropped a match in the vial,
And after a while —
They found his front teeth and one cuff.
April 25, 2008. Here's a very intriguing song written in 1600, that A. H. Bullen found in John Dowland's Second Book of Airs. It is one of the surprising pieces found in More Lyrics from Elizabethan Songbooks, 1888, collected by Bullen and is on p. 71:
Mourn, mourn! day is with darkness fled!
What heaven then governs earth?
O none; but hell in heaven's stead
Chokes with his mists our mirth.
Mourn, mourn! look now for no more day,
Nor night but that from hell;
Then all must, as they may,
In darkness learn to dwell:
But yet this change must needs change our delight,
That thus the sun should harbour with the night.
April 20, 2008. Chapter I: The use of Flagellations known among the ancient heathens, from the History of Flagellation, by an anonymous author quoting the Abbot Jacobus Boileau [18th century] is online. It describes the abuses of power, with examples from Antiquity, including ancient Rome.
April 20, 2008. The Preface by C. Harrison Townsend, to his book Beautiful Buildings of Belgium and France, is online and proofed. The other three short pieces already up on Namur, Arras and Liège already online, are now proofed, too.
Per Bill Thayer, the accent mark on Liège has been changed in the last couple of decades and gone from backwards to forwards: Liége. Apparently, the change caused a ruckus. I know no more details than that. Probably all along the same lines, but less titillating, of the fuss about whether to change the name of the much loved British plum pudding called Spotted Dick, since time immemorial, to Spotted Richard, something more easily ordered in public.
All I can say is to echo the reputedly old clichè [sic] quoted by Douglas Fairbanks in 1918:
"If wishes were fishes we'd have some fried."
P.S. Not only was Mr./Monsieur Thayer blessedly born bilingual, he happens to have a pretty valuable resource on American History on his website. It was already better than the best on Ancient Rome, along with beautiful pictures of modern Italy, but he decided to go local — occasionally — and has some of the hardest to find resources on U.S. History for all to read, for free, too. For example, you can get wiser, properly, reading his online editons of the definitive biographry of Robert E. Lee, an early history of Louisiana, some Kentuckiana, . . . and that is but a small list of all there is to see.
In no way related to the above: from 700 Limerick Lyrics, p. 122:
A fellow who lived in New Guinea,
Was known as a silly young nuinea.
He utterly lacked
Good judgement and tact,
For he told a svelt girl she was skuinea.
Now that you got to read that, and hopefully a few more pages will entertain you here before you click away, I'll give you the link to Bill Thayer's great website : LacusCurtius.
April 14, 2008. The Fragments of the English Tour Guide to Rome by John Capgrave is online. It is from Appendix IV to his Chronicle of England written in the 15th century and edited by Thomas Wright, 1858. A modern version is included with a pertinent glossary provided by Wright.
Because the whole history will be a long time in coming, here's another tidbit of interest, from p. 134.
Capgrave reports that King Henry I of England, in 1126, made the knights throughout the land cut their hair; for —
"Thei went with as long heer as women."
April 11, 2008. In 1336, a female vegetarian was found in England called Jewet Meatless. The priests decided that it was not sinful to be so, since she went to Church regularly. In the passage, cleped means "called" or "named," ne means "nor" or "neither." Being not quite clear to us today, however, it does not say whether she ate fish or not. Meatless days in the Catholic Church did not prohibit fish from being eaten.
This is reported in The Chronicle of England, by John Capgrave [fifteenth century], edited by the Rev. Frances Charles Hingeston, B. A., The Rolls Series, London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, and Roberts; 1858; p. 205:
[1336 AD] In this same tyme was at a litil town clepid Berwik, V. mile fro Walsyngham, on the west syde, a woman thei cleped Jewet Metles, so cleped for sche ete no mete, but received the Sacrament on the Sunday, and thereby lyved al the weke. Prestes asayed that sche schuld receyve a hoost not consecrat; but sche knewe it. Sche was examined be the officeres of the church, and no defaute fond thei in hir feith, ne no synne in hir conversacion.
Now, here it is in modern spelling:
In this same time was at a little town called Berwick, 5 miles from Walsingham, on the west side, a woman they called Jewet Meatless, so called for she ate no meat, but received the Sacrament on the Sunday, and thereby lived all the week. Priests said that she should receive a host not consecrated; but she knew it. She was examined by the officers of the church, and no fault found they in her faith, nor no sin in her conversation.]
Capgrave also reports, later in the book, an early news story here, on a serendipitous archaeological discovery, the money of which was happily used for restoration, on page 268:
[1398 AD] In this tyme was founde a grete summe of mony at Rome in a rotin wal, whech was the tresoure of Helyn, Constantyn modir; for in the serkil was writin hir name. And eviry pes thereof was worth XX[s]. With the mony the Pope ded renewe the capitol, and the Castell Aungel.
[In modern spelling:
In this time was found a great sum of money at Rome in a rotten wall, which was the treasure of Helen, Constantine's mother; for in the circle was written her name. And every piece thereof was worth 20 [shillings]. With the money the Pope did renew the capitol, and the Castle Angel - i. e., the Castle of St. Angelo.]
The Chapters on Liége and Arras are online with sketches of some buildings there before World War I, from Beautiful Buildings in France and Belgium by C. Harrison Townsend, and various artists.
April 10, 2008. Chapter 9 on the Formation of the Public Processions of Flagellants. Different success they met with in different countries, from The History of Flagellation, 1903, by The Medical Publishing Company of New York. This is an anonymous work, stated to be taken from the the work of Abbe Jacobus Boileau (John de Lolme), 1635-1716. It is a history that is basically opposed to this method of correcting errors. Other accounts from histories of the period — Froissart, Knighton, Johnes and Leveque — are added in the footnotes for a wider look at this group.
From 700 Limerick Lyrics, p. 159:
The boy across his mother's knee,
His sorrows paused to nurse;
"Alackaday! This is," said he,
"A very sad reverse."
From the same book, p. 94:
There once was a school teacher named Beauchamp,
And her pupils — didn't she teachamp?
For when they were bad,
She made them feel sad
If ever she happened to reachamp.
April 8, 2008. In case anybody was wondering about the difference between an Archbishop and a Bishop and an Abbot, and what the heck is a pallium? and what's the office dress-code in the Catholic Church? then this Chapter by Rev. John A. Naifa is for you! It's from the first book in English on the subject, Costume of Prelates of the Catholic Church according to Roman Etiquette, by this man, a member of the Baltimore Diocese, under Cardinal Gibbons, in 1909. It is actually fairly straightforward, even. The rest of the book has some interesting chapters, but not all of them are (to me, at least) and so it will take a request from anybody interested to see the whole thing. If that is you, just write and let me know here.
From 700 Limerick Lyrics, p. 104:/P>
Miss Hyacinth Gladys McGee
Said somewhat explosively: "Whee !
If the back of my head
Were my forehead instead,
Just think how unique I should be!"
April 7, 2008. A Definition from Randall Cotgrave's French-English Dictionary of 1611:
Nugicanoricrepe : m. An idle singer of lyes, or trifling matters.
April 2, 2008. From The New Pun Book, p. 142:
He called her an angel before they were wed,
But that, alas! didn't endure.
For ere many months had passed over his head,
He wished that she was one for sure.
March 31, 2008. Cobb's Bill of Fare, by Irvin S. Cobb, is all finished, including some funny sketches by Peter Newell and James M. Preston.
March 27, 2008. A Forgotten Wit, by William Mathews is back online. It had vanished for a few months and I found the original copy hidden away and proofed it. Sebastian Chamfort was known for his witty maxims, e.g.:
"M. de Lassay, a very pleasant man, but who had a great knowledge of society, said that it would be necessary to swallow a toad every morning, in order not to find anything disgusting the rest of the day, when one has to spend it in the world."
March 27, 2008. A Proverb from Randall Cotgrave's French-English Dictionary of 1611:
Belle chiere, & coeur arriere : A faire looke, and false thoughts; or, a froward look, and forward thoughts; one that speaks me fair, and wishes my throat were cut.
March 26, 2008. Sport, from Cobb's Bill of Fare, by Irvin Cobb is online. So the text is complete except titles and pictures, and is also proofed. This last chapter had me chortling with laughter as I typed in spots. As Tory says, "This is my kind of humor." She was mildly amused but not as tickled as I was. Whatever, funny writing in any degree beats unfunny, period.
From 700 Limerick Lyrics, p. 118:
The sermon our pastor Rt. Rev.
Began, may have had a Rt. clev.,
But his talk, though consistent,
Kept the end so far distant,
We left since we felt he mt. nev.
March 25, 2008. Art, from Cobb's Bill of Fare, by Irvin Cobb is online.
And a long, long last, and ready to go — the first original gift book published by Elfinspell: My Liary, by Luann Overstreet and Susan Rhoads. It's the perfect present for upright persons to give to people who are less so. 50% of the proceeds of donations for it will be used to support our favorite causes and new authors and artists:
From The New Pun Book, p.153:
At a West End hotel one of the party asked:
"Have you got any celery, waiter?"
"No, sir," was the significant answer; "I relies on me tips."
March 24, 2008. Music, from Cobb's Bill of Fare, by Irvin Cobb is online.
From The New Pun Book, p.16:
"What's the matter here?" asked a stranger of a small boy, as he noticed a large wedding party coming out of a church on Fifth Avenue.
"Nawthin' but the tied goin' out."
March 23, 2008. For Harold Greer, the owner of Pound Collectibles, the first essay by one of his favorite old authors: Vittles, from Cobb's Bill of Fare, by Irvin Cobb. It was published in 1911 and in 1913.
I did not know until recently, that the expression Vittles is actually the proper pronunciation for the English word Victuals, I always thought it was a slang word, and a mispronunciation.
This was common knowledge to the person who wrote this limerick 100 years ago, in 700 Limerick Lyrics, p. 104:
Said a gourmand too fond of good victuals,
"How this beastly existence belictuals.
Don't you think 'twould be fine
To do nothing but dine?
I wish life was all beer and skictuals."
And a poem by H. S. Keller, I don't know if this is Helen S. Keller, the famous blind teacher, but it is included in Monologues and Parodies, by pp.44-45, compiled and arranged by J. F. Hartman (comedian), (1910):
SAD, SAD SANDS.
Now the merry maiden goeth forth
In gala day array,
To all beside the crested wave
And with the sea shells play.
She takes off her dainty slippers
And her carmine-tinted hose,
And wades into the water
For to bathe her pretty toes.
To-night up in her chamber there —
Not haunted by repose —
She wonders where she got them all,
The freckles on her nose.
—H. S. Keller.
March 15, 2008. Getting closer. The rough, very rough English translation of Chapter 1 of the Chronicle of Du Guesclin is online from the French collation by M. Fr. Michel from the 15th century originals. The French is also there, in an inter-linear fashion. Actually it is by sentence not line.
February 19, 2008. Well, alright. Almost back to business!
If you know anybody from Kentucky, or you just want to put in a good word, be aware that the Romeo Law is coming up for vote in the House here. Romeo is a puppy who was mercilessly beaten by his owner. This law makes serious animal abuse a felony so that the perps do real time in jail for this.
See this thread by the right-good-hearted Ms. Jena Sizemore.
Or this article: here.
So call, 1-800-372-7181, and tell the operator you are voicing your support for House Bill 145 and tell your representatives to vote yes on that bill. It is amazingly easy and takes only 1 or 2 minutes.
If all the animal abusers were locked up, what a joy it would be for animals, and children and every other victim of violence! Animal abusers don't abuse only animals.
Thanks to Donna Howard, a real sweetie-pie, who helped organize the much-needed organization Pawz and Clawz, for giving me the heads-up!
February 12, 2008. Okay, back to work here. A last exhalation of residual ire first:
Dutch Medical Researchers just discovered that being fat is less expensive because obese people die younger. That is a long-standing tactic of American Government Health Care Insurance and its Regulators. American private health insurors gladly agree and jump on this bandwagon. The government has understood for many years that Dying is Cheaper!!!
As a result prevention is not covered by many plans especially by state and government subsidized ones. Effective patient education on decreasing risk factors and changing behaviors is not something they'll pay for. So of course the insured (especially for those on Medicaid and Medicare and Disability) get marginal or substandard care. The quicker they die, the better. After all, these people don't pay taxes and are too sick and demoralized to vote and they are using up all the health care and social security money!
It makes sense that all insurance companies, especially governmental ones, gladly pay drug companies and the physicians' office fees for prescribing narcotics, sedatives and speed!
Prescription drug abuse is an epidemic throughout this country, and it is subsidized by the government and big business.
When you are addicted, you don't care that it's destroying you and your family and your community. You also don't vote or care about anything besides getting and using dope. Protesting social evils, treating the cause of your "pain" with other treatments, or any other activity that isn't geared to easier access to drugs is not on your agenda.
That is why it is easier to get "legal" dope in the U.S. than to get physical therapy, specialty care, biofeedback or acupuncture — or any other tools that might manage pain while keeping people aware, involved and active.
All too frequently Doctors can't get paid to do real medicine, so some pull out the prescription pad for the dope that insurance companies and the government pay for, and have very happy patients and short office visits. Diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive procedures, patient education, medications and ancillary services that might treat the underlying problems effectively, or delay fatal consequences, won't be authorized or reimbursed.
Many valuable and useful medicines are taken off the market and given Black Box Warnings by the FDA for harming very few individuals, while helping far, far more people than they hurt. Narcotic and sedative drug use cause far more harm than Vioxx and other non-addicting drugs ever did, to more than just the patients taking them.
If narcotics and drug addiction weren't such big business and so useful as a political sedative to the unhappy masses, addicting drugs would have been recalled years ago or their use far more restricted.
Note: Instead of rewriting this entire site because of Yahoo and Microsoft greed-driven sabotage, the new content will be styled differently and the older content re-done as the retching subsides. Should something not work properly, or look purely dorky, please e-mail me!
The core page design will change, including the absence of the w3.org validation symbol. Since the main browsers do not comply with this organization's standards, that logo doesn't mean diddly. Despite this, the pages are validated with their usually excellent, but limited, tools. Some of the most attractive fonts have been dumped by Microsoft, so boring-looking fonts are the sole alternative for anybody with IE7. Microsoft is breeding clone pages and robotic design, not creativity and individuality.
Am I miffed?
Sniff . . . Snort . . . hack . . . and Ptui !!!
