I agree with Todd. The Officers of the Navy Board were not subject to election. And Terry Foreman's post (first one above) confirms that the Royal Society met this day in Arundel House for the election of officers.
Ormond: mistakes were made, but no crimes were committed, and anyway everybody else does it. The bleat of powerful men under sudden scrutiny throughout the ages.
No great wit. Well, I suppose The Tempest isn't a barrel of laughs, if that's what Sam means by "wit", but surely it has given us some of the most beautiful, meaningful lines ever written in the English language, as well as the most profound early consideration of the encounter between Europeans and the native inhabitants of the new world.
The passage Robert quotes is perhaps the greatest; here is another that I love.
Full fathom five thy father lies; Of his bones are coral made; Those are pearls that were his eyes: Nothing of him that doth fade But doth suffer a sea-change Into something rich and strange. Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell: Hark! now I hear them,--ding-dong, bell.
"My cozen Roger did tell me of a bargain which I may now have in Norfolke, that my she-cozen, Nan Pepys, is going to sell, the title whereof is very good, and the pennyworth is also good enough; but it is out of the way so of my life, that I shall never enjoy it, nor, it may be, see it, and so I shall have nothing to do with it."
Good thinking, Sam. Blind real estate investments are usually more trouble than they're worth.
The old saying comes to mind, success has a thousand fathers but failure is an orphan. Poor Pett, an artisan, simply has no idea how to play this political game, so he is a convenient scapegoat.
From the RS notes (thanks again, Terry): "he thought it most aduisable to try it [experimental blood transfusion] vpon some mad person in Bedlam this suggestion being seconded by diuers other physitians of the Society."
Even allowing for the context of the times, this bit gives me the shudders. My 15-20 minutes of research on the matter clearly indicates that the Hippocratic Oath was a part of medical training in the 17th century, and those "physitians" should have been entirely familiar with the precepts of primum non nocere [first do no harm] and working only for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice. They must have considered the unfortunates in Bedlam less than human, as valid subjects for experimentation as dogs.
Anthony Deane's birth year is 1638, not 1648 as in the rollover (the Wikipedia link has it right). I noticed because it seemed implausible to me that a 19-year-old would be discoursing with SP at such a sophisticated level.
A classic case of ignoring the universal dramatic admonition "Show, don't tell." Like a voice-over narration in a bad movie filling in the gaps in the plot. Maybe Orrery was under deadline pressure to finish the play before he was really ready to.
Sam conveys the scene so vividly I felt like I had been there.
Wikipedia says "Clarendon was impeached, in part, for blatant violations of habeas corpus; sending prisoners out of England to places like Jersey, and holding them there without benefit of trial." No longer an impeachable offense, apparently, at least in the U.S. (Apologies to LH)
Sam consistently resorts to French (or Spanish or Latin or an unholy combination of all of them) when he is describing his sexual exploits. The editor of the edition we are reading (Wheatley) often replaces these passages with ellipses, which some of our annotators are good enough to fill in with the original text, as represented in the newer, definitive edition (Latham and Matthews).
Mary, that's an interesting thought, and you may be right, but I read it a little differently. I took it that her appearance and her demeanor and her apparent competence were significantly above all of Elizabeth's previous ladies-in-waiting, and Sam was worried that they may not be able to keep her in the conditions that defined the lives of the other servants. From what little we know about her so far, her social station seems comparable to Mercer's, and we know that Sam had no qualms about dallying with Mercer.
"wonder at the reason of the growth of the credit of banquiers, since it is so ordinary a thing for citizens to break, out of knavery ... I have not heard of one citizen of London broke in all this"
I don't understand the use of "break/broke" in this passage. Is it as in 'breaking and entering', or 'out of money', or 'breaking a promise' (to repay a debt), or something else? Since Lord B considers it a "remarkable fact", it would be nice to know exactly what's being asserted.
"What an awful snob this upstart on the upswing is."
L.K., I think it's a little more complicated than that. SP says he was really glad to see them "in my heart", but at the same time aware that his current social position (earned, not inherited) precluded over-familiarity. From what I understand about English class structure, this was a very real and justified concern, up to the mid-20th century. I actually detect a note of regret on Sam's part that things are that way.
Comments
First Reading
About Saturday 30 November 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
I agree with Todd. The Officers of the Navy Board were not subject to election. And Terry Foreman's post (first one above) confirms that the Royal Society met this day in Arundel House for the election of officers.
About Thursday 21 November 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Which supports Ruben's suggestion that transfusion may have been thought a beneficial treatment for insanity - but sheep's blood??
About Friday 22 November 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Ormond: mistakes were made, but no crimes were committed, and anyway everybody else does it. The bleat of powerful men under sudden scrutiny throughout the ages.
About Saturday 9 November 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Whew! Busy day, at home and at the office.
About Thursday 7 November 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
No great wit. Well, I suppose The Tempest isn't a barrel of laughs, if that's what Sam means by "wit", but surely it has given us some of the most beautiful, meaningful lines ever written in the English language, as well as the most profound early consideration of the encounter between Europeans and the native inhabitants of the new world.
The passage Robert quotes is perhaps the greatest; here is another that I love.
Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Hark! now I hear them,--ding-dong, bell.
About Sunday 3 November 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
"My cozen Roger did tell me of a bargain which I may now have in Norfolke, that my she-cozen, Nan Pepys, is going to sell, the title whereof is very good, and the pennyworth is also good enough; but it is out of the way so of my life, that I shall never enjoy it, nor, it may be, see it, and so I shall have nothing to do with it."
Good thinking, Sam. Blind real estate investments are usually more trouble than they're worth.
About Saturday 2 November 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Dr. Heimlich, call your office.
About Thursday 31 October 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
The old saying comes to mind, success has a thousand fathers but failure is an orphan. Poor Pett, an artisan, simply has no idea how to play this political game, so he is a convenient scapegoat.
About Thursday 24 October 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Ruben, thank you for that insightful suggestion, which makes a lot of sense. I hadn't thought of that angle.
About Thursday 24 October 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
From the RS notes (thanks again, Terry): "he thought it most aduisable to try it [experimental blood transfusion] vpon some mad person in Bedlam this suggestion being seconded by diuers other physitians of the Society."
Even allowing for the context of the times, this bit gives me the shudders. My 15-20 minutes of research on the matter clearly indicates that the Hippocratic Oath was a part of medical training in the 17th century, and those "physitians" should have been entirely familiar with the precepts of primum non nocere [first do no harm] and working only for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice. They must have considered the unfortunates in Bedlam less than human, as valid subjects for experimentation as dogs.
About Sunday 20 October 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Anthony Deane's birth year is 1638, not 1648 as in the rollover (the Wikipedia link has it right). I noticed because it seemed implausible to me that a 19-year-old would be discoursing with SP at such a sophisticated level.
About Saturday 19 October 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
A classic case of ignoring the universal dramatic admonition "Show, don't tell." Like a voice-over narration in a bad movie filling in the gaps in the plot. Maybe Orrery was under deadline pressure to finish the play before he was really ready to.
Sam conveys the scene so vividly I felt like I had been there.
About Wednesday 16 October 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Wikipedia says "Clarendon was impeached, in part, for blatant violations of habeas corpus; sending prisoners out of England to places like Jersey, and holding them there without benefit of trial." No longer an impeachable offense, apparently, at least in the U.S. (Apologies to LH)
About Sunday 13 October 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
I add my regret at the loss of Bradford to our little community, and my thanks to Jeannine for informing us.
About Friday 4 October 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Sam consistently resorts to French (or Spanish or Latin or an unholy combination of all of them) when he is describing his sexual exploits. The editor of the edition we are reading (Wheatley) often replaces these passages with ellipses, which some of our annotators are good enough to fill in with the original text, as represented in the newer, definitive edition (Latham and Matthews).
About Monday 30 September 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Mary, that's an interesting thought, and you may be right, but I read it a little differently. I took it that her appearance and her demeanor and her apparent competence were significantly above all of Elizabeth's previous ladies-in-waiting, and Sam was worried that they may not be able to keep her in the conditions that defined the lives of the other servants. From what little we know about her so far, her social station seems comparable to Mercer's, and we know that Sam had no qualms about dallying with Mercer.
About Wednesday 25 September 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
"wonder at the reason of the growth of the credit of banquiers, since it is so ordinary a thing for citizens to break, out of knavery ... I have not heard of one citizen of London broke in all this"
I don't understand the use of "break/broke" in this passage. Is it as in 'breaking and entering', or 'out of money', or 'breaking a promise' (to repay a debt), or something else? Since Lord B considers it a "remarkable fact", it would be nice to know exactly what's being asserted.
About Thursday 19 September 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
"What an awful snob this upstart on the upswing is."
L.K., I think it's a little more complicated than that. SP says he was really glad to see them "in my heart", but at the same time aware that his current social position (earned, not inherited) precluded over-familiarity. From what I understand about English class structure, this was a very real and justified concern, up to the mid-20th century. I actually detect a note of regret on Sam's part that things are that way.
About Thursday 12 September 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
THANK YOU, Christopher Squire. I have been misinterpreting that phrase my entire life.
About Monday 9 September 1667
Paul Chapin • Link
Bulls and seamen and bears, oh my!