Let’s not be censorious — I can’t be the only one following this diary who can look back on being “scandalously overseene in drink” at 20 and crawled into bed after a drinking game at 27.
Terry Foreman makes an excellent point — at the time of the diary nothing could be “misspelled” because the notion of a correct way to spell a word didn’t yet exist.
For an example of the value of standardized spelling, check out Michael Murphy’s free online version of The Canterbury Tales — http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu…
This is not a translation of paraphrase of Chaucer into modern English — “The words are Chaucer’s, line for line,” Murphy explains. “Only the spelling is modernized, as it is in Shakespeare texts.” After laying it aside half a century ago, I may finally get through it! (Made it through the General Prologue and The Knight’s Tale so far.)
Reading through the First Reading annotations, I was mentally struggling to compose a response — and then discovered the one I had written 20 years ago (under my previous nom de web, Nix) that said PRECISELY what I was trying to articulate today.
Many thanks to Phil, to all commenters, but above all on this 365th Stone Cutting Day to Dr. Hollier.
As the guy who used to go by the screen name Nix, I’m impressed by the essay on negotiable instruments law I posted 20 years ago! I’m glad for the refresher — I don’t think I could have explained it nearly so well today. 😄
Comments
Third Reading
About Tuesday 1 May 1660
Alter Kacker • Link
San Diego Sarah — I don’t know when the description “knee-walking drunk” was coined, but it certainly seems to be applicable here.
About Monday 30 April 1660
Alter Kacker • Link
Let’s not be censorious — I can’t be the only one following this diary who can look back on being “scandalously overseene in drink” at 20 and crawled into bed after a drinking game at 27.
About Monday 2 April 1660
Alter Kacker • Link
Terry Foreman makes an excellent point — at the time of the diary nothing could be “misspelled” because the notion of a correct way to spell a word didn’t yet exist.
For an example of the value of standardized spelling, check out Michael Murphy’s free online version of The Canterbury Tales — http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu…
This is not a translation of paraphrase of Chaucer into modern English — “The words are Chaucer’s, line for line,” Murphy explains. “Only the spelling is modernized, as it is in Shakespeare texts.” After laying it aside half a century ago, I may finally get through it! (Made it through the General Prologue and The Knight’s Tale so far.)
About Monday 26 March 1660
Alter Kacker • Link
Reading through the First Reading annotations, I was mentally struggling to compose a response — and then discovered the one I had written 20 years ago (under my previous nom de web, Nix) that said PRECISELY what I was trying to articulate today.
Many thanks to Phil, to all commenters, but above all on this 365th Stone Cutting Day to Dr. Hollier.
About Friday 23 March 1659/60
Alter Kacker • Link
“to bed in my cabin, which was but short; however I made shift with it” —
As we are reminded how cramped shipboard quarters were, do we have any notion how tall Samuel was?
About Wednesday 29 February 1659/60
Alter Kacker • Link
Metheglin — street drug or single malt?
About Monday 13 February 1659/60
Alter Kacker • Link
The older I get, the more amazed I am at the sheer busy-ness of Samuel’s daily life.
About Sunday 29 January 1659/60
Alter Kacker • Link
As the guy who used to go by the screen name Nix, I’m impressed by the essay on negotiable instruments law I posted 20 years ago! I’m glad for the refresher — I don’t think I could have explained it nearly so well today. 😄