Annotations and comments

Gerald Berg has posted 413 annotations/comments since 4 March 2013.

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Second Reading

About Wednesday 3 April 1667

Gerald Berg  •  Link

A Day at Home in Early Modern England: Material Culture and Domestic Life, 1500–1700
by Tara Hamling and Catherine Richardson
Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art/Yale University Press, 311 pp., $75.00

Got this from Far Dabhoiwala review in the NYRB:

“Enclosed chimney flues remained a novel and somewhat precarious technology. When, in 1626, the London woodturner Nehemiah Wallington tried to improve his kitchen by installing one, the entire gable end of his house collapsed, and all three chimneys fell in. This was one reason why heated chambers remained a rare luxury. Another was probably the perpetual danger of fire, especially at night. Being able to light the house after dark was a sign of middling status, but unguarded candles were a constant concern. On the evening of July 4, 1629, Wallington’s apprentice Obadiah Seeley disobeyed the house rules and took a candlestick up to his room. Awaking after midnight to find their bed, mattress, and bedclothes in flames, he and his fellow apprentice “did start up and pissed out the fier as well as they could.” On another occasion, in bed with his wife and newborn daughter, Wallington himself woke up to find his hair on fire from a candle that had burned through its wire frame and fallen onto him.”

About Tuesday 2 April 1667

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Halfnotes — my speculation would be that she is having difficulty keeping in tune on her single tone when the other voices have moving lines against hers. Especially in the event that the other parts are dissonant with this pitch. It takes familiarity with how the other parts react to your own pitch against these variety of pitches.

The best way to undermine a soloist or section leader is to play a bit sharp in the underlying harmonies which the soloist/leader is then forced to tune against.

Well you might ask why anyone would do this? In her case inexperience but in mine? Callow youth and in my defence, only in rehearsal. This is what practical jokes look like to musicians.

About Thursday 28 March 1667

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Great commentary all. Thanks!

This is Liz's brother right? She has no interest, say, worry....?

Spoilers anyone?

About Tuesday 26 March 1667

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Queen Dollalola:
(Though I already half seas over am)
If the capacious goblet overflow
With arrack-punch - 'fore George! I'll see it out;
Of run and brandy I'll not taste a drop.
King Arthur:
Though rack, in punch, eight shillings be a quart,
And rum and brandy be no more than six,
Rather than quarrel you shall have you will.

Henry Fielding: Tom Thumb the Great 1725

About Saturday 9 March 1666/67

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Not that it is REALLY that important but as one can fart all day but one cannot s-- or f--k all day wouldn't not giving a fart be giving less care as one would have a greater supply? It certainly takes less effort.

About Wednesday 30 January 1666/67

Gerald Berg  •  Link

I did not know he went after Mercer! Is this new?

My hellebores in Toronto are presently beginning to flower. They face north so it can be a bitter cold and well below freezing. They are beautiful and they are hardy.

About Thursday 24 January 1666/67

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Also, it sounds like the office was big enough for dancing. I can imagine the pounding would have really kept the neighbours up if it had been in his home.

About Wednesday 28 November 1666

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Our memory is not for remembering the past in exactitude but to be enable us to be able to plan better for tomorrow. Without memory there is no future to be imagined.

About Sunday 25 November 1666

Gerald Berg  •  Link

breach vs. breech

I am confused -- this (to me) is a compliment. I would be loath to kiss my boss' breach but the one I wish to marry? In a heartbeat. Esp. if that's all it took!

About Monday 12 November 1666

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Pepys gold conundrum puts in my mind Kafka's The Burrow where the erstwhile hero either gathers its riches (food hoard) into the central room to grovel in the full glory or disperses said hoard throughout the burrow matrix and basks centrally by being surrounded with its riches. As with the creature (badger?) the terror is always in preservation.

About Sunday 4 November 1666

Gerald Berg  •  Link

"...but to find out the true mind be a task worthy of getting food out of a winkle with a stick."

Hilarious Mr. Salt. Thanks.

So there our man is-- freezing his cods off, but absolutely burning hot in the gossip. Some ague!

About Thursday 18 October 1666

Gerald Berg  •  Link

John Evelyn (the life of the party) gets interesting in around 1669 with the introduction of the 17 y.o. Margaret Blagge into his life. His inner Humbert Humbert awaits thee there.

About Tuesday 9 October 1666

Gerald Berg  •  Link

TF

Chuck2 allowing a comedy to be performed reminds me of Gilbert Gottfried recounting his version of The Aristocrats joke shortly after the 9/11 2001 tragedy. Then, it was thought to be too soon for there to be joking.

About Thursday 4 October 1666

Gerald Berg  •  Link

Speaking to the hum in Pooh’s woods are D. Parker’s immortal words:

“And it is that word “hummy,” my darlings, that marks the first place in The House at Pooh Corner at which Tonstant Weader Fwowed up.”

About Tuesday 2 October 1666

Gerald Berg  •  Link

"Stark mad... I could not tell in the world what to do..."

Unusual formulation to a now classic turn of phrase.

Even if one could tell the world what to do wouldn't it amount to the same result. Zip! Chuck 2 excepted to some degree.

About Saturday 1 September 1666

Gerald Berg  •  Link

While we are all hanging around waiting for the sparks to fly. This from Kind Hearts and Coronets:

Mr Elliot: Even my lamented master, the great Mr Benny himself, never had the privilege of hanging a duke. What a finale to a lifetime in the public service!
Prison Governor: Finale?
Mr Elliot: Yes, I intend to retire. After using the silken rope... never again be content with hemp.