THE MODERN EDITOR AND SCHOLAR BY DEEMS TAYLOR Being a Reprint of a Famous Poem, Together with Sundry Notes and Comments Necessary to its Complete Understanding and Appreciation, All Being Done in Strict Accordance With the Practice of our Best Present-Day School and College Editions of the Classics. NOTES a. It is not quite clear just what kind of fish the author means. However, as he refers, on line 3, to "the little fishes," and as the poem was written in England, they are probably sarines or herring, possibly whitebait. b. Authorities differ as to the exact meaning of this passage. Professor Dummeresel of the University of Narrheit claims that the speaker first sent a written message; this proving ineffectual, that he delivered a second, or oral, message in person. On the other hand, Dr. Jean Galimatias of the Sorbonne maintains that the clause "I told them" should read "it told them," or "which told them"; in other words, that only one message was sent, and that a written one. We are inclined to agree with the latter interpretation. C. This indicates that they were salt-water fish. note a. See d. Tautological. "Little fishes" in the previous line is the real subject of the sentence. Cf. Lowell ("Biglow Papers"): f. Note the respectful use of "sir," indicating (a) that the fishes belong to the servant class, or (b) that the person addressed is a member of the nobility, probably the former. g. Showing that they were female fish. Questions for Discussion Who is speaking? Are the person speaking and the person who sent the message one and the same? What was the message? What does it mean? Why? To whom was the message sent? How do you think it was transmitted? Is there an answer to the message? If not, why not? If so, what does it mean, and why? What would you have answered? Why? Write a short essay on submarine telephony. So long as I remained your constant flame, What if the old love were to come once I was a proud and very well-known Lydia; But now, in spite of all your precious fame, I'm glad I'm rid o' ye. Horace: Ah well, I 've Chloe for my present queen, Her voice would thrill the marble bust of Cæsar; And I would pass right gladly from the scene If it would please her. more With smiling face and understanding If Chloe went, and I 'd unbar the door; Lydia: Though he 's as fair as starlight, and as true And you as light as cork or wild as fever, "With all your faults" I 'd live and die with you, You old deceiver! Drawing by Heid THE GOLF ENTHUSIAST EXPLAINS A DIFFICULT IRON SHOT, OVER A POND, WITH A CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT "IT'S ALL RIGHT, JACK DEAR. WE MISSED THE CHICKEN, AFTER ALL" IT seems to me that the old London the lady wishes to enter. After a painful bus-driver has been responsible for some of the most incisive bits of restrained comment in the language. Here is a story told me by Barry Pain a dozen years ago in London: Scene, Piccadilly, at the time in a summer's afternoon when the last of the shopping is on. Traffic jammed from curb to curb. In midstream a bus, loaded inside and out, halted by a ducal landeauround, fat-bodied landeau, with coat of arms on the door. Fat horses, fat coachman, fat footman, fat lady inside. The coachman is manipulating so that there will be the least possible number of fractional millimeters between the door of the landeau and the door of the jewelry shop period, during which the entire traffic of Piccadilly remains blocked, this is brought to pass. The coachman lets the reins slacken and brings his whip to a formal position of rest. The horses throw their heads to pull out the martingale chains. The footman climbs down. The busdriver, who has sat like a plaster cast through this, shifts his foot, the brake comes up with a clang, the bus-horses surge forward into the collars, the threeton bus creaks, and begins to move. Then he leans over the edge, and addresses the dignitary on the box of the landeau in mellifluous cockney: ''Ello, Ga'dener!" he says. "Coachman ill yet?" THE DE VINNE PRESS, NEW YORK |