stentorian: uncommonly powerful in sound (after Stentor, a legendarily loud Greek herald)
pleonasm: the use of more words than necessary to express an idea; a redundancy
chorographical: a description or map of a region, or the technique of creating one
fleer: to mock or coarsely express mockery; a jeer or fleering action
maltster: a person who makes or sells malt (obvious in retrospect)
parasang: an ancient Persian unit of distance equal to ~3.5mi
wearish: withered and shrunken; tasteless; insipid
quacksalver: a charlatan; origin of “quack”
contemn: to treat with contempt; to scorn
chirurgeon: archaic term for surgeon
I said unto the fools, ‘deal not so madly’
David (Ps. lxxv, 4)
If that severe doom of Synesius be true, “It is a greater offense to steal men’s labours than their clothes,” what shall become of most writers?
Anatomy of Melancholy
Bedhead – “The Present”
Transaction De Novo
Bedhead’s understated songwriting makes for such incredibly solid albums, but so few truly standout songs, that it’s hard to pick a track. I’ve always loved the slow grow and sudden end of “The Present.” It’s not exactly representative of this excellent album, but it’s a great song nonetheless. Great being around the house music.
Vocabulary: Anatomy Of Ant-Bears Edition
ludeful: no definition. It appears to have appeared only once in history. (poss. lewdful)
mediatized: to annex a state or territory while preserving some of its ruler’s rights
franked: marked in such a way as to secure transmission or passage
gobonated: in heraldry, equal divisions forming squares (gobbets)
foliot: a mischevious woodland creature in Italian folklore
exornation: ornamentation or embellishment
chiromancy: palmistry and fortune-telling
sithence: archaic version of “since”
cit: 17th century slang for citizen
pelf: a scornful term for wealth
antbear: an aardvark
avaunt: begone
Thou may’st be searched for polish’d words and verse
By flippant spouter, emptiest of praters:
Tell him to seek them in some mawkish verse:
My periods are all rough as nutmeg graters.
Anatomy of Melancholy
JMW Turner, Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus, 1848
Mr. Gammon marked the progress of the Earl’s feelings with the greatest interest, perceiving the increasing extent to which respect for him—Gammon—was mingling with his lordship’s sublime self-satisfaction; and, watching his opportunity, struck a spark into the dry tinder of his vain imagination, blew it gently—and saw that it caught, and spread.
Ten Thousand A-Year