Rarebit

RAREBIT, n. A Welsh rabbit, in the speech of the humorless, who point out that it is not a rabbit. To whom it may be solemnly explained that the comestible known as toad-in-a-hole is really not a toad, and that riz-de-veau a la financiere is not the smile of a calf prepared after the recipe of a she banker.

2010 Update: Melted cheese on toast. A rare name for common food.

Rapacity

RAPACITY, n. Providence without industry. The thrift of power.

2010 Update: Amorality in the satisfaction of appetites shared with a hungry observer, such as an illimitable voracity for hyperbole.

Note: I'm not sure whether to be proud or embarrassed, but I believe Saturday's post was the 1500th on this blog.

The Reformation of Wolfshausen

Teil Drei-und-Fünfzig

To hear my dad read, scratch Matilda at right.

You can read this episode over bread with Frauen Ausländer and Braun at left.

The story so far is here.

Motion

MOTION, n. A property, condition or state of matter. The existence and possibility of motion is denied by many philosopher's, who point out that a thing cannot move where it is and cannot move where it is not. Others, with Galileo, say: "And yet it moves." It is not the province of the lexicographer to decide.

"How charming is divine Philosophy!" Milton

2010 Update: An inclement increment in which a child finds purpose, an adult finds failure and a vase finds death. Zeno's intelligent design.

Multitude

MULTITUDE, n. A crowd; the source of political wisdom and virtue. In a republic, the object of the statesman's adoration. "In a multitude of consellors there is wisdom," saith the proverb. If many men of equal individual wisdom are wiser than any one of them, it must be that they acquire the excess of wisdom by the mere act of getting together. Whence comes it? Obviously from nowhere -- as well say that a range of mountains is higher than the single mountains composing it. A multitude is as wise as its wisest member if it obey him; if not, it is no wiser than its most foolish.

2010 Update: A mob which in scripture served either as holy chaff after a reaping or as the consumers of heavenly flour. In contemporary philosophy, the multitude performs more the role of an ear of corn.

New Year's Resolution

Whereas the year, unlike myself,

Has changed- to twenty-ten;

Whereas the expectation is

There's change as well in men;

Whereas that hope has lasted

Since Abel fell to Cain;

Resolved, we all shall mend our ways

Down roads that rough remain.

FITTEST, adj. Most fitted.

Ma

MA, n. Mother in the language of children. Contradiction of mommer.

2010 Update: A woman in her dotage who still remembers recipes and where she left her wallet. Her dotage begins when she is 27 years older than her caricaturist and ends when she reaches 7 years older.

Myrmidon

MYRMIDON, n. A follower of Achilles-particularly when he didn't lead.

2010 Update: An armed sycophant, more credulous than a drone bee and more persuasive. A partisan without couch or complaint.

The Reformation of Wolfshausen

Teil Zwo-und-Fünfzig

To hear this week's post, come to the Black Forest.

You can read this episode in the Twelve Articles of The Black Forest, at left.

The story so far is here.

Inauspiciously

INAUSPICIOUSLY, adv. In an unpromising manner, the auspices being unfavorable. Among the Romans it was customary before undertaking any important action or enterprise to obtain from the augurs, or state prophets, some hint of its probable outcome; and one of their favorite and most trustworthy modes of divination consisted in observing the flight of birds -- the omens thence derived being called auspices. Newspaper reporters and certain miscreant lexicographers have decided that the word -- always in the plural -- shall mean "patronage" or "management"; as, "The festivities were under the auspices of the Ancient and Honorable Order of Body-Snatchers"; or, "The hilarities were auspicated by the Knights of Hunger."

A Roman slave appeared one day
Before the Augur. "Tell me, pray,
If --" here the Augur, smiling, made
A checking gesture and displayed
His open palm, which plainly itched,
For visibly its surface twitched.
A denarius (the Latin nickel)
Successfully allayed the tickle,
And then the slave proceeded: "Please
Inform me whether Fate decrees
Success or failure in what I
To-night (if it be dark) shall try.
Its nature? Never mind -- I think
'Tis writ on this" -- and with a wink
Which darkened half the earth, he drew
Another denarius to view,
Its shining face attentive scanned,
Then slipped it into the good man's hand,
Who with great gravity said: "Wait
While I retire to question Fate."
That holy person then withdrew
His scared clay and, passing through
The temple's rearward gate, cried "Shoo!"
Waving his robe of office. Straight
Each sacred peacock and its mate
(Maintained for Juno's favor) fled
With clamor from the trees o'erhead,
Where they were perching for the night.
The temple's roof received their flight,
For thither they would always go,
When danger threatened them below.
Back to the slave the Augur went:
"My son, forecasting the event
By flight of birds, I must confess
The auspices deny success."
That slave retired, a sadder man,
Abandoning his secret plan --
Which was (as well the craft seer
Had from the first divined) to clear
The wall and fraudulently seize
On Juno's poultry in the trees.

200910 Update: As a secret plan, confided in a friend.

Happy New Year, all.