#shalloon

[libidomechanica]

“Shout their language is wratheritor Chargd, that”

” She whole; sheet, and did languages, that tents no lone.     To placed Who harden great learned in what yours in Essence. In their seal the dear thee. Thought     the with and the on her hows how d’

ye so; he goal, stead what is gains rose, where insnare     the know I propose groan, a kid, for a betrayne. You but where vats, but when such Rage to     expir’d upon anothere I leaves

the laid her love it no more sex’s pleast harbour bodies     wilfully self appear’d by the few what whispends of woman we we sea, which into     the Pray’d in that came I dream-

whisperson’s There on me; herefore—Oh! Shout their language     is wratheritor Charg’d, that you made that herse, cours is a Jest ⸻ nay parissogram.     Not sleeping apace and tries of my

hired—but now was should hard smell’s so for hands bend     and openses, each, dark, his my mind, as ask with a momen useless asks And euer roar:     but but of this pities ancies, evil

his Charious come Fernall: now the sun whom the     bone-dry certain Wings o’er; or ignorangling hope it ever cavalier. Then if thete     of day, a duteously price yeuen: t

is with these from e’er tumbling my small for plan: the     nevery of woman: withdrew by always and ther, arm; beside, and particult, yet     awa. Elbows, and Antonia

mass’s edge secondition glass it go. What charmore,     nor such severywhere to she fore, one smile, and of some truth enlight, what she stand—and     potention—canst command Philosophies

I never! With melance, werents. As th’     unseen, And the the teeth but love seem pale era’s fame, perhaps and prank up, to Heav’ns with     mark of Cypresses were went to wrong.

With a huntinue goat, and gave me to Fate flies, it     man Papersuaded into hath imprehead, with Crabbe that least, yet where; while canst the flew.     At on their spouses no more to thy

plight, such betterer still I shalloons none. Now joined     involving, doth when such othere, that than I ever, sure of ever gently infantal     star alone How greedings her cheere

Donna Julia’s amisse. I will sat. And bids arm,     whils turn of the house I did it friend, and hat a weep baking durst, thee, to here There     And all him, th’ Importitude.

[profamer]

The Origins of - Shalloon: Originally manufactured at Chalons in France. #english #ingles

The Origins of – Shalloon: Originally manufactured at Chalons in France. #english #ingles

Originally manufactured at Chalons in France. Source: Phrases and Names Their Origins and Meanings by Trench H. Johnson Thank you for visiting EL4E.com Tomorrows phrase or name will be Devonshire Square.

[marryat92]

The fabrics of Marryat's world

One of the things that stands out to me, as a twenty-first century reader of Captain Marryat, are his many references to specific textiles and fabrics. Part of that could be from his reputation as a man of fashion; but I suspect that it's mostly a reflection of the world he inhabited, full of bespoke clothing and aware of its value. (As Frank Mildmay said, "A tailor's bill you may avoid by crossing the channel; but the duns of conscience follow you to the antipodes, and will be satisfied.")

A hated assistant teacher in Jacob Faithful is identified by his coat of shalloon:

I have little further to say of Mr. Knapps, except that he wore a black shalloon loose coat; on the left sleeve of which he wiped his pen, and upon the right, but too often, his ever-snivelling nose.

The materials glossary in Handbook of English Costume in the 19th Century by C. Willett and Phillis Cunnington defines shalloon as, "A loosely woven worsted stuff, twilled on both sides."

In Poor Jack, the title character's mother is an ambitious businesswoman, who dresses her daughter to the best of her abilities and neglects her son. One character comments on this:

Does your mother make plenty of money by clear-starching? I know your sister had a spotted muslin frock on last Sunday, and that must have cost something. [...] Your mother dresses your sister in spotted muslin, and leaves you in rags

A spotted muslin dress for a child in the Victoria & Albert Museum collection, made c. 1800-1805.

This extant dress is embroidered with tambour work, noted as a pastime of well-bred young ladies in Japhet in Search of a Father ("Cecilia, my dear, show your tambour work to Mr. Newland, and ask him his opinion. Is it not beautiful, Mr. Newland?")

In Marryat’s world, textiles are named: kerseymere breeches, cambric handkerchiefs, cotton-net pantaloons. The cotton-net pantaloons are specifically mentioned in three of Marryat's novels: Peter Simple, Japhet in Search of a Father, and Poor Jack.

Names for textiles have changed over time, and I wonder if what Marryat calls "cotton-net" is synonymous with stockinette? ("[Pantaloons] were usually of stockinette or semi-elastic material," says Handbook of English Costume in the 19th Century). As much as Regency gentlemen wore some very suggestive clothing, I don't think they wore pants of sheer netting.

Still, one character in Poor Jack is showing off a lot of pantaloons in his (unfortunately) body-conscious choice of fabric:

Mr. Cobb was remarkable in his dress. Having sprung up to the height of at least six feet in his stockings, he had become remarkably thin and spare; and the first idea that struck you when you saw him was, that he was all pantaloons—for he wore blue cotton net tight pantaloons; and his Hessian boots were so low, and his waistcoat so short, that there was at least four feet, out of the sum total of six, composed of blue cotton net, which fitted very close to a very spare figure.

"Pentalon à la hussarde" in the collection of the Paris Musées (and on a more ideal figure).

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Monday 2 [3] August 1840

4 ½

10 ¼

had slept well – very rainy morning – took off pelisse and with a wet towel (with water out of my wicker covered bottle) made face and neck and arms comfortable – fed my horse with bread he would not eat yesterday and sat watching him and the weather (the rain) – fresh round cake gūaleĕ (in Russian Crōōglĕe) and plenty of milk for us both and breakfast over at 6 ¾ - Kelossan ne chorosho – would not give the servants anything – one ab. = ./20 silver quite enough said Adam for the hay last night and this morning for the 9 horses; and 2 ab. quite enough (ōtshen davolna) for all the bread milk and eggs and a little wine (gave the remainder this morning to the servants) we had had of the Kazāina (woman of the house – Kelossans’ wife) – gave her ./50 silver for which she kissed my hand bowed low and seemed very thankful – the lower the bent, the greater the respect and in this case satisfaction – the room was much abated – almost abated but put on A- her burca 1st time and I my mackintosh over my other (light black shalloon or tammy) cloak as usual – and off from Drŏnōrĭsă at 8 ¼ - quite fair in about ½ hour or less threw off my mackintosh – apparently 1 20/.. hour before we get back into the direct road to Koutaïs – all the way thro’ thick young wood, and bad steep ascent till after 10 and then steep bad narrow  track till at 11 5/.. wood unparapetted narrow bridge over Lechidāĭ little thick red rapid enough stream – very hot and humid – gave up raining about 8 ¾ - Sun and hot now at 11 10/.. standing on the little narrow bridge – very steep narrow lane

winding and bad ascent up immediately from the bridge thro’ wood up on to plateau or assisse or terrace of the hill above – about ½ way up the white baggage horse tumbles down and from 11 25/.. to 12 getting her up etc. divided the baggage – left the horse and the Jew with her, and went up ½ hour farther to opener part and larger plateau of the hillside and there halted at 12 ½ to give the horses [?] to pasture (Adam said there was neither hay nor barley at the next village Ojōla) and in fact to rest poor Adam tired and en nage and to give the Jew time to get up to us which he he did and brought the horse – afterwards obliged to leave it by the way an agreed with a peasant to take it to Koutaïs for 4ab. – no joke being without him for Adam has no sinecure of it where all to drive – I ate ripe good blackberries – century scattered on the hill – the little low pretty pink flower just like the herb for drying for antiscorbutic tea for Marian I remember to have gathered aet. 12 on the wolds above Market W-‘s while I gathered blackberries my horse lay down rather spoilt the top of my wicker covered Swiss Guides’ bottle and lost the Baku Shekmareff cork – sought it in vain – lay down on my burca etc. on the grass under the tree (oak?) and slept instead of writing till now 2 10/.. – our route this morning and all around a labyrinth of thickly wooded comby valleys = off again at 2 40/.. – crossed the Lekhĭdārĭ again at 3 50/.. – about 5 both our baggage horses dead tired left George to take care of the baggage with Jew and Guide, and A- and I and the Cossack rode forwards to the village, and Adam came with us on foot – has walked all the way today – the Cossack rides the little chesnut botcha horse – luckily the village (Ojōla) not far – arrived at 5 25/.. – very picturesque very scattered – hardly visible even at a little distance – the houses (farmsteads) hid in trees – rode up to the picturesque place of the Kelossan – good people – A- and I settled at once in the Ŏtăch (gallery) of a little storehouse or what? our otach about 12x8ft. – and we were very comfortable – luckily the baggage horses arrived just as we were sending off A-‘s horse and the Cossacks’ to meet them – no horses here – all soon arranged – and I bought 2 nice chickens etc. of the Kelossan, and ordered bread and milk and eggs and the chickens to be done à la Georgienne with kindzi –

2 chickens and about 1 gill new milk 0.15 silver

1 batman cucurus (no barley here) 0.25

bread eggs wine etc. gave additional 0.10

1 pōoree such as we had at Abana worth says Adam (Tchōorĕk in Russian) 4 or 5 grosh = 8 or 10 paras and 5 paras = ./4 cop. kop. eggs are 2 grosh a piece at Koutaïs –

Supper over about 9 ½ 2 great portions of gôuri gave one to Adam kept one for my horse (after tasting my gôuri) the chickens served in a sort of broth very salt but fragrant of Kindzi (coriander) and good the 3 round cakes gŭāleĕ (in Russian Crōōglĕe) excellent – a jug of light red agreeable wine of which A- drank 3 or 4 of her little glasses 2/3 full, and we then filled a quart wine bottle – gave Adam 2 of A-‘s little glasses full and there was still to spare – A- had her about gill+ of milk – excellent supper – gave the rest of the chickens to the servants – excellent supper – took off pelisse and lay down in my chelat at 10 ¼ - very fine day but rain about 6 and rainy evening –

[the-deeds-to-shibden]

Monday 3 August 1840

[Anne misdated this entry as Monday 2 August]

[up at] 4 1/2

[to bed at] 10 1/4

had slept well – very rainy morning – took off pelisse and with a wet towel (with water out of my wicker covered bottle) made face and neck and arms comfortable – fed my horse with bread he would not eat yesterday and sat watching him and the weather (the rain) – fresh round cake gūālĕe (in Russian crōōglĕe) and plenty of milk for us both and breakfast over at 6 3/4 – kelossan ne chorosho – would not give the servants anything – one abasse = ./20 silver quite enough said Adam for the hay last night and this morning for the 9 horses; and 2 abasses quite enough (ōtchen davolna) for all the bread milk and eggs and a little wine (gave the remainder this morning to the servants) we had had of the kazāina (woman of the house – kelossan’s wife) – gave her ./50 silver for which she kissed my hand bowed low and seemed very thankful – the lower the bow, the greater the respect and in this case satisfaction – the rain was much abated – almost abated but put on Ann her burca 1st time and I my mackintosh over my other (light black shalloon of tammy) cloak as usual – and off from Drŏnōrĭsă at 8 1/4 – quite fair in about 1/2 hour or less and threw off my mackintosh – apparently 1 20/.. hour before we get back into the direct road to Koutaïs – all the way thro’ thick young wood, and bad steep ascent till after 10 and the steep bad narrow track till at 11 5/.. wood unparapetted narrow bridge over Lekhidārĭ little thick red rapid enough stream – very hot and humid – gave up raining about 8 3/4 – Sun and hot now at 11 10/.. standing on the little narrow wood bridge – very steep narrow lane winding and bad ascent up immediately from the bridge thro’ wood up on to the little plateau or assisse or terrace of hill above – about 1/2 way up the white baggage horse tumbles down and from 11 25/.. to 12 getting her up etc. divided the baggage – left the horse and the Jew with her, and went up 1/2 hour farther to opener part and larger plateau of the hill side and there halted at 12 1/2 to give the horses time to pasture (Adam said there was neither hay nor barley at the next village Ojōla) and in fact to rest poor Adam tired and en nage and to give the jew time to get up to us which he he /Anne’s repetition/ did and brought the horse – afterwards obliged to leave it by the way and agreed with a peasant to take it to Koutaïs for 4 abasses – no joke being without him for Adam has no sinecure of it when all to drive – 

I ate ripe good blackberries – centaury scattered on the hill – the little low pretty pink flower just like the herb for drying for antiscorbutic tea for Marian I remember  to have gathered aetatis 12 on the wolds above Market Weighton – while I gathered blackberries my horse lay down rather spoilt the top of my wicker covered Swiss guide’s bottle and lost the Baku Shekmareff cork – sought it in vain – lay down on my burca etc. on the grass under the tree (oak?) and slept instead of writing till now 2 10/.. – our route this morning and all around a labyrinth of thickly wooded comby valleys   off again at 2 40/.. – crossed the Lekhĭdārĭ again at 3 50/.. – about 5 both our baggage horses dead tired left George to take care of the baggage with Jew and guide, and Ann and I and the Cossack rode forwards to the village, and Adam came with us on foot – has walked all the way today – the Cossack rides the little chestnut botcha horse – lucky the village (Ojōla) not far – arrived at 5 25/.. – very picturesque very scattered – hardly visible even at a little distance – the houses (farmsteads) hid in trees – rode up to the picturesque place of the kelossan – good people – Ann and I settled at once in the Ōtăch (gallery) of a little store house or what? our otach about 12 x 8 feet – and we were very comfortable – luckily the baggage horses arrived just as we were sending off Ann’s horse and the Cossack’s to meet them – no horses here – all soon arranged – and I bought 2 nice chickens etc. of the kelossan, and ordered bread and milk and eggs and the chickens to be done à la Georgienne with kindzi –

                                                                       silver

2 chickens and about 1 gill new milk             0.15

1 batman cucurus (no barley here)                0.25

bread eggs wine etc. gave additional      .      0.10

1 pōōree such as we had at Abana worth says Adam (Tchōōrĕk in Russian) 4 or 5 grosh – 8 or 10 paras and 5 paras = ./4 copper kopecks   eggs are 2 grosh a piece at Koutaïs –

supper over about 9 1/2 2 great portions of gômi gave one to Adam kept one for my horse (after tasting my gômi) – the chickens served in a sort of broth very salt but fragrant of kindzi (Coriander) and good   the 3 round cakes gŭālĕe (in Russian crōōglĕe) excellent – a jug of light red agreeable wine of which Ann drank 3 or 4 of her little glasses 2/3 full, and we then filled a quart wine bottle – gave Adam 2 of Ann’s little glasses full and there was still to spare – Ann had her about gill+ of milk – excellent supper – gave the rest of the chickens to the servants – excellent supper – took off pelisse and lay down in my chelat at 10 1/4 – very fine day but rain about 6 and rainy evening –

 WYAS page:  SH:7/ML/E/24/0170

[wlw-create]

I feel like I should give you a heads up/apologize in advance, I'm about to submit a bunch of posts all in a row, but I think what you are doing with this blog is really cool! I'm still working at a comics store and I've been compiling a list of contemporary LGBT+ comics so this topic has also been at the top of my mind.

Thank you! We are so thrilled to have submissions! ^w^

[anne-lister-adventures]

Sunday, 12 April 1840

6 10/’’

10 5/’’

Ground covered with snow – But Reaumur 10º on the table close to my sofa bed at 6 1/4 – All ready and breakfast at 7 20/’’ to 8 – Did not sleep – Stomach very cold – Got up – Relighted candle – Took a teaspoonful of brandy about before one and afterwards slept till 6 having wrapt China crepe shall and shalloon cloak round my stomach – 

1/2 hour’s pother in paying our Persian Maître de Poste – At last counted all out separately in Silver – Pragoni i.e. pay for the horses, for the borrowed wheel one S.[Silver] R.[Ruble] and for greasing 40 S.[Silver] K.[Kopek] till even the Courier said it was too much and the man then returned the 15 S.[Silver] K.[Kopek] and took 25 S.[Silver] K.[Kopek] as paid before – He then saw that, as I had told him, he lost 46 1/2 Kopek cuivre by his pother and making me pay in Silver – Both George and the Courier laughed and the man himself laughed and asked for a pour boire – No! said I – But you will know me better another time and I will give you something then – Not now – I am glad you have paid for all this pother – Then gave an additional 10 S.[Silver] K.[Kopek] to the soldier of the house making 60 S.[Silver] K.[Kopek] instead of the 50 I should otherwise have given – This seemed to give great satisfaction as turning the laugh doubly against our Persian – The about 1 good English gill of milk we had last night gone sourish this morning = 15 S.[Silver] K.[Kopek] – Ccarce and dear here – 

Off from Dushet (pronounced Dōōshĭt) at 8 50/’’ – Clouds hanging over the mountains – But fine back view upon the largeish good looking Town and its large squary castle-like fortress, and the portico of its long earth covered flat roofed Gastinoi Dvor, and little white Gurien church and old ruined square Tower at some little distance on the hill side above – The brick church not quite finished but that will be handsome is Armenian – And close to the church are some goodish houses building à la Russe – One finished with gallery round au 1er[premier] looks neat and comfortable – 

A street or 2 in progress – And the underground curious old Gurien cottages will a few years hence be replaced by neat Russian cottages and houses – Went into one last night – Descended into the sunk porch (inclined plain no steps) then a sort of kitchen – Then a middle room to put things away in, then the 3d.[3rd] and sleeping room – 3 breadths of carpet on the floor and a fire place – Thick gravelled road over all these cottages that carts go over – One could not imagine houses beneath – No light but from the sunk porch, and from one little round hole in the top of the sleeping room opposite the porch – 

In the kitchen was the oven at the end on the right (on entering) like an English 40 gallon iron brewing pan sunk up to its brim – They make wood a fire in this and cover it over – Then take out the fire when the sides are red hot – Put in the cakes ant they are baked in 10 minutes – But inquire more about this at Tiflis – 

Smoking Semovars in the Gastinoi Dvor and soldiers drinking hot mead looking tea without milk in the shops (Gastinoi Dvor) much natural rock salt in large pieces of greyish spar-like rock – Eggs – Mutton fat (Tallow) much small bacon – Persian dried large prunes and cherries and salts and the bean (small kidney, reddish) one has seen everywhere from Astracan here – Onion tops, and rice (not real rice said George groom here) – Cotton printed handkerchiefs and narrow white cloths linen or cotton – But the most striking are the wine shops – The bullock hides, en outre, apparently hair left on inside full of red wine sold at -/20 Kopek en cuivre per about an English pint – One shop quite Élégante had a bottle of Donskoi champagne-wise and ditto ditto Tiflis wine at 1/40 the bottle assignats or 40 S.[Silver] K.[Kopek] or 2 Georgian abash –

Off from Duchet at 8 50/’’ – The handsome square fort, a round tower at corner, at a little distance left as we ascended the down-like hill – The handsome looking white monastery at a considerable on the hill behind us to the right – Duchet stands well and picturesquely on the side of the hill in the largeish fine open valley – The Town on one side the valley the fortress on the other – 

The castle at Dusheti, which is probably what Anne calls a “castle”.

Our road a sort of field-road up and over the hill top a high plateau of good land between wooded hills near left – Considerable distance right – descend (but keep high up along the right side) into nice high valley and at 9 40/’’ – Picturesque old round Tower and 2d.[2nd] village and reed thatched village (probably there are under ground cottages not seen?) and stream with rather broadish bouldery bed – Capital land on the high plateau and all along – They might grow anything but barley the chief corn at Duchet and all round about – Saw some in winnowing last night it looked pretty fair – Tolerably plump grained and very clean – Thrown up in a shovel, and the wind winnowed it in falling – 

At 9 40/’’ our 2d.[2nd] village on knoll at head of this charming little valley – The 1st poor or less was at the verge of the high plateau – 1st vines at this our 2d.[2nd] village in the bottom – High sticks or rice props and some transomed supports as at Astracan –

But soon after here the bottom full of wood – Pollard oaks or willows or what and brush and tangle and bouldery stream – Soon after 2d.[2nd] village gather yellow St. John’s wort like flowers (5 petals and many stamina) and little pink hepaticas and smell less violets and cowslips – And at 10 Descend into main valley the fine valley of our Aragna (which we had left after Ananoor, and see again now 1st time) – 

On each side beautifully sillonné rounded wooded hill – Broad bouldery streamy river – Wind along with the river close left on its high perpendicular conglomerate gravel bank and at 10 35/’’ make an elbow to the right into the now still wider valley of our Aragna – A fine broad bouldery streamy river occasionally in one good stream – 

At 10 40/’’ pass a little rather Russian like wood cottage or farm right, and at 11 7/’’ little village of huts in basin-like opening out of valley and neat white plastered little Government Station House – Little drizzling rain now and for the last 1/2 hour – 2 feet deep of capital warp soil shewn over the high conglomerate bank of river – All the trees all along our valleys lopped higher or lower – Our great valley (Val d’Aragna) a mile broad? 

No horses at Tortiskar – Our wheel to send back and to our own 3 ‘il faut mettre des bracelets’! – Till now 12 3/4 have just written all but the 1st 3 lines of today – Coolish air and clouds darkish – Threatening rain? Great many of the queer elephantic camel-gaited cattle hereabouts they hold their heads poking forward and walk very much in the camel-style – Got out of the Kibitka to look about me – A few drops of light rain which however soon blew off – Government House – One might sleep here very well – A good room front one on each side the door for travellers – And the back rooms for the family – 

Longish job of paying – 2 S.[Silver] R.[Rubles] for repairing the wheel pour mettre les bracelets 2 or 3 thin shreds of lead-like iron that were worth very little and the Maître de P.[Poste] would have 2 S.[Silver] R.[Rubles] for the loan of his wheel (which he would not sell for 20 S.[Silver] R.[Rubles] tho’ it hardly lasted us to Tiflis) – Necessary – Nothing to be said – 

Off at 1 31/’’ – Magnificent – (vide + and ≠ above) The opening out is another wider valley from East to West that traverses our Valley d’Aragna something like the diagram as I do it from memory now Monday 13 April 6 p.m. at Tiflis the little o meant to represent the Station House on a knoll in the neck of the transversal valley and to reach which we crossed over little wood bridge and stream just below the house and amid Georgian (Gurien) ground-huts –

How many always difficult to tell and they are so like the ground itself – Soon after leaving the basin-like opening our road a deepish cut thro’ indurated sand, and then thro’ hard sand rock – Like my Bairstow quarry sandstone and at 1 50/’’ pass under the old ruined castle Prēajnēa Krepost, (Prēēajnēēa Krēēăpost) close left, and at 1 55/’’ Georgian church (Byzantine) very pretty and picturesque near right, and walled monastery at a little distance left, and wood bridge over the broad shallow bouldery river and on high point of ridge of hill just above very picturesque old castle – Valley here little more than road and river – 200 yards broad? – 

Alight at the monastery at 2 to 2 55/’’ – They call it Nānt-Shĕt – Vide p.[page] 113. Mtsketha line 9 from the bottom –

‘The fortress remains’ – The old walls are with an old remain of Tower or 2 are very picturesque from without, but as to fortress all is ruin within, as was till lately the fine old Cathedral; but now it is all under repair, the exterior finished, and the interior will be this summer – Except on close examination, and seeing the few morsels of ancient sculpture carefully spared, it is like a handsome new church in the old Byzantine style standing amid a mass of ruins – 

In some of the old building within and up against the old fortress walls are several Gurien families of peasants and labourers, living in comparative darkness as usual – They were shovelling very decent brown wheat (rather long and thin in the grain) down a round hole not more than 18 to 22 in.[inches] in diameter into a granary in the ground – So near full of corn I could not judge of the depth – No entrance – No way of getting the corn out again but by the round hole – How this savours of remote antiquity! If one is perpetually reminded of ancient usages in the Pyrenees, much more is one reminded of them here – The houses, ovens sunk in their house-floors, dress (the bourka) – Cattle-skin outres of wine let out at one of the legs, boats scooped out of the trunks of large trees – Are surely sheeps fleece without and felt within, impenetrable to rain, is surely the very same one sees on ancient medals thrown over all the heroes of old who used to wear it as they do here with its opening turned from the storm be it in front at the back or on either shoulder – 

Among the old sculpture of the Cathedral St. George and the Dragon – Over the Great East window a Greek eagle – A Tiger – 

Eagle and tiger detail from the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. (Image source).

And below 2 horse-heads – Several mouldings of cornices and of window frames and doors &c. of very well done tracery cruciform flowers and lilies – Angels – 

More details from the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. (Image source).

2 birds eating (something like, in the style of, the diagram? but well done – I had no time to make any sketch on the spot) –

There always among the flowers the sun flower or what we call marigold? – One large window in the East end and on each side of it a deep empty niche nearly the whole heighth[height] up to the square of the roof – The first instance I have seen of this – Effect very striking and good – 

No entrance but at the West end with porch – They said the doors could not be opened – Went up to one of the 2 priests standing by – Took him by the arm – Held out my purse – The door opened – 

A nave and 2 narrow aisles a curious little old stone shrine-like little place in the South aisle where the relics are kept –

The whole of the interior has been painted in fresco on the South side opposite the dome is an old Zodiac with a boat instead of the Sign Pisces – The whole of the painting is to be renewed the new to be an exact copy of the old – 

The zodiac fresco, after restoration. Photo by Diego Delso, delso.photo, License CC-BY-SA. (Image Source)

Over the East end – Over the Sanctum Sanctorum is a chapel as also over the West end a small ditto a 1/2 length figure of one covers the whole East end included in the chapel which seems to take up 1/2 the whole height of the building – This gigantic painting is very striking, and the effect is good – It is the first instance of the kind I ever saw – 

The gigantic fresco Anne mentions. (Image Source)

The church is dimly but sufficiently lighted principally from the dome, a 16 sided Tower? with a long lancet window in each side – Effect very good dehors – Did not sufficiently notice it within – Must go again? 

55 minutes there – Long for post horses to wait – In the cottage we went into the people dining – Some sort of greens (onion sprouts? they are sold in all the shops) and the large dried Persian cherries and some sort of bit of meat? 2 strong tree post supported the heavy beams that carried the straw spars that carried the earth covered roof and left a hole in the centre of the room over the bit of fire for the smoke to escape – A pair of large stags horns nailed to each post and on the antlers narrow boards laid across for shelves think of this at Shibden – Gamba says there are 200 houses here – Probably – It is a large Gurien city – 

Off from the cathedral at 2 55/’’ – Walked down the steep pitch, along the rock-girt Kur which here at right angles pours it deeper narrower stream into the Aragna and runs in its course and drowns its name in that of Kur – ‘Tis here just above the junction that one crosses the Aragna by the long good wooden bridge that certainly shews no trace of Pompey (vide p.[page] 113) – 

The remains of Pompey’s Bridge, Mtsketha. (Image Source)

Wine shop and one of the large outres lying on its back the 4 legs sticking up, and from one a glass of red wine pouring out – Then tied up again – George says the hair is left on inside and this covered with pitch or the skin would not hold – A bloated red dead cow or ox was lying in the Kur – George declared the skin would be made into an outre – Was it merely the skin lying macerating in the water by way of preparat? 

On the strand of the Kur at its junction with the A-[Aragna] lay 3 of the river boats – Cut out of the trunks of immense oak trees (I think) 2 of them pitched inside and outside the other merely hollowed adzed out, and not yet pitched – I think they 4 or 5 yards long and the narrowest 2 ft.[feet] wide of hollow at the top – The largest 2ft.[feet] 6 in.[inches] or more? – 

Off from the bridge at 3 – At 3 1/4 valley sand rocky and bare and 9 Troglodite houses in the sand rock right, and right bank of Kur, not far from us, and at some distance ahead (left) a sort of little alum bay (Isle of Wight) different coloured strata of sand but not quite so perpendicular -

Crowned with low building which afterwards seemed to be a low ruined square tower – Kur like Calder between Salterhebble and Elland as to breadth white greenish muddy stream close right deepish here at 3 1/4 between its highish rock banks – But soon after widens into broad bouldery stream between low banks of sand at 3 1/2 our bracelets des roues coming off – 

Stopped a minute or 2 to hammer up, and tie on with rope! – As we have done before – And at 3 40/’’ at old ruined square castle and village 12 v.[versts] from Tiflis – Probably Mtsketha is about 6 v.[versts] from Tortiskar and ∴[therefore] about 21 v.[versts] from Tiflis – And Tiflis in sight at 4 35/’’ – Descend – 

At 5 5/’’ shew podorojna – At 5 13/60 cross the river – Somehow our drivers take us one way and George driven him another, and before he could come to us our stupid fellows had had us all but on the ground a parcel of men in the street prevented and heaved us up again, and then tried to turn instead of backing – Broke the fore axle main bolt – That the near fore wheel under the carriage the shaft horse down and we had a terrible to do during which George came – He walked with us and the servants Kibitka followed to the Inn (came in at 5 40/’’) we took our rooms one large and 3 smaller one at 2 1/2 Silver Rubles a day, and he then went back to Nikolai – We went out in 3 or 4 minutes just as they had got our Kibitka to the door and thrown it over and broke off the door – Left with George -/70 for his driver – Would give ours nothing – They had done too much mischief sauntered about to the little fountain and peeped in at the gate of a nice large garden near the fountain – Curious – interesting – To us novel Eastern-like Town – 

A view of Tiflis in the 19th century. (Image Source).

Came in at 6 20/’’ – Tea at 7 25/’’ to 8 50/’’ – Had Domna – All the skin will come off her face in consequence of passing the mountains to Kaishaur (Kāsh-ă-ŏŏr), and her head is rather swollen, and she complains of much headache – Sat reading Dubois till 9 3/4 – 

Finish day for the drizzling rain did not last long and the few drops at 4 p.m. blew off – Whistling wind tonight, and oddish smell of damp? in our large cold, 6 windowed (single windows very far from air-tight) room – Something with the stove flue – Could not have a fire till tomorrow – Reaumur 7 1/2º on my table where I sat writing at 9 3/4 p.m. ∴[therefore] did not venture to undress, but taking of gown and shoes thick over stockings slept flannel jacket and in my Chelat as usual when we cannot regularly undress, and as we have done from Astracan to Kislar[Kizlyar] and from K-[Kizlyar] to Vladicavkas and from V-[Vladicavkas] to here – still cold enough –

[symbols in the margin of the page:]         +          ≠          +

[in the margin of the page:]            Dushet

[in the margin of the page:]            Cottage

[in the margin of the page:]            oven

[in the margin of the page:]            Mead, i.e., hot water and honey

[in the margin of the page:]            1 Abash = 20 Silver Kopek

[in the margin of the page:]            Mtsketha

[in the margin of the page:]            vide p.[page] 113.

[in the margin of the page:]            Mtsketha cathedral

[in the margin of the page:]            Granary

[in the margin of the page:]            All savours of antiquity

[in the margin of the page:]            Bourka

[in the margin of the page:]            Gigantic painting of Xst[Christ]

[in the margin of the page:]            16 sided dome?

[in the margin of the page:]            Shelves on the antlers of stag’s horns for Shibden

[in the margin of the page:]            vide p.[page] 113

[in the margin of the page:]            Outre

[in the margin of the page:]            Boats

 Page References: SH:7/ML/E/24/0082 and SH:7/ML/E/24/0083 and SH:7/ML/E/24/0084

[iafayettes]

do you know what Hamilton's artillery group wore? (if you don't its totally ok!)

To make uniforms that matched John Lamb’s artillery company,Hamilton paid :

£89 11s for 149 yards of ‘blue Strouds’ (course woollen fabric)

£14 7s 6d for 88 yards of ‘blue Shalloon’ (lightweight twilled fabric)

£8 for lining

£8 3s 4d for ‘Oznabrigs’ (course linen)

£25 16s 4d for 4, 416 buttons

£39 14s 9d for various other cloth, thread, etc

£2 15s 10d for ‘Commissions which the State paid for purchasing the Goods’

He later paid a tailor £34 13s 9d for making clothes for hiscompany, and also ordered ‘Buckskin Breeches’ for the men. Each man from thecompany was also allowed a frock as a bounty.

A 1911 painting of ‘New York Artillery Company. Captain John Lamb. 1775’ by Charles MacKubin Lefferts

[libidomechanica]

Untitled (“To our fallen moon his the day”)

The fine head tendence our poison. But me; and I diver. To our fallen moon his the day. I waned, with he, and hilly spied to eat Prince, ’ asked to morwe! I mouth disports a bore a warble. Shall renaissable table leche that my worth grey take mights are on my hour. Whence and love you. And streath, and saw me, and lush and not light, do not goodness name, and somethink how slayn gray shalloon after love, but gods are think no what she trace.

[profamer]

The Origins of - Tearless Victory: Plutarch in his “Lives” gave this name to the great victory won by Archimandus, . . . #english #ingles

The Origins of – Tearless Victory: Plutarch in his “Lives” gave this name to the great victory won by Archimandus, . . . #english #ingles

Plutarch in his “Lives” gave this name to the great victory won by Archimandus, King of Sparta, over the Arcadians and Argives, B.C. 367, without the loss of a single Spartan soldier. Source: Phrases and Names Their Origins and Meanings by Trench H. Johnson Thank you for visiting EL4E.com Tomorrows phrase or name will be Shalloon.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Sunday 12 April 1840

6 10/..

10 5/..

Ground covered with snow – but R10° on the table close to my sofa bed at 6 ¼ - all ready and breakfast at 7 20/.. to 8 – did not sleep – stomach very cold – got up – relighted candle – took a teaspoonful of brandy about before one and afterwards slept till 6 having wrapt china crepe shall and shalloon cloak round my stomach – ½ hours’ porther in paying our Persian maître de poste – at last counted all out separately in silver – pragoni i.e. pay for the horses, for the borrowed wheel our S.R. and for greasing 40 S.K. till even the courier said it was too much and the man then returned the 15 S.K. and took 25 S.K. as paid before – he then saw that, as I had told him, he lost 46 ½ kopper [?] by his pother and making me pay in silver – both George and the courier laughed and the man himself laughed and asked for a pour boire – no! said I – but you will know me better another time and I will give you something then – not now – I am glad you have paid for all this pother – then gave an additional 10 S.K. to the soldier of the house making 60 S.K. instead of the 50 I should otherwise have given – this seemed to give great satisfaction as turning the laugh doubly against our Persian – the about 1 good English gill of milk we had last night gone sourish this morning = 15 S.K. – scarce and dear here – Off from Dushet [Dusheti] (pronounced Dōōshĕt) at 8 50/.. – clouds hanging over the mountains – but fine back view upon the largeish good looking town and its large squarry castle-like fortress, and the portico of its earth covered flat roofed long Gastinoi [Gostiny] Dvor, and little white Gurien church and old ruined square tower at some little distance on the hill side above – the brick church not quite finished but that will be handsome is Armenian – and close to the church are some goodish houses building à la Russe – one finished with gallery round au 1er. looks neat and comfortable – a street or 2 in progress – and the under ground curious old Gurien cottages will a few years hence be replaced by neat Russian cottages and houses – went into one last night – descended into the sunk porch (inclined plan no steps) then a sort of kitchen – then a middle room to put things away in, then the 3rd and sleeping room – 3 breadths of carpet on the floor and a fire place – thick gravelled rood over all these cottages that carts go over – one could not imagine houses beneath – no light but from the sunk porch, and from one little round in the top hole of the sleeping room and opposite the porch – in the kitchen was the oven at the end on the right (on entering) like an English 40 gallon iron brewing pan sunk up to its brim – they make a wood fire in this and cover it over – then take out the fire when the sides are red hot – put in the Cakes and they are baked in 10 minutes – but inquire more about this at Tiflis – Smoking semovars in the Gastinoi [Gostiny] Dvor and soldiers drinking hot mead looking tea without milk in the shops (Gastinoi [Gostiny] Dvor) much nature rock salt in large pieces of Grayish spar-like rock mutton fat (tallow) – eggs – much small bacon – Persian dried large prunes and cherries and [?] and the bean  (small kidney, reddish) one has seen everywhere from Astracan [Astrakhan’] here onion tops and rice (not real rice said George grown here) – cotton printed handkerchiefs and narrow white cloths linen on cotton – but the most striking are the wine shops – the bullock hides, en outré, apparently hair left on inside full of red wine sold at ./20 kopper en cuivre per about an English pint – one shop quite élégante had a bottle of Donskoi champagne-wise and ditto ditto Tiflis wine at 1/40 the bottole assignats or 40 S.K. or 2 Gerogian abash  

Off from Duchet [Dusheti] at 8 50/.. – the handsome square fort, around tower at corner, at a little distance left as we ascended the down-like hill – the handsome looking white monastery at a considerable on the hill behind us to the right – Duchet [Dusheti] stands well and picturesquely on the side of the hill in the largeish fine open valley – the town on one side the valley the fortress on the other – our road a sort of field-road up and over the hill top a high plateau of good land between wooded hills near left considerable distance right – descend (but keep high up along the right side) into nice high valley and at 9 40/.. – picturesque old tower and 2nd village round and reed thatched village (probably there are [?] ground cottages not seen?) and stream with rather broadish bouldery bed – Capital land on the high plateau and all along – they might grown anything but barley the chief corn at Duchet [Dusheti] and all round about – in winnowing saw some last night – it looked pretty fair – tolerably plump grained and very clean – trown [thrown] up in a shovel, and the wind winnowed it in falling – at 9 40/.. in 2nd village on knoll at head of this charming little valley – the 1st poor or less

was at the verge of the high plateau – 1t vines at this our 2nd village in the bottom – high sticks or vine props and some transomed supports as at Astracan [Astrakhan’] – but soon after here the bottom full of wood – pollard oaks or willodws or what and brush and tangle and bouldery stream – soon after 2nd village father yellow St. Johns’s [?] like flowers (5 petals and many stamina) and little pink hepaticas and smell less violets and cowslips – and at 10 Descend into main village the fine valley of our Aragna (which we had left after Ananoor [Ananuri], and see again now 1st time) – on each side beautifully sillonné rounded wooded hill – broad bouldery streamy river – wind along with the river close left on its high perpendicular conglomerate gravel bank and at 10 35/.. make an elbow to the right into the now still wider valley of our Aragna – a fine broad bouldery streamy river – occasionally in one good stream – at 10 40/.. pass a little rather Russian like wood cottage or farm right, and at 11 7/.. little village of huts in basin-like opening out of valley and neat white plastered little government station house -  little drizzling rain now and for the last ½ hour – 2ft. deep of capital warp soil shewn over the high conglomerate bank of river – all the trees all along our valleys lopped high or lower – one great valley (val d’Aragna) a mile broad? no horses at Tortiskar – our wheel to send back and take our own 3 “il faut mettre des bracelets”! – till now 12 ¾ have just written all but the 1st 3 lines of today – coolish air and clouds darkeish – threatening rain? great many of the queer elephantic camel-gaited cattle hereabouts they hold their heads poking forward and walk very much in the camel-style – got out of the kibitka to look about me – a few drops of light rain which however soon blew off – Government house one might sleep here very well – a good room front one on each side the door for travellers – and the back rooms for the family – longish job of paying – 2 S.R. for repairing the wheel pour mettre les bracelets 2 or 3 thin shreds of lead like iron that were worth very little and the maître de p. would have 2 S.R. for the loan of his wheel (which he would not sell for 20 S.R. tho’ it hardly lasted us to Tiflis) – necessary – nothing to be said – off at 1 31/.. – magnificent – (vid. + and # above the opening outis another wider valley from East to West that traverses our valley d’   Aragna something like the diagram as I do it from memory |now Monday 13 April 6 p.m. at Tiflis| the little meant to represent the station house on a knoll in the neck of the transversal valley and to reach which we crossed over little wood from and stream just below the house and amid Georgian (Gurien) ground-huts – how many always difficult to tell – they are so like the ground itself – soon after leaving the basin-like opening our road a deepish cut thro’ indurated sand, and then thro’ hard sand rock – like my Bairstow quarry sandstone and at 1 50/.. pass under the old ruined castle Prēajnēa Krepost, (prēēajnēēa Krēēăpost) close left, and at 1 55/.. Georgian church (Byzantine) very pretty and picturesque near right, and walled monastery at a little distance left, and wood bridge over the broad shallow bouldery river and on high point of ridge of hill just above very picturesque old castle - valley here little more than road and river – 200 yards broad? – alight at the monastery at 2 to 2 55/.. – they call it Nānt-shĕt – vid. p. 113 Mtsketha [Mtskheta]. line 9 from the bottom – “the fortress remains” – the old walls are

SH:7/ML/E/24/00083

with an old remain of tower or 2 are very picturesque from without, but as to fortress all is ruin within, as was till lately the fine old cathedral; but now it is all under repair, the exterior finished, and the interior will be this summer – Except on close examination, and seeing the few morsels of ancient sculpture carefully spared, it is like a handsome new church in the old Byzantine style standing amid a mass of ruins – In some of the old building within, and up against the old fortress walls are several Guerien families of peasants and labourers, living in comparative darkness as usual – they were shovelling very decent brown wheat (rather long and thin in the grain) down a round hole not more than 18 to 22 in. in diameter into a granary in the ground – so near full of corn I could not judge of the depth – no entrance – no way of getting the corn out again but by the round hole – How this savours of remote antiquity! If one is perpetually reminded of ancient usages in the Pyrenees, much more is one reminded of them here – the houses, ovens sunk in their house-floors, dress (the bourka) cattle-skin outres of wine let out at one of the legs, boats scooped out of the trunks of large trees – are surely the same as in the days of Homer – the bourka the picturesque short cloak, black or dark brown sheeps fleece without and felt within, impenetrable to rain, is surely the very same one sees on ancient medals thrown over all the heroes of old who used to wear it as either shoulder – among the old sculpture of the cathedral St. George and the Dragon – over the great east window a Greek Eagle – a tiger – and below 2 horse-heads – several mouldings and cornices of window frames and doors etc. of very well done tracery cruciform flowers and lilies – angels – 2 birds eating (something like, in the style of, the diagram? but well done – I had to time to make any sketch on the spot) – there always among the flowers the sunflower or what we call marigold? – one large window in the east end and on each side of it a deep empty niche nearly the whole height up to the square of the roof – the first instance I have seen of this – effect very striking and good – no entrance but at the west end with porch – they said the doors could not be opened – went up to one of the 2 priests standing by – took him by the arm – held out my purse – the door opened – a nave and 2 narrow aisles a curious little old stone shrine-like little place in the south aisle where the relics are kept – the whole of the interior has been painted in fresco – on the south side opposite the dome is an old Zodiac with a boat instead of the sign pieces – the whole of the painting is to be renewed the new to be an exact copy of the old – over the east end – over the sanctum sanctorum is a chapel as also over the west end a small ditto a ½ length figure of one cover the whole East end included in the chapel which seems to take up ½ the whole height of the building – this gigantic painting is very striking, the effect is good – it is the first instance of the kind I ever saw – the church is [?] but sufficiently lighted principally from the dome, a 16 sided tower? with a long lancet window in each side – effect

very good dehors – did not sufficiently notice it within – must go again? 55 minutes there – long for post horses to wait – in the cottage we went into the people dining – so sort of greens (onion spouts? they are sold in all the shops) and the large dried Persian cherries and some sort of bit of meat? 2 strong tree post supported the heavy beams that carried the strong spars that carried the Earth covered roof and left a hole in the centre of the room over the bit of fire for the smoke to escape – a pair of large stags horns nailed to each post and on the antlers narrow boards laid across for shelves think of this at Shibden – Gamba says there are 200 houses here – probable – it is a large Gurien city – off from the cathedral at 2 55/.. – walked down the steep pitch, along the rock-girt Kur which here at right angles pours it deeper narrower stream into the Aragna and runs in its course and drowns its name in that of Kur – ‘tis here just above the junction that one croses the Aragna

vid. p. 113 by the long good wooden bridge that certainly shews no trace of Pompey (vid. p. 113) – wine shop and cone of the large outres lying on its back the 4 [?] sticking up, and from one a glass of red wine pouring out – then tied up again – George says the hair is left on inside and this covered with pitch or the skin would not hold – a bloated red dead cow or ox was lying in the Kur – George declared the skin would not be made into an outré – was it merely the skin lying macerating in the water by way of preparation? on the strand of the Kur at its junction with the A- lay 3 of the river boats – cut out of the trunks of immense oak trees (I think) 2 of them pitched inside and outside the other merely hollowed adzed out, and that yet pitched – I think they 4 or 5 yards long and the narrowest 2ft. wide of hollow at the top – the largest 2ft. 6in. or more? – off from the bridge at 3 – at 3 ¼ valley sand rocky and bare and 9 troglodite houses in the sand rock right, and right bank of Kur, not far from us, and at some distance ahead (left) a sort of little alum bay (Isle of Wight) different coloured strata of sand but not quite so perpendicular - crowned with low building which afterwards seemed to be a low ruined square tower – Kur like Calder between Slaterhebble and Elland as to breadth white greenwish muddy stream close right deepish here at 3 ¼ between its highish rock banks – but soon after widens into broad bouldery stream between low banks of sand – at 3 ½ our bracelets des rones coming off – stopped a minute or 2 to hammer up and tie on with rope! – as we have done before – and at 3 40/.. at old ruined square castle and village 12v. from Tiflis – probably Mtsketha [Mtskheta] is about 6v. from Tortiskar and .:. about 21v. from Tiflis – and Tiflis in sight at 4 35/.. – descend – at 5 5/.. shew podorojna – at 5 13/60 cross the river – somehow our drivers take us one way and George’s driver [takes] him another, and before he could come to us our stupid fellows had had us all but on the ground a parcel of [?] in the street prevented and heaved us up again, and then tried to turn instead of backing – broke the fore axle main bolt – got the near fore wheel under the carriage the shaft horse down and we had a terrible to do during which George came – he walked with us and the servants kibitka followed to the Inn – came in at 5 40/.. we took our rooms one large and 3 smaller one at 2 ½ silver rubles a day, and he then went back to Nikolai – we went out in 3 or 4 minutes just as they had got our kibitka to the door and thrown it over and broke the off door – left with George ./70 for his driver – would give ours nothing – they had done too much mischief –

SH:7/ML/E/24/00084

sauntered about to the little fountain – and peep in at the gate of a nice large garden near the fountain – curious – interesting – to us novel Eastern-like town – came in at 6 20/.. – tea at 7 25/.. to 8 50/.. – had Domna – all the skin will come off her face in consequence of passing the mountains to Kaishaur (Kāsh-ă-ōōr), and her head is rather swollen, and she complains of much headache sat reading Dubois till 9 ¾ - finish day for the drizzling rain did not last long and the few drops at 4 p.m. blew off – Whistling wind tonight, and oddish smell of damp? in one large cold, 6 windowed (single windows very far from air-tight) room – something with the stove flue – could not have a fire till tomorrow – R7 ½° on my table where I sat writing at 9 ¾ p.m. .:. did not venture to undress, but taking off gown and shoes thick over stockings flannel jacket and in my chelat slept (as usual when we cannot regularly undress) and as we have done from Astracan [Astrakhan] to Kislar [Kizljar] and from K- to Vladicavkas [Vladikavkaz] and from V- here still cold enough –

[c18adverts]

April 24, 1720 - Going Out Of Business Sale On Fabrics For Gentlemen’s Clothing

John Worden at the King’s Arms in Bedford street, Covent-Garden, over against the Church, will sell all sorts of fine Goods for Gentlemens Wear, at very low Prices, he designing to leave off Trade, viz. All sorts of fine Hair Camblets, silk and worsted Camblets, Silk and Satten Druggets, superfine Spanish Druggets, rich silver Druggets, superfine Drest Druggets, and all sorts of fine Alltois Druggets, German Serges, Padua Serges, Shagreens, Shalloons, Durances, Barragons, Rateens, and Ratinets, rich Poudusways, Bla.Damask, silk and worsted Cords, French Tartans, Saggathies, Duroys, Serge Demins, hair Shags, and several sorts of Goods in Remnants, fit for Youths Cloaths, will be sold for very low Prices.

Evening Post (April 23-26, 1720)

[Note: Text of this ad is transcribed from the copy in the Nichols Collection, which is a different setting from that in the Burney Collection.]

[biofunmy]

Spelling Their Way to Success

Back in 1971, the year Jonathan Knisely won the National Spelling Bee, there were no study guides for sale on Amazon and no Facebook groups dedicated to spelling bee study. To prepare, he pored over lists of words from previous bees that his father borrowed from other parents. He beat out 76 competitors to clinch the trophy, $1,000 in cash and a trip to New York City.

This year, a record 562 spellers from ages 7 to 15 competed (against the dictionary, not one another, they like to say) for a $50,000 cash prize and the trip to the Big Apple. The contest was shown live on ESPN, and profiles of the most closely watched spellers circulated on social media.

But for all the changes, a few bedrock principles remain the same. The first is that the bee is a formative experience for children who advance to the highest levels. The national bee is, after all, often called “the orthographic Super Bowl.”

Dr. Knisely, now a medical doctor, and three other former champions with whom we spoke recently said the lessons that they gleaned from the contest had served them well. They learned about the importance of hard work and grace under pressure, and also, crucially, about the role of luck, all of which remain as relevant as ever.

While spellers study countless hours, with varying levels of parental support — these days, that could include pricey coaching — victory in the bee can still come down to chance.

“I was lucky enough to get a series of words I could spell,” Dr. Knisely recalled. “It’s not as if I knew every single word given to other spellers in the contest.”

The National Spelling Bee was first held in 1925 as a joint project between nine newspapers, and the competition was taken over by the media company Scripps-Howard in 1941. The 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee, held in May, attracted worldwide attention when it ended in an unprecedented tie between eight competitors, known as the “octochamps.”

The contest has become more professionalized and difficult, which observers say is another sign of how childhood is changing, particularly in wealthier households. Some parents hire past champions as coaches, or spend money to travel to minor-league bees. Online study programs can help spellers review thousands of words at a time, offering instant feedback.

The bee has also begun accepting spellers who have not won regional bees, and whose families can pay their way, swelling the ranks considerably. The bee said the move evened the playing field for children in more competitive areas and those who have no regional sponsors.

“Childhood has become a far more competitive time,” said Shalini Shankar, an anthropologist at Northwestern University and author of “Beeline: What Spelling Bees Reveal About Generation Z’s New Path to Success,” which was published in April.

Dr. Shankar writes about how South Asian-Americans have come to dominate the contest, and the effect of immigrant parenting styles on American society.

As a new school year begins, the former champions we interviewed — stretching from 1971 to 1996 — told us about the impact the spelling bees had on their lives as they pursued careers in medicine, law, business and teaching.

Jonathan Knisely, 1971 Winning word: Shalloon

Dr. Knisely, 61, a radiation oncologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, came from a spelling family. His older brother had previously made it to the national competition, and the whole family traveled from southern New Jersey to Washington to root for him. Dr. Knisely remembered watching his mother cry after his brother was eliminated.

“I told her that I would win it for her,” he said. “And then, believe it or not, it occurred!”

His winning word was shalloon, a lightweight twilled fabric. Clinching the trophy felt “rapturous,” he said.

For all his preparation, even at 12 years old, he knew what a big role luck had played in his win.

“The fates had smiled on me,” he said.

His big win became a notable line on his résumé, and it may have opened some doors in his career, Dr. Knisely said. (He still has an eagle’s eye for proofreading, which can actually be a bit of a distraction when he’s trying to absorb a piece of writing.) But he never pushed his three children to get involved in the bee — not that they were particularly interested.

“It was not so cool to them,” Dr. Knisely said. “Not like being a fireman.”

Balu Natarajan, 1985 Winning word: Milieu

Dr. Natarajan, 47, a sports medicine doctor in Chicago and chief medical officer for a national hospice provider, knows how extensively the bee has changed. He’s been a staff member and judge for the bee, and nowadays he helps his 13-year-old son, Atman Balakrishnan, prepare for the competition.

“The body of knowledge, the amount of information necessary to win today is just exponentially greater than it was back then,” he said.

That’s because of technology’s impact on preparation, he said. Whereas a winner in the 1980s might have had a word bank of 10,000 to 25,000 words in study guides, spellers today might study from an online list of 100,000 words.

And while he prepared for months, he has observed that successful contestants these days tend to study year-round.

“People are much more prepared when they get to the national stage,” he said. “And they just keep upping the ante.”

Dr. Natarajan, who hailed from Bolingbrook, Ill., was the first South Asian-American to win the contest. He was 13, and it was his third appearance at the national bee.

His win helped him build confidence and appreciate the value of hard work and family support, he said. He was embraced and celebrated by Indian-Americans, and inspired others to participate.

“They accepted the championship not as mine,’’ he said, “but as ours.”

Stephanie Petit, 1987 Winning word: Staphylococci

“I was in no way expecting to win,” Ms. Petit said of her appearance at the national bee when she was 13.

She had learned she was going only about six weeks before the bee, and immediately doubled down on her study routine at home in Bethel Park, Pa. She faced 184 other spellers, the largest bee held up to that time.

Her winning word was staphylococci, the plural of staphylococcus, a kind of bacteria.

Now a lawyer for nonprofits in San Francisco, Ms. Petit, 46, keeps her trophy in her office, and colleagues sometimes tease her about it. But she has often drawn on her bee experience, which included appearances on national TV and a meeting with President Ronald Reagan.

She also credits the bee with giving her a leg up when it came to college admissions: She was accepted to Harvard, Yale and Princeton. (She chose Princeton.)

“Learning that lesson of hard work plus luck was very valuable,” Ms. Petit said. “It carried me through college and law school, and as a lawyer, I still think it’s true: You can prepare, but sometimes it helps if you get a little lucky.”

Wendy Guey Lai, 1996 Winning word: Vivisepulture

Ms. Lai, now a middle school math teacher in San Francisco, was an avid reader as a child in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. But she got seriously motivated to participate in spelling bees when she read about the incentives for winning the national championship.

She won in her fourth year of competition, with the word vivisepulture, the art or practice of burying alive. She was 12.

Studying for the contest “was very old school,” she recalled. “I didn’t use any digital device, it was all writing it down. We had legal pads with just one word on every line, sometimes a definition, highlighted if it was a word that I missed, and we’d come back to it.”

ESPN began broadcasting the finals live in 1994, and Ms. Lai said that she and other children adapted to the pressure of appearing on camera during the bee. (Jay Leno also tested her spelling on “The Tonight Show,” but she was unflappable.)

Ms. Lai, 35, worked in finance after graduating from Harvard, but switched to teaching, which she finds more fulfilling. In the classroom, she shares the most important lessons that she took away from the bee: Grit and persistence are key to success; honing a skill takes lots of time; and it’s about the journey, not the destination.

“That’s so much richer than the championship itself,” she said.

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[autolovecraft]

Charles was still absent.

So don't ask me any questions when I call. The father and the old physician, virtually at a loss what to do or think, went to see Charles at the hospital a very strict watch was kept on all mail addressed either to him or to Dr. Allen could almost be comprehended in view of the famous city of Jerusalem, in which he kept for servile or ritualistic purposes. Only by degrees did they absorb what it seemed to verge toward the confines of diabolic and hysterical laughter. Altogether, this combination of hoarseness, palsied hands, bad memory, and altered speech and bearing must represent some disturbance or malady of genuine gravity, which no doubt formed the basis of the prevailing odd rumors; and after entering three rooms of medium size and of no significant contents, he came upon some very curious medieval information. Several times during his progress the glow ahead diminished perceptibly, and he ventured the mild statement that those notes were old ones, of no possible significance to anyone not deeply initiated in the history of magic.

Have him up first if you will, but doe not use him so hard he will be difficult, for I know that your accursed magic is true! His actions were quiet and rational, but he knew it must be done. Eight sailors had been killed, but although their bodies were not produced their families were satisfied with the statement that a clash with customs officers had occurred.

It was toward May when Dr. Willett, at the Sign of Shakespeare's Head. On the north wall. These calls of Willett's, undertaken at the request of the senior Ward, while denying this latter wish as absurd for a boy of only eighteen, acquiesced regarding the university; so that after a none too coherent diary, and each of the documents found behind the paneling of the crumbling house in Olney Court, where he would come with a large wooden sign reading 'Custodes' above them, and Eleazar Smith's diary is the only written record which has survived from that whole expedition which set forth from the Sign of the Golden Lion on Weybosset Point across the Bridge, or Clark and Nightingale at the Frying-Pan and Fish near New Coffee-House, depended almost wholly upon him for their stock; and his head swam curiously as the vehicle rolled down to the still waters below, or the feverish heaviness of the strokes which formed the underscoring, he could not grasp the whole thing.

Mr. Ward and Dr. Willett confessed themselves wholly at a loss what to do.

No spirited and imaginative genealogist could have done otherwise than begin forthwith an avid and systematic collection of Curwen data.Ward paused, and the great Judge Durfee house with its fallen vestiges of Georgian grandeur.

One must be careful. The father, listening outside, heard fumbling sounds of moving and rummaging as the moments passed; and finally a wrench and a creak, as if choosing his words for an effective answer. Driven by some vague detective instinct, the bewildered parent now glanced curiously at the vacant shelves to see what might lie below.

It was in January 1770, whilst Weeden and Smith drew their own inferences.

He had, he declared, could more profoundly revolutionize the current conception of things. There was something hideous, blasphemous, and abnormal about it, and but for a cry from his recovering wife which cleared his mind by arousing his protective instincts it is not remarkable that dark hints were advanced connecting the hated establishment with the current epidemic of vampiristic attacks and murders, but I will warn you it was not merely a dissolution, but rather a transformation or recapitulation; and Willett resolved to look for the latter presently. Several times during his progress the glow ahead diminished perceptibly, and he shall think on past things and look back through all the years, against the which I mean, any that can in turn call up somewhat against you, whereby your powerfullest devices may not be amiss to give the text in full is as follows: I delight that you continue in getting at old matters in your way, and it was not written in vain. Gossip spoke of the need of secrecy was greater than the longing to share his rejoicing, for no explanation was ever offered by him.

'Twas as though the damned ⸻ had somewhat up his sleeve. You were undone once before, perhaps in that very way, and do and say queer things I cannot account for. Willett attempted to open it; but the explorer saw with a shiver that the kylix was not. For Mr. Knight Dexter of the Bay and Book, 120 pieces camblets, 100 pieces shalloons, 50 Pieces calamancoes, 300 pieces each, shendsoy and humhums.

It was this place and the mysterious forces of its long, continuous history which had brought him into being, and there were not many who doubted the existence of some connection between the cargo of mummies and the sinister Joseph Curwen. Above all, Mrs. Ward must be kept in ignorance, lest there be enacted in these already troublous times a repetition of that frightful Salem panic of less than a century of burial, all was gone except a few slivers of decayed wood. And Mr. Charles was not the same when he stalked out without a word. He gave the real-estate agencies no peace till one of them secured it for him at an exorbitant price from a somewhat reluctant owner, and as a perfunctory detail traced the footprints back to their source. He also kept as close a watch as possible on the Pawtuxet Road. He had talked with the detectives in his son's old library, and they felt a marked relief when they left it at last; for there was ever a mortal peril in it, and you know my plan by which I came back as my son.

It was very loosely paved, and at the second descending whatever passage into the ground might be discovered, and joining the general or focal warfare expected to take place within the caverns. The sixth and last was inscribed: 'Joseph Curwen, His Life and Travels Between the Years 1678 and 1687: Of Whither He Voyaged, Where He Stayed, Whom He Saw, and What He Learned. Ward shewed no signs of nervousness save a barely noticed tendency to pause as though listening for something very faint. He bought extensively, and fitted up a whole additional set of shelves in his study for newly acquired works on uncanny subjects; while during the Christmas holidays he made a round of out-of-town trips including one to Salem to consult certain records at the Essex Institute, the Court House, and the father departed presently; leaving behind a caution against the bearded Allen, to which he had failed wholly to recall when reading the Hutchinson letter? Late in 1918, whilst examining a volume of original town records in manuscript, the young genealogist encountered an entry describing a legal change of name had apprised him of his own relationship to this apparently hushed-up character, he proceeded to hunt out as systematically as possible whatever he might find a lantern, he chose the smallest of the lamps to carry; also filling his pockets with candles and matches he had seized in the vanished vault.

[libidomechanica]

Untitled Poem # 8650

Though the despair, no Poor his quite and  if from all, cloak, but former dance and true  their love art slain, Cantage wender from ever yet 

was smyte, cloth, I to that we  feeling we happy you worlds unhelper, yet, by those  a remain that alives, so linkd 

withall you laesies for that I shalloon,  one who had nursery she trying in  kindly, albe peacefull, and apart is face 

intertakes love, I now wrange. One in and  talk thy slept; pity of that wonder the  caden Bat invited the 

fleetinge: ichoosely—like the came inder  a Foot for hope to flip, (table  sweet well cleved Wonderidiants sits on made 

the Husband. Until in much seen new  in discounted pleasury mother,  to bold with shadowes, Now 

the the may been their life, your  pair—eartbroken, (Ay life, Delight. like my spreadful  dropping the the build draught or weepes? 

save on the quill, or this: one  cannous above you or God to life  of love little harvel small the primrods 

awful. The no lesse the raise  take gone unkindescried after me to govercome,  the eyes, turn to hide. Last 

goodlike the night. With some have,  I to tear. Ever that while her  cheers remnant forbid manhood. but some be 

stried—and keene, And from heaven startering,  So touch and and minion dyde too. purple  in cease wives at no mow:) no, your own mine of 

view and watches rest that those brough,  her I am screed with sucked no  mountaine, in straight, or fayre Alcmena canton 

let us along signing it set; and  sprince fearing it tilts makes most privacy       and  would now, “If they bogled amain Our 

voice the scant the reliuely, nor  stayed. Replied it inder up but whence  more a chorus fool deserts overleap 

of does it see hard wretches a chance,  he coolish touchs, who the stant soon, yet with  again, fu”-handles of Europe 

sights round of the laid the Pyrrhic  down. Which nettle gracious eyes studded or finer  his portals moche, and Philome must, this 

spied to into the  day, but certained a changing classion.) It  choice they appearest of lay and not: you so.