Saturday, February 15, 2014

A Missive From Sir Archy

TTBurnett relayed a missive from Sir Archy regarding propriety in the context of writing dirty:
'Tis always better to retrench those Details of Frolicks in which the Author has permitted his Turn for Humour greatly to outrun his Sense of Decency & Propriety. Extream License, giving Offense to the thinking Part of the Publick, is the Clap-Trap of mere Scribblers; and unworthy of those whose Aspirations are higher than the cheapest Confines of Grubb-Street. Additionally, Warmth of Temper may lead some Authors to engraft the Characters of living Individuals into their Performances for the sake of insinuating Satyrs & Calumnies. For the most part, such literary Flights are tædious Displays of an Author’s Adamancy, when his Flattery of the Publick were more serviceable and call’d for. Occasionally, such Performances may even entail a Palinode, which no meritorious Author ever wishes to compose.
Howsoever our present Author may have err’d in Point of Judgement or Discretion, he ought to defy the whole World to prove he was ever guilty of one Act of Malice, ingratitude, or Dishonour.
It sounds to me like Sir Archy knows his Galateo.

7 comments:

chickelit said...

I had to look up the word palinode.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

A palinode or palinody is an ode in which the writer retracts a view or sentiment expressed in an earlier poem. The first recorded use of a palinode is in a poem by Stesichorus in the 7th century BC, in which he retracts his earlier statement that the Trojan War was all the fault of Helen.

The Trojan war was the work of Inga ;)

ricpic said...

I take it this is Sir Archy's ornate diplomatic - with praise thrown in as a sweetener - way of telling Troop to LAY OFF THE BLUE!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Trooper is a big boy, he should be able to handle a little constructive criticism.

He is not going to overreact and shut down his comment section, just because somebody found his writing a little saucy.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

BTW...

Did I mess up tweeting that out?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I don't want "levity" to be misconstrued. knowwhatimean? knowwhatimea? nudge nudge.

Trooper York said...

I read it that Sir Archy likes a little dirty talk.

Forsooth and all that there jazz.