WORK

Sir, — Chris Skidmore would have us believe that Giles Mompesson was sentenced in 1621 to have his face “shoved into a horse’s anus” (June 13). This is surely a misreading of what is involved in having one’s face to the horse’s tail. In the same year, 1621, the House of Commons condemned Edward Floyd to “be carried from place to place upon a horse without a saddle, with his face toward the horse’s tail, and holding the tail in his hand”. This was the degrading punishment intended for Mompesson rather than some bizarre anal insertion.

—Graeme Rymill
—from a letter in The Times Literary Supplement, August 8, 2014

WORD(S)

arrière-pensée. noun. A concealed thought; a thought in the back of the mind; a hidden reservation. French, literally, “behind thought.”

“H’m. Bunter, do you know the meaning of the expression arriere-pensee?”
“No, my lord.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” (Dorothy L. Sayers)

“He knew that I had guessed his arrière-pensée, but he let me off for the moment, for which I was thankful; either because he was still ashamed of it, or because he supposed I was reserving myself for the catastrophe,—should it occur.” (Henry James)

“I don’t think Graneek is guilty of any arrière-pensée: I may have reported him wrong. He believes in going in for things ‘irregardless’, but I dare say if Hull want a respectable citizen they won’t consider me.” (Philip Larkin)

“The latter, at last, answered him, not condescendingly, as Alyosha had feared, but with modesty and reserve, with evident goodwill and apparently without the slightest arrière-pensée.” (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

“Indeed, the only couple with whom she had relations of real cordiality, devoid of any arrière-pensée or practical foresight, were the Farlows…” (Vladimir Nabokov)

WEB

1. Enrique Gomez De Molina’s chimeric taxidermy. Not sure if/how he is making new pieces after serving 20 months in federal prison for trafficking in endangered species.

2. “Less internet, more…poetry?”. Less Internet More Poetry. LIMP FTW! Which might be even better for you if the light from our screens and devices is going to make us all blind.

3. Your literary playlist: A guide to the music of Haruki Murakami [Hat-tip: Reader C.]. Related: Haruki Murakami to publish new book in English in December.

4. On nut-nappers and “The Dark Side of Almond Use.” Is nothing sacred?

5. Today in 1965, E. E. Cummings met Mr. Death. Many people are proud of outgrowing their love of Cummings’ work; I’m glad I haven’t. Courtesy of the Poetry Foundation, listen to Cummings read three of his poems. They also have 85 of his poems online. Thanks to the LibraryThing community, you can browse the titles in Cummings’ own library.

REPRISES/RESPONSES/REJOINDERS/RIPOSTES

• Reader I. writes to thank me for the “introduction to A. R. Ammons.” — You’re most welcome. You are in for a treat!

I welcome comments, suggestions, thoughts, feedback and all manner of what-have-you. Just press ‘Reply’ or email to: clippings@katexic.com.

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