1 6,7. terminus a quo, terminus ad quem. The use of phrases quoted
from classic sources is frequent in De Quincey's writings. Note such
phrases as they occur, also foreign words. Is their use to be
justified?
1 18. leeming. The lemming, or leming. A rodent quadruped. "It is
very prolific, and vast hordes periodically migrate down to the sea,
destroying much vegetation in their path."--_Century Dictionary_.
1 22. Miltonic images. "Miltonic" here characterizes not only images
used by Milton, but images suggestive of his as well. Yet compare:
Or from above
Should intermitted vengeance arm again
His red right hand to plague us?
--_Paradise Lost_, II, 172-4.
Or, with solitary hand
Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow
Unaided could have finished thee.
--_Paradise Lost_, VI, 139-41.
2 12. sanctions. The word here means not permission, nor recognition
merely, but the avowal of something as sacred, hence obligatory; a
thing ordained.
2 13, 14. a triple character. De Quincey is fond of thus analyzing
the facts he has to state. Notice how this method of statement, marked
by "1st," "2dly," "3dly," contributes to the clearness of the
paragraph.
2 17. "Venice Preserved." A tragedy by Thomas Otway, one of the
Elizabethan dramatists (1682).--"Fiesco." A tragedy by the great
German dramatist Friedrich Schiller (1783), the full title of which is
_The Conspiracy of Fiesco at Genoa_.
Pages:
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126