9 13. "lion ramp." Quoted from Milton:
The bold Ascalonite
Fled from his lion ramp.
--_Samson Agonistes_, 139.
"_Baptized and infidel_" and "_barbaric East_" are also borrowings
from Milton.
9 16. unnumbered numbers. Notice how effectively in this and the
following sentences De Quincey utilizes _suggested_ words: _monstrous,
monstrosity_; _hopelessness, hope_.
9 22. fable. Here used for plot; the idea being that the story of
the Revolt has all the compactness and unity of design to be found in
the plot of a classic tragedy, which could admit the introduction of
no external incidents or episodes to confuse the thread of the main
action.
10 8. translation. Note the etymology of this word, which is here
used in its literal sense.
10 17. But what, etc. See with what art, as well as with what
evident interest, De Quincey catches the very spirit of the plot. How
does the interrogation add strength?
10 25, 26. Kien Long. "Emperor of China from 1735 to 1796, was the
fourth Chinese emperor of the Mantchoo-Tartar dynasty, and a man of
the highest reputation for ability and accomplishment."--MASSON.
10 28. religion. Lamaism. "A corrupted form of Buddhism prevailing
in Tibet and Mongolia, which combines the ethical and metaphysical
ideas of Buddhism with an organized hierarchy under two semi-political
sovereign pontiffs, an elaborate ritual, and the worship of a host of
deities and saints."--_Century Dictionary_.
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