Yet one more case of "bitching"

Victor Steinbok aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM
Tue Dec 7 08:01:16 UTC 2010


This may be a one-off case... Since the poet felt obligated to explain
the usage, it may well be that it was peculiar to the particular group
that he belonged to.

http://goo.gl/5ctr1
Poems, humorous and sentimental. By William Finlay. Paisley: 1846
Clippings and Pairings. p. 137
> O For a spark of Milton's Are,
> One chord of Poet Burns's lyre ;
> Or, would Cervantes, princely wag,
> Spare of his mantle but one rag,
> That I might paint with master hand,
> In colours that the test would stand,
> With pathos strong and truly touching,
> The noblest specimen of bitching,*
> That e'er took place since mother Eve
> Did with an apple man deceive.
> ...

Below, there is a footnote.

> * Bitching—a cant term, denoting a species of low buffoonery, much
> admired and practised in some of our Paisley Clubs.

VS-)

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