[Ads-l] Miscellany

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Thanks for your response, Mark, and your intriguing interpretation of
“roof”. Here is a link to a 1904 clipping that shows the full poem. It
is not the earliest citation for the poem. I selected it for
readability.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26663714/ichabodgray/

The main character Ichabod Gray seems to be in a church when he is
strenuously praying and reciting hymns. So, the church roof might
function as a barrier, however, as you suggest, the (theologically
defined) firmament might be the barrier instead of the church roof.

Below is a 1902 citation, i.e., from the same period. A columnist
describes prayers ascending upward and traveling through the ceiling
of a church, but the prayers become stuck in the attic below the roof.

This reply is drifting away from the main topic of this thread, but
some readers may still find it interesting.

Date: July 30, 1902
Newspaper: The Potter Enterprise
Newspaper Location: Coudersport, Pennsylvania
Article: Witticisms: The "Fool" Visits a City Church
Author: Our Funny Man
Quote Page 4, Column 3
Database: Newspapers.com

[Begin excerpt]
It was a twentieth century prayer--strictly up to date. It had been
groomed and plumed and polished up till it was as smooth as a calf's
nose and inoffensive as a school boy's mustache. There was nothing in
it to hurt anyone's feelings--not even satan's. The people bowed their
heads and looked very solemn. And the pray ascended and permeated the
ceiling and crept into the attic. But the prayer never reached the
skies for the attic was cold and the prayer got lost in the attic. But
it was not alone. Other prayers were there. The attic was full of
them. They had been accumulating there for years. And they wandered in
the attic and smelled musty. They hung in festoons and clusters to the
rafters. There were large prayers and small prayers--long prayers and
short ones. Some were tainted with hypocrisy, some with avarice, some
with pride, some with malice, some with envy and some with infamy.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Sat, Dec 29, 2018 at 10:18 PM Mark Mandel <mark.a.mandel at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I must somewhat disagree about the metaphor applied to Ichabod's prayers.
> ISTM that the "roof" here is the firmament that biblically separates the
> earth and sea from what's above, i.e., Heaven, and the expression refers to
> more-or-less literal height or altitude rather than to a quantity (as with
> prices) or a usual non-quantifiable maximum (as with emotions). Unless
> there's counterevidence in the rest of the poem or the letter, it's a
> related but different metaphor, much closer to reality than the uses
> discussed here hitherto.
>
> Respectfully,
> Mark Mandel
>
> On Sat, Dec 29, 2018, 4:16 AM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com
> wrote:
>
> > ...
>
>
> [Begin excerpt of message sent from Bill Mullins]
> >
> > There is a fun citation for the negative metaphorical phrase in 1904:
> > “never went through the roof”. A poem described an avaricious
> > character named Ichabod whose tithing was inadequate: "'Twas $5 for
> > him and 10 cents for the Lord". Thus, his vocalized prayers did not
> > ascend from Earth to reach the ear of God. His prayers were unable to
> > go up through the roof.
> >
> > Date: February 18, 1904
> > Newspaper: The Evening Journal
> > Newspaper Location: Ontario, Canada
> > Article: A Parallel Case (Lewiston, Me. Journal)
> > Quote Page 4, Column 2
> > Database: Newspapers.com
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > His prayers were most strenuous, so were his hymns,
> > As he beat doubtful time with his disengaged limbs.
> > I was always impressed that the Lord stood aloof,
> > And that Ichabod's prayers never went through the roof.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> >
> >
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org