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<font size=3>Has the collective memory forgotten my example from
1813? A higher ratio of text to texting than David's 1860 example,
but definitely in the genre.<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">While looking for "P's and
Q's", I came across the following early<br>
example of texting. I doubt not that there are other examples,<br>
perhaps back to Roman times; but I was amused. I've inserted an
*<br>
where I cannot decode the message or am uncertain. [Ed.: these were
then discussed on the list.]<br><br>
Earliest in Olio [NY, NY], published as The Olio; Date: 05-22-1813;<br>
Volume: I; Issue: 17; Page: 136, but I take it from the<br>
better-printed American Advocate [Hallowell, Maine]; Date:<br>
12-17-1814; Volume: V; Issue: 48; Page: [4]:<br><br>
Ingenious Conceit.<br><br>
COME listen to my DT, all those that lovers B;<br>
Attune your hearts to PT, and read my LEG.<br>
A bachelor of AT, my brains are racked with KR;<br>
Of love you'll find the data, if you give serious ER.<br>
When twenty summers I had CN, with Kate in love I fell;<br>
A CT wench with black I's keen my EZ heart did sell.<br>
For ten long years I courted her, 'twas KT DR & DRE;<br>
And when she frown'd my heart it bump'd, my eyes grew wet and TRE.<br>
I never once had kiss'd the maid, she was so sly and coy;<br>
Nor never grasped her RM nor waist, to snatch the blissful joy.<br>
One day, without much KR or form, my *ID's fill'd with love,<br>
I slipped into her room and saw what made *H passion move.<br>
A favorite beau in *TP dress was kissing her quite free;<br>
To love her after this, says I, a great fool I must B.<br>
To XMN then her love I tried, and found it all a whim;<br>
To hate her then, I tried my best, and not to NV him.<br>
Her FIG in paper cut, I tore and threw away,<br>
Resolv'd some way to find a QR, at least make one SA.<br>
Of absence then the FIKC I tried, but all in vain;<br>
My MT head, and too full heart, felt hard the aching pain.<br>
My throbbing heart, would not be EZ, to see her scoff and GR;<br>
Till DZ I did get myself with drinking punch & BR.<br>
From love's fever and *AQfortie free, since I've ever BN,<br>
Nor am I plagu'd with curs'd relapse, for which I sing TDM.<br>
Should NE one wish love to shun, 'tis plain as ABC,<br>
That he must mind his Ps and Qs, or he's fix'd to a T.<br>
Then live a jolly bachelor, let Cupid sing to thee,<br>
"YYs UR, YYs UR, I C U R YYs for me."</font></blockquote><br>
Joel<br><br>
<font size=3>At 1/17/2011 12:12 PM, David A. Daniel wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Text message from 1860.<br><br>
Essay to Miss Catharine Jay<br><br>
An S A now I mean 2 write<br>
2 U sweet K T J,<br>
The girl without a ||,<br>
The belle of U T K.<br><br>
I 1 der if U got that 1<br>
I wrote 2 U B 4<br>
I sailed in the R K D A,<br>
And sent by L N Moore. . . .<br><br>
This S A, until U I C<br>
I pray U 2 X Q's<br>
And do not burn in F E G<br>
My young and wayward muse.<br><br>
Now fare U well, dear K T J,<br>
I trust that U R true--<br>
When this U C, then you can say,<br>
An S A I O U.<br>
(Charles Carroll Bombaugh, Gleanings From the Harvest-Fields of
Literature.,<br>
2nd ed. Baltimore: T. Newton Kurtz, 1860)<br>
DAD<br><br>
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