[Ads-l] Miscellany

[Mark Mandel]

Thank you, Garson. The *Potter Enterprise* column certainly lends strength
to the everyday literal sense of "roof" here.
Mark Mandel


On Sun, Dec 30, 2018 at 12:57 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <
adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
>

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