Althouse: "What I saw was all those unique, offbeat character names" — Wigglesworth, Smytthe, and Jack Engle — "That was the moment I knew it was something."

February 22, 2017

"I said some unprincipled words, and I immediately told my wife. Well, I sort of couldn’t get words out, so she asked, ‘Good or bad?’ And I said, 'Good.'"

From "Texas graduate student discovers a Walt Whitman novel lost for more than 150 years."

John henry said...: "Wiggleworth" always makes me think of C. Northcote Parkinson. Probably in "The Law and the Profits" but perhaps in "Parkinson's Law"

He talks about British elite hiring practices and an example of an interview answer as to what have you accomplished as "Played cricket for Wigglesworth" (Wigglesworth is a school)

The really important answers are to the question "Who is your family?"

We used to have a local moving company called Smythe. Their jingle on the radio went "Smythe, not Smith, Smythe, not Smith. Smythe the smoother movers"

I probably have not heard that since the 70s yet it popped into my head with full orchestration after all that time.

John Henry; 2/22/17, 7:35 AM
Bob Ellison said...: There's a Wigglesworth Hall in Harvard Yard. Nothing but urinals on every floor.; 2/22/17, 7:51 AM
traditionalguy said...: Imagine Walt Whitman as President. He was a NewYork City boy who worked as hard as Trump works.

And he is all for Free Verse Speech.; 2/22/17, 7:55 AM
MadisonMan said...: Why is he still a grad student? Didn't he also unearth a Whitman tome last year?

You'd think his advisor would hurry him out to get a faculty position somewhere while he's hot.; 2/22/17, 8:53 AM
FleetUSA said...: One of my best overseas friends is named Wigglesworth. An elegant gentleman.; 2/22/17, 6:58 PM