Mason & Dixon Excerpt

[hankhank at ccwf.cc.utexas.edu]

The M&D Home Page version is a bit different from David's corrected
version. (This is not to say I wouldn't be grateful to you, David.)
The addition being "Lids of *various* Boilers". (Besides that, "hats" 
and "sleds" are not capitalized.) Is this the official version?

I already managed to fear, when reading the first version (without
Cousins etc.), that Pynch had lost his sense of rhythm. And in my 
opinion "various" would make the sentence's narrative sweep more 
loosely breathing and swinging still:
 

"Snow-Balls have flown their Arcs, starr'd the Sides of Outbuildings, 
as of Cousins, carried hats away into the brisk Wind off Delaware,-- 
the sleds are brought in and their Runners carefully dried and greased,
shoes deposited in the back Hall, a stocking'd-foot Descent made upon 
the great Kitchen, in a purposeful Dither since Morning, punctuated 
by the ringing Lids of various Boilers and Stewing-Pots, fragrant with
Pie-Spices, peel'd Fruits, Suet, heated Sugar,-- the Children, having 
all upon the Fly, among rhythmic slaps of Batter and Spoon, coax'd and
stolen what they might, proceed, as upon each afternoon all this snowy
Advent, to a comfortable Room at the rear of the House, years since 
given over to their carefree Assaults."



Heikki