MDMD(1) - Comments

[Brian D. McCary]

I finally got to re-read 1-4 and look over Andrew's generally excellent material.
I have the following input, some original, some in response to some of 
his points:

1)	It's been said before, but golly, all those Chinese referances?  
The famed Chinese Sofa (p5), a chinese flute in the Pearl of Sumatra (p25), 
ect.  Sort of like all the iron referances throught GR.  I don't think it
means anything in particular, but it's a stylistic flourish which I'm beginning
to see as Pynchonian.

2)      "excepting a sinister and wonderful Card Table ...along with so
many inges, sliding mortises, hidden catches, and secret compartments
thant neither the Twins nor their Sister can say they have been to the
end of it."  Note that this is, specifically, a card table, which means
that all those secret compartments are probably for hiding cards.  This 
introduces the idea that situations which appear entirely due to chance
to an outside observer (like a good hand) may well be due to manipulation
by someone involved.  Later, we hear of loaded dice in the Pearl of Sumatra.

3)	Andrew reads the phrase" 'silver ringing upon silver, ...' at 32.7
as applying to M&D's environment.  I disagree: in slightly larger context,
the lines are:
"Some Captain! - step away from privateer, Bby G-D"  Aggriev'd voices echoing in the great stairwell, Silver ringing upon Silver, - ... [indignant dialog] 
"....and other remarks in the same Line" reports Mason

Thus, the silver, pastries, ect, are at the Council meeting where the Captain's
request is in discussion.  I make this point because this passage, in 
particular, has neatly juxtoposed irony:  all the councilors ranting about
the captian's request for money for good food, while they find it necessary
to discuss this request in the lap of luxury.  There is a similar moment
of exquisite irony during the discussion M&D have with the Paxton sympathisers
about killing Indians.  So I don't believe that this passage dates Mason's 
comments, although I agree that I think they probably took place before sailing.

4)	34.3 'Perhaps there is?'.  The captain's implication here is that,
perhaps, Mason & Dixon were intended as the pair for the Cape all along, and
that the Bencoolen expedition was simply a come-on, sort of a bait and switch.
If so, why the elaborate ruse?  Who would have gotten the French to go along
with it?  Perhaps Clive-of-India, to move Mason out of the way, clearing
the decks for his brother-in-law?  How much pull could Clive have had with the
French?  Also curious: why would trickery be needed to get anyone to go to
the Cape?

5)	My favorite homonym pun, so far:  38.7 "the Ship's hoarse Shrieking,
a great Sea-animal in pain", horse/hoarse....

6)	I agree with Blood from Turnip for Rutabageous Anemia

Brian McCary