M&D questions/observations - up to p.82

[still lookin 4 the face i had b4 the world was made]

(spoilers)













1.  What about the frequent references to "Wapping?"  First noticed on p. 
52:  "...the Hautboy-player having been one night absorb'd into that Other
World of which Wapping is the anteroom..."  Is this some sort of euphemism
for death? 

2.  I note with enjoyment the "Pat O'Brian" reference on p. 54 (which the
Washington Post reviewer noted).  I guess Pynchon is a Patrick O'Brian fan.

3.  p. 73:  What means "Nervus Probandi"?

I have indeed started the book...couldn't wait any more, so I lurched to
Books-A-Million last night to use my discount card.  This despite the haze
of Anaprox swathing my brain...the doctor prescribed it to keep down the
inflammation from last weekend's virus, now lodged in a place where it just
might turn into meningitis if I'm not careful.  So...lots of time home from
work, to read _M&D_.  

Anyway, this is only the second time in my life I've had the chance to read
a Pynchon novel when it came out (and I wasn't paying attention when
_Vineland_ was published).

Max

M a x i m u s  D a v i d  C l a r k e | There's a blaze of light in every
         http://www.afn.org/~traveler | word/It doesn't matter which you
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