Symbiosis or S&M Double Stuff

[jbor]

on 22/1/02 5:05 AM, Terrance at lycidas2 at earthlink.net wrote:

snip
> When at
> the Washingtons, they divide their labors effortlessly.

I'm not sure that it's entirely voluntary that they are doing this, nor that
they hold the upper hand in the encounter/s at any point. Their
double-teaming is again purposely disrupted as it was by Ben F. back in
Philadelphia, and eventually they start bickering and putting one another
down at 285-6, as the hemp's effect sets in and their discomfort becomes
manifest. But what's all that about a "Torpedo"?

My impression was that old Martha is actually trying to flirt a little with
Cha. (283.1-15 - 'The way to a man's heart .... ' etc ) Though Mason remains
thin-skinned and obtuse, as usual, babbling on about Plato. (In the context
of his chat with Mrs W., his launching into a long-winded "Apologia for
Astronomy", as well as his allusion to the 'Republic', is pompous and
inappropriate. She was, after all, merely chiding George gently for his
domestic incompetence, and generalising this to all males, rather than
making an "accusation of unworldliness" 281.24 against "his Profession", as
Mason incorrectly imagines.)

> Yes. BTW, Ben's Universal Balm is what? Snake oil? Money?

His use of the word "wagering" at 269.18 leads me to suspect the latter.

I also think that at 281-2 Gershom is speaking to George about the Land
Charter for western settlements - GW perhaps still complaining about
"General Bouquet's Proclamation" (277.1), and using the pronoun "we" to
refer to the Ohio Company - after the Seven Years War, rather than to M & D
about *their* contract.

best