MDDM18: The Silliest Calvert

[Dave Monroe]

"'Cecilius Calvert, or, as he styl'd by some, for his
unreflective effusions. "The Silliest" Calvert,-- tho'
not by me, for I consider him subtle,-- believes you a
Wizard, a Dowser of Iron.'" (M&D, Ch. 30, p. 301)

Main Entry: sub·tle 
Pronunciation: 's&-t&l
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): sub·tler  /'s&t-l&r, 's&-t&l-&r/;
sub·tlest  /'s&t-l&st, 's&-t&l-&st/
Etymology: Middle English sutil, sotil, from Middle
French soutil, from Latin subtilis, literally, finely
textured, from sub- + tela cloth on a loom; akin to
Latin texere to weave -- more at TECHNICAL
Date: 14th century
1 a : DELICATE, ELUSIVE <a subtle fragrance> b :
difficult to understand or perceive : OBSCURE <subtle
differences in sound>
2 a : PERCEPTIVE, REFINED <a writer's sharp and subtle
moral sense> b : having or marked by keen insight and
ability to penetrate deeply and thoroughly <a subtle
scholar>
3 a : highly skillful : EXPERT <a subtle craftsman> b
: cunningly made or contrived : INGENIOUS
4 : ARTFUL, CRAFTY <a subtle rogue>
5 : operating insidiously <subtle poisons>
- sub·tle·ness  /'s&-t&l-n&s/ noun
- sub·tly  /'s&t-lE, 's&-t&l-(l)E/ adverb

http://m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary

>From Edwin Danson, Drawing the Line (New York: John
Wiley & Sons, 2001), pp. 18-26 ...

   "Charles Calvert [5th Lord Baltimore] returned to
England, where he died in 1751.  His son, Frederick,
still a minor, inherited; Charles's brother, Cecilius
Calvert, looked after young Lord Baltimore's
interests." (p. 24)

Ch. 5, "The Transit of Venus," pp. 40-59 ...

   "Between 1761 and 1763, Thomas Penn and Cecilius
Calvert consulted widely among the learned men of
London.  The scientific community was small and well
connected ...." (p. 42)

   "For Penn and Calvert, well-to-do, powerful, and
influential men, making contact with sceintists and
academics would have been a simple business ..." (p.
44)

Ch. 7, "'Persons Intirely Accomplished,'" pp. 71-8 ...

   "In late spring 1763, Penn arranged an introduction
to Mason and Dixon, probably through John Bird, to
whom he was now a familiar and valued customer.  In a
series of early meetings Penn established their
inetrest, discussed the subject with Cecilius Calvert,
and arranged further meetings with Mason, Dixon,
Maskelyne, and Bliss.  Penn and Calvert needed to be
certain that the two surveyors were capable of solving
the difficult task that had confounded the best
surveyors in America." (p. 76)

"On July 30, 1763, Calvert was able to write to
Governor Sharpe in Maryland with the good news that
the 'geometrical surveyors' had arrived in London and
that he and Mr. Penn 'attended with Mathematicians
have had meetings, at which times many Questions have
been propunded & solved which are delivered to the
Surveyors,' adding that 'Messrs Dixon and Mason [!],
allowed by the best Judges here as persons intirely
accomplished and of good character.'" (p. 76)

Okay, closing in here ...

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