MDDM Ch. 31 Summary and Notes

[jbor]

on 29/1/02 11:27 AM, Scott Badger at lupine at ncia.net wrote:

>> 306.28 "Mr Loxley and his Lads were done shimming and cozening square
>> Members to Circular Purposes"  i.e. fitting square pegs into
>> round holes (!)
> 
> I read this as, using square lumber to build a round structure. Like using
> calculus to describe a circle.

Yes, quite possible too, and not really so far removed from the purport of
the old cliche either. I haven't been able to find a picture or plan of what
the temporary observatory would have looked like, though "Ben" the builder
does describe it as "nothing too exotick, beyond this Cone Roof". (297.2)
Both Dixon and Mason as well as the labourers seem a little concerned that
the architectural plans might not be totally accommodating to the practical
necessities of the job, even though it's "the very same Whimwham" they had
at the Cape. (298.1-12)

The words "shimming and cozening" roughly equate to "modifying and
tricking". I took it to be a wry narratorial pun in the same vein as the
"for de Mille fur-henchmen" line in _GR_.

best