SLSL Intro: Prickly Pig

[Steve Maas]

"Aloofe" in the OED citation below likely does not refer to the 
"Purpentine." An obsolete meaning of "aloof," dating from 1540, is, roughly, 
"at a distance."  I would read the citation as meaning the "Purpentines 
nature" is to "dart her prickles from her" into "such as stand aloofe," 
(i.e., the porcupine will shoot its quills into creatures that are standing 
at a distance). This was (still is?) a common though erroneous belief.

Steve Maas

s~Z wrote:
>OED: 1589 PUTTENHAM Eng. Poesie II. xi. [xii.] (Arb.) 118 The Purpentines 
>nature is, to such as stand aloofe,
>to dart her prickles from her.

and Mr. Morris added:
>The OED line above about the "nature" of the porpentine may be informative. 
>"Stand aloofe" meaning it digs its feet in and takes an
>"I'm not moving" attitude.  It is not an active or aggressive stance,
>more of a stance of stubborness.  When this nature is applied to
>one of two characters "duking out the fate of Europe" one could
>then describe the "nature" of one side of that fight.


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