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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,944 Likes: 3 |
House Call
Letter from Charles Dickens to a chimney sweep, March 15, 1864:
Dear Sir,
Since you last swept my study chimney it has developed some peculiar eccentricities. Smoke has indeed proceeded from the cowl that surmounts it, but it has seemingly been undergoing internal agonies of a most distressing nature, and pours forth disastrous volumes of swarthy vapour into the apartment wherein I habitually labour. Although a comforting relief probably to the chimney, this is not altogether convenient to me. If you can send a confidential sub-sweep, with whom the chimney can engage in social intercourse, it might be induced to disclose the cause of the departure from its normal functions.
Faithfully yours,
Charles Dickens
----please, draw me a sheep----
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075 |
The reply might well have read as follows:
16th March 1864
Mr C.Dickens, Esq.
Honoured Sir,
I wuz greatly distressed by your hintimation that all is not well wiv your noble chimbley after hit ad received my hattentions.
I shall immediately send Arry, my best climbin boy, oo is well acquainted with the fell ways of chimbleys.
I would respeckfully arst you ter make sartin that no lidies is presint on that occasion, as the hintercourse between climbin boys and their chimbleys can oftimes be arsh.
Your hobediant sv’t
Alf. Doolittle
Chimbley Sweep
I'm immortal until proven otherwise
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Joined: Jun 2008
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,944 Likes: 3 |
Hey, OK !
I really liked it, especially the part about
absenting any gentlewomen.
You is a very creative mate.
----please, draw me a sheep----
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075 |
Busman's holiday, I fear - C19 Social History is how I've earned my beer-moey these last 30 years.
I'm immortal until proven otherwise
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,146 |
Yep, and you've done a good job of rewriting it, too! 
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075 |
As I have for many years told my students, there is no such thing as 'right' or 'wrong' in history - it is all a matter of interpretation! 
I'm immortal until proven otherwise
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Joined: Jun 2008
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,944 Likes: 3 |
- -and who the winners were!
----please, draw me a sheep----
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
I love Mr. Dickens' wording. Was he intending to be humorous, do you reckon?
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
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I think there is a good chance that he was, Jackie.
I'm immortal until proven otherwise
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 963 |
One of the few bits of Dickens I've ever read start to finish, and even enjoyed. When I try to read his novels I get halfway (or less) through, then hurl the damned thing across the room.
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