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Carpal Tunnel
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vestial virginsNow, I could believe vestal virgins. I might even be able to accept vestigal virgins, although I'd love to see the phrase defined. And if they were vestiary virgins, I guess that would mean that the local clergy had help from youngish woman in putting on his/her robes. But I believe that BlanchPatch has coined a new word. Congratulations and all that, but please let us in on the secret of what it means!  
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Maybe they were vestibule virgins? While we're at it, how does one retain vestigial virginity? 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Today there are both venal and venial virgins.
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Pooh-Bah
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As promised (to the romantics) or threatened (to the cynics), here are more letters of love.
Confession of love to a Young Lady, whom the writer has only seen a few times
Dear Miss _______:
You will be astonished that a man who has only had the happiness of meeting you a couple of times, should take the liberty of addressing you; but it is impossible for me to resist the impulse. Should you ask what I wish -- no, you know it already, the first glance of my eye, the tone of the first word which I addressed to you, must have revealed it. I love you, dear Emily! Love you with all the fervor of a first affection, and therefore cannot bear to see you depart from here, without having confessed the sentiments which I have entertained for you, and heard from your mouth the sentence, which will make me the happiest or most miserable being upon this earth. In dread uncertainty, I wait the moment which will bring me your decision. Sometimes, when I think of your artless winning ways, my heart fills with hope; sometimes, fear lays her cold hand upon me, when I think how small are my claims to so superior a being as you! But, I have no choice; I cannot live without knowing if I may hope to win your love, and to call you mine. Do not leave me long to endure this miserable state between hope and dispair, between life and death!
Yours, forever,
+++++++++++++
Asking a Father for the hand of his daughter
Honored Sir:
Instead of the business letters which you receive from me from time to time, I send you to-day an epistle, the contents of which may not astonish you a little. I hereby take the liberty of asking you, if the hand and heart of your daughter Augusta, are still disengaged, and if you would approve of me as a son-in-law, if I should succeed in gaining the affections of your amiable daughter. No doubt you will wonder at this question, but I saw Miss A. in H______, about eight weeks ago, and formed a sincere affection for her. Of course, I wish it returned, and should have come to you immediately to sue for the affection of your Augusta, but was prevented week after week by unavoidable business. Even now, difficulties almost insurmountable prevent my travelling, and a protracted absence from my business, and therefore I have taken the liberty of asking you, whether there is any hope to see my wishes crowned with success.
The kindness which you have always evinced for me, makes me rely upon an early answer.
Trusting that under all circumstances you will preserve for me your friendship,
I remain,
Your obedient servant
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Carpal Tunnel
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Oh, the cynics aren't feeling threatened. I mean, would you feel threatened if the opposing lawyer provided you with fresh information with which you could win your case? And I do feel that these fresh effusions of Victorian repressed and anal-retentive expression do tend to prove the cynics' point. Can you imagine the mismatches which must have occurred because of the remote and flowery outpourings of courtly love they encapsulated? For example, Sometimes, when I think of your artless winning ways, my heart fills with hope; sometimes, fear lays her cold hand upon me, when I think how small are my claims to so superior a being as you! For pity's sake? How many inexperienced and often ill-educated girls, when faced with evidence of the fact that their putative lover could actually read and write like this, fell head over heels for the words rather than the man behind them? It makes me wonder whether, if divorce had been as freely available and mostly free of social stigma as it is today, most of these marriages wouldn't have just floated like a lead balloon ...  Ah, but it's all jolly good fun, eh!
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Can you imagine the mismatches which must have occurred because of the remote and flowery outpourings of courtly love they encapsulated?Jane Austen has already imagined them for us, even if hers were somewhat pre-Victorian.
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Carpal Tunnel
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And she's provided us with the cynic's eye view of what lay behind the flowery epistles. See the Revd. Collins's attempts.
Bingley
Bingley
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i was surprised at the use of the word "artless" in this context, and had TLIU in order to learn of its possibilities as a complimentary adjective (Having or displaying no guile, cunning, or deceit; Free of artificiality; natural: artless charm.) i was further surprised to find that, at least according to atomica, the definition that i've heretofore ascribed to it (Lacking art, knowledge, or skill; uncultured and ignorant.
Poorly made or done; crude.) is listed as a *secondary* meaning.
did we not recently have a discussion about words which can mean their own opposite? i should think this example would fall squarely into that category.
~b
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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I was surprised at the use of the word "artless" in this context, and had TLIU in order to learn of its possibilities as a complimentary adjective (Having or displaying no guile, cunning, or deceit; Free of artificiality; natural: artless charm.) i was further surprised to find that, at least according to atomica, the definition that i've heretofore ascribed to it (Lacking art, knowledge, or skill; uncultured and ignorant. Poorly made or done; crude.) is listed as a *secondary* meaning.
I like this one! What do you think about this? The opposite senses of 'artless' derive from the two senses of a single definition summed up this way: artless--without aritifice, whether disemblance/facade or [what's a better word for "cultivation?"]. Do you think you've come up with yet another class of polysemic words, Bridge?
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Carpal Tunnel
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"Artless" means "without artifice", not "without art". Since the character that wrote the letter admits that he doesn't know much about the object of his affections, the use of the word is nothing but gross flattery - how would he know that she was artless? [Edit] And B-2, if I were to marry someone on the strength of a well-written love letter, AND the marriage succeeded, I would be applauding the operation of pure chance in my favour!
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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