canberrabirds

Hello! New computer. Vroom!!

To: <>
Subject: Hello! New computer. Vroom!!
From: "Geoffrey Dabb" <>
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 14:00:26 +1100

You are quite correct, Martin – I think I must have turned over two pages at once.  Please hold the pipers.

 

If John gets his Shakespeare out from where it’s keeping that kitchen table level, the passage is at Act 4 Scene 3.

 

Curiously, one authority states that ‘hell-kite’ was an old name for the Red Kite.  I think that is incorrect, as I can find no such synonym.  Alternative names for the kite were ‘Glead’ and ‘Puttock’, the latter name being used by Shakespeare elsewhere.  Webster gives ‘a fiendish, cruel, pitiless person’ and Oxford ‘a person of hellish cruelty’.  In short, I think the reference is not to a bird (chickens aside).  The passage is not included in my little volume of Shakespearean references to birds.

 

From: martin butterfield [
Sent: Monday, 9 November 2009 9:25 AM
To: Geoffrey Dabb
Cc: Canberra Birds
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Hello! New computer. Vroom!!

 

Geoffrey

What edition of the Bard are you using? 

In mine not only is the response to Macduff's speech "Dispute it like a man." rather than "Vroom"but it is delivered by Malcolm.  I know we (nearly) live in republican times but referring to a prince of Scotland as a servant  is likely to get you a few midnight serenades by the Caledonian pipers!

Martin

On Sun, Nov 8, 2009 at 2:13 PM, Geoffrey Dabb <> wrote:

Shakespeare, Macbeth:

 

MACDUFF, on hearing that his family has been murdered:

 

“All my pretty ones?

Did you say all? O hell-kite! All?

What, all my pretty chickens and their dam

At one fell swoop?”

 

SERVANT:

 

“Yes, milord.  Vrooom!!”

 

From: John Layton [
Sent: Sunday, 8 November 2009 1:23 PM
To: Canberra Birds
Subject: [canberrabirds] Hello! New computer. Vroom!!

 

Thirteen years ago I bought a computer. Last week it gave up the ghost, must have been  a lemon. So today I  have my new machine up, running and loaded for bear with spanky new Windows 7. Vrooom!!!

 

This is my first email, so bear with boy with new toy. Late yesterday afternoon went for a drive along Parkwood Road, Holt, which may appear a nondescript semi-rural  thoroughfare but has revealed some interesting birds lately, eg Brown Songlark & Horsfield’s Bushlark last week. Yesterday was surprised to  see five Wood Ducks huddled around a few remaining rainwater puddles right at the edge of the bitumen. Couple of Masked Lapwings nearby and a number of Australasian Pipits here and there along the roadside fence. Saw a Nankeen Kestrel  hovering, suddenly it descended in one fell stoop (is “fell stoop” correct and, in this instance, appropriate? It’s an _expression_ I’m never sure about.)The kestrel was  only down for a few seconds in long grass before flying off rapidly as if heading to a favoured feeding perch but couldn’t see if it carried anything.

 

John Layton.

 

 

 

 

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the Canberra Ornithologists Group mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the list contact David McDonald, list manager, phone (02) 6231 8904 or email . If you can not contact David McDonald e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU