Subject
Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic? Richard Pevear replies
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Date
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Arthur Glass" <goliard@worldnet.att.net>
>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (122
lines) ------------------
> Superlatives are pathogens? Well, I suppose if something as unlikely as
> prions can cause disease, there is no a priori reason why superlatives
could
> not.
>
> How about 'styptic'?
--------------------------------------------
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: D. Barton Johnson <chtodel@cox.net>
> To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 11:10 AM
> Subject: Fw: Fw: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic? Richard Pevear replies
>
>
> > EDNOTE. NABOKV-L thanks Richard Pevear for his clarification. And I do
> > agree.
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "richard pevear" <rpevear@hotmail.com>
> > To: <chtodel@cox.net>
> > Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 1:06 AM
> > Subject: RE: Fw: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic?
> >
> >
> > > Dear Mr. Johnson,
> > >
> > > I certainly meant "aseptic" and I meant it in its first meaning:
"free
> of
> > > pathogenic organisms," i.e. organisms capable of causing disease, in
> this
> > > case, an attack of superlatives. You'll agree that Nabokov is usually
> > > "aseptic" in that sense.
> > >
> > > Yours truly,
> > >
> > > Richard Pevear
> > >
> > >
> > > >From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
> > > >To: <rpevear@hotmail.com>
> > > >Subject: Fw: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic?
> > > >Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 15:44:22 -0800
> > > >
> > > >Dear Richard Pevear,
> > > > Your Pushkin article in the Hudson Review with its phrase
"usually
> > > >aseptic Nabokov" has led a number of NABOKV-L subscribers to wonder
> > whether
> > > >"acerbic Nabokov" was intended. "aseptic does seem odd.
> > > >Best, D. Barton Johnson, Editor
> > > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: D. Barton Johnson
> > > >To: nabokv-l@listserv.ucsb.edu
> > > >Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 10:38 AM
> > > >Subject: Fw: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: Cathoxtoby@aol.com
> > > >To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> > > >Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 1:30 AM
> > > >Subject: Re: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >In a message dated 05/02/2004 03:16:11 GMT Standard Time,
> chtodel@cox.net
> > > >writes:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > EDNOTE. I'm inclined to agree with your suspicion. "Acerbic"---NOT
> > > > "Aseptic." VN was, of course, among those Russians who regard
> Pushkin
> > in
> > > > superlatives--although he faults for the occasional weak line.
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Arthur Glass" <goliard@worldnet.att.net>
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > > I am just getting round to reading the Fall 2003 issue of the
> > peerless
> > > > > __Hudson Review__. It contains an excellent article by Richard
> > Pevear
> > > > > called 'The Presence of Pushkin'. Pevear refers to '...the
common
> > > >tendency
> > > > > among Russians to speak of Pushkin in superlatives--a feature
> found
> > > >not
> > > > >only in the poet's hagiographers, but also in__ the usually
> aseptic
> > > >Nabokov
> > > > > [please visualize those words as italicized by me], the wry and
> > witty
> > > > > Sinyavsky, the judicious D.S. Mirsky.'
> > > > >
> > > > > Now, I think I understand the point here; VN was rather chary of
> > > >praise
> > > > f>or other writers. But 'aseptic'? That is not a quality I would
> ever
> > > >think of
> > > > > predicating of VN. 'Acerbic', yes, and perhaps it's a misprint.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >----------------------------------------------------
> > > >
> > > >Don't you think you're being too charitable in assuming a misprint?
> I've
> > > >encountered so many comments that VN is 'sterile' and 'cerebral' that
> it
> > > >seems all too likely that 'aseptic' is intended. After all one can be
> > > >acerbic about writers one doesn't like and still use superlatives
about
> > > >those one does. Whereas 'aseptic' would certainly not go with any
show
> of
> > > >passionate enthusiasm...
> > > >
> > > >Catherine Oxtoby
> > >
> > > _________________________________________________________________
> > > Get some great ideas here for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day - and
> > > beyond. http://special.msn.com/network/celebrateromance.armx
> > >
> > >
>
From: "Arthur Glass" <goliard@worldnet.att.net>
>
> ---------------- Message requiring your approval (122
lines) ------------------
> Superlatives are pathogens? Well, I suppose if something as unlikely as
> prions can cause disease, there is no a priori reason why superlatives
could
> not.
>
> How about 'styptic'?
--------------------------------------------
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: D. Barton Johnson <chtodel@cox.net>
> To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 11:10 AM
> Subject: Fw: Fw: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic? Richard Pevear replies
>
>
> > EDNOTE. NABOKV-L thanks Richard Pevear for his clarification. And I do
> > agree.
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "richard pevear" <rpevear@hotmail.com>
> > To: <chtodel@cox.net>
> > Sent: Friday, February 06, 2004 1:06 AM
> > Subject: RE: Fw: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic?
> >
> >
> > > Dear Mr. Johnson,
> > >
> > > I certainly meant "aseptic" and I meant it in its first meaning:
"free
> of
> > > pathogenic organisms," i.e. organisms capable of causing disease, in
> this
> > > case, an attack of superlatives. You'll agree that Nabokov is usually
> > > "aseptic" in that sense.
> > >
> > > Yours truly,
> > >
> > > Richard Pevear
> > >
> > >
> > > >From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@cox.net>
> > > >To: <rpevear@hotmail.com>
> > > >Subject: Fw: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic?
> > > >Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2004 15:44:22 -0800
> > > >
> > > >Dear Richard Pevear,
> > > > Your Pushkin article in the Hudson Review with its phrase
"usually
> > > >aseptic Nabokov" has led a number of NABOKV-L subscribers to wonder
> > whether
> > > >"acerbic Nabokov" was intended. "aseptic does seem odd.
> > > >Best, D. Barton Johnson, Editor
> > > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: D. Barton Johnson
> > > >To: nabokv-l@listserv.ucsb.edu
> > > >Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 10:38 AM
> > > >Subject: Fw: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: Cathoxtoby@aol.com
> > > >To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
> > > >Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 1:30 AM
> > > >Subject: Re: Fw: Is VN 'aseptic?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >In a message dated 05/02/2004 03:16:11 GMT Standard Time,
> chtodel@cox.net
> > > >writes:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > EDNOTE. I'm inclined to agree with your suspicion. "Acerbic"---NOT
> > > > "Aseptic." VN was, of course, among those Russians who regard
> Pushkin
> > in
> > > > superlatives--although he faults for the occasional weak line.
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Arthur Glass" <goliard@worldnet.att.net>
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > > I am just getting round to reading the Fall 2003 issue of the
> > peerless
> > > > > __Hudson Review__. It contains an excellent article by Richard
> > Pevear
> > > > > called 'The Presence of Pushkin'. Pevear refers to '...the
common
> > > >tendency
> > > > > among Russians to speak of Pushkin in superlatives--a feature
> found
> > > >not
> > > > >only in the poet's hagiographers, but also in__ the usually
> aseptic
> > > >Nabokov
> > > > > [please visualize those words as italicized by me], the wry and
> > witty
> > > > > Sinyavsky, the judicious D.S. Mirsky.'
> > > > >
> > > > > Now, I think I understand the point here; VN was rather chary of
> > > >praise
> > > > f>or other writers. But 'aseptic'? That is not a quality I would
> ever
> > > >think of
> > > > > predicating of VN. 'Acerbic', yes, and perhaps it's a misprint.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >----------------------------------------------------
> > > >
> > > >Don't you think you're being too charitable in assuming a misprint?
> I've
> > > >encountered so many comments that VN is 'sterile' and 'cerebral' that
> it
> > > >seems all too likely that 'aseptic' is intended. After all one can be
> > > >acerbic about writers one doesn't like and still use superlatives
about
> > > >those one does. Whereas 'aseptic' would certainly not go with any
show
> of
> > > >passionate enthusiasm...
> > > >
> > > >Catherine Oxtoby
> > >
> > > _________________________________________________________________
> > > Get some great ideas here for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day - and
> > > beyond. http://special.msn.com/network/celebrateromance.armx
> > >
> > >
>