Dichroic Reflections

a bit of etymology

I learned something today. I'd always assumed that powder rooms were called that
because of the euphemism about powdering one's nose. However, according to the
late A. Edward Newton, book collector, author, and Johnsonian, Samual Johnson's
house in Gough Square, where he wrote his Dictionary, had a powder closet near the
front door where one's wig was powdered and made presentable for the day. I can
see the utility of having a room for the purpose so powder didn't get all over
everything in the rest of the house -- the equivalent of a mudroom, I
guess.

Otherwise, today is dedicated to laundry (in progress),
packing (in the heaps of clothing stage) and erging (done). Only 21K left on the
HOliday Challenge! Also, only one more day of regular work, three of classes, and
then I'm off until 2004!

Here, incidentally, is a timely quotation from a later essay in the same book:

The six months from December 18, 1777 to June 19, 1778 were undoubtedly the darkest in American history. During that time it is estimated that several thousand men perished on these Valley Forge hills; and while the soldiers were dying of neglect, Congress talked, thus setting an example which has been followed right down to the present time.

A. Edward Newton, 1925