D.L.F. PASSING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2558, 25 March 1903, Page 67

D.L.F. PASSING NOTES.

In reply to the excellent latter written by Refoim, Dot comments on. the method of fishcatching employed on a certain occasion by that writer. 1 The method used was fishing by means of dynamite. Dot considers this method more cruel than the usual cne^ — bait and hook. "With all due respect to Dot, I consider thia i$ a mistake, and for this "reason: In the case of the use of dynamite/ or any other explosive, the fish aro killed suddenly and quickly ; wherein the case of the' bait and hook, the fish "are -enticed -with tho-prospect of a good -meal, are .greeted with a sharp hook piercing -their mcuth, Jjy'imeans of which they are drawn out of tho -waiter, and in nine cases oat of ten, are then left -to expire as slowly or a.s quickly as the' treatment they have previously, received allows. What makes death by explosion seem so "cruel is because the »wprd "dynamite" carries along with it the idea of "mutilation," but. in the case of fishing, this is a mistake. Th« commotion caused by placing the explosive in position, .together with its presence in the water, serves to keep the fish at a distance sufficient to permit their being killed outright, but not sufficient to allow of their being blown to pieces. The explosion method of fishing is adopted by many vessels when at sea, and I remember seeing this method employed on a warship — H.M.S. Katoomba— when lying off Port Chalmers some eight years ago. In this case, the explosive having been let off, the men went out in the ship's launch and gathered in nets the fish which were floating on the surface. However, taken as a whole, I suppose fishing is a somewhat barbaric method of obtaining food at any time. But I can but confess that it is a method I, like others, have often adopted. [I think D.L.F. Civis has slightly misunderstood my remark. Of course I have had no. experience of -either method, but I can quite understand that the dynamite process is not fio cruel as the hook and bait. What I waa thinking of, however, was the waste of fish caused by employing dynamite, and also its illegality, ifor I think it is illegal. For mor* fish than, are wanted must be killed when dynamite ds used, and fish of all sizes and kinds cannot fail to bo killed or injured. Does it not seem a pity to kill thus indiscriminatingly?—DOT.]

Jessica seems to have a particular weakness for dedicating poems to people. Though intended as a- compliment to the persons to whom they, are dedicated, poem 9 dedicatory, in my mind; have about them the suggestion of a dead, .person. Efence, if a poem is dedicated to a living person,' it brings up the idea that it is the. wish of the .writer that .the person to 4?hom the poem is dedicated should be dead. Authors •dedicate books to any friends or relations who have shared and perished in their travels and adventures. Music and songs are dedicated to a noted dead singer or composer. Dedication services are held for persons who may have been prominent in church matters. The very word itself, "ded-icate," suggests something which is departed. For Jessica's benefit, I quote some poems dedicatory: "We have lost our little Hanner, in a. very painful manner, And we often asked, How could her harsh sufferings be borne? iWhen her death was. first reported, her aunt got up and snorted "With the grief that she supported; for it made her feel forlorn." She was such a little seraph, that her father — who was sheriff — Really doesn't seem to care if he ne'er smiles iv life again. She has gone, wo hope, to heaven, at the early age of seven (Fun«ral starts off at 11), where she'll never more have pain." Here, again, is on© dedicated to a oertain Alexander M'Shue, and runs as follows: "The Death Angel smote Alexander M'Slue, And gave him protracted repose ; He wore » check shirt and a number nine shoe, And had a pink wart on his pose. No doubt ho is happier, dwelling in space, Over there on the evergreen shore. His friends arc informed that his fun-eral takes place, Precisely at quarter past four." Lastly, there is a poem -dedicated to a certain littkv Willie : ■" Willie had a purple monkey, climbing on a yelfow stick. And when he sucked the paint all off, it made him very sick; And in his latest hours he clasped his monkey in his hand, And bad* good-bye to earth ai)d went into another land. ' This is followed by another verse which implies that the world is better without the presence of Willie: " Oh, no more he'll shoot his sister with his little wooden gun ; No more he'll twist the. pussey's tail, and mako Her yowl foi fun. The pussy's tail now stands up straight, the gun is laid aside; The monkey doesn't jump around, since little Willie died." However, the page is not gifted with too many poets or poetesses, and we know Jessica's dedications are intended for compliments. Besides, her poem to Dot contains some pretty sentiment, so we must let it pass if only for that.

With a view to giving a little variety to these notes, I intend from, time to time tc inoludo notes explanatory of well-known expressions one is continually hearing applied to persons. For" instance, this time I shall take the expression "He's a brick." Plutarch, in his "Life of Ag-esialus. (King of Sparta), gives the origin of $be expression. On a oertain occasion an ambassador from Epirus, on a diplomatic mission, was shown by Agesialus over his capiial. The ambassador knew that the monarch — though only nominally Kiug of Sparta — was yet' practically ruler of Greece, and he expected, to see massive walls rearing aloft their ambattled towers for»the defence of the chief towns; but he saw nothing 1 of the kind. Ho was surprised at th,is, and spoko of it to the Bong. "Sire," lie said, "I have visited most of thy great towns, and find no walls reared for their defence." "Indeed," replied Agesialus, canat not have looked car.ef.ully. Come

with me to-morrow morning, and I will show you the walls of Sparta." The following day he led his guest out upon the plains, where his army was drawn up in line of battle, and, pointing to it, proudly said: — "These are the walls of Sparta— lo,ooo men— and every man a b?idi." Hence to call a man "a brick" signifies that that person is^ hardy and car. withstand a good deal.

On reading the remarks contained in a correspondent's letter a week or two back, one is at once confronted with the fact that at the time of writing the writer was in a criticising mood, but hod nothing much upon which to vent her criticism. At anyrate, the criticisms made are quite unmerited. Thu3 the writer in question remark 9 that "Au revoir" is generally translated "good-bye for the present, ' whereas th* meaning assigned to it by the French is "goo<y bye till we meet again. ' When you say to a person, "Good-bye for the present," you me/Ji that you are simply saying good-bye till you meet that person again. Similarly, wher. you say ■"good-bye till we meet again," you are saying good-bye simply for the present. Hence the meaning contained in the one expression is equal to the meaning contained in the other. At smyrate, the difference in meaning is so slight that criticism is not necessary. Again, t&e writer does n^t approve of the expression, "I have enjoyed myself very much," as it is the thing which has produced the enjoyment which one enjoys, and not oneself. Strictly" speaking, this is correct,- but it has been the .custom of people sinee 'the time of Adam lo-use-the expression objected to. -To put it another way,-'the expression- is dramatic, and nothing further need be said. D.L.F. CIVIS.