[A] Equal Rites possible annotation "but me no buts"
Michael Wilkinson
Hello
Now - first post here so I'll try to do it right -
Greetings and Salutations to all. This is about Equal Rites and a link
through
the BBC TV series Yes Minister to (if the writers of YM aren't making it up)
"Mrs Centlivre in 1708 and Scott's "The Antiquary" in1820
I've looked through the APFiles -(which I might add are amazing now looking
forward to reading the books again, again) - I didn't see this and I think
it fits.
20 lines right?
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OK. Early on the bit where:-
Esk has just been left by her dad with Granny Weatherwax and has her under a
"verbal siege"
over "why she doesn't magic the fire alight" (p42 Corgi Ed in Oz). You
know, -
"but this, but that, but, but, but." Typical 8yo mentality.
At the top of p43 Granny says, "but me no buts." which ends the "buts" from
Esk.
Now
I'm very partial to the Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister BBC TV series
and there's this
wonderful bit of Jim Hacker/Bernard Wooley dialogue in the episode The Key
(p132 The
Complete Yes Prime Minister - BBC Publications).
Hacker has just told Bernard to take away Sir Humphrey's Key
Bernard is rigid ! - He's having trouble imagining it. After all Sir H is
his boss, sort-of.
After a few "Yes, but..." 's from Bernard
Hacker says, " "But me no buts", Bernard.. Shakespeare."
Bernard corrects him, mostly to shelter in the comfort of pedantic
monologue.
"No, Prime Minister, "but me no buts" is a ninteenth century quotation,
circa 1820.
Mrs Centlivre used the phrase in 1708, I believe, but it was Scott's
employment of
it in "The Antiquary" which popularised it."
Hacker tell's him to stick to the point - but Bernard is so desparate he
continues
and relates that Hacker is probably thinking of Old Capulet in Romeo &
Juliet, Act III
Scene V when he said "Thank me no thankings, nor proud me no prouds."
Hacker then lost his temper and verbally chases him out of the room.
That's all.
So Long and TFATF
Michael
PS
I found The Antiquary at
http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/www/english/comet/starn/prose/wscott/antiquar/
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Stephen Briggs
<big snip about ER>
> After a few "Yes, but..." 's from Bernard
> Hacker says, " "But me no buts", Bernard.. Shakespeare."
>
> Bernard corrects him, mostly to shelter in the comfort of pedantic
> monologue.
>
> "No, Prime Minister, "but me no buts" is a ninteenth century quotation,
> circa 1820.
Now this surprised me, because I have to confess *I, too* thought it was
Shakespeare.. and I had an idea it went "but me no buts and uncle me no
uncles". Indeed, before reading this posting I would even have ventured
to guess it was from Richard II. I'm going to have to trail down to
Waterstone's now and browse through their books of quotations...
Stephen Briggs
Kim Andrews
("Stephen Briggs") wrote:
>Now this surprised me, because I have to confess *I, too* thought it was
>Shakespeare.. and I had an idea it went "but me no buts and uncle me no
>uncles". Indeed, before reading this posting I would even have ventured
>to guess it was from Richard II. I'm going to have to trail down to
>Waterstone's now and browse through their books of quotations...
My books are nearer, being on the shelf behind me, so allow me...
"Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle."
Richard II act2 sc3 1.87
according to The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.
Neither the ODoQ or Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable has anything
to offer on "But me no buts..."
Chin chin
Kimbo
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Stephen Briggs
> Now this surprised me, because I have to confess *I, too* thought it
> was Shakespeare.. and I had an idea it went "but me no buts and uncle
> me no uncles". Indeed, before reading this posting I would even have
> ventured to guess it was from Richard II. I'm going to have to trail
> down to Waterstone's now and browse through their books of quotations...
...and Waterstone's revealed that both Jim Hacker and I were wrong. The
Richard II quotation is: 'grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncles'..
Ah well.
Stephen Briggs
in...@fdhoekstra.nl
>
> ad...@cspl.com.au wrote:
>
> <big snip about ER>
> > After a few "Yes, but..." 's from Bernard
> > Hacker says, " "But me no buts", Bernard.. Shakespeare."
> >
> > Bernard corrects him, mostly to shelter in the comfort of pedantic
> > monologue.
> >
> > "No, Prime Minister, "but me no buts" is a ninteenth century quotation,
> > circa 1820.
>
> Shakespeare.. and I had an idea it went "but me no buts and uncle me no
> uncles". Indeed, before reading this posting I would even have ventured
> to guess it was from Richard II. I'm going to have to trail down to
> Waterstone's now and browse through their books of quotations...
No... according to the WWW Bartlett's, it's:
Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle.
William Shakespeare: Richard II., act ii. sc. 3.
and
But me no buts.
Henry Fielding: Rape upon Rape, act ii. sc. 2.
Aaron Hill: Snake in the Grass, sc. 1.
So it's most probably not a Shakey quote. I doubt it's a Fielding
and/or Hill quote either; it's such a well-known and often-used
type of idiom it could come from anywhere.
My money would be on a straight YM quote.
Richard
David Brain
Briggs") wrote:
> ...and Waterstone's revealed that both Jim Hacker and I were wrong.
TBH I'd believe Bernard over Jim Hacker any day ;-)
--
David Brain
The Millennium Bug: An inability to spell the word "millennium" correctly
Michael Wilkinson
I'd like to that you all for the reply's -
Thanks
Michael
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