Here is a quote I came across in The Athenaeum from the 9th of April 1864 one long day in the library:
On the title of Mr. Dickens' new story, ``Our Mutual Friend'', we have received many protests which would more usefully have been directed to the story-teller. ``In the interest of the Queen's English'', one gentleman writes, ``is it not to be regretted that Mr. Dickens should have chosen this phrase as the title of his new book? What is a mutual friend? If A has friendly feelings towards B, and B reciprocates them, their friendship is mutual; and they may without impropriety be called mutual friends. But if A and B are two persons, each of whom enjoys the friendship of a third person, C, there is no ``mutuality'' in the case. C is in this case their common friend; and the use of the word mutual to express the relation is which any of them stands to either of the others is manifestly incorrect. Two brothers cannot be said to have a mutual parent. Their father is their common parent''. Another gentleman reminds us that Macaulay has made a particular and emphatic protest against this expression. Mr. Dickens, it is admitted, has the power, and the right, to raise a mere colloquialism out of the dust, and to confer upon it the dignity of a literary idiom. But where there is a great power there is equal responsibility. At present we can only write in the dark, for Mr. Dickens's story is not published, and, for anything we know his use of the term may be perfectly sound. We have the right to assume it is so' (511).
On the title of Mr. Dickens' new story, ``Our Mutual Friend'', we have received many protests which would more usefully have been directed to the story-teller. ``In the interest of the Queen's English'', one gentleman writes, ``is it not to be regretted that Mr. Dickens should have chosen this phrase as the title of his new book? What is a mutual friend? If A has friendly feelings towards B, and B reciprocates them, their friendship is mutual; and they may without impropriety be called mutual friends. But if A and B are two persons, each of whom enjoys the friendship of a third person, C, there is no ``mutuality'' in the case. C is in this case their common friend; and the use of the word mutual to express the relation is which any of them stands to either of the others is manifestly incorrect. Two brothers cannot be said to have a mutual parent. Their father is their common parent''. Another gentleman reminds us that Macaulay has made a particular and emphatic protest against this expression. Mr. Dickens, it is admitted, has the power, and the right, to raise a mere colloquialism out of the dust, and to confer upon it the dignity of a literary idiom. But where there is a great power there is equal responsibility. At present we can only write in the dark, for Mr. Dickens's story is not published, and, for anything we know his use of the term may be perfectly sound. We have the right to assume it is so' (511).
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
This message last edited by Camilla on 02/11/2011 at 06:22:38 AM
November! Only two months left this year! What are you reading, chaps?
- 01/11/2011 08:10:09 AM
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The Charles Dickens biography by Michael Slater
- 01/11/2011 08:57:58 AM
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I have a problem with that title - Our Mutual Friend, indeed!
- 02/11/2011 01:21:39 AM
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Hahahhahahaha
- 02/11/2011 06:04:28 AM
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And
- 02/11/2011 06:38:56 AM
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It was for comic effect, and based on my memory of your posting that article.
- 02/11/2011 04:43:10 PM
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Re: It was for comic effect, and based on my memory of your posting that article.
- 02/11/2011 05:16:15 PM
1097 Views
I finished The Secret Pilgrim by Le Carré (the last Smiley novel, if you can call it that)
- 04/11/2011 08:41:50 PM
1001 Views
Middlemarch will probably take me a few weeks more. After that, we'll see.
- 01/11/2011 10:32:21 AM
1147 Views
Read Tintentod, now reading Antony and Cleopatra (Goldsworthy, not Shakespeare). *NM*
- 28/11/2011 09:35:13 PM
519 Views
Am falling back on Harry Dresden due to the pressures of studying.
- 01/11/2011 02:00:49 PM
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So, books.
- 01/11/2011 10:08:00 PM
1080 Views
The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov. *NM*
- 05/11/2011 02:19:39 PM
537 Views
THe Great Gatsby. *NM*
- 28/11/2011 02:26:14 PM
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Allow me to request a review of that one. I've long been thinking I need to read it. *NM*
- 28/11/2011 09:35:48 PM
500 Views
Back to Der Zauberberg. About halfway through now.
- 02/11/2011 01:17:32 AM
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I don't know how I managed to read about 900 pages of German this month...
- 26/11/2011 10:33:52 PM
1036 Views
Re: November! Only two months left this year! What are you reading, chaps?
- 02/11/2011 08:07:11 PM
1322 Views
new Catherine Asaro book!
- 02/11/2011 08:22:15 PM
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reading Temeraire
- 15/11/2011 05:50:45 PM
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"Temeraire" was fun. Started on "Tumbling After" by Paul Witcover. *NM*
- 16/11/2011 06:32:50 PM
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Read "Broken Time" by Maggy Thomas/Emily Devenport. Really good!
- 30/11/2011 04:31:41 PM
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Yeesh, November already.
- 06/11/2011 12:28:51 PM
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Have you read Old Custer by Eli Cash?
- 06/11/2011 04:06:33 PM
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Nope.
- 06/11/2011 04:50:27 PM
1076 Views
Never mind.
- 06/11/2011 05:07:30 PM
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Never mind.
- 06/11/2011 05:07:30 PM
1091 Views
" *NM*
Re: November! Only two months left this year! What are you reading, chaps?
- 28/11/2011 04:16:33 AM
1250 Views