the coffee philosopher

Posted on September 24, 2014September 23, 2014 by the coffee philosopher

Charles Lamb & Algernon Swinburne

I went to the beach last weekend and brought with my a selected poems and prose of A.C. Swinburne (who, it seems, is only ever read in England anymore, which is too bad, because he’s got some great gloomy, decadent landscapes in his poetry and kind of reads like a sexier, more comprehensible version of Robert Browning). I’d also been reading an old book, tattered book that is something like the collected writings of Charles Lamb, volume II. It’s mostly his letters to folks like Coleridge and Southey and others. He’s not really very famous.

But Swinburne wrote and essay about William Blake and said that Lamb was the only contemporary that understood Blake’s greatness. Lamb, wrote Swinburne, was the best predictor and judge of quality in the first few decades of the nineteenth century. Maybe I underestimated Lamb’s value?

Posted on September 23, 2014September 10, 2014 by the coffee philosopher

Posted on September 22, 2014September 11, 2014 by the coffee philosopher

The Vertue Of The COFFEE Drink

THE Grain or Berry called Coffee, groweth upon little Trees, only in the Deserts of Arabia.

It is brought from thence, and drunk generally throughout all the Grand Seigniors Dominions.

It is a simple innocent thing, composed into a drink, by being dryed in an Oven, and ground to Powder, and boiled up with Spring water, and about half a pint of it to be drunk, fasting an hour before and not Eating an hour after, and to be taken as hot as possibly can be endured; the which will never fetch the skin off the mouth, or raise any Blisters, by reason of that Heat.

The Turks drink at meals and other times, is usually Water, and their Dyet consists much of Fruit, the Crudities whereof are very much corrected by this Drink.

The quality of this Drink is cold and Dry; and though it be a Dryer, yet it neither heats, nor inflames more than hot Posset.

It forcloseth the Orifice of the Stomack, and fortifies the heat with- [missing text] its very good to help digestion, and therefore of great use to be [missing text] bout 3 or 4 a Clock afternoon, as well as in the morning.

[missing text] quickens the Spirits, and makes the Heart Lightsome.

[missing text]is good against sore Eys, and the better if you hold your Head o’er it, and take in the Steem that way.

It supresseth Fumes exceedingly, and therefore good against the Head-ach, and will very much stop any Defluxion of Rheumas, that distil from the Head upon the Stomach, and so prevent and help Consumptionsand the Cough of the Lungs.

It is excellent to prevent and cure the Dropsy, Gout, and Scurvy.

It is known by experience to be better then any other Drying Drink for People in years, or Children that have any running humors upon them, as the Kings Evil. &c.

It is very good to prevent Mis-carryings in Child-bearing Women.

It is a most excellent Remedy against the Spleen, Hypocondriack Winds, or the like.

It will prevent Drowsiness, and make one fit for Busines, if one have occasion to Watch, and therefore you are not to drink of it after Supper, unless you intend to be watchful, for it will hinder sleep for 3 or 4 hours.

It is observed that in Turkey, where this is generally drunk, that they are not troubled with the Stone, Gout, Dropsie, or Scurvy, and that their Skins are exceeding cleer and white.

It is neither Laxative nor Restringent.

Made and Sold in St. Michaels Alley in Cornhill, by Pasqua Rosee, at the Signe of his own Head.

Posted on September 21, 2014September 8, 2014 by the coffee philosopher

Posted on September 20, 2014September 4, 2014 by the coffee philosopher

Posted on September 19, 2014September 3, 2014 by the coffee philosopher

Posted on September 18, 2014September 2, 2014 by the coffee philosopher

A Line That I Read About Another Poem Cycle, But Which Seems Relevant To Much Of Pound’s ‘Cantos’

…dense with moments of intellectual insight and lyric dazzle that are but rarely coincident. – from ‘New Directions Goes Old School’ by Benjamin Paloff, published in the awesome mag, Raintaxi