Engaged in an "Epizzle"

Engaged in an ‘Epizzle’
READING ISSY’S PRACTICE LETTER IN FINNEGANS WAKE
WITH THE PRINTED LETTERS IN ULYSSES

Joyce riddles his fiction with letters, from the critically significant ALP letter in Finnegans Wake to the generally ignored letters of Milly Bloom and Martha Clifford in Ulysses. Among Joyce’s fictious letters, one key writing by Issy exists in a unique space in the Wake: her practice letter (280.09-36). If Milly Bloom’s letter represents a world of sexual innocence and Martha Clifford’s a world of overt sexuality, then Issy’s writing bridges the gap between these contrasting female portraits, pushing the boundaries of prescribed femininity.

In this paper, I will show that these two sides of Issy’s personality (the pure, innocent virgin and the highly sexual temptress/whore) which appear in her practice letter is analogous to the printed letters of Ulysses. That is, Issy’s model letter embodies elements and themes of both the thank you note Milly sends to her father, Leopold Bloom, as well as Martha’s Clifford’s correspondence with Henry Flower (pseudonym of Bloom). In her letter, Milly portrays an ideal world while giving concrete details about her life and surroundings; any reference to her sexuality remains innocent. In contrast, Martha’s world is abstract, mysterious and promiscuously filled with sexual allusions. With Issy exemplifying all of these characteristics in her personality and through her writing, I believe that an explication of Issy’s practice letter can be illuminated by reading it in tandem with Milly Bloom’s thank you note and Martha Clifford’s lover letter.

A number of critics point to the duality of the Issy character: she is both saint (virgin) and temptress (whore). The two selves of Issy, generally thought to be based upon the multiple personalities of Christine Beauchamp, can also easily be described as a nightworld combination of the daytime facades of Milly and Martha. In addition, a number of comparisons can be made between Issy and Milly who, as daughter figures, are just beginning to become sexual beings, to replace their mothers (ALP and Molly) in the eyes of their fathers, HCE and Bloom.

Letters, of course, are imperfect communications. We know Milly’s letter is imperfect because of the miscommunication in the postscript "excuse bad writing." Perhaps her handwriting is illegible, or maybe the time-constraints imposed from being in a hurry forces her to edit or censor herself from writing all that she would like to say. Similarly, Martha’s letter is imperfect because of the inclusion of typographical errors or grammatical mistakes, and because we’re never entirely certain of her identity. Finally, Issy’s letter is imperfect because it is incomplete, with text censored or warped by the mind of the dreamer.

Before analyzing Issy’s letter, one must be aware of the differences between reading the letters in the day-time of Ulysses versus the night-time of the Wake. Reading the letters in Ulysses follows a simpler process because, in terms of placement in the text, they are complete and straight-forward. Although the content of the letters remains open for interpretation, there is no doubt that the reader gets the entire letter that Milly wrote as well as the whole text of Martha’s letter. They exist on the page separated by white space from the rest of the novel. Since we read them along with Bloom, we are not at mercy of the dreamer’s mind who reconstructs the letters through his psyche and may sift out parts of them, thus making the texts in the Wake more elusive. No one can question the authority of the letters in Ulysses as texts or as actual letters. We may question the sender, and we may even differ in the letter’s interpretation, but we have an unassailable text. We have the entire letter from ‘Dear’ to signature. However, the letters in Finnegans Wake operate in a different world. Although the practice letter beings with ‘Dear’ and ends ‘from’ someone, it doesn’t stand out on the page like Milly or Martha’s letters. It contains more than simply the letter-text, rather it includes parenthetical statements and descriptions of mannerisms. With these extra challenges, it seems wise to look elsewhere in the Wake for some guidance, such as the words of Issy’s teacher and her accompanying footnote.

"Writing a Letters – How to Read the Letters in Finnegans Wake

[A]ll the world’s in want and is writing a letters.⁵A letters from a person to a place about a thing. And all the world’s on wish to be carrying a letters. A letter to a king about a treasure from a cat. When men want to write a letters. Ten men, ton men, pen men, pun men, wont to rise a ladder. . . . Is there any lettersday from many peoples, Daganasanavitch? . . . A posy cord. Plece.
^{_______________________________________________}
⁵To be slipped on, to be slept by, to be conned to, to be kept up. And when you’re done push the chain. (FW 278.13-23)

An introduction to the world of letters within Finnegans Wake best begins by looking at the writing lesson in Book II Chapter 2 as well as part of the description of the Boston, Mass. letter (93) which echoes some of the points made in Issy’s footnote. As the children’s professor states, "All the world’s in want and is writing a letters," which has numerous possible meanings. First of all, it is feasible that the reference to "world" may refer back to the world/word controversy in Ulysses. Martha Clifford, states that she does "not like that other world," but asks, "What is the real meaning of that other word?" The "word" needs the letter "l" to become "world" – the "world" needs a letter removed to become the "word." In Martha’s letter, the missing letter is what takes us into the other world of sexuality; in Finnegans Wake the other words take us into another world.

The world is "in want" because it simply lacks words despite the many interpretations of ALP’s Letter, for in Finnegans Wake we never get the entire text. There is something always lacking, always missing, always in want in the versions we do find. In the world of the Wake there is a desire for letters and desire in the letters, specifically those written by Issy (including her love letters to her professor [279.F1], to Jaunick [457-60] and even in the practice letter [280]). Desire writes itself in Martha Clifford’s letter as well, to appease the sexual needs of Bloom. This desire, this sexuality is what Bloom fears in Milly’s letter and something that HCE fears has found its way into Issy’s practice letter.

Issy’s footnote to the professor’s writing lesson also instructs the reader how to interpret the various letters in the Wake and Ulysses, as her comments illuminate various aspects of the letters in both of these novels. Shari Benstock, in her article, "The Letter of the Law: La Carte Postale in Finnegans Wake," also discusses this passage:

This analysis suggests that the need to write letters is generalized that letters themselves share certain properties (‘a letter from a person to a place about a thing’), and that, in particular, the letters here are to a ‘king about a treasure from a cat.’ The king designates Earwicker whose occupation (as Tim Finnegan) is ‘to rise a ladder,’ that is, to write a letter. ‘Pen men’ and ‘pun men’ embody the elements of the writing trade (pens and puns), suggesting that writing is a male task. The footnotes, written by Issy, constitute a ‘lady’s postscript’ (42.9), a marginal commentary on the primary text as well as a parallel text to the story the chapter tells. These notes delineate the connections between letters and desire, between psychoanalysis and dreams: the letters are ‘slipped on’ (as Freudian ‘slips’) ‘slept by’ (the impetus to dream), they serve as blackmail weapons (‘to be conned’) as well as phallic symbols (‘to be kept up’). . . . [It] is suggested here in the pushing of the ‘chain’ that will start the letter on its way through the postal (sewage) system (Benstock Law 175).

"To be slipped on," may refer to mistakes in a letter, such as Martha Clifford’s various "slips," whether they be Freudian or grammatical, or slips of the finger on the keyboard. Also, "slipped on" echoes "slipping like soap" which can relate to deceptiveness in letters, such as the pseudonyms Issy uses to sign her practice letter or the fake name to whom Martha unknowingly addresses her letter. "To be slept on" is especially meaningful to the letters in Finnegans Wake , a book composed of dreams, thus letters are written into the sleepy sub-conscious. In addition, "to be slept on" implies giving oneself time to contemplate an issue or problem more deeply. Since the letter in Finnegans Wake reappears in multiple forms and the letters in Ulysses come to Bloom’s mind at various points in the day, this interpretation is also an relevant and useful way to view letterwriting. "To be conned to" applies to Martha’s letter, since it is part of secretive and dishonest series of correspondence. It is written to a pseudonym and, since we never know if there really is a "Martha Clifford," it could just as well be from another fake name. In addition, if one can use letters as weapons, Martha threatens punishment numerous times within her letter ("will punish you if you do not wrote"). Furthermore, since conning implies stealing, it also fits with the concept of "borrowing a word." Since Issy’s practice letter is modeled from a copy book (or from the Boston, Mass. Letter itself?), and Milly and Martha’s letters both contain formulaic and stilted language, each could be accused of "borrowing a word." Finally, "to be kept up" applies to both Martha and Issy’s letters since they beg for future correspondence as well as contain sexual language and may be used for titillation.

The Duality of Issy: The Letterwriter

As stated earlier, a number of critics discuss the duality of Issy’s personality,

including Claudine Raynaud in her article, "Woman, the Letter Writer; Man, the Writing Master":

[Adaline Glasheen has already made apparent how Issy’s other selves may be constructed after Morton Prince’s patient Christine Beauchamp who suffered from personality disorders. Sally was Miss Beauchamp’s subconscious self and she used to write letters to her other self, the saintly nurse Christine. Indeed, some of the letters are signed by Christine: for dear thankyou Chriesty" (FW 111.14), "with best from cinder Christinette" (FW 280.21-22). Glasheen explores the construction of two opposite selves. On one side, we have the pure, innocent, highly ethical Christine, Issy as the little child, "Nuvoletta" (FW 157-59), the "nurse Saintette Isabelle" (FW 556-07). On the other side stands her double Sally, the wicked, highly sexual, extroverted, subconscious self. In the Wake Sally becomes the child-temptress, the unashamed little girl who will bring about HCE’s fall. Issy’s footnotes (FW II.2) are extremely subversive and Pepette’s messages to her lovers (FW 145 ff and 457 ff) are the locus and the moment of sexual temptation (Raynaud 303)

As well as Shari Benstock in her chapter in Women in Joyce:

R]eferences to "Christine L. Beauchamp" (Dr. Prince’s patient) and to "Sally" (Miss Beauchamp’s alter ego) abound in the Issy sections of Finnegans Wake, Glasheen sees similarities between the two women: the Christine/Sally split is reflected most obviously in Issy’s uneasy amalgam of the sacred and profane, one side of the split ego characterized by the virgin Nuvoletta, the other by the sexually provocative and enticing temptress. Carrying the argument further, Glasheen suggests that the "Maggies," Earwicker’s temptresses in Phoenix Park, are another extension of Issy and "her grateful sister reflection in a mirror" (220.9) and that the famous letter from Boston, Mass., is written from one Maggy "selfpenned" to her "other" (489.33-34). This interpretation suggests that Issy-as-temptress is her father’s downfall, but Issy-as-letterwriter is her father’s salvation, the letter itself constituting the defense which can resurrect him. In short, the argument rests on the implicit assumption that a psychologically unstable daughter – the disintegrated Issy – serves both as her father’s destroyer and as the agent of his redemption (Benstock WIJ 169-70).

Whether Issy indeed suffers from a mental disease such as multiple personality disorder or a schizophrenic is moot here. More importantly, we can trace the two sides of her personality in her writing, as Benstock describes in the chapter "The Genuine Christine: Psychodynamics of Issy" in Women in Joyce as well as Adaline Glasheen states in the Third Census of Finnegans Wake,

Issy, daughter for HCE and ALP, the young nubile who is both the saccharine sweet ‘nuvoletta in her lightdress, spunn of sisteen shimmers’ (157.8), and the sexually precocious writer of obscene footnotes to the children’s lessons in II.2 (Benstock WIJ 169)

Issy knows her letters because she has eaten of the fruit, and she proves her knowledge when one part of her dissociated self writes a mash note, thanking the professor who taught her to err (279.F1); the other part of her personality writes a model letter, modeled on the letter from Boston, Mass. (280.1-281.3) (Glasheen li)

Unlike the clearly-drawn character of Issy, one could say that the reader never gets a clear and definitive idea of who Martha or Milly are because in some sense are allegorical. These characters can be viewed as possible illustrations of how women publicly portray or mask sexuality. Women can easily hide behind these facades in the daylight of Ulysses, but in the night dream of Finnegans Wake these two aspects of sexuality come together. Thus both virgin/whore aspects of female sexuality reveals itself in the one character of Issy. Through her writing, we see Issy’s innocence and her sensuality; she is more of a psychological portrait with these two "worlds" are at play within the practice letter.

277-8: Letterwriting -- The Practice (Copybook) Letter

The practice letter is unique because it is the only Boston, Mass. version definitively attributed to Issy. It resembles Milly’s letter since both, in the purest sense, are chatty, unoriginal, formulaic letters with hints of innocence and promise. Milly’s letter is a simple thank-you note following the basic structure of such a formal response by starting off with a thank you, giving details on her current life, thanking the sender of gifts once again and signing off. Similarly, Issy’s letter follows this same structure.

Milly’s letter to her father

Issy’s Practice Letter

Dearest Papli

Thanks ever so much for the lovely birthday present. It suits me splendid. Everyone says I am quite the belle in my new tam. I got mummy's lovely box of creams and am writing. They are lovely. I am getting on swimming in the photo business now. Mr Coghlan took one of me and Mrs. Will send when developed. We did great biz yesterday. Fair day and all the beef to the heels were in. We are going to lough Owel on Monday with a few friends to make a scrap picnic. Give my love to mummy and to yourself a big kiss and thanks. I hear them at the piano downstairs. There is to be a concert in the Greville Arms on Saturday. There is a young student comes here some evenings named Bannon his cousins or something are big swells he sings Boylan's (I was on the pop of writing Blazes Boylan's) song about those seaside girls. Tell him silly Milly sends my best respects. I must now close with fondest love

Your fond daughter

Milly

P.S. Excuse bad writing am in a hurry. Byby.
M.

Dear (name of desired subject, A.N.), well, and I go on to. Shlicksher. I and we (tender condolences for happy funeral, one if) so sorry to (mention person suppressed for the moment, F.M.). Well (enquiries after all-healths) how are you (question maggy). A lovely (introduce to domestic circles) pershan of cates. Shrubsher. Those pothooks mostly she hawks from Poppa Vere Foster but these curly mequeues are of Mippa's moulding. Shrubsheruthr. (Wave gently in the ere turning ptover.) Well, mabby (consolation of shopes) to soon air. With best from cinder Christinette if prints chumming, can be when desires Soldi, for asamples, backfronted or, if all, peethrolio or Get my Prize, using her flower or perfume or, if veryveryvery chumming, in otherwards, who she supposed adeal, kissists my exits. Shlicksheruthr. From Auburn chenlemagne.

(FW 280.9-28)

A quick scan of the letters above may initially find little in common between the two missives, but a close reading uncovers a number of similarities. For instance, Sheri Benstock’s description of Issy’s practice letter in her article, "The Letter of the Law: La Carte Postale in Finnegans Wake" could easily apply to Milly’s:

At one level this letter is the kind of chatty, informal ‘introduction to domestic circles’ that the young Issy writes under the guidance (under the dictation) of her mother, who provides the homemaker model, one of whose duties is to establish correspondence, to write letters – of condolence, congratulations, acknowledgment, appreciation, etc. (Benstock 177).

Milly’s letter acknowledges her appreciation as she thanks both her mother and father for the birthday presents they have given her. Likewise, the practice letter, although it does not include

the word "thanks," does acknowledge the "pershan of cates" or present of wedding cakes. It also serves as a note of condolence for a recent funeral. Both letters speak of familial or social affairs: Issy mentions the "happy funeral" and Milly writes of the scrap picnic on Monday and the upcoming concert on Saturday. Both letters begin with Dear (although for Milly it’s Dearest) and end with a variation of "my best" (Issy writes "with best" and Milly writes "send my best respects"). Finally, both mention briefly issues of love or potential love interest.

In terms of structure of the letters, both follow a formal structure, as if from a letterwriting book. Because both Issy and Milly are young, inexperienced, and still learning, their letters have a hint naïveté about them, a virginal innocence. These letters are conventional, format-driven notes with little imagination, and, without context, they have no tangible sincerity.

Because we are not sure who Issy writes to (and quite possibly it is herself) the letter is entirely her world. Milly, who writes to her father, explores the world outside of herself. Therefore, Issy’s missive may reflect more subconscious, internal desires. What goes on in Issy’s mind may be what’s happening in Milly’s. However, Bloom can’t see what’s in Milly’s head: he only has the text. Since Milly writes her for her father, she requires an outside interpreter, someone else to define her. Whereas, if Issy is the writer of the letter to herself, there is no outsider to interpret it for her – the writer and interpreter are one and the same, wrapped together in the letter itself.

The Writing Process

Both Issy and Milly’s letters refer to the writing process. At times in Issy’s letter these notes on the act of writing are parenthetical, i.e., "(Wave gently in the er turning ptover)" which possibly refers to her turning over the piece of paper to write on the other side. Other times the actions are included within the text as, "Shlicksher" (FW 280.10), or Issy licks either her pencil or finger and "Shrubsher: (FW 280.16), or she rubs her (the cat). Claudine Raynaud comments in "Woman, the Letter Writer; Man, the Writing Master" that these mannerisms suggest sexual intercourse (Raynaud 313). However, Benstock argues that this descriptions of her actions "Schlicksher . . . Shrubsher . . . Sherubsherruthr" represent Issy "in concentration" (Benstock WIJ 187). One may also argue that they could instead be actions of boredom. With the long love letters that Issy writes later on in the novel, Issy may feel above this simple epistolary lesson. Regardless, by watching Issy actually create the letter, we are reading it as she writes it rather than reading the final product along with the recipient as is the case with Milly’s letter.

Although we do not have written explanations of Milly’s mannerisms while she writes her letter, we can reconstruct the circumstance of the letter-writing environment. A strong sense of time and place is developed through Milly’s descriptions ("I hear a piano downstairs") which allow us to envision where she is (upstairs) and what is going on in her surroundings while she is writing the letter. In addition, the process of writing is also alluded to in Milly’s letter when she writes in parentheses: "(I was on the pop of writing Blazes Boylan’s)." In this moment she lets the reader into her mind and into her thought processes that occur while she writes. Obviously Milly didn’t plan on writing this sentence into her letter, but as the thought came into her mind, she wrote it down. This parenthetical takes us away for a moment from the active writing of the letter just as in "Schlicksher" does in Issy’s letter. The "excuse bad writing" postscript also draws the reader into the writing process because it alerts the reader that the writer critiques her own letter just as the reader will.

The description of the process of writing the practice letter is similar to Bloom’s recollection of one of Milly’s early letters that he finds in a drawer:

An infantile epistle, dated, small em monday, reading: capital pee Papli comma capital aitch How are you note of interrogation capital eye I am very well full stop new paragraph signature with flourishes capital em Milly not stop (17.1791-94)

Although the descriptors in this letter are included by Bloom and not Milly, it still is useful in showing how Milly was taught to write. Perhaps Bloom is the one to critique Milly’s writing just as he corrects Martha’s letter and explains the meaning of words to Molly.

Handwriting

Both Issy and Milly hand-write their respective letters, thus allowing for more comparison. The practice letter holds a number of references to the art of penmanship including an allusion to Vere Foster, who McHugh lists in his annotations as the author of handwriting books, as well as the terms "pothooks" and "curly mequeues" which also refer to letter formation (McHugh 280). We can visualize the process somewhat with movement of letter creation and the actions of Issy between writing the letters.

The act of writing, of penning, is recorded and we are given a description of the letters she forms on the page: ‘Those pothooks mostly she hawks from Poppa Vere Foster but these curly mequeues are of Mippa’s moulding’ (FW 280.16-18). She is being taught how to write from the writing manual, possibly by the mother (‘Mippa"), yet the figure of the father looms, if only faintly, behind the curling of the letters ("Poppa" and "Mippa"; "mequeues": queue: tail, male sexual organ). Issy is being socialized through the practice of writing; she reproduces the order of the father down to its minutest calligraphic details even if the instructor is female (Raynaud 312-313).

As Issy adds flourishes to her lettering, Milly most likely scribbles her note quickly, thus explaining why she adds the postscript "Excuse bad writing, am in a hurry, Byby." Critics have debated over whether "bad writing" refers to her penmanship or to the quality of the letter’s text. Although we do not see her handwriting, we can assume that if she is in a hurry, her handwriting may suffer a bit in the rush.

"Lovely"

Both letters use the word "lovely" to describe a present of food; for Milly, a "lovely box of creams," for Issy, a "lovely pershan of cates" (present/parcel of cakes). The inclusion of this word in both letters is important because it has the feel of a word taken straight out of an etiquette manual. It seems like a "crutch" word, something you include when you can’t think of anything else to say, that loses its meaning in overuse. (Milly repeats the word in her short note three times). Repetition is something also found in Issy’s letter. She uses "very" three times in a single word to describe "chumming," a word that itself appears twice.

Training

As her mother’s successor, Issy must learn to write letters – chatty, friendly notes to relatives far away, offering greetings or condolences or extended thanks for gifts sent; since Finnegans Wake is the epistle being written by ALP, dictated to her song Shem (Joyce), it seems reasonable that Issy should be receiving education in the writing of such an epistolary record. (Benstock WIJ 186).

In the practice letter, we witness Issy taking writing lessons writing to train her in her future occupation as wife. Milly’s letter also explores her new world of training, but instead of following her mother’s (and Issy’s) footsteps, Milly has been given the opportunity to engage in a more creative and non-traditional career, apprentice photographer. Despite the somewhat different paths Issy and Milly seem to be on, each is gaining experience, being socialized and learning their role in the world. As stated earlier, Milly’s letter is a friendly thank-you note to her father. Thus, it seems likely that if Issy has her lessons in letterwriting, so to did Milly. And if Milly can critique her own letter as "bad" then she must then know what good writing is, having been taught like Issy.

Influence of and Link to Mother

Both Issy and Milly learn at least part of their writing styles from their mothers. As suggested below, Issy learned the rules of grammar from her mother/nurse Asa:

Indeed, it is the mother (as A.N., Nourse Asa, a type of Anna Livia, from whom Issy admits to having ‘learned all the runes of the gamest game ever’ [279.F1]) who is addressed by the letter. And it is the mother who signs (under the name of Aburn chenlemagne. Pious and pure one" (280.72-28]) the letter, this missive duplicating and enclosing aspects of Anna Livia as mother, daughter, lover, mistress, sister under its salutation and signature (Benstock 177).

In addition, one can infer that Issy learns the curlicues in her penmanship from her mother (or "Mippa"). Just as one may read Issy’s letter as ending with her mother’s signature as Benstock suggests, so, in a sense, does Milly’s. Towards the end of her note, Milly’s style of writing appears to take the tone and format of her mother’s own speech pattern. As Bonnie Kime Scott describes in Joyce and Feminism, Milly’s sentence about men (which mentions Blazes Boylan, her mother's lover, as well as Bannon, her own potential lover) is similar to Molly’s style of thinking in the "Penelope" episode:

Only in the letter’s most intimate news do the sentences run together. The effect is to associate her boyfriend, Bannon, with Molly’s Boylan, and to confuse and combine men, as Molly does in her monologue (Scott J&F, p. 165-66).

The similar influence of "mother" on theirs daughters’ letters is telling. Milly ends her letter in Molly’s voice, Issy ends her letter by signing ALP. Thus, the Mippa-feminine voice is passed down in both cases, a universal feminine ecriture.

In keeping with the theme of following the role of mother, both letters give reference to a potential love interest. Issy’s practice letter includes allusions to her as Cinderella looking for idealized, socialized perception love in a Prince Charming.

[T]he letter also incorporates various elements of Issy’s seductive nature, exploiting a provocative vocabulary that reveals – without specifically addressing (that is, naming) – the object of desire : F.M., Father Michael, the parish priest (pp), who serves both as a representative of God the Father (and therefore is a figure of Earwicker) and in the place Brother Mick (Shaun, who plays at various times the roles of priest, postman and policeman – a representative of the law, a figure of authority), the ‘prints chumming’ for whom Christinette ‘can be when desires Soldi’ (that is exchanged, sold as the double) (Benstock JJQ 177).

Likewise, Milly mentions a potential suitor, Bannon, in her letter which reifies her sexuality. By entering the domestic circle and/or by finding love interests (Prince Charming and Bannon), both Issy and Milly are becoming like their mothers. And, both are replacing their mothers in their fathers’ eyes. As Bloom philosophizes, "Molly. Milly. Same thing watered down" (6.87), so to can this be applied to Issy and ALP, who herself is symbolized as a river.

Martha Clifford in the "Practice Letter"

Martha Clifford’s Letter to Henry Flower

Issy’s Practice Letter

Dear Henry,

I got your last letter to me and thank you very much for it. I am sorry you did not like my last letter. Why did you enclose the stamps? I am awfully angry with you. I do wish I could punish you for that. I called you naughty boy because I do not like that other world. Please tell me what is the real meaning of that word. Are you not happy in your home you poor little naughty boy? I do wish I could do something for you. Please tell me what you think of poor me. I often think of the beautiful name you have. Dear Henry, when will we meet? I think of you so often you have no idea. I have never felt myself so much drawn to a man as you. I feel so bad about. Please write me a long letter and tell me more. Remember if you do not I will punish you. So now you know what I will do to you, you naughty boy, if you do not write. O how I long to meet you. Henry dear, do not deny my request before my patience are exhausted. Then I will tell you all. Goodbye now, naughty darling. I have such a bad headache today and write by return to your longing

MARTHA.

P.S. Do tell me what kind of perfume does your wife use. I want to know.

X.X.X.X.

(FW 280.9-28)

It is at the end of the practice letter where the worlds of innocence and sexuality begin to collide/combine, where similarities to Milly’s childishly naive world are replaced by references from Martha’s love letter to Henry Flower. The inclusion of kisses connects the letters of Issy, Milly and Martha. Milly states, "Give my love to mummy and to yourself a big kiss and thanks." Issy closes with a "kissits my exits" and Martha includes X.X.X.X. representing kisses at the bottom of her letter. The implications of these kisses, at first, seem quite different. Milly's kiss to her father, in one sense, represents an open expression of an innocent father-daughter love whereas Martha's kisses denote an attempt at an illicit affair. Similarly, Issy’s parting kisses seem to have more of a romantic rather than platonic implication.

After reading Milly's letter, Bloom reflects upon her as a child, then how she will grow up to become a sexual young woman.

Milly too. Young kisses: the first. Far away now past. . . .

A soft qualm regret, flowed down his backbone, increasing. Will happen, yes. Prevent. Useless: can't move. Girl's sweet light lips. Will happen too. He felt the flowing qualm spread over him. Useless to move now. Lips kissed, kissing, kissed. Full gluey woman's lips (G 4 55:446-450).

Likewise, Issy’s kisses link back to the father’s view of her sexuality and fading innocence.

Her sexual explicitness – "kissists my exits" (FW 280.27) – is linked to [her father] too as the desire of Prince for Issy/Soldi is voiced(Raynaud 309).

This letter, like the Christmas missive, seems to be perfectly innocent and domestic. But, of course, Earwicker’s guilt leads him to suspect otherwise (Benstock WIJ 187).

Of course, another way to read "kissets my exits" is, as McHugh notes, "kiss my arse." It is possible that through the placement of this remark, Issy may be asserting that she will not be bound by the socially-constructed view of idealized love, that she will not be looking for the ideal man, the one prince charming. Perhaps she’s more interested in leading a life like Milly Bloom, who is following a more unconventional lifestyle by being a photographer’s apprentice rather than a bride. Or perhaps this declaration signals Issy’s desire to have more than one man in her life, which appears to be the case after one reads her love letter to Jaunick that includes the names many suitors.

Perfume and Flowers

A further influence of the sexual world of Martha can be seen in the inclusion of "using

her flower or perfume" in Issy’s practice letter. Like Martha, Issy describes using her flower or perfume to lure a man, that is, learning the wiles of femininity. Martha includes a flower in her letter to Henry as well as adding a postscript in which she asks, "Do tell me what kind of perfume

does your wife use. I want to know." Martha, who asserts herself as an active participant in the language of flowers by enclosing a daisy symbolizing "innocence" with her letter, asks for the kind of perfume Molly’s uses so that she can read the unwritten meaning behind her choice of fragrance and therefore know more about her. It is telling that both these references are included in Issy’s letter – representing her dual nature.

Just as with Milly’s letter, a close reading of Issy’s practice letter in contrast with Martha Clifford’s love letter results in quite a number of similarities. First of all, both ask about the recipient’s health [Issy "(equiries after all-healths) how are you (question Maggy)"; Martha: "Are you not happy in your home . . . ?"]. The desire for future correspondence also links Issy and Martha’s letters [Issy: (consolation of shopes) to soon air; Martha: "Please write me a long letter and tell me more"]. In addition, apologetic words appear in both Martha and Issy’s letters as well. Issy writes, "so sorry to (mention person suppressed for the moment, F.M.)" and Martha

explains, "I am sorry you did not like my last letter." Issy’s condolences for Father Michael seem more like a formal statement rather than actual grief. Ultimately one questions how sincere we can take Martha’s apology since her letter is later laced with talk of punishment.

Suggestive Speech

Just as Martha’s letter contains suggestive speech ("I do wish I could punish you for that," "naughty darling,"etc.) Issy’s letter contains several terms that could take on a sexual meaning, as Benstock describes:

"Shlicksher . . . shrubsher" as well as the signature "kissists my exits" take on double meanings. One again it may be Earwicker’s fears, rather than anything offered by the letter itself, which place suspicion on his young daughter’s motives. [Benstock WIJ 187]

Further, as Bloom refers to corresponding with Martha as "Usual love scrimmage" (78), so too can one apply Issy’s comment, ‘learned all the runes of the gamest game ever’ [279.F1]) to the word play involved in her letter.

Pseudonyms

Another way in which the practice letter mimics Martha’s letter is the use of aliases. In both letters, the author and the recipient are either unknown or masked by another’s signature. We know that Henry Flower is an alias, but Martha Clifford could be a fake name as well. Likewise, the recipient of Issy’s letter is equally mysterious, as Raynaud analyzes:

She writes: "Dear (name of desired subject, A.N.)" (FW 280.09). Interestingly enough, Issy is not writing to the desired object, but to the desired subject, and the initials which could stand for Amati Nominem, Ann (A.L.P.), or Ananymus (FW 423.02) suggest how ambiguous the name of the addressee is -- is it the mother, her lover, herself, HCE as the desired subject? (Raynaud 308)

In addition, Issy signs her letter "with best from cinder Christinette" as well as "from Auburn chenlemagne." As stated earlier, Sheri Benstock argues that the letter is signed by ALP, but Raynaud reasons that it is Christine:

The letter, we then find, is in fact addressed to Maggy, like the prototype letter, but Issy signs it with one of her pseudonyms. Here she is Christine Beauchamp ("Christinette" – FW 280.22), the sister and also the Cinderella figure (Raynaud 308),

Is the letter to and from ALP? Or, to her father and from her mother? Or, could it be to and from the two sides of personality?

Conclusions

In this paper, I’ve attempted to read Issy’s practice letter as an extension of both Milly

Bloom and Martha Clifford’s in Ulysses. In the daylight of Ulysses the two sides of femininity,

Milly’s innocence and Martha’s sexuality, come together in a single night writing of Issy. Yet, this final conclusion differs slightly from what I had initially prepared to do in this paper. Originally, I planned to compare Issy’s practice letter with Milly’s note to father and Issy’s love letter to Jaunick with Martha Clifford’s correspondence to Henry Flower. However, as I started writing

about the practice letter I realized there was much more in those few lines than I had anticipated. Not only was Milly’s influence stamped on the letter, but Martha’s as well, with the double meanings in suggestive speech, the flower and perfume reference, the kisses and use of aliases.

WORKS CITED

Benstock, Bernard. "A Working Outline of Finnegans Wake," in James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake: A Casebook, John Harty III (ed), New York: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1991. pp. 3-9.

Benstock, Shari. "The Letter of the Law: La Care Postale in Finnegans Wake." Philological Quarterly, 63(2) 1984 Spring: 163-185..

Benstock, Shari. "The Genuine Christine: Psychodynamics of Issy," in Women in Joyce, eds. Suzette Henke and Elaine Unkeless. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1982. pp. 169-196.

Devlin, Kimberly J. "The Female Word" in James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake: A Casebook, John Harty III (ed), New York: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1991. pp. 141-150.

Raynaud, Claudine, "Woman, the Letter Writer; Man, the Writing Master," James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 23, no. 3 (Spring 1986), pp. 299-324.

WORKS CONSULTED

Beja, Morris. "Dividual Chaoses: Case Histories of Multiple Personality and Finnegans Wake," James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 14, no. 3 (Spring 1977), pp. 241-250.

Begnal, Michael H. "The Unveiling of Martha Clifford." James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 13, 1976, pp. 400-06.

Benstock, Shari. "The Printed Letters in Ulysses" James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 19 no. 4, 1982 Summer, pp. 415-427.

Burrell, Harry. Narrative Design in Finnegans Wake. University Press of Florida: Gainesville, FL, 1996. [Chapter Four: "A Generic Synopsis of Finnegans Wake," pp. 38-65),

Campbell, Joseph & Henry Morton Robinson. A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake. The Viking Press: New York, 1944.

Eastman, Jacqueline F. "The Language of Flowers: A New Source for 'Lotus Eaters.'" James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 3, Spring 1989, pp. 379-396.

Ellmann, Richard. James Joyce. New York: Oxford, 1959.

Fuger, Wilhelm, "Epistemaderthemology (FW 374.17): ALP’s Letter and the Tradition of Interpolated Letters," James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 19, no. 4 (Summer 1982), pp. 405-413.

Glasheen, Adaline. Third Census of Finnegans Wake: An Index of the Characters and Their Roles. University of California Press, 1956.

Gordon, John. Finnegans Wake: A Plot Summary. Gill and Macmillan: Dublin, Ireland, 1986.

Hart, Clive. Structure and Motif in Finnegans Wake. Northwestern University Press, 1962. [An Index of Motifs in Finnegans Wake: Letter, pp 232-233]

Henke, Suzette A. James Joyce and the Politics of Desire. New York : Routledge, 1990.

Joyce, James. Finnegans Wake. London: Faber and Faber, 1939.

______. Ulysses. Edited by Hans Walter Gabler with Wolfhard Steppe and Claus Melchior, Afterword by Michael Groden. New York: Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, Inc., 1986 (Afterword 1993).

Maddox, Brenda. Nora: A Biography of Nora Joyce. Fawcett Columbine: New York, 1988.

McBride, Margaret. "Finnegans Wake: The Issue of Issy’s Schizophrenia." Joyce Studies Annual. Vol. 7 (Summer 1996), pp. 145-75.

McCarthy, Patrick A., "The Last Epistle of Finnegans Wake," JJQ, vol. 27, no. 4 (Summer 1990), p. 725-733.

Saldivar, Ramon. "Bloom's Metaphors and the Language of Flowers," James Joyce Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 4, Summer 1983, pp. 399-410.

Schaffer, Talia, "Letters to Biddy: About That Original Hen," JJQ, vol. 29, no. 3 (Spring 1992), pp. 623-642.

Scott, Bonnie Kime. Joyce and Feminism. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, c1984.

______. James Joyce. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press International, 1987.

Tindall, William York. A Reader’s Guide to Finnegans Wake. Syracuse University Press: Syracuse, NY, 1969.

Verstraete, Ginette. "In the Wake of Criticism" (Chapter 10 in Fragments of the Feminine Sublime in Friedrich Schlegel and James Joyce). State University of New York Press: Albany, NY, 1998. [pp. 201-206 in particular refers to the tea stain on the letter.]

Website: "The Language of Flowers." http://cybercom.net/~klb/flowik.html

Includes meanings from Kate Greenaway’s Language of Flowers and The Floral Gift. From Nature and the Heart.

APPENDICES

THE BOSTON LETTER
GREEN: Practice Letter Reference
Blue: Letter to Jaunick Reference

The significance of the practice letter and the amorous letter to Jaunick can be attributed to the fact that both echo motifs of the letter from Boston (the "prototype" letter as Claudine Raynaud describes) linking Issy’s writings to ALP and the whole, the crux of Finnegans Wake.

. . . of the last of the first to Dear whom it proceded to 111.10

"Dear (name of desired subject), well, and I go on to." (280.9)

"engine dear" ? dear thank you ? (458.25)

mention Maggy well & allathome's health well only the hate 111.11

Well (enquiries after all-healths)" (280.14)

"allathome" (FW 457.35),

turned the mild on the van Houtens and the general's elections 111.12

with a lovely face of some born gentleman with a beautiful present 111.13

"lovely" (280.15)

"like a born gentleman" (FW 460.33-44)

of wedding cakes for dear thankyou Chriesty and with grand 111.14

"pershan of cates" (280.14)

"presents" (FW 458.15)

funferall of poor Father Michael don't forget unto life's & Muggy 111.15

tender condolences for happy funeral (280.11)

"funforall" (FW 458.22)

(mention person suppressed for the moment, F.M.) (FW 280.12-13)

young Fr M[ [Father Michael]" (FW 458.03),

well how are you Maggy & hopes soon to hear well & must now 111.16

how are you (question maggy) (280.14)

(consolation of shopes) to soon air (280.21)

"hope to soon hear from you. And thanks ever" (FW 458.25-26)

"of course, please too write" (FW 458.18)

close it with fondest to the twoinns with four crosskisses for holy 111.17

"kissists my exits" (280.27)

"with my fondest and much left to tutor. X. X. X. X. (FW 458.02)

paul holey comer holipoli whollyisland pee ess from (locust may 111.18

eat all but this sign shall they never) affectionate largelooking 111.19

tache of tch. The stain, and that a teastain (the overcautelousness 111.20

of the masterbilker here, as usual, signing the page away), marked 111.21

it off on the spout of the moment as a genuine relique of ancient 111.22

Irish pleasant pottery of that lydialike languishing class known as 111.23

a hurry-me-o'er-the-hazy. 111.24

Practice Letter (280.09-36)
BLUE: Hill Annotations
RED: McHugh Annotations
GREEN: Other Sources

Dear (name of desired subject, A.N.),

"Desired subject" could have multiple meanings: the name of the desired person, that is the love interest, as in a person sexually desired. In addition, the term "subject" may imply a person of a lower class or status.
The idea of a "subject" also may refer to the writing lesson which taught that a letter is "from a person to a place about a thing." Possibly the desired subject refers to that "thing" that a letter is about.

Ann -- Amati Nomen: name of beloved

The subject of this letter is A.N., a designation that seems to point obliquely and begrudgingly to Anna Livia, but it also suggests "nourse Asa," presumably a female nanny, but in Norse mythology, the chief of the gods – i.e., Issy is addressing her father in a parallel salutation to Anna Livia’s "Reverend. May we add majesty?" (615.12-13) in her letter. As we shall see, the intrusion of the father into Issy’s letter is an important signal of her role in the novel (Benstock WIJ 186-87).

This practice letter is intended for the relative in Boston named "Maggy" (Benstock WIJ 186).

Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "Dear whom it proceded to mention" (111.10-11)

well, and I go on to.

"I go on to" – What does Issy go on to? Does she go on to her place in the domestic circle? To impending marriage?

Shlicksher.

Inclusion of the writing process . . .

She licks her (pencil) or finger.
Shikseh: young non-Jewish woman (yiddish)

The term Skikseh refers to both Issy and Milly (despite Milly’s Jewish father, she is Catholic like her mother.)

I and we

We: Does the inclusion of we refer to Issy’s multiple selves or is it innocent and simpler than that? Perhaps "we" is in reference to Issy expressing the condolences of her whole family rather than just her own.

(tender condolences for happy funeral, one if)

(one f in funeral)

Funeral also appears in the Jaunick letter as "funforall" on 458.23.

Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "funferall" (111.15)

so sorry to (mention person suppressed for the moment, F.M.).

Father Michael 111.15

Finn MacCool
The "person suppressed for the moment" (FW 280.12-13) is Father Michael, the "pettest parriage priest" (FW 458.04), the lover, the third undesired party of this intercourse. Is HCE pushing Issy to write off her lover, to write him dead? (Raynaud 308)

Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "of poor Father Michael" (111.15)

Well (enquiries after all-healths) how are you (question maggy).

Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "well how are you Maggy" (111.16)

A lovely

Milly’s letter also includes the word lovely (3 times).

(introduce to domestic circles)

Issy is learning all about domesticity, preparing for "impending marriage," and she’s learning it from her mother. (Benstock WIJ 186).
Does introduce to domestic circles refer to the word proceeding it or the phrase after it or both? That is – does using words like "lovely" in formal letters serve as an initiation into the domestic circle or does the present of wedding cakes and the marriage it represents signify an introduction into the domestic circle?

pershan of cates.

cakes – cates: bought provisions
Also referred to on 11.24 – " a lugly parson of cates."
The parcel of cakes, or rather the present of wedding cake, changes into a Persian cat ("pershan of cates" – FW 280.15-16) and the theme of narcissism reappears. (Raynaud 308)
Does the "persian cat" link this passage back to "A letters to a king about a treasure from a cat" on page 278?

Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "a beautiful present of wedding cakes" (111.13-14)

Shrubsher.

She rubs her ? Herself? The cat? Possibly "rubs" could refer to erasing or removing a letter or word or sentence from the letter. Also, it could refer to the Mother or nurse’s lessons "rubbing off on" Issy, especially since the next sentence describes the influences on her handwriting.

Those pothooks mostly she hawks from Poppa Vere Foster but these curly mequeues are of Mippa's moulding.

pothook: a stroke in handwriting "the curved bit leading into and out of an italic letter, like n, is called a pothook, or a hooked foot" http://www.microsoft.com/truetype/glossary/ch4.htm
Vere Foster’s handwriting books – curlicues -- Q (the P/Q split)
Both Milly and Issy’s letters are handwritten; however, it appears as though Issy works at making her letter formations correctly whereas Milly is in a hurry thus resulting in "bad writing."

Shrubsheruthr.

she rubs her other -- She rubs her eraser. Possibly rubs out her print – erasing, practicing.

(Wave gently in the ere turning ptover.)

air – P.T.O.
Issy could be waving the paper in the air and turning it over to write on the other side.

Well, mabby

Maybe or Maggy

(consolation of shopes) to soon air.

hopes to soon hear

Consolidation of shapes to make the letters that make the words that make the sentences that make the letter.
Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "hopes soon to hear well" (111.16)

With best from cinder Christinette if prints chumming,

prince charming – Cinderella
Christine Beauchamp – Morton Prince
Morton Prince reference also on 460.12-13, 22

[In] The Dissociation of a Personality by Morton Prince, a neurologist who had as patient in Boston, Mass., a young woman whom he calls "Miss Christine L. Beauchamp", and who has one of the most famous cases of multiple personality. Her subconscious self, identified by Prince as "Sally", plays an important part in the Wake, as the secondary personality, or looking-glass sister of H.C.E.’s daughter. . . . There were two sets of [letters]. The first were written to Miss Beauchamp whom she was constantly mocking and addresses as "My sainted Christine" when accusing her of being too friendly with Morton Prince. Joyce refers to this in a passage where Issy is talking about her secondary personalities: "With best from, cinder Christinette if prints chumming" (280.21). her "prints" hides the name Prince with whom Christine is "chumming" and finding a Prince Charming. (Atherton 40).

Prints may refer to the a type of writing – If Issy prints, e.g. writes a letter, she can get her man. This may connect this letter with the love letters she writes in the Wake.

can be when desires Soldi, for asamples,

Isold(e) – soldi: money
When desires are sold, for example,

backfronted or, if all, peethrolio or Get my Prize,

heliotrope – flower fragrance is most noticeable at sunrise and sunset
http://www.msuue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod03/01700466.html
Reference also on 461 "for I always had a crush on heliotrope since the dusess of your cycled round the Finest Park"
Parnell: "When you sell, get my price"

using her flower or perfume or,

Links this letter to Martha Clifford who encloses a daisy in her letter to Henry Flower and asks, "What kind of perfume does your wife use?" Refers to the language of flowers – the allure and power of femininity.

if veryveryvery chumming, in otherwards,

charming – words

"chummin" is also part of the 100-letter-word on 311.9.
The word chumming is found twice in this letter, a use of repetition which echoes Milly’s overuse of the word "lovely."
"In otherwards" could also refer to "other worlds" – Issy will enter into a different world of sexuality and marriage, etc.

This letter demonstrates Issy’s ability to be "veryveryvery chumming" when in pursuit of her "supposed adeal," in this case a Prince Charming like the one who rescued the real Cinderella from kitchen drudgery and made her a princess. She is learning the art of using "her flower or perfume" as "asamples" of her femininity in hopes of winning her prize – a rich "prince." (Benstock WIJ 187).

who she supposed adeal,

ideal
adore -- a deal

kissists my exits.

Xs on letter (kisses)
kiss my arse

Maybe this is Issy’s reaction to the idea that she should be looking for the ideal man, the one prince charming. Perhaps she’s more interested in leading a life like Milly Bloom, who is following less-charted footsteps by being a photographer’s apprentice rather than a bride. Or perhaps this signals Issy’s desire to have more than one man in her life . . . precursor to the many love letters she intends to write to various suitors.

Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "with four crosskisses" (111.10-11)

Shlicksheruthr.

she licks her other She licks her other finger?
"Licks"could also mean (informally) "a. to hit or beat, especially as a punishment; b. to overcome or defeat, as in a fight, game or contest; c. to outdo or surpass" – "Licks: a critical or complaining remark. Maybe "shelicksheruther" means Issy’s one self beats or overcomes the other self? Now she’s the sexual being rather than the innocent, domestic girl?

From Auburn chenlemagne.

"Auburn" from Goldsmith "Lovieliest village of the plain" that has fallen into disrepair.
Auburn: reddish brown or golden brown
Charlemagne a ruler who never mastered writing – what significance is there is signing the letter with a name that refers to someone who never could write? Is that Issy being subversive or humorous?

chene: oak heroic age

LETTERS OF NORA BARNACLE TO JAMES JOYCE

In linking Issy’s copybook letter with Martha’s letter with it’s similarly formulaic language, an interesting comparison can be made with a letter of Nora’s which Joyce apparently suspected came from a letter writing manual. Brenda Maddox, in her biography of Nora, explains:

Nora went out and bought some decorated writing paper, with purple violets and bright green leaves, the kind that her mother liked, and in her best handwriting and striving to express herself with great dignity she wrote him a formal love letter. This loving if stilted letter did much to tarnish Nora’s later reputation. Joyce showed it to Stanislaus, saying that J.F. Byrne to whom he also had shown it, said that Nora must have copied it from a letter-writing book. (Byrne, a great supporter of Nora’s later denied he would have said anything so cruel.) It is the only letter of Nora’s to have been reproduced in facsimile among Joyce’s collect letters and in Ellmann’s biography – probably because it is on flower notepaper. Ellmann use the letter as a key to Nora’s character, saying that Nora’s "artifice in the face of his own attempt at total sincerity gave Joyce a hint for the amorality of woman" (Ellmann 529 qtd in Maddox 36-37).

___________________________________________________________

Leinster Street -- August 1904

My Dearest

My loneliness which I have so deeply felt, since we parted last night seemed to fade away as if by magic but, alas, it was only for a short time, and I then became worse than ever. when I read your letter from the moment that I close my eyes till I open them again in the morning. It seems to me that I am always in your company under every possible variety of circumstances talking to you walking with you meeting you suddenly in different places until I am beginning to wonder if my spirit takes leave of my body in sleep and goes to seek you, and what is more find you or perhaps this is nothing but a fantasy. Occasionally too I fall into a fit of melancholy that lasts for the day and which I find almost impossible to dispel it is about time now I think that I should finish this letter as the more I write the lonelier I feel in consequence of you being so far away and the thought of having to write write [sic] what I would wish to speak were you beside me makes me feel utterly miserable so with best wishes and love I now close ---.

Believe me to be ever yours XXXXXXX

Norah Barnacle

Another letter of Nora’s (below) reads much more like Molly in Ulysses.

Dear Jim

I feel so very tired to night I can't say much many thanks for your kind letter which I received unexpectedly this evening I was very busy when the Postman came I ran off to one of the bedroom's to read your letter I was called five times but did not pretend to hear it is now half past eleven and I need not tell you I can hardly keep my eyes open and I am delighted to sleep the night away when I cant be thinking of you so much when I awake in the morning I will think of nothing but you Good night till 7 P.m. to morrow eve

Nora xxxxxxxxx

ISSY’S LETTER TO JAUNICK (457-60)
BLUE: Hill Annotations
RED: McHugh Annotations

Overview of similarities to Martha:
both give gifts, give thanks, include apologies, references to flowers (M: daisy, I: blue speedwell/passionflower), similar language such as "by return" and thinking of you, inclusion of kisses; also both raise issues of naming, revealing secrets (or not), desire, and role-playing

Meesh, meesh, yes, pet.

mise: me (Irish) (003.09-10)

We were too happy.

I knew something would happen.

I understand but listen, drawher nearest,

dearbhrathair: brother (Irish)
dearest

Tizzy intercepted, flushing but flashing from her dove and dart eyes

dubh: black (Irish)

Dart-shuile: heifer eyes (Macpherson’s Darthula) -- 'Dar-thula a Poem', published by James Macpherson in his 1765 'edition' of The Works of Ossian the Son of Fingal.

"According to Macpherson's 'argument', Darthula (or Deidre) was the lover of Nathos, one of the three sons of Usnoth, Lord of Etha (in modern Argyll) who had successfully campaigned in Ireland against the usurper Cairbar. However, 'a storm rising at sea they were unfortunately driven back on that part of the coast of Ulster where Caibar was encamped with his army. The three brothers, after having defended themselves for some time with great bravery were overpowered and slain, and the unfortunate Dar-thula killed herself upon the body of her beloved Nathos'."

http://www.linley.com/tlinley.htm

as she tactilifully grapbed her male corrispondee to flusther

tactfully grabbed
spondee: metrical foot
flustern: whisper (German)

sweet nunsongs in his quickturned ear,

nonsense – nun’s songs

I know, benjamin brother, but listen, I want, girls palmassing,

permitting
plamas: soft talking, flattery (Irish)

to whisper my whish.

(She like them like us, me and you, had thoud he n'er it would haltin so
lithe when leased is tacitempust tongue).

(she’d thought he’d never be ablt to stop her speaking)
tacitum tempus: secret time (Latin)

Of course, engine dear, I'm ashamed for my life (I must clear my throttle)

angel
engineer (146.19-20)

over this lost moment's gift of memento nosepaper which I'm sorry, my precious,

lost = last
notepaper
(last minute gift of notepaper)
The giving of gifts connects this letter with Martha’s Clifford’s letter who includes a flower and pin with her letter to Bloom (also, Bloom gave Martha stamps in the previous letter). Both gifts are to remember them by, however Issy’s gift to Jaun is a departing gift whereas Martha’s is given to entice Bloom to meet her.
"I’m sorry" is another link to Martha’s letter. Martha writes: "I am sorry you did not like my last letter. ... I feel so bad about." Martha’s apology seems more coy and flirtatious than Issy’s, who’s words seem more genuine (possibly the girlish, innocence and feelings of Milly seeping in?)

is allathome I with grief can call my own but all the same,

"The Heart Bowed Down": ‘mem’ry is the only friend That grift can call its own’
Audio recording online at: http://www.tinfoil.com/cm-9709.htm#e08455

listen, Jaunick, accept this witwee's mite, though a jenny-teeny witween piece

Witwe: widow (German) – widow’s mite
between

torn in one place from my hands in second place of a linenhall valentino with my fondest and much left to tutor. X.X.X.X.

Linen Hall, D (Linden Hall Library Belfast?)
Rudolf Valentino: famed "Latin Lover" (Rudolf Nureyev)

"Italian-born American film actor, Rudolf Valentino (1895: 1926) reached the shores of America without money, skills, or friends; what he had was a dream that brought him to the height of an industry built on dreams. Valentino learned a new language, changed his name, and, in making his mark in Hollywood, changed America's vision of manliness, romance, and love. Among his films that are now considered classics are: THE SHEIK, BLOOD AND SAND, and THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE." [http://www.isc.lsi.fsu.edu/v070848.htm]

Valentino changed his name just as the name of Issy’s lovers changes from Shaun to Jaun to Jaunick. Also, this links back to the practice letter in which Issy signs off under an alias.
"much left" = "much love"

It was heavily bulledicted for young Fr Ml,

heavenly benedicted papal bull
Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "of poor Father Michael" (111.15) as well as the "Practice Letter" "(mention person suppressed for the moment, F.M.)" (280)

my pettest parriage priest, and you know who between us by your friend the pope, forty ways in forty nights, that's the beauty of it, look, scene it, ratty.

forty days & forty nights (Christ in Wilderness, Matt 4:2; The Flood, Gen 7:17).
And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. (Gen 7:17)

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. (Matt 4:2)

Achille Ratti became Pop Pius XI

"Pope Pius XI (born May 31, 1857; died February 10, 1939) was pope from 1922 until his death. He was born Achille Ratti at Descio near Milan. He headed Milan's Ambrosian Library in 1907 and the Vatican Library in 1914. In 1918 he became Pope Benedict XV's representative to Poland. He became cardinal-archbishop of Milan in 1921. The deadlocked conclave of 1922 chose Ratti as pope on the eve of Benito Mussolini's March on Rome. Facing a choice between the right and the left, the Vatican decided that fascism seemed the lesser of two evils. The church's place in Italy and Germany was defined by concordats that later gave a precise basis for protest of fascist violations. The Lateran Treaty of 1929, negotiated by Cardinal Gasparri, resolved the Roman Question with a financial settlement and restored papal sovereignty over Vatican City. This modus vivendi asserted the Catholic character of the Italian state and allowed a nonpolitical role for Catholic Action, a lay movement founded by Pius in 1923. Violation of the treaty terms by Mussolini provoked an encyclical, Non Abbiamo Bisogno which denounced the claims of the totalitarian state. In 1933 the papacy negotiated a concordat with Nazi Germany; later, however, Pius condemned the Third Reich's "aggressive neopaganism" in the encyclical Mit Brennender Sorge. The encyclical Divini Redemptoris condemned communism. Forty years after Leo XIII's encyclical on the social question, Pius XI issued Quadragesimo anno which elaborated the church's position on social and economic reform; it called for justice and charity in all endeavors and stressed Christian social action. As pastor, Pius XI appointed native bishops to many of the Asian hierarchies and founded colleges at Rome for the Eastern Rites. For the tenth anniversary of the Lateran Treaty, Pius XI drafted a discourse that presumably condemned totalitarianism in the strongest terms. After his death, however, his successor, Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli, secretary of state from 1930), decided not to deliver the speech on the eve of World War II." http://listserv.american.edu/catholic/church/papal/pius.xi/pius.xi.info.html

ratti: quick (Italian)

Too perfectly priceless for words.

And, listen, now do enhance me, oblige my fiancy

fiance indulge my fancy

and bear it with you morn till life's e'en and,

end (011.28) evening

of course, when never you make usage of it, listen, please kindly think galways again or again, never forget, of one absendee not sester Maggy.

Galway
As in most love letters, Issy and Martha both speak about thinking of the one love. Issy asks Jaun to think of her ("please kindly think galways again or again, never forget"). It is a given that Issy will think of him. However, Martha reminds Bloom that she thinks of him (" I think of you so often you have no idea"). Of course, there is no reason to believe her. Where is the feeling in her letter?

Ahim. That's the stupidest little cough. Only be sure you don't catch your cold and pass it on to us.

Ailments: Martha complains of a bad headache in her letter.

And, since levret bounds and larks is soaring, don't be all the night.

"Goodbye, Sweetheart, Goodby": ‘the levret bounds o’er earth’s soft flooring’

And this, Joke, a sprig of blue speedwell just a spell of floralora so you'll mind your veronique.

blue speedwell: From the Webster Dictionary: "Speedwell: any plant, shrub, or small tree of the genus Veronica, of the figwort family, having opposite leaves and spikes of small flowers [1570-80; SPEED + WELL; so called because its petals fade and fall early]"

A spell of floralora" (representing, perhaps, the lore of flowers, or the language of flowers) abounds in both Martha’s and Issy’s letters. Martha's gift of a daisy, signifying innocence, is comparable to Issy's "spring of blue speedwell" a flowering plant whose petals fade and fall early (possibly a reference to her sexual prowess, being deflowered or de-petaled at a young age). Further in the passage, Issy speaks of the passionflower as well. The significance of this particular flower goes further than the obvious sexual/love connotation, for the flower itself has been shown to have a sedative effect, used in the treatment sleeplessness and insomnia, something fitting for a book written in the dreamworld.

Leslie Stuart: Florodora (operetta): "Book by: Own Hall, Lyrics by: E. Boyd-Jones and Paul Rubens, Music by: Leslie Stuart, Opened November 11, 1899 at the Lyric Theatre, (London) and ran for 455 performances. Synopsis: The elderly manufacturer of Florodora perfume wants to marry Dolores, whose father has been cheated by Gilfain. Dolores loves Gilfain's manager, whom Gilfain wants for his own daughter even though she loves someone else. Everyone ends up in Wales where the complications get unknotted and the knots get properly tied." [http://www.meowser.com/f/florodora.shtml]

6^th Station of the Cross: Veronica wipes Christ’s face
Issy and Martha play roles in their missives, however these roles are slightly different. Issy, with her baby-talk and illusions to Veronica & Christ as well as Arrah from Arrah-na Pogue takes on the role of Savior. Whereas Martha, on the other hand, with her threats of punishment takes on the role of scolding mother.

Of course, Jer, I know you know who sends it, presents that please, mercy, on the face of the waters like that film obote, awfly charmig of course, but it doesn't do her justice, apart from her cattiness, in the magginbottle.

Gen 1:2: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Gen 1:2)
Mercy (Justice in .17) merci (French): thank you
William Maginn: Irish poet, died of drink

Of course, please too write, won't you, and leave your little bag of doubts, inquisitive, behind you unto your utterly thine,

bag of doubts = bag of debts
Martha Clifford also invites Henry Flower’s reply: "Please write mea long letter and tell me more."

and, thank you, forward it back by return pigeon's pneu to the loving in case I couldn't think who it was

pneuma: spirit, breath (Greek) pneu: same as petit blue (.24) (French)
U.41 ‘-C’est le pigeon, Joseph’ (Leo Taxil)
(she gets it back if he dies abroad)
Martha Clifford’s letter also contains similar wording: "by return to your longing"

or any funforall happens I'll be so curiose to see in the Homesworth breakfast tablotts as I'll know etherways by pity bleu if it's good for my system,

curiouse (fem. pl.): curios (Italian)
O.W. Holmes: The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table
Available online at: http://eldred.ne.mediaone.net/owh/abt.html
etherways = eitherways
A.C.W. Harmsworth, Viscount Northcliffe: Irish newspaper magnate & founder of ‘tabloid’ jurnalism
petit bleu: express letter transmitted by pneumatic tube in Paris (French)

Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "funferall" (111.15) and the "Practice Letter": (tender condolences for happy funeral, one if) (280)

what exquisite buttons, gorgiose, in case I don't hope to soon hear from you.

gorgeous

Similar wording to the "Practice Letter": "(consolation of shopes) to soon air." (280)

And thanks ever so many for the ten and the one with nothing at all on.

Similar wording to Milly’s letter: "Thanks ever so much for the lovely birthday present"

I will tie a knot in my stringamejip to letter you with my silky paper,

thingumajig
silkepapir: tissue paper (Danish)

as I am given now to understand it will be worth my price in money one day

Similar wording to the "Practice Letter": "if all, peethrolio or Get my Prize"

so don't trouble to ans unless sentby special as I am getting his pay and wants for nothing so I can live simply and solely for my wonderful kinkless and its loops of loveliness.

ans = answer

lovliness: "lovely" is used three times in Milly’s letter to her father

When I throw away my rollets there's rings for all.

Flee a girl, says it is her colour.

So does B and L and as for V!

And listen to it! Cheveluir! So distant you're always. Bow your boche! Absolutely perfect!

chevelure (French)
bouche (French)
U.348: "her rosebud mouth was a genuine Cupid’s bow, Greekly perfect"

I will pack my comb and mirror to praxis oval owes and artless awes

Praxis: practice (German) praxis: business
omega . . . alpha – oh’s ah’s

and it will follow you pulpicly

publicly

as far as come back under all my eyes like my sapphire chaplets of ringarosary

Ring-a-ring o’Roses (nursery rhyme)
Ring a-round the roses, / A pocket full of posies, / Ashes! Ashes! / We all fall down!

Rosary (divided into chaplets)

I will say for you to the Allmichael and solve qui pu while the dovedoves pick my mouthbuds (msch! msch!)

sauve-qui-peut!: every man for himself (French) (literarly ‘save who can’)
quipu: ancient Peruvian device for recording events as knots on threads

with nurse Madge, my linkingclass girl, she's a fright, poor old dutch, in her sleeptalking when I paint the measles on her and mudstuskers to make her a man.

looking-class (Alice in Wonderland)
"My Old Dutch"

We've been together now for forty years, / And it don't seem a day too much. / No, there ain't a lidy livin' in the land / That I'd swap for my dear old Dutch. / No, there ain't a lidy livin' in the land / That I'd swap for my dear old Dutch.
sleepwalking
moustaches (280l.23: ‘Sally’ painted moustaches on ‘Christine’ while she was asleep)

We. We. Issy done that, I confesh!

confess
Oui Oui -- Yes! Yes! (French)

But you'll love her for her hessians and sickly black stockies, cleryng's jumbles, salvadged from the wash, isn't it the cat's tonsils!

clearance jumble sales
U.250: ‘at least she found what she wanted at Clery’s summer sales’

Simply killing, how she tidies her hair!

I call her Sosy because she's sosiety for me and she says sossy while I say sassy and she says will you have some more scorns while I say won't you take a few more schools and she talks about ithel dear while I simply never talk about athel darling;

sosie: double, counterpart (French)
athel: prince (Old English)

she's but nice for enticing my friends and she loves your style considering she breaksin me shoes for me when I've arch trouble and she would kiss my white arms for me so gratefully but apart from that she's terribly nice really, my sister, round the elbow of Erne street Lower

Erne St Lower, Dublin

and I'll be strictly forbidden always and true in my own way and private where I will long long to betrue you along with one who will so betrue you that not once while I betreu him not once well he be betray himself.

Exiles II: ‘I longed to be betrayed . . .’
betreuen: care for (German)

Can't you understand? O bother, I must tell the trouth!

One stark difference between Issy and Martha’s letters is the amount of personal information included in each. Issy reveals more secrets, candidly telling of her other lovers. S he is up front with her sexual nature as honesty is important to her ("Can’t you understand? O bother, I must tell the trouth!"). She also expects the same from her beau, "Of course, please too write, won’t you, and leave your little bag of doubts, inquisitive, behind you unto your utterly thine." Conversely, Martha’s letter contains few personal admissions, rather she appears somewhat deceptive. However, she does promise future revelations if Henry writes her a long note ("Then I will tell you all"),

My latest lad's loveliletter I am sore I done something with.

I like him lots coss he never cusses.

Pity bonhom. Pip pet. I shouldn't say he's pretty but I'm cocksure he's shy.

petit bonhomme: penis (French slang)
Swift: ‘Ppt’

Why I love taking him out when I unletched his cordon gate.

unlatched garden

Ope, Jack, and atem! Obealbe myodorers and he dote so.

Wellington: ‘Up, guards, & at them’ Jack: penis (slang)
Atem (Tem): creator in Egyptian Book of the Dead
my adorers
obey all my orders

He fell for my lips, for my lisp, for my lewd speaker.

loudspeaker

This self-definition of "lewd speaker" could equally be applied to Martha as she tries to write in the lewd way that Henry invites [find reference to him pushing it further next time]. Her letter has references to possible S/M and she uses "nasty" several times.

I felt for his strength, his manhood, his do you mind?

There can be no candle to hold to it, can there?

candle: penis (Slang)
there’s nothing can hold a candle to it

The words of desire and longing are expressed strongly by both women. Issy: "I felt for his strength, his manhood, his do you mind?" Martha: "I have never felt myself so much drawn to a man as you."

And, of course, dear professor, I understand.

You can trust me that though I change thy name though not the letter never while I become engaged with my first horsepower, masterthief of hearts,

Masterthief: a category of fold tales
In the practice letter, Issy signs with another name. Martha also has a reference to naming in her letter: "I often think of the beautiful name you have"however, this beautiful name isn’t really his, he’s changed it. Also, is Martha Clifford the writer’s real name? Issy is upfront with mutating her identit, is she more "honest" b/c we are in subconscious dream? Is it easier for Martha to hide in the realistic world?

I will give your lovely face of mine away, my boyish bob, not for tons of donkeys, to my second mate, with the twirlers the engineer of the passionflower

passionflower: "Passion Flower, called Maracuja in the Amazon, is indigenous throughout tropical and semi-tropical zones from South America to North America. There are over 200 species of Passionflower with the most common found in the Amazon region being Passiflora edulis.^{(1,
2)} Maracuja is a hardy woody vine growing up to thirty feet in length and puts off tendrils enabling it to climb up and over other plants. It bear striking large white flowers with pink or purple centers and delicious edible fruit. It was the flowers which gave it the name, Passion Flower or "flower of passion", because Spanish missionaries thought they represented some of the objects associated with the Crucification of Christ. Passion Flower was first discovered in Peru by a Spanish doctor named Monardes in 1569 who documented the indigenous uses and took it back to the Old World where it quickly became a favorite herb tea. Spanish conquerors of Mexico and South America also learned its use from the Aztec Indians and it eventually became widely cultivated in Europe. Since its discovery, Maracuja has been widely used as a sedative, antispasmodic and nerve tonic. Indians throughout the Amazon use the leaf tea as a sedative.⁽²⁾ When introduced into Europe in the 1500's it was used as a calming and sedative tea.It was introduced in North American medicine in the mid 1800's as a sedative through native and slave use in the South as a tea, as well as bruising the leaves for headache, bruises and pain. In many countries in Europe and in the U.S. and Canada, the use of Passion Flower to tranquilize and settle edgy nerves has been documented for over 200 years. Its long documented history in herbal medicine has included its uses for colic, diarrhea, dysentery, dysmenorrhea, epilepsy, eruptions, insomnia, morphinism, neuralgia, neurosis, opthalmia, piles and spasm." http://www.rain-tree.com/maracuja.htm
lovely: also used in the "Practice Letter" once and Milly Bloom’s letter three times

(O the wicked untruth! whot a tell! that he has bought me in his wellingtons what you haven't got!),

untruth = uncle
tell = tale

in one of those pure clean lupstucks of yours thankfully, Arrah of the passkeys, no matter what.

lipsticks (kisses)
In Boucicault’s Arrah-na-Pogue Arrah’s foster brother escaped from prison with help of a message she passed to him in a kiss

You may be certain of that, fluff, now I know how to tackle.

Lock my mearest next myself.

Love they neighbor as thyself

So don't keep me now for a good boy for the love of my fragrant saint,

saint = scent

you villain, peppering with fear, my goodless graceless,

goodness gracious

or I'll first murder you but, hvisper,

first murderer = Cain
hviske: whisper (Danish)

meet me after by next appointment near you know Ships just there beside the Ship at the future poor fool's circuts of lovemountjoy square to show my disrespects now, let me just your caroline for you, I must really so late.

U.23: ‘-The Ship, Buck Mulligan creid. Half twelve’
Ship Hotel & Tavern, Lr. Abbey Street, Dublin
The Ship of Fools
MountJoy Square, Dublin Mountjoy Prison, Dublin
coroline: a tall hat (Anglo-Irish)
Martha Clifford asks Henry Flower, "Dear Henry, when will me meet?"

Sweet pig, he'll be furious!

How he stalks to simself louther and lover, immutating aperybally.

talks to himself louder & louder
U.771: ‘hes always imitating everybody’

My prince of the courts who'll beat me to love!

"Bid Me to Live" (song)

To Anthea, Who May Command Him Anything by Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

Bid me to live, and I will live / Thy protestant to be; /  Or bid me love, and I will give  / A loving heart to thee.
A heart as soft, a heart as kind, /  A heart as sound and free, / As in the whole world thou canst find, / That heart I'll give to thee.
Bid that heart stay, and it will stay, / To honour thy decree; / Or bid it languish quite away, /  And 't shall do so for thee.
Bid me to weep, and I will weep, / While I have eyes to see; / And having none, yet I will keep / A heart to weep for thee.
Bid me despair, and I'll despair, / Under that cypress tree; / Or bid me die, and I will dare / E'en death, to die for thee.
Thou art my life, my love, my heart, / The very eyes of me; / And hast command of every part, / To live and die for thee.

Morton Prince: The Dissociation of A Personality (280.22)
    
  "With best from cinder Christinette if prints chumming" (280)
‘love’  is ‘O’ in tennis 
In reference to thinking about Martha Clifford, Bloom thinks of the game of love, "usual love scrimmage"

And I'll be there when who knows where with the objects of which I'll knowor forget. We say. Trust us. Our game. (For fun!)

knowoer = never

The Dargle shall run dry the sooner I you deny.

"The Dargle Run Dry" (song)

Whoevery heard of such a think?

Till the ulmost of all elmoes shall stele our harts asthone!

Ulme: elm (German)

And Mrs A'Mara makes it up and befriends with Mrs O'Morum! I will write down all your names in my gold pen and ink.

amara: bitter (Italian)

Everyday, precious, while m'm'ry's leaves are falling deeply on my Jungfraud's Messonge-book

Jungfrau: virgin (German)
mesonge (French)
Jung & Freud

I will dream telepath posts dulcets on this isinglass stream

telegraph
isinglass: a form of gelatin

(but don't tell him or I'll be the mort of him!)

more (French) Morton Prince mort: wench

under the libans and the sickamours, the cyprissis and babilonias,

amour: love (French) sycamore (in N. of England confused with plane trees)
Babylonians

where the frondoak rushes to the ask

ask: ash (Danish)

and the yewleaves too kisskiss themselves and 'twill carry on my hearz'waves my still waters reflections in words over Margrate von Hungaria, her Quaidy ways and her Flavin hair, to thee, Jack, ahoy, beyond the boysforus.

Flavin = flavus: yellowish (Latin)
Bosphorus (river)

Splesh of hiss splash springs your salmon.

At age 4, Salmon return to birthplace to spawn

Twick twick, twinkle twings my twilight as Sarterday afternoon lex leap will smile on my fourinhanced twelvemonthsmind.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (nursery rhyme)

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, / How I wonder what you are. / Up above the world so high, / Like a diamond in the sky. / Twinkle, twinkle, little star, / How I wonder what you are!
When the blazing sun is gone, / When he nothing shines upon, / Then you show your little light, / Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. /
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, / How I wonder what you are!
Then the traveler in the dark / Thanks you for your tiny spark; / He could not see which way to go, / If you did not twinkle so. / Twinkle, twinkle, little star, / How I wonder what you are!

lex: law (Latin)
Leixlip (‘salmon leap’) on Liffy
anon. C. 19 poem quoted in W. St John Joyce, Neighborhood of Dublin, ‘Howth’: ‘Or Leixlip smiling on the stream below’
Saturday: Milly mentions "a concert in the Greville Arms on Saturday."

And what's this I was going to say, dean?

O, I understand. Listen, here I'll wait on thee till Thingavalla with beautiful do be careful teacakes, more stuesser flavoured than Vanilla and blackcurrant there's a cure in, like a born gentleman till you'll resemble me, all the time you're awhile way, I swear to you, I will, by Candlemas!

Thingvellir: seat of ancient Icelandic Parliament
stuesser = susser: sweeter (German)
do be careful = D.B.C. (Dublin Bread Co.)
you’ll resemble me = The Bohemian Gril: then You’ll Remember Me
Phrasing similar to the "Boston, Mass." Letter: "with a lovely face of some born gentleman with a beautiful present" (111.13)
Jesus born on Candlemas

And listen, joey, don't be ennoyed with me,

ennui (French) annoyed

Martha Clifford asks, "Please tell me what do you think of poor me."

my old evernew,

nephew (Tristan legally Isolde’s)

when, by the end of your chapter, you citch water on the wagon for me being turned a star I'll dubeurry my two fesces under Pouts Vanisha Creme, their way for spilling cream,

Emerson: Civilization: ‘hitch your wagon to a star’
on the water wagon: teetotal (slang)
Due Barry: brand of cosmetics Pond’s Vanishing Cream
bury my face (two-faced)

and, accent, umto extend my personnalitey to the latents, I'll boy me for myself only of expensive rainproof of pinked elephant's breath grey

Elvery’s Elephant House, Dublin (sold raincoats)

of the loveliest sheerest dearest widowshood over airforce blue I am so wild for, my precious once, Hope Bros., Faith Street, Charity Corner, as the bee loves her skyhighdeed, for I always had a crush on heliotrope since the dusess of yore cycled round the Finest Park, and listen.

Hopes Bros: London department store
I Cor 13:13: ‘faith, hope, charity)
honeybee copulates in flight (droe dies immediately after)
Duse: Italian Actress
D Annals, 18/8/1897: Duke & Duchess of York visit Dublin & Tour Ireland
yore cycled round (menstruation)
Finest Park = Phoenix Park

heliotrope: reference also in the "Practice Letter" backfronted or, if all, peethrolio or Get my Prize (280)

And never mind me laughing at what's atever!

I was in the nerves but it's my last day.

Always about this hour, I'm sorry, when our gamings for Bruin and Noselong

Browne & Nolan/Bruno of Nola

is all oh you tease and afterdoon my lickle pussiness I stheal heimlick

O U T
afterdoon = after doing
lickle pussiness = little business
stheal heimlick = steal home
heimlich: secretly (German) Heim: home (German)
hemlock tree? death?

in my russians from the attraction part with my terriblitall boots calvescatcher Pinchapoppapoff, who is going to be a jennyroll, at my nape, drenched, love, with dripping to affectionate slapmamma but last at night, look,

jennyroll = general

after my golden violents wetting in my upperstairs splendidly welluminated

wetting = wedding

with such lidlylac curtains wallpapered

ladylike lilac

to match the cat and a fire-please

fire place

keep looking of priceless pearlogs I just want to see will he or are all Michales like that, I'll strip straight after devotions before his fondstare and I mean it too,

fondstare: Fenster: window (German)

(thy gape to my gazing I'll bind and makeleash)

My Grief on the Sea: ‘His breast to my bosom, His mouth to my mouth’ (song)

and poke stiff under my isonbound with my soiedisante-chineknees cheeckchubby chambermate for the night's foreign males and your name of Shane will come forth between my shamefaced

soie (French) soi-disant (French) Chinese (a foreign male)

whesen with other lipth I nakest open my thight when just woken by his toccatootletoo my first morning.

Then You’ll Remember Me: ‘When other Lips . . .’

So now, to thalk thildish,

talk childish

thome, theated with Mag at the oilthan we are doing to thay one little player before doing to deed.

going to say one little prayer before going to bed

An a tiss to the tassie for lu and for tu!

tiss = kiss
lassie tassie: a small cup (Scots)
lu: him (Italian) tu: yu (Italian)

Coach me how to tumble, Jaime, and listen, with supreme regards, Juan, in haste, warn me which to ah ah ah ah....

j’aime (French)