The Genius of PG Wodehouse
Nobody writes like PG Wodehouse. Iâm reading Piccadilly Jim at the moment (on my Treoâvery convenient for those moments when you find yourself without a book), and this absolute gem made me laugh out loud. The eponymous man-about-town is recovering on the sofa after a night of rather ill-advised high jinks, and talking to his butler, Bayliss:
âYou know, Bayliss,â said Jimmy thoughtfully, rolling over on the couch, âlife is peculiar, not to say odd. You never know what is waiting for you around the corner. You start the day with the fairest prospects, and before nightfall everything is as rocky and ding-basted as stig tossed full of doodlegammon. Why is this, Bayliss?â
âI couldnât say, sir.â
I have absolutely no idea what âding-basted as stig tossed full of doodlegammonâ might mean, but itâs a phrase to roll around your mouth like fine wine, and to employ when the occasion demands.
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I am not a particular fan, but must acknowledge that he is unmatched for his wit and verbal invention. I am particularly grateful to him for bringing the word "gruntled" to my attention, and perhaps even inventing it.
If gruntled is a word you like this article might appeal to you
http://paul.merton.ox.ac.uk/language/gruntled.html----- I am a particular fan, and agree that Wodehouse is a genius. Lord Emsworth is such a great character
by Matthew @ 01/04/2004 3:04 pm • Permalink •
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ThoughtBadger: Thanks for the link--they are just around the corner (I had to read the FAQ to find out whether it was run by the Paul Merton).
Matthew: I agree-- I love Lord Emsworth, though you have to go some way to beat Jeeves.
by bsag @ 01/04/2004 5:05 pm • Permalink •
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Another coincidence - I was enjoying reading Douglas Adams introducing Wodehouse just yesterday (in The Salmon of Doubt)! But he cautions us against swapping our favourite lines - then typically goes and does it anyway.
I enjoyed his description of Wodehouse's working method. Pages were pinned on the wall around him, low down. As he worked on each page, he moved it higher up the wall. His aim was to get all the pages up to the picture rail.
by pete @ 01/04/2004 7:04 pm • Permalink •
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pete: That's a great story - a visual indication of progress.
by bsag @ 03/04/2004 2:04 pm • Permalink •
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