*********SUBJECT**** �Seary�s NL Folklore, Opinions, Facts, Whitmonday,and the passage of time�.......updated Oct. 31st, 2003 prepared by Lloyd George Henry Rowsell.....for sharing, on the internet, with members of the NL ROOTS genealogy group, etc. *****message, part II******** This note is a follow up to a short piece that I earlier posted to NL Roots under the subject. �Three Brothers--Folklore, Fact and Fancy�. Since I like to work within the bounds and order of �timeline linkages� I will continue that mode of presentation here. 2003, October.... here are some excerpts taken from both published and unpublished comments, about the 1858 Bay Roberts Novel and it�s author, by professors employed by Memorial University at St. John�s, NL. Dr. Hans Rollman: #1. �Cultured America�s picture of Newfoundland during the second half of the 19th century was shaped in no small measure by a mystery novel about a fictitious Catholic conspiracy in Conception Bay.� #2. �Lowell left Newfoundland because of the regime change of Bishop Edward Feild, who did not appreciate Lowell�s candor or his American origins. Newfoundland, however, remained on Lowell�s mind, as his novel and several poems indicate. He became a professor at Union College in Schenactady, N.Y., and died there on Sept. 12, 1891.� #3. � In 1843, Lowell was ordained a priest in Bermuda and served there as the bishop�s domestic chaplain and inspector of schools�....�Lowell took the place (at Bay Roberts) vacated through the death of (Bishop) Spencer�s son-in-law, who had died after only two months in service. Along with his local parish, St. Matthew�s Anglican Church, Lowell served the communities of Spaniard�s Bay and New Harbour in Trinity Bay.� Dr. Philip Hiscock: � .... in 1975. When my Linguistics professor (Harold Paddock) was putting together a book on language study in Newfoundland he asked if I would let him include it. Thus it found its way into his book, a collection of readings for other students in Linguistics classes......Since 1975 a lot of work has been done by professonal historians and amateur genealogists, bringing together a great deal of information about the history of Conception Bay, information that simply was not available 28 years ago, and especially not to a student putting together apaper for a thirteen-week university course. .....You asked if I "would kindly elaborate, by giving me some historical reference, which prompted your following words." And you followed with three points, the first two of which are definitely interpretative statements on my part. #1. page 114.. "....his first and foremost intention seems to have been to preach against world Catholicism. #2. page 114.. "The point of the book was the idyllic nature of Newfoundland life (especially Protestant Newfoundland life) and the evils of Papism. ..... The book was in some ways (from your accounting, I see in much greater ways than I imagined) a record of life in that part of Conception Bay. But it was also a political tract, one that modern people must recognise for what it is. #3. ..page 116.. "One could also call this 'Low Protestant', because without exception the speakers are of the lower-class Anglicans. On this point, you point out that two decades before Lowell wrote his novel, the Methodists had made their split from the Church of England. I do not remember whether I was aware of that fact at that time. For certain, I was not aware of any particular church history with regard to that local area because nothing was available to me through the usual secondary sources at the time. Again, I read the book and tried to make sense of what I read. Of course, I used the word "Low" with no slur intended; I simply used it as an indication of social relationships and perceptions.� end quotes. Here are a couple of quotes from Dr. Hiscock�s 1975 paper titled �Dialect Representation in R.T.S. Lowell�s Novel, The New Priest in Conception Bay� and transcribed quotes from the Novel itself. #1... Opening paragraph of the article: �When Robert Traill Spence Lowell wrote The New Priest in Conception Bay his first and foremost intention seems to have been to preach against world Catholicism. His use of dialect in the novel reflects not a scientific interest in linguistics, but rather a felt need for �local color�. He did try, it seems, to get on paper a genuine representation of the local dialect (and others) but this was not the most important thing to him. The point of the book was the idyllic nature of Newfoundland life (especially Protestant Newfoundland life) and the evils of Papism.� #2...page 116...�The second dialect is that in which Lowell wanted to represent Newfoundland English. There are some distinguishing features which serve to set this apart from others and to unify the speakers of it. One could also call this �Low Protestant�, because without exception the speakers are the lower-class Anglicans. It lets us know whom we can trust generally. Because the story takes place from an Anglican point of view, and some of the �best� characters speak Newfoundland English, this dialect is the best developed. The other dialects have far less distinguishing features.� #3..page 119...�The fourth dialect treated and distinguished by Lowell is Newfoundland Irish-English. This might be called �Educated� or �Assimilated Irish�. #4..page 120...�The last dialect representation by Lowell is that of Elnathan Bangs, the go-getter from the United States. It is the American Dialect. Undoubtedly Lowell perfected this when home in New England with lots of chances to study itinerant Yankee merchants.� end of Hiscock quotes. according to Rev. Lowell, the character in the novel, Mr. Elnathan Bangs lived at BRAINTREE, Massachusetts..... words attributed to Mr. Bangs...quotes from the Novel, page 313- 314..� Wa�n�t speakin� o� that, �xac�ly. I�ll tell ye, Father O�Toole, I ain�t a democrat, an� so I don�t like slavery.� The Priest, who knew nothing of parties in America, and, from the word democrat, understood one who was in favor of democracy, might have been edified at this avowal: but how a democrat should like slavery, and what the whole thing had to do with Newfoundland, was not clear. �I mean I don�t b�long to the Democratic party, �s the� call it, where they have t� learn t� blackguard, �n� abuse niggers, b�fore they c�n take the stump� ----...........but �s I was saying�, when we got a talkin� bout common schools, I guess folks �n Noofundland might be �bout�s good �n� happy, �n� a leetle mite better off. Why, there were fishermen down �t Marblehead �n� Gloucester, �n� all �long there, b�fore ever Noofoundland �s heard of, -�s goin� to say....�.....etc.. ______________________ __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Exclusive Video Premiere - Britney Spears http://launch.yahoo.com/promos/britneyspears/