Buchan

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Mher

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Hi, friends. I have two questions.
1. What does the author refer to by mentioning "Buchan"? Google points out to James Buchan, a Scottish novelist and historian, but then why is it written in quotation marks? Here is the sentence: "Buchan" I burned. I read no "Night Thoughts" — no fustian about church-yards — no bugaboo tales — such as this."
2. Could it be inferred from the punctuation of the second sentence that the part between dashes is about "Night Thoughts"?
(http://poestories.com/read/premature)
 
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Grumpy

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If you quote from a published source, then you should name the source. It can help respondents to know the context.

1. I suspect that it is John (rather than James) Buchan, whose book or books the author burned. That is why "Buchan" is in quotation marks: to indicate that it was the written material and not the individual who was burned.

2. Yes. The bit about "bugaboo tales" also refers to "Night Thoughts".
 

Mher

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If you quote from a published source, then you should name the source. It can help respondents to know the context.

1. I suspect that it is John (rather than James) Buchan, whose book or books the author burned. That is why "Buchan" is in quotation marks: to indicate that it was the written material and not the individual who was burned.

2. Yes. The bit about "bugaboo tales" also refers to "Night Thoughts".

Yes, you are right. I have named the source so many times that it always seems to me that I have already done it. :)
 

Tdol

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Mher

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I don't think it can be John Buchan, who was born after Poe died. However, it might be William Buchan, who wrote a famous medical book that would fit the context of getting rid of medical books:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Buchan_(physician)
You are god damn right. John Buchan was born 26 years after Poe's death and, hence, could not be mentioned in the story. Thank you, Tdol, for your attentiveness.:-D
 

Grumpy

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Yes, you are right. I have named the source so many times that it always seems to me that I have already done it. :)
If I'd known it was by Poe, I would also have known it couldn't be John Buchan (he said in self-justification): hence the importance of naming sources (he said sulkily).
 

Mher

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If I'd known it was by Poe, I would also have known it couldn't be John Buchan (he said in self-justification): hence the importance of naming sources (he said sulkily).
Sorry, my friend. I take the blame on me. :)
 

Tdol

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If I'd known it was by Poe, I would also have known it couldn't be John Buchan (he said in self-justification): hence the importance of naming sources (he said sulkily).

I was only able to namedrop William Buchan after asking my good friend Mr Google who might be in the frame for Buchan+medical. I guessed from earlier threads from Mher that it was Poe. :-D
 

Tdol

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And I did have to check John Buchan's date of birth, though I enjoyed reading one of his books last year.
 

Mher

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And I did have to check John Buchan's date of birth, though I enjoyed reading one of his books last year.
Dear friends, could you tell how 'Buchan' is pronounced? Is it 'bukun'?
 

Barb_D

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You are god damn right
Why in the world would you use this phrase? It's very offensive to some peope to use it at all, and utterly unnatural in this context.
 

Mher

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Why in the world would you use this phrase? It's very offensive to some people to use it at all, and utterly unnatural in this context.
In fact, I thought I was paying a compliment for his attentiveness.:roll: Why are you raising this issue only now? :-?You could have written it in private.
 
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