Of the Making of Books....
Mar. 31st, 2006 03:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zcat_abroad...there is no end, and too much study wearies the soul. Proverbs 12:12.
So last Friday (yes, about a week ago) I emailed a - admittedly very first - draft to my supervisor, about all the version of St Aethelthryth's Life that I knew of. There were 29 manuscripts in my list - for about 12 different stories. Then on Saturday, I sat down to read a thesis I have had in my possession since about December. It contains a translation of the Anglo-Norman life which I am trying to learn to read - so I had plundered it for that, and had read the chapter on said life. As I started reading the introduction, however, I discovered that it contained a list of versions of Ethel known to that poor PhD student. Of the 17 manuscripts she listed, I had knowledge of 5, or possibly 6 of them.
So I sent a 'I have been very stupid' email to supervisor. And have spent the week trying to track said stories down. Only one of the edited ones (out of 4) resides in our library. Many have not been edited, so I have to request a copy of the original mss, and try and read it, type it up, and, hopefully, get extra kudos for it (I love transcribing, so don't feel too sorry for me!). Unfortunately, some are in Latin, which requires me to get Latin brain into gear, forthwith.
I found another version today, also. MANY books to read...
Students have been stressing this week, due to their first assignment being due today. Not feeling terribly sorry for them, as I've been trying to get them to work on it ahead of time. Then there are the people who have come to one lecture (during which the person spent the whole hour whispering to a friend xhe had brought), not attended any tutorials, emailed me asking for times I was free, and never showed up to any of the times I indicated. REALLY not sorry.
Am I horrible person?
So last Friday (yes, about a week ago) I emailed a - admittedly very first - draft to my supervisor, about all the version of St Aethelthryth's Life that I knew of. There were 29 manuscripts in my list - for about 12 different stories. Then on Saturday, I sat down to read a thesis I have had in my possession since about December. It contains a translation of the Anglo-Norman life which I am trying to learn to read - so I had plundered it for that, and had read the chapter on said life. As I started reading the introduction, however, I discovered that it contained a list of versions of Ethel known to that poor PhD student. Of the 17 manuscripts she listed, I had knowledge of 5, or possibly 6 of them.
So I sent a 'I have been very stupid' email to supervisor. And have spent the week trying to track said stories down. Only one of the edited ones (out of 4) resides in our library. Many have not been edited, so I have to request a copy of the original mss, and try and read it, type it up, and, hopefully, get extra kudos for it (I love transcribing, so don't feel too sorry for me!). Unfortunately, some are in Latin, which requires me to get Latin brain into gear, forthwith.
I found another version today, also. MANY books to read...
Students have been stressing this week, due to their first assignment being due today. Not feeling terribly sorry for them, as I've been trying to get them to work on it ahead of time. Then there are the people who have come to one lecture (during which the person spent the whole hour whispering to a friend xhe had brought), not attended any tutorials, emailed me asking for times I was free, and never showed up to any of the times I indicated. REALLY not sorry.
Am I horrible person?
