Sir Walter Scott and Thomas Carlyle both mention Dryasdust. Apparently, an imaginary creation of the former author, who cited him as an authority who tediously presented background info in his books. The name then became a mocking and dismissive label for anyone who presented historical information in a manner that was as 'dry as dust'.
Sir Walter Scott and Thomas Carlyle both mention Dryasdust. Apparently, an imaginary creation of the former author, who cited him as an authority who tediously presented background info in his books. The name then became a mocking and dismissive label for anyone who presented historical information in a manner that was as 'dry as dust'.
ReplyDeleteRight, then.
ReplyDeleteSo why was this imaginary person writing books at the turn of the 20th century?
(I'm not leaving you hanging, just setting up the next post)
DeleteNot yet having read your next post, perhaps because someone adopted it as a pseudonym for his own purposes?
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