Doctor Thorne
Chapters 37 to 39

chapter list

[34-36]   [40-42]

Chapter 37
Sir Louis Leaves Greshamsbury

In toto
Latin, "in all," "in its entirety."  In toto in English usage means "altogether" or "totally."  Sir Louis makes a point of mentioning that he learned this phrase at Eton.  He is endeavoring to show that he was sent to a good school.  [TH]

 

Chapter 38
De Courcy Precepts and De Courcy Practice

Plebeian
From Latin plebeius, pertaining to the plebs, the commoners of Rome.  Taken out of classical usage it comes to mean "lacking noble birth or status, common" often with a disparaging connotation.  Augusta has tried to make Lady Amelia see her love interest, Mr. Gazebee, as at least a little above plebeian status, but has failed.
OED  [JM]

Ichor
Referring to the noble blood of the De Courcys. 
See commentary on
Barchester Towers Chapter 22.  [JM]

 

Chapter 39
What the World Says About Blood

Tablets of his mind
Trollope is referring here to Mr. Gresham's views on the subject of whether or not Frank needed to marry a person who was wealthy. The squire himself likes Mary Thorne, with whom Frank is in love, but the De Courcy relatives, along with Lady Arabella, feel that Frank needs to marry money in order to save the Greshamsbury estate. Trollope says that the De Courcy family had not engraved this idea on the tablets of Mr. Gresham's mind--in other words, he does not share their beliefs on this subject. This phrase comes from Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound, line 856 which says: "write it in the tablets of your mind."  Prometheus tells this to Io just before he prophesizes to her about many of her future adventures. 
http://www.bartleby.com/8/4/3.html [MD]

[34-36]   [40-42]

home

chapter list