Of the Brazier and the Corrector: A Working Note
This dispatch reports on a marginal annotation discovered at f. cxc v of John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent. The hand is unmistakably Br. Theognostus's; the ink, examined by Br. Damianus, who happened to be ruling nearby, is minium-and-cinnabar. We have transcribed the note in full, and offer below such remarks as the desk has felt warranted.
The present marginalium is unusual chiefly for its self-awareness; the scribe knows that what is written here will be read by another scribe, who is the chief audience for such asides. The reader at home is at best a third party.
The minim spacing is wider than the scribe's usual practice, suggesting either a second hand returning to the line or, more probably, the proximity of the cat. The ligated st preserves the customary form.
Notes
- The relevant exemplar is in the closed press; consultation is by appointment.
- An anonymous reader has questioned this attribution; we remain confident.
- Vespers interrupted the preparation of this footnote; we resume.