A Christmas Carol: Glossary, Commentary and Notes Rich Bowen Christmas, 2004 Contents 1 Introduction 6 2 Stave One : Marley's Ghost 7 2.1 Terms . 7 2.1.1 Stave . 7 2.1.2 Scrooge . 7 2.1.3 Good upon 'Change . 7 2.1.4 Door-nail . 8 2.1.5 The wisdom of our ancestors . 8 2.1.6 Assign . 8 2.1.7 Residuary legatee . 8 2.1.8 His son's weak mind . 8 2.1.9 Nuts to . 9 2.1.10 Dog days . 9 2.1.11 Come Down . 9 2.1.12 God save you! . 9 2.1.13 Humbug . 9 2.1.14 A stake of holly through his heart . 9 2.1.15 Fellow-passengers . 9 2.1.16 Situation . 9 2.1.17 Fifteen shillings . 10 2.1.18 Bedlam . 10 2.1.19 Are there no prisons? . 10 2.1.20 Union workhouses, the Treadmill, and the Poor Law . 11 2.1.21 Surplus population . 11 2.1.22 The palpable brown air . 11 2.1.23 Water-plug . 11 2.1.24 Saint Dunstan . 12 2.1.25 Half a crown . 12 2.1.26 A bad lobster in a dark cellar . 12 2.1.27 ... through a bad young Act of Parliament . 12 2.1.28 Splinter-bar . 13 2.1.29 Dip . 13 2.1.30 Bowels . 13 2.1.31 Shade . 13 2.1.32 The bandage around its head . 13 2.1.33 From other regions . 13 2.2 Notes . 13 3 Stave Two : The First Of The Three Spirits 15 3.1 Terms . 15 3.1.1 United States' Security . 15 3.1.2 Gigs and carts . 15 3.1.3 Plain deal forms . 16 3.1.4 Valentine and Orson . 16 3.1.5 What's his name? . 17 3.1.6 Postboy . 17 3.1.7 Garden-sweep . 17 3.1.8 Welch wig . 17 3.1.9 ... hour of seven . 17 3.1.10 Organ of benevolence . 18 3.1.11 Porter . 18 3.1.12 Forfeits . 18 3.1.13 Negus . 18 3.1.14 Sir Roger de Coverley . 18 3.1.15 Cut . 19 3.1.16 Beds ... under a counter . 19 3.1.17 Dowerless . 19 3.1.18 the celebrated herd in the poem . 19 3.2 Notes . 19 4 Stave Three : The Second Of The Three Spirits 20 4.1 Terms . 20 4.1.1 Free-and-easy . 20 4.1.2 Plume themselves . 20 4.1.3 Acquainted with a move or two . 20 4.1.4 Equal to the time-of-day . 20 4.1.5 Pitch and toss . 20 4.1.6 Living green . 20 4.1.7 No sword was in it . 20 4.1.8 Baker's shops . 20 4.1.9 Norfolk Biffins . 20 4.1.10 Daws . 21 4.1.11 Closed on the seventh day . 21 4.1.12 The fashionable Parks . 21 4.1.13 Supported by an iron frame . 22 4.1.14 Wash-house . 22 4.1.15 Twelfth-cakes . 22 4.1.16 half of half-a-quartern . 22 4.1.17 Grog . 22 4.1.18 Tucker . 23 4.1.19 Glee . 23 4.1.20 Catch . 23 4.1.21 Yes and No . 23 4.1.22 Another blindman . 23 4.1.23 ... with all the letters of the alphabet . 23 4.1.24 Twelfth Night . ..