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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Analyses of a text
Peggotty is the only maid of his house.
Peggotty and I were sitting one night by the parlour fire alone. I had been reading to Peggotty about crocodiles. I must have read very perspicuously, or the poor soul must have been deeply interested, for I remember she had a cloudy impression, after I had done, that they were a sort of vegetable. I was tired of reading, and dead sleepy, but having leave, as a high treat, to sit up until my mother came home from spending the evening at a neighbour's, I would rather have died upon my post (of course) than have gone to be.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
I'd like to know "I must have read very perspicuously, or the poor soul must have been deeply interested" is an ironical expression.
I'd like to know why "but" is used without a parallel phrase in "but having leave."
And I'd like to know what "having leave" means here.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Peggotty and I were sitting one night by the parlour fire alone. I had been reading to Peggotty about crocodiles. I must have read very perspicuously, or the poor soul must have been deeply interested, for I remember she had a cloudy impression, after I had done, that they were a sort of vegetable. I was tired of reading, and dead sleepy, but having leave, as a high treat, to sit up until my mother came home from spending the evening at a neighbour's, I would rather have died upon my post (of course) than have gone to be.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
I'd like to know "I must have read very perspicuously, or the poor soul must have been deeply interested" is an ironical expression.
I'd like to know why "but" is used without a parallel phrase in "but having leave."
And I'd like to know what "having leave" means here.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
park sang joon I'd like to know "I must have read very perspicuously, or the poor soul must have been deeply interested" is an ironical expression. Yes, that's right. You will find a lot of those in Dickens.
- park sang joon I'd like to know "I must have read very perspicuously, or the poor soul must have been deeply interested" is an ironical expression.
- Yes, that's right.
- You will find a lot of those in Dickens.
- " Why do you think it needs another parallel phrase?
- I would rather have died than have gone to bed.
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6 Answers
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park sang joonI'd like to know "I must have read very perspicuously, or the poor soul must have been deeply interested" is an ironical expression.Yes, that's right. You will find a lot of those in Dickens.
park sang joonI'd like to know why "but" is used without a parallel phrase in "but having leave."Why do you think it
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Thank you, Mr.Micawber, for your very helpful answer.
So I was wondering if "I was having leave" is idiomatic.
I thought "having leave" is an participle phrase.
Why do you think it needs another parallel phrase? This is the stripped-down sentence
So I was wondering if "I was having leave" is idiomatic.
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park sang joonSo I was wondering if "I was having leave" is idiomatic.No, that isn't.
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Thank you, Mr.Micawber, for your continuing support. 
Then, I was wondering why you think it is a stripped-down clause, not a pa
Then, I was wondering why you think it is a stripped-down clause, not a pa
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I was a such a fool. 
Now I think "but" connects the former clause with "I would rather have died upon~;" am I right?
Now I think "but" connects the former clause with "I would rather have died upon~;" am I right?
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park sang joonI was a such a fool. Now I think "but" connects the former clause with "I would rather have died upon~;" am I right?Yes, and not a fool. The older style punctuation does not have the comma we expect nowadays after 'but'.
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