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Wholegrain Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
"...that nothing would do but he must marry upon it."
The Confidence Man by Herman Melville
http://www.online-literature.com/melville/confidence-man/6/
"A certain Frenchman of New Orleans, an old man, less slender in purse than limb, happening to attend the theatre one evening, was so charmed with the character of a faithful wife, as there represented to the life, that nothing would do but he must marry upon it."
Did he mean by that: "that nothing would do but his marrying her?" I don't understand why it is formulated in the way it is. To me it doesn't make any sense.
http://www.online-literature.com/melville/confidence-man/6/
"A certain Frenchman of New Orleans, an old man, less slender in purse than limb, happening to attend the theatre one evening, was so charmed with the character of a faithful wife, as there represented to the life, that nothing would do but he must marry upon it."
Did he mean by that: "that nothing would do but his marrying her?" I don't understand why it is formulated in the way it is. To me it doesn't make any sense.
Top answer
He was charmed by the character as represented in the play, and became convinced that marriage could be such a desirable state of affairs that he decided to give it a try (upon the evidence of the play). - A. )
- He was charmed by the character as represented in the play, and became convinced that marriage could be such a desirable state of affairs that he decided to give it a try (upon the evidence of the play).
- - A.
- )
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6 Answers
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He was charmed by the character as represented in the play, and became convinced that marriage could be such a desirable state of affairs that he decided to give it a try (upon the evidence of the play). - A. (That's my offering.)
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>that nothing would do but he must marry upon it
must = had to
that nothing was acceptable but to marry someone of her character
or:
that nothing was acceptable except to marry someone of her character
This is the full story:
-------
A certain Frenchman of New Orleans, an old man, less slender in purse than limb, happening to attend the thea
must = had to
that nothing was acceptable but to marry someone of her character
or:
that nothing was acceptable except to marry someone of her character
This is the full story:
-------
A certain Frenchman of New Orleans, an old man, less slender in purse than limb, happening to attend the thea
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Nope, someone with that kind of character (faithful wife)
So, marry he did, a beautiful girl from Tennessee, who had first attracted his attention by her liberal mould, and was subsequently recommended to him through her kin, for her equally liberal education and disposition.
So, marry he did, a beautiful girl from Tennessee, who had first attracted his attention by her liberal mould, and was subsequently recommended to him through her kin, for her equally liberal education and disposition.
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So "that nothing would do but he must marry upon it" equals to "that nothing would do but to marry upon it"?
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Thanks, Marius. Dang! You gave away the ending. (I always wanted a girl with a liberal disposition.)
Something strange is happening. Your first post is not the one I replied to. I can't find it. - A.
Something strange is happening. Your first post is not the one I replied to. I can't find it. - A.
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