Your article beautifully unravels the quirky charm of The Owl’s Almanac. I appreciate your combining historical facts with light-hearted commentary on Middleton’s satire. Madge’s “sceptical tomfoolery” makes this an engaging introduction to 17th-century almanacs. It is a wonderfully entertaining dive into a lesser-known piece of literary history!
371 years later Middleton would be proved right about the perils of almanacs by Biff Tannen's actions in Back to the Future II. I realise that's entirely not the point here, I'm just showing off that I learned the word 'almanac' when I was 11.
I like the astrolabe hanging on the wall above her head …
Is it otiose, I would assume it is, to mention Madge’s flesh-and-blood 18th century successor, Toby, the Sapient Pig?
On rare occasions when I buy a lottery ticket I will definitely be channeling my inner Madge from now on. Beautiful woodcuts btw.
Nice!
Wonderful!
Your article beautifully unravels the quirky charm of The Owl’s Almanac. I appreciate your combining historical facts with light-hearted commentary on Middleton’s satire. Madge’s “sceptical tomfoolery” makes this an engaging introduction to 17th-century almanacs. It is a wonderfully entertaining dive into a lesser-known piece of literary history!
Might I note her entry in my dictionary of slang:
Madge Howlet n.
also howlet, Jennie Howlet, madge, Madge Howlett, Madge-owlet, Margery, Margerie Howlet
[dial. madge howlet, a barn owl]
1. a prostitute. 1602+
2. the vagina. 1749+
The full entry (with multiple citations for both senses and too large to paste) is here: https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/dmkkbyq
Enjoy, as I very much did your post.
I mean... 😂😂😂 This is splendid!
Dear lordt. lol "for Astrologicall wizards to shoot threatening Calenders out of their inke-pots at the world."
Of course you have favourite woodcuts lol.
Of course :)
"He’s trying to say that almanacs are silly and that real social evils can be predicted without the stars."
Well maybe he's the silly one, the almanacs were on to something after all with all the social evils today. He can't even write on one leg.
“Madge-Owlet fetches her predictions out of an upper roome in Heaven, where never any common star-catcher was garretted before.” - I want to believe.
Take my money, Madge!
371 years later Middleton would be proved right about the perils of almanacs by Biff Tannen's actions in Back to the Future II. I realise that's entirely not the point here, I'm just showing off that I learned the word 'almanac' when I was 11.
I love that connection, and haven’t seen Back to the Future II. ‘Almanac’ is such a great word!
As sequels go it isn't bad. Bit busy, but good fun.