My Virtual Reading Room

Happened to run across this post on FB earlier this week and thought you might enjoy this compilation :)
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Improve English Vocabulary

some uncommon words with their meanings

1. Cagamosis (noun): an unhappy marriage
2. agerasia (noun): the state of looking younger than one actually is
3. Hadeharia (noun): the practice of frequently using the word "hell" in speech
4. Estrapade(noun) : the attempt of the horse to remove its rider. (estrange: alienate or remove)
5. Auto-tonsorialist (noun): a person who cuts his own hair. (tonsorial= of or related to haircut or barbering)
6. Dactylonomy (noun): act of counting using one's fingers (dactyl: tip of the finger)
7. Jument (noun): An animal used to carry loads like horse or donkey (beast of burden)
8. Gargalesthesia (noun): the sensation caused by tickling
9. bombilate (verb): make humming or buzzing sound loudly. "a student was bombilating in the class while the teacher was delivering lecture"
10. maledicent (noun): a person who does frequent abusive speech

The Good Man in Hell

If a good man were ever housed in Hell
By needful error of the qualities,
Perhaps to prove the rule or shame the devil,
Or speak the truth only a stranger sees,

Would he, surrendering quick to obvious hate,
Fill half eternity with cries and tears,
Or watch beside Hell's little wicket gate
In patience for the first ten thousand years,

Feeling the curse climb slowly to his throat
That, uttered, dooms him to rescindless ill,
Forcing his praying tongue to run by rote,
Eternity entire before him still?

Would he at last, grown faithful in his station,
Kindle a little hope in hopeless Hell,
And sow among the damned doubts of damnation,
Since here someone could live, and live well?

One doubt of evil would bring down such a grace,
Open such a gate, and Eden could enter in,
Hell be a place like any other place,
And love and hate and life and death begin.

By Edwin Muir

Originally posted by duathir at Edwin Muir, 'The Good Man in Hell'