Remarks to: The Brigantes, the Northern Liverymen, Tuesday, 24 August 2021, The Garden Rooms at Tennants Auctioneers, Leyburn, North Yorkshire by Alderman & Sheriff Professor Michael Mainelli
Tribal Chieftain, Lord Mayor, Your Excellency, Alderman, Masters, Wardens, Distinguished Guest, Local Native Peoples:
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Johnson’s wry note suggested replacing “one fell swoop” with “one foul swoop”. Macduff wails in Macbeth, “Did you say all? O hell-kite! All? What, all my pretty chickens and their dam, At one fell swoop?” Shakespeare is using an avian metaphor to compare the murder of Macduff’s wife and children to a hawk suddenly swooping down on defenceless prey. Surely “one fowl swoop” is to be preferred?
Professor Michael Mainelli
Emeritus Professor
Gresham College
London
7 August 2021 – https://www.economist.com/letters/2021/08/07/letters-to-the-editor