The reader will be familar with the storms which have raged over this most tantalising of holograph survivals. The ' Codex ' ( first so-called by Bassett in his monumental De Selby Compendium ) is a collection of some two thousand sheets of foolscap closely hand-written on both sides. The signal distinction of the manuscript is that not one word of the writing is legible. Attempts made by different commentators to decipher certain passages which look less formidable than others has been characterised by fantastic divergencies, not in the meaning of the passages ( of which there is no question ) but in the brand of nonsense which is evolved. One passage, described by Bassett as being ' a penetrating treatise on old age ' is referred to by Henderson ( biographer of Bassett ) as 'a not unbeautiful description of lambing operations on an unspecified farm '. Such disagreement, it must be confessed, does little to enhance the reputation of either writer.
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- Myles na gCopaleen 7-16-2003 1:45 am