Dear Brian,
Regarding the use of the word "levitical" on line 19, page 218, of
Debits and Credits, the Harbord Guide does note that:
"this refers to the Jewish ritual system administered by the Levites -
priests of the tribe of Levi".
So the ORG contributor felt that a purely factual explanation was
enough. I feel that this confirms a simple allusion to ritual
cleanliness. I had always seen it as the kind of movement a bird makes
in cleaning its beak, but with the added feeling of a dusting off of
hands, in satisfaction, and the blood-related actions of cleaning a
blade.
Inspired by some thought-provoking papers at Conference, I will now
have to follow up this interesting question. It seems to me to involve
two parts:
Was the word used commonly enough to require no further explanation
(though we could suggest that the reference to a manicurist in line 20
could be that)?
If this word was not in reasonably common currency, why did it come to
Kipling's mind, consciously or unconsciously? Writing in late 1924, he
was considering his words as carefully as ever.
The Levitical code, as I understand it, involves minor or assistant
priests, offering propitiatory or communal sacrifices. This does not
extend my understanding of the allusion. However, first research
brought up a mention of the priest spilling the collected blood "upon
the horns of the altar". Coincidence, or subtlety?
The next stage is to check for Kipling's use of the descriptor
elsewhere, and to look for other writers who found it useful.
Regards,
John
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