"The inimitable in puresuet of the inevitable!"

(439.15-441.23)  Shaun resumes his sermon today.  He begins this new paragraph slowly, almost as if he's catching his breath, and takes a moment to admire the sound of his own voice (e.g., "And the topnoted delivery you'd expected be me invoice!").  He does acknowledge his own sinfulness, and hints that he may have inherited some of his father's lusty nature:  "I feel spirits of itchery outching out from all over me and only for the sludgehummer's force in my hand to hold them the darkens alone knows what'll who'll be saying of next."  Moving away from his "upperotic rogister," he goes back to dispensing his "brokerly advice . . . free of price."

After a couple bits of random advice (such as "Be vacillant over those vigilant who would leave you belave black on white."), Shaun turns his attention toward literature.  First, he says, "I'd burn the books that grieve you."  Then, he suggests reading material suitable for the girls:  the "Weekly Standerd"; classics like "Through Hell with the Papes . . . by the divine comic Denti Alligator"; "pious fiction" that has been "licensed and censered by our most picturesque prelates, Their Graces of Linzen and Petitbois, bishops of Hibernites"; and "Sifted science" such as "Egg laid by Former Cock and With Flageolettes in Send Fanciesland."

Shaun goes on to dispense more random advice (including "The lad who brooks no breaches lifts the lass that toffs a tailor.") before urging the girls (and Isabel in particular) to prize their virginity above all else:  "Sooner than part with that vestalite emerald of the first importance, descended to me by far from our family, which you treasure up so closely where extremes meet . . . , rather let the whole ekumene universe belong to merry Hal and do whatever his Mary well likes."  He then takes a detour while discussing marriage and overeating.  Ultimately, though, he comes back to that virginity thing.  This time, he gives in to that lust that's a part of his nature.  "Guard that gem, Sissy, rich and rare, ses he," Shaun states.  "In this cold old worold who'll feel it?  Hum!"  Few will get to have sex with Isabel, Shaun suggests, but he imagines himself being one of those few:  "Sing him a ring.  Touch me low.  And I'll lech ye so, my soandso.  Show and show.  Show on show.  She.  Shoe.  Shone."

Tomorrow, we'll see if Shone/Shaun continues to go in this incestuous direction.