Gratitude
September 10, 2014
Apprentice JC
Gratias amigus tibi propter...
Mozart, K. 427
Mozart, K. 427
Background:
After passing more than ten years studying under lesser occultists or minds not bound by the parameters of perfection, Apprentice JC returns for more instruction under a true and veritable Master of the Occult Arts and Sciences.
For his illicit behavior, his penitence is to write a paper on gratitude.
After passing more than ten years studying under lesser occultists or minds not bound by the parameters of perfection, Apprentice JC returns for more instruction under a true and veritable Master of the Occult Arts and Sciences.
For his illicit behavior, his penitence is to write a paper on gratitude.
Introduction:
Master is fond of saying: "Ingratitude is not a Capricorn trait". I suspect this is both true and has layers of meaning, not including proper grammar. While we will not attempt to peal the layers of possible understandings, we will look into the origin of "ingratitude" and "gratitude".
Part the First:
The following information is courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary (Every word ever used with every definition in the English Language (Trademark Pending)). Secondary sources are in red.
Forms: Also 15th century–16th century Sc. gratitud, (15th century gratituid).
Etymology:
< French gratitude (15th century in Godefroy Compl.),
or
< late Latin grātitūdo, -inem, < grātus pleasing, thankful.
1a. The quality or condition of being grateful; a warm sense of appreciation of kindness received, involving a feeling of goodwill towards the benefactor and a desire to do something in return; gratefulness.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus, Gratitudo, Kindnes: gratitude: thankefulnes.
1608 Shakespeare King Lear vii. 337 Thou better knowest, The offices of nature, bond of child-hood, Effects of curtesie, dues of gratitude.
a1616 Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) iv. iv. 6 Which gratitude Through flintie Tartars bosome would peepe forth, And answer thankes.
1710 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 20 July (1965) I. 43, I am sensible of the Gratitude I owe to so much Goodnesse.
Per the OED, we learn that the English translation of "gratus" is "pleasing, thankful".
[See "An Attempt To Date Communion" for more information on "thanksgiving".]
Part the Second:
The negative, and now obsolete form, of "gratitude" is "ungratitude". We perceive that the recent introduction of Latin words into England in the 16th century caused consternation among native wordsmiths; as there is no reason to prefer "ungratitude" over "ingratitude".
1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxlixv, That the sequele thereof, maie rather turne..to an vngratitude, then to a rewarde.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Richard III f. xxxiiijv, All these vngratitudes and vndeserued vnkyndnes I..suffered pacientelie.
1621 M. Wroth Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania 29, I..neuer could be wonne to thinke of harming him, whose vngratitude I beleeu'd sufficiently would one day burden him.
1685 J. Fraser Let. in Academy (1876) 21 Oct. 408/2 The Princess..giving a Reprimand for their ungratitud, dismissed them.
Part the Third:
"Ingratitude" is the current meaning of "ungratitude".
Etymology:
< French ingratitude (13th centutry in Hatzfeld & Darmesteter),
< late Latin ingrātitūdo ingratitude, displeasure, noun of quality
< ingrātus ingrate adj. and n.; compare gratitude n.
1. Want or absence of gratitude; indisposition to acknowledge or reciprocate benefits received; unthankfulness; ungratefulness.
[?c1225 (▸?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 149 Ingratitudo. þis cundel nule icnawen goddede. ach telleð lutel þer of. oðer for ȝet mid alle.]
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 18 A vice þet is y-cleped ine clergie: ingratitude: þet is uoryetinge of god and of his guodes.
1477 Earl Rivers tr. Dictes or Sayengis Philosophhres (Caxton) (1877) lf. 1, To sette a parte alle ingratitude.
1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour ii. xiii. sig. Vviiv, The moste damnable vice, and moste agayne iustice, in myne oppinion, is ingratitude, commenly called vnkyndnesse... He is vnkynde, whiche denieth to haue receyued any benefite, that in dede he hathe receyued.
a1616 Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) ii. iii. 10 Ingratitude is monstrous, and for the multitude to be ingratefull, were to make a Monster of the multitude.
1675 R. South Serm. (1737) I. xi. 413.
1796 E. Burke Let. to Noble Lord in Wks. (1815) VIII. 51 Ingratitude to benefactors is the first of revolutionary virtues.
1876 J. B. Mozley Univ. Serm. xv. 252 There is perhaps no fault that men think more monstrous in other people than ingratitude.
Although "ungratitude" is clearly borrowed from the Latin language, we suspect that to the English ear "ingratitude" , in a subjective way, sounds better than "ungratitude". Interestingly, "ingrate" is still in used today, while "ungratitude" is no longer utilized.
Conclusion:
More accurately, perhaps, I should say that I am grateful for finding Master after so many years of not being in contact. And I experience gratitude for Master allowing me to return to more fruitful studies so that I can bathe in radiance of his intellect. It is a perk and a curse of the English language that we have so many words with nuanced shades of meaning that the language is unpenatrable (irpenetrable ?, apenetrable ?, impenatrable? ) to all but native English speakers and, even in the last analysis, not all of them.
Master is fond of saying: "Ingratitude is not a Capricorn trait". I suspect this is both true and has layers of meaning, not including proper grammar. While we will not attempt to peal the layers of possible understandings, we will look into the origin of "ingratitude" and "gratitude".
Part the First:
The following information is courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary (Every word ever used with every definition in the English Language (Trademark Pending)). Secondary sources are in red.
Forms: Also 15th century–16th century Sc. gratitud, (15th century gratituid).
Etymology:
< French gratitude (15th century in Godefroy Compl.),
or
< late Latin grātitūdo, -inem, < grātus pleasing, thankful.
1a. The quality or condition of being grateful; a warm sense of appreciation of kindness received, involving a feeling of goodwill towards the benefactor and a desire to do something in return; gratefulness.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus, Gratitudo, Kindnes: gratitude: thankefulnes.
1608 Shakespeare King Lear vii. 337 Thou better knowest, The offices of nature, bond of child-hood, Effects of curtesie, dues of gratitude.
a1616 Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) iv. iv. 6 Which gratitude Through flintie Tartars bosome would peepe forth, And answer thankes.
1710 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 20 July (1965) I. 43, I am sensible of the Gratitude I owe to so much Goodnesse.
Per the OED, we learn that the English translation of "gratus" is "pleasing, thankful".
[See "An Attempt To Date Communion" for more information on "thanksgiving".]
Part the Second:
The negative, and now obsolete form, of "gratitude" is "ungratitude". We perceive that the recent introduction of Latin words into England in the 16th century caused consternation among native wordsmiths; as there is no reason to prefer "ungratitude" over "ingratitude".
1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxlixv, That the sequele thereof, maie rather turne..to an vngratitude, then to a rewarde.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Richard III f. xxxiiijv, All these vngratitudes and vndeserued vnkyndnes I..suffered pacientelie.
1621 M. Wroth Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania 29, I..neuer could be wonne to thinke of harming him, whose vngratitude I beleeu'd sufficiently would one day burden him.
1685 J. Fraser Let. in Academy (1876) 21 Oct. 408/2 The Princess..giving a Reprimand for their ungratitud, dismissed them.
Part the Third:
"Ingratitude" is the current meaning of "ungratitude".
Etymology:
< French ingratitude (13th centutry in Hatzfeld & Darmesteter),
< late Latin ingrātitūdo ingratitude, displeasure, noun of quality
< ingrātus ingrate adj. and n.; compare gratitude n.
1. Want or absence of gratitude; indisposition to acknowledge or reciprocate benefits received; unthankfulness; ungratefulness.
[?c1225 (▸?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 149 Ingratitudo. þis cundel nule icnawen goddede. ach telleð lutel þer of. oðer for ȝet mid alle.]
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 18 A vice þet is y-cleped ine clergie: ingratitude: þet is uoryetinge of god and of his guodes.
1477 Earl Rivers tr. Dictes or Sayengis Philosophhres (Caxton) (1877) lf. 1, To sette a parte alle ingratitude.
1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour ii. xiii. sig. Vviiv, The moste damnable vice, and moste agayne iustice, in myne oppinion, is ingratitude, commenly called vnkyndnesse... He is vnkynde, whiche denieth to haue receyued any benefite, that in dede he hathe receyued.
a1616 Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) ii. iii. 10 Ingratitude is monstrous, and for the multitude to be ingratefull, were to make a Monster of the multitude.
1675 R. South Serm. (1737) I. xi. 413.
1796 E. Burke Let. to Noble Lord in Wks. (1815) VIII. 51 Ingratitude to benefactors is the first of revolutionary virtues.
1876 J. B. Mozley Univ. Serm. xv. 252 There is perhaps no fault that men think more monstrous in other people than ingratitude.
Although "ungratitude" is clearly borrowed from the Latin language, we suspect that to the English ear "ingratitude" , in a subjective way, sounds better than "ungratitude". Interestingly, "ingrate" is still in used today, while "ungratitude" is no longer utilized.
Conclusion:
More accurately, perhaps, I should say that I am grateful for finding Master after so many years of not being in contact. And I experience gratitude for Master allowing me to return to more fruitful studies so that I can bathe in radiance of his intellect. It is a perk and a curse of the English language that we have so many words with nuanced shades of meaning that the language is unpenatrable (irpenetrable ?, apenetrable ?, impenatrable? ) to all but native English speakers and, even in the last analysis, not all of them.