Notae on the Scholar's Diary

"If this document is authentic..."
Here, as elsewhere, the Scholar uses the term "document" to describe the Egderus materials, when in fact they comprised a sizeable archive of many documents by different authors. [back]

A careful reading of the Scholar's evolving understanding of the materials suggests that they were delivered in installments, or that different parcels were discovered in separate successive "excavations" of the same site.

"A preliminary reading suggests..."
The Scholar here is clearly excited, and seems to be composing his presentation speech already.

As will be seen, these preliminary speculations about writing and thinking (questions that the Scholar never quite returns to) are shortly to be preempted by more troubling ones. [back]

"...via a source I cannot name..."
This source has never been identified. There are several possibilities:

1. As implied here, the Scholar knew the source, but withheld the name even from this private diary, in order to protect either the source or himself;
2. The Scholar did not know the source -- i.e., the document(s) as it were "appeared on the doorstep," without attribution;
3. Despite denials elsewhere, the Scholar himself was the source. [back]

"...rearrange existing evidence..."
A curious locution. One would think that a person in this situation would want to re-examine -- not rearrange -- the evidence. However, the Scholar may be referring to composing a presentation of the evidence to others, a process which would of necessity entail some form of arrangement different from its present state. [back]

"I think I know where to look..."
An instance -- they abound in the archives -- of either a false clue, or one on which the Scholar, for some reason, never followed up. [back]

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