Note 34 — Chapter II
Reading edition
The term Tertulia was originally applied to an assembly of Literati, which met to discuss the opinions held by Tertulian, and even to this day those who attend these, now festive, meetings, are called Tertulianos.
The following lines contain a biting satire on the Tertulians of the olden time, (for they can hardly be applied to those of the present) and might perhaps not inaptly be addressed to other self-appointed literary judges in various parts of the world.
Y entraron los Tertulianos—rigidissimos jueces, que sedientes de Aganipe, se enjuagan; pero no beben.
which may be thus freely translated.—Thirsting, the Tertulians arrive at Aganippe’s fountain; infallible judges!—They rinse their mouths, but drink not.