me: boy me: do I have something for you Mark: shoot me: Popular Science opened its archives to the public me: searchable me: from 1872 on me: of course, I searched the term "Chinaman," "negro," and "JEws" me: found the usual stuff one would expect to find me: and then me: and then,sir me: sir me: I find an article me: from 1894 me: about how the myth of the Wandering Jew comes from the fact that many Jews have a "neuropathic" compulsion to wander around me: and that one may thus often come across some Jew who is travelling through Europe Mark: . . . me: because, you see, they have a neuropathic compulsion to do so me: according to Popular Science, circa McKinley Mark: i guess i do have a tendency to pace Mark: now i know why me: I've never been stunned before me: but this is the wackiest thing I have ever come across in the course of my coming across things me: and there are pictures Mark: and i imagine it is written in the voice of unassailable scientific objectivity me: I appreciate you staying seated in order to write that me: I'm sure it's difficult Mark: the phrase "wandering jew" on its own brings back a surprising number of hits me: well, you're familiar with the origin, right? me: NEw Testament? me: that's what those hits are Mark: ah, ok Mark: i'd heard the phrase before Mark: but i don't know it's exact connotation me: http://www.popsci.com/archive-viewer?id=ciADAAAAMBAJ&pg=525&query=Jews Mark: yeah, i had found it myself Mark: the plate of "Moses, a neuropatheic jew" or however it's labeled, is choice me: lol me: M. Meige assumes that there have been many wandering Jews, who have been taken for one and the same person, because they usually have the same general appearance and the same manner. me: NO WAY IT'S THE SAME MAGICAL JEW