in reply to Obscure monastic practice?


I'd guess that it is a typo and it is meant to be "rifling" in the sense of rifle, to search or to rob and as used in Eliot's "Macavity: The Mystery Cat":

And when the larder's looted, or the jewel-case is rifled,
Or when the milk is missing, or another Peke's been stifled,

--
John.

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Re^2: Obscure monastic practice?
by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Nov 06, 2005 at 09:29 UTC

    I thought that was the probable explanation, but the possibility that it was some variation or play upon the notion of "monastic shuffling" amuses me.

    Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
    Lingua non convalesco, consenesco et abolesco. -- Rule 1 has a caveat! -- Who broke the cabal?
    "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
    In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
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