Posted by John Robinson on November 17, 1997 at 23:22:27:
In Reply to: What is Blue Ruin? posted by Rodger Whitlock on November 17, 1997 at 15:07:04:
: Many a time in many a book, Vance's characters sit down to some serious drinking and call for a jug of "Blue Ruin."
: I've seen this in quite an early work -- The Five Gold Bands, I think -- and I've seen it in one of the Araminta books, so he's been using it as a stage prop for roughly fifty years.
: Has anyone ever run across a drink in real life called "Blue Ruin" or is Vance just having us on? If someone has heard of it in a non-Vance context, what's the formula?
In Roget's Thesaurus 1911 version (online) blue ruin is listed under the catagory "Drunkenness". drink; alcoholic drinks; blue ruin*, grog, port wine; punch, punch bowl; etc etc etc for a full page. Haven't been able to figure out what the asterick means but it seems to be in a sub group with grog and port wine both of which were drunk by British sailors of the 19th century.
Vance was in MM so blue ruin probably some sailor drink.
John Robinson