The Dailies

Word of the Day

Mendicant (adj./n., MEN-dih-can't)

Poor and destitute, beggars, or people relying on generosity to stay alive. Mendicants sometimes wear beat-up clothing and, when asked if they will fix the holes in their clothes, will reply, "Mend? I can't. And don't call me Shirley."

Gif of the Day

Tags Oh yes this feels goodThere's your face I rubbed my face on itSo, so good, your faceI need to rub it some more. I must. I must!That stubble is so perfect to rub my face on!I could do this foreverIt is so good that you're here for meTHIS IS THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLDI will do this forever

Link of the Day

Facebook of the 1560s

What did we do before Facebook? Have books of faces, apparently:

This is a page from an alba amicorum (Latin for "friend book"). These books were popular among young nobles of the 1600s and are strikingly similar to Facebook. They were used to establish personal and professional relationships through sharing songs, crushes, advice, opinions, and more. The practice started at university. When young noblemen would go on a tour of the world's most influential cities, they'd carry a book where the influential people they met would record nice things about them.

Boys' alba amicorum would often have photos (like the one above) painted by famous artists. Girls didn't have access to them, since they were not on the tours, so their books looked more like Facebook than LinkedIn. Lots of personal details, lots of favorite things, and more.

There's a lot more fun details and beautiful photos at the link, so be sure to check it out. It's fascinating to see not just how similar the concept is but how similar it developed to the zeitgeist today.

BooksSocial MediaFollowersBoys and GirlsYe olden timesStudy abroad programsFacebookNothing new under the sun