Re: VMs: Re: Cicco Simonetta / Sartirana / library...?

[JJJRLandau@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 4/23/2003 12:29:06 AM Eastern Standard Time, glenclaston@xxxxxxxxx writes:

> the simplest of explanations, that which incorporates all the physical
> evidence without contradiction, is that the the author was a
> relative unknown who probably had no access to diplomatic codes
> and therefore could not have known about the code use for "4o".
> Rather, he was heavily engaged in the study of the virtues and
> medinical uses of plants for the purpose of healing and treating
> disease, and for one reason or another felt that his work on the
> subject was important enough to conceal.  He learned at least one
> shorthand system, and if he was a member of the clergy, would have
> had access to at least one more 'proprietary' system.  He clearly
> viewed more than one system before constructing the Voynich, but
> given the fact that this book is in keeping with a university
> setting, the availability of this type of information would have
> been optimal for the formation of the VMS script.


I would like to see if your theory can address the following two points:

1)  I have always thought that a herbal or a book on medicines would contain stereotyped phrases such as "pick the flowers in the dark of the moon" or "steep in boiling water for half an hour".  The VMS does not, afaik, contain such repeated phrases

2) if this book were the personal creation of a single medieval physician/scientist/scholar, why was there so much effort spent on right-justifying the manuscript lines?

            - James A. Landau