[Andrew Frisardi]

Originally Posted by Carl Copeland

The word here literally means “amusements.” I guess today we’d say “fun,” but that sounds too modern and/or banal to me. Maybe I’m wrong.

Personally, I like "hours of fun" there more than "hours of merriment," which overloads the passage with stuffy language. Also, then you have a couple of syllables for getting back the idea that the leisure is "boring": maybe "in hours of fun and boring leisure"?

Originally Posted by Carl Copeland

Thanks again, Andrew, and I’d still be interested in your take on my post #7.

I see what you mean now. Yes, I agree that "called me out" would suggest a sense you don't want there.