As all space freaks know, the Shuttle landed safely yesterday. But what is less known is that the shuttle depends on a curious weave between science and the magic cast by Northhanger, who has been working hard to make sure that no evil ondulation threw them off course.
Congrats, North!
And don't be fooled by the disproportion to the all too human eye between high tech and magic. As Thomas Vaughn, that most unsuccessful alchemist, writes in Anthroposophia Theomagica:
“It is a strange thing to consider that there are in Nature incorruptible, immortall principles. Our ordinary kitchin fire, which in some measure is an enemy to all compositions, notwithstanding doth not so much destroy as purifie some parts. This is clear out of the ashes of vegetables, for although their weaker exterior elements expire by the violence of the Fire, yet their Earth cannot be destroyed, but vitrified. The fusion and transparency of this substance is occasioned by the radicall moisture or seminall water of the compound. This water resists the fury of the fire, and cannot possibly be vanquished. “The rose lieth hidden through the winter in this water” (sayth the learned Severine). These two principles are never separated, for Nature proceeds not so far in her dissolutions. When death hath done her worst, there is an union between these two, and out of them shall God raise us at the last day, and restore us to a spirituall condition.”
PS - Also, since we are going on about our bloc on pigosphere, we strongly recommend IT's reports on the Infinite Tour of America, in which IT discovers American currency.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Wow, that does hit near the bullseye of my many perversities, sexual and political. Thanks... I think.
ReplyDeleteHey Roger, your pig quote gets discussed here:
ReplyDeletehttp://paperpools.blogspot.com/2008/03/cavorting-pig.html
Another member of the pigosphere!
ReplyDeleteI thought of the infinite tour today as I was editing this book on ... well, client confidentiality and all. Anyway, so I'm looking up a William James quote for this job, and I come across James quoting somebody else, and I thought, now this is for Infinite Tour (hommage a Clint Eastwood et Michelangelo Antonioni) 2008. James quotes a Scots medical man named Clouston who says:
"You Americans wear too much expression on your faces. You are living like an army with all its reserves engaged in action. The duller countenances of the British population betoken a better scheme of life. They suggest stores of reserved nervous force to fall back upon, if any occassion should arise that requires it. This inexcitability, this presence at all times of power not used, I regard, continued Dr. Clouston, "as the great safeguard of our British people."
Makes me want to sing a Sex Pistols song. James, though, agrees with him and says, All Americans who stay in Europe long enough to get accustomed to the spirit that reigns and expresses itself there, so unexcitable as compared with ours, make a similar observation when they return to their native shores. They find a wild-eyed look upon their compatriot's faces eithe rof too desperate eagerness and anxiety or of too intense responsiveness and good will."
As a philosopher and expert in Gattungswesen, IT, I think you should tell us - are us Americans really a wild eyed bunch? Do you look around and see our eyes buggin' out?