“And if at whiles the bubble, blown too thin, Seem nigh on bursting,—if you nearly see The real world through the false,—what do you see? Is the old so ruined? You find you’re in a flock O’ the youthful, earnest, passionate—genius, beauty, Rank and wealth also, if you care for these: And all depose their natural rights, hail you, (That’s me, sir) as their mate and yoke-fellow, Participate in Sludgehood—nay, grow mine, I veritably possess them—… And all this might be, may be, and with good help Of a little lying shall be: so Sludge lies! Why, he’s at worst your poet who sings how Greeks That never were, in Troy which never was, Did this or the other impossible great thing!… But why do I mount to poets? Take plain prose—Dealers in common sense, set these at work, What can they do without their helpful lies? Each states the law and fact and face o’ the thing Just as he’d have them, finds what he thinks fit, Is blind to what missuits him, just records What makes his case out, quite ignores the rest. It’s a History of the World, the Lizard Age, The Early Indians, the Old Country War, Jerome Napoleon, whatsoever you please. All as the author wants it. Such a scribe You pay and praise for putting life in stones, Fire into fog, making the past your world. There’s plenty of ‘How did you contrive to grasp The thread which led you through this labyrinth? How build such solid fabric out of air? How on so slight foundation found this tale, Biography, narrative?’ or, in other words, ‘How many lies did it require to make The portly truth you here present us with?’—Robert Browning from “Mr Sludge, ‘the Medium’ ””
— Possession (Vintage International) by A. S. Byatt
https://a.co/2m7dtG2
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Published by eckief
My love for God, home and hearth, my husband and family fueled my decision to devote the rest of my life only to pursuits which brought love, joy, peace, and purpose. I am a writer, seeker, student, and teacher with experience professional and otherwise from waitressing to teaching the English language in China, Taiwan, and Singapore.
I hold a BA in Psychology from Bloomsburg University, which took nearly 30 years to attain while I squeezed courses in between raising my children, journaling, relationships, work, and an assortment of escapades, some of which I would rather forget!
An ongoing passion for reading, writing, adventure, food, and fun, eventually led me to the love of my life, James, whom I met in 1996 and married in 1997. Our life together has been an exciting journey of work and travel, spiritual awakening, and domestic bliss ever since. Although we have experienced the tragic loss of family members and friends through death and estrangement, we have managed to turn our special relationship into a holy one by the grace of God and an acute and growing awareness of “there must be a better way!”
In 2006, I published my first novel, Luella’s Calling, and am currently working on my second, Grover Good and the Stone Chateau. From 2013 through 2018, I worked as a Prevention Education Specialist for Transitions, a local domestic violence sexual abuse victim’s service agency. My work there, fueled by a lifelong enthusiasm for teaching, led me to obtain an MS in Education from Scranton University.
In 2018, I resigned to accompany James on his work travels while focusing on my calling to study and teach A Course in Miracles. To that end, I dedicate the rest of my days to writing, sharing, and teaching the message of salvation found within the Course pages.
Thank you for your interest in this blog. As I do not respond to comments on the posts, if you care to contact me, please email me at eckief@yahoo.com.
View more posts
the friar patch 