While on my Easter break, I started reading Philip Ball’s Shapes (the first part of his Nature’s Patterns: A Tapestry in Three Parts). An endlessly fascinating subject (covered a century ago by D’Arcy Thompson) and discussed well in this nicely illustrated volume. Here are some public domain images related to topics in the book:
And no, “shapes” does not necessarily mean squares, circles, and triangles.
Ball even gives a nice experiment that can be done at home with gelatine, cobalt chloride, and concentrated ammonia (see picture here). Interestingly enough, this phenomenon was first observed in 1855, and is still not fully understood.
“I am forced into speech because men of science have refused to follow my advice without knowing why. It is altogether against my will that I tell my reasons for opposing this contemplated invasion of the Antarctic – with its vast fossil hunt and its wholesale boring and melting of the ancient ice caps. And I am the more reluctant because my warning may be in vain.
Doubt of the real facts, as I must reveal them, is inevitable; yet, if I suppressed what will seem extravagant and incredible, there would be nothing left. The hitherto withheld photographs, both ordinary and aerial, will count in my favor, for they are damnably vivid and graphic. Still, they will be doubted because of the great lengths to which clever fakery can be carried...” – H. P. Lovecraft, At the Mountains of Madness
“I have examined maps of the city with the greatest care, yet have never again found the Rue d’Auseil. These maps have not been modern maps alone, for I know that names change. I have, on the contrary, delved deeply into all the antiquities of the place, and have personally explored every region, of whatever name, which could possibly answer to the street I knew as the Rue d’Auseil. But despite all I have done, it remains an humiliating fact that I cannot find the house, the street, or even the locality, where, during the last months of my impoverished life as a student of metaphysics at the university, I heard the music of Erich Zann...” – H. P. Lovecraft, The Music of Erich Zann
Over the past few months, I finished the following books (among others – most of the novels I’ve read are not included). Links go to my reviews. Books marked with ♥ (fiction) or ♦ (non-fiction) were particularly good:
Martin Heade, “Passion Flowers and Hummingbirds,” c. 1870
“Many a flower hath perfume for its dower, And many a bird a song, And harmless lambs milkwhite beside their dams Frolic along,— Perfume and song and whiteness offering praise In humble, peaceful ways.
Man’s high degree hath will and memory, Affection and desire; By loftier ways he mounts of prayer and praise, Fire unto fire, Deep unto deep responsive, height to height, Until he walk in white. ” – Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830–1894)
Rather than re-reading the Paradiso this Easter, as I so often do, I decided to re-read Robert E. Coleman’s Singing with the Angels. This wonderful little volume (of 159 pages) is a commentary on the 14 heavenly songs in the book of Revelation, and is well worth a read.
#3 – The New Song of Redemption (I have taken this illustration from the Bamberg Apocalypse)
“And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,
‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.’ ” (Revelation 5:6–10, ESV)
Each of the 14 Biblical passages has a reflection followed by an appropriate hymn – because these words are meant to be sung!
The complete list of 14 passages discussed in this excellent little book is:
The Anthem of the Triune God (4:8)
The Creation Hymn (4:11)
The New Song of Redemption (5:9–10)
The Angels’ Chorale (5:12)
The Crescendo of the Universe (5:13–14)
The Martyrs’ Canticle (6:10)
The Song of Salvation (7:10)
The Antiphonal Amen (7:12)
The Kingdom Carol (11:15)
The Psalm of Judgement (11:17–18)
The Shout of the Overcomers (12:10–12)
The Song of Moses and the Lamb (15:3–4)
The Hallelujah Chorus (19:1–4)
The Symphony of the Marriage Feast (19:6–7)
The main flaws in the book are a misunderstanding of the Greek aorist and some anecdotes of very dubious provenance, but it’s still a great book.
Singing with the Angels by Robert E. Coleman: 4 stars
Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Saviour, Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes, He arose a victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever, with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Saviour; Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes, He arose a victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever, with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Saviour; He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes, He arose a victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever, with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! – Robert Lowry, 1874
Rather than re-reading the Purgatorio this Easter, as I so often do, I re-read The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan (available electronically at CCEL). This classic book is also an allegory of the Christian pilgrimage:
“Then they read to him some of the worthy acts that some of his servants had done; as how they had subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions...” and Christian battles Apollyon
Captured by the Giant Despair and Emmanuel’s Land
It was good to revisit this classic, although the allegory does seem to limp in one or two places. All the images above are labelled as public domain.
“Thou who didst hang upon a barren tree, My God, for me; Though I till now be barren, now at length, Lord, give me strength To bring forth fruit to Thee.
Thou who didst bear for me the crown of thorn, Spitting and scorn; Though I till now have put forth thorns, yet now Strengthen me Thou That better fruit be borne.
Thou Rose of Sharon, Cedar of broad roots, Vine of sweet fruits, Thou Lily of the vale with fadeless leaf, Of thousands Chief, Feed Thou my feeble shoots. ” – Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830–1894)
David Teniers the Younger, “Rocky Landscape with Pilgrims”
“Does the road wind up-hill all the way? Yes, to the very end. Will the day’s journey take the whole long day? From morn to night, my friend.
But is there for the night a resting-place? A roof for when the slow dark hours begin. May not the darkness hide it from my face? You cannot miss that inn.
Shall I meet other wayfarers at night? Those who have gone before. Then must I knock, or call when just in sight? They will not keep you standing at that door.
Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak? Of labor you shall find the sum. Will there be beds for me and all who seek? Yea, beds for all who come. ” – Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830–1894)
“Who calleth?—Thy Father calleth, Run, O Daughter, to wait on Him: He Who chasteneth but for a season Trims thy lamp that it burn not dim.
Who calleth?—Thy Master calleth, Sit, Disciple, and learn of Him: He Who teacheth wisdom of Angels Makes thee wise as the Cherubim,
Who calleth?—Thy Monarch calleth, Rise, O Subject, and follow Him: He is stronger than Death or Devil, Fear not thou if the foe be grim.
Who calleth?—Thy Lord God calleth. Fall, O Creature, adoring Him: He is jealous, thy God Almighty, Count not dear to thee life or limb.
Who calleth?—Thy Bridegroom calleth, Soar, O Bride, with the Seraphim: He Who loves thee as no man loveth, Bids thee give up thy heart to Him. ” – Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830–1894)
Rather than re-reading the Inferno this Easter, as I so often do, I finally read (in translation) that classic The Plague, with Camus as my Virgil. Pagan philosophers can illustrate the human problem, even though they have no solution to offer.
Left: French police processing arriving Jews at the Pithiviers internment camp, 1941. Right: Members of the French Resistance, 1944.
Set in Oran, Algeria, The Plague is really an allegory of, among other things, the Nazi occupation of France, and the mixture of resistance to, and collaboration with, it.
At first only dying rats appear here in the streets of Oran, but then the people begin to die...
The novel was, as I expected, well-written but sombre:
“The truth must be told: the plague had taken away from all of them the power of love or even of friendship, for love demands some future, and for us there was only the here and now... All I say is that on this earth there are pestilences and there are victims – and as far as possible one must refuse to be on the side of the pestilence... Can one be a saint without God: that is the only concrete question that I know today.”
“O! I have suffered with those that I saw suffer: a brave vessel, who had, no doubt, some noble creatures in her, dash’d all to pieces. O! the cry did knock against my very heart.”
Recently, I watched the 2010 movie version of Shakespeare’s The Tempest (starring Helen Mirren as a somewhat unusual female Prospero). Felicity Jones plays the single-parent-homeschooled castaway daughter to the rightful Duke of Milan.
Miranda’s education appears to have included “how to name the bigger light, and how the less,” certain “precepts,” and a large number of books, but not much understanding of men: “nor have I seen more that I may call men than you, good friend.” That’s something that can, at times, lead to disaster...
“O, wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world that has such people in’t!”
Now this is no tragedy (unlike the horrific Titus by the same director) and it all turns out fine in the end – but ultimately, only because of Providence.
“The next day a large crowd, which had come for the Feast, heard ‘Jesus is coming into Jerusalem.’ They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!’
“Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written, ‘Fear not, O Daughter of Zion... Behold, your king is coming... seated upon a young donkey’” — John 12:12–15 (my trans)
“All glory, laud and honor, To Thee, Redeemer, King, To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring.
Thou art the king of Israel, Thou David’s royal Son, Who in the Lord’s name comest, The King and Blessèd One.
The company of angels Are praising Thee on High, And mortal men and all things Created make reply.
The people of the Hebrews With palms before Thee went; Our prayer and praise and anthems Before Thee we present.
To Thee, before Thy passion, They sang their hymns of praise; To Thee, now high exalted, Our melody we raise.
Thou didst accept their praises; Accept the prayers we bring, Who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King.”
