_Peregrine: Primus_ and the Christian Empire
mimus
mass-market paperback in the US of Avram Davidson's _Peregrine: Primus_
(I've always been put off by the blurb), to find it fairly frank about the
theocratic brutality of the Christian Empire that succeeded the Roman
Empire-- "Halt, stranger! does the Holy Spirit proceed by or through the
Son?" <sweat>-- so reminiscent of the English Commonwealth, not to mention
certain modern-day regimes, not necessarily Christian . . . .
I found it something of a hard read, due to the slightly clunkily goofy
tone, which made the seriousness of the end sort of a shock, but it was
alright, and might well grow on me.
I'm a big fan of Davidson's _The Island Under the Earth_ and the "Vergil
Magus" books.
And just whatever happened to our promised sequels to _TIUE_, _The
Six-Limbed Folk_ and _The Cap of Grace_? Davidson and Panshin get together
and decide to drive us all crazy?
--
Sight Leviathan? hear Rahab?
< _The Island Under the Earth_
Eric Walker
[...]
> And just whatever happened to our promised sequels to _TIUE_, _The
> Six-Limbed Folk_ and _The Cap of Grace_? Davidson and Panshin get
> together and decide to drive us all crazy?
"Sadly, from the viewpoint of us readers, Davidson was, as one
friendly critic put it, a butterfly, forever flitting from project to
project as new ideas came to him. In consequence, he left unfinished--
in some cases hardly started--series whose missing members we can only
lament. We must simply treasure what we have, for treasure it
is." (http://greatsfandf.com/AUTHORS/AvramDavidson.php)
Panshin does not have any such excuse.
mimus
Was that an excuse?
--
It is great Pity, no doubt, fo Fine a Project fhould Mifcarry.
< _A Modest Defence of Publick Stews_
Richard R. Hershberger
> I was kind of surprised recently, on finally picking up a used copy of the
> mass-market paperback in the US of Avram Davidson's _Peregrine: Primus_
> (I've always been put off by the blurb), to find it fairly frank about the
> theocratic brutality of the Christian Empire that succeeded the Roman
> Empire-- "Halt, stranger! does the Holy Spirit proceed by or through the
> Son?" <sweat>-- so reminiscent of the English Commonwealth, not to mention
> certain modern-day regimes, not necessarily Christian . . .
That question threw me at first, as I took "by" or "through" as
alternatives to choose from, but then I realized that the context must
be "by or through" as one choice, and "not by or through" as the
other. So this is easy, if you don't personally care about the
theology of the question: if the person asks in Greek, answer "no".
If the question is in Latin, answer "yes".
But seriously, I find implausible the idea of routinely accosting
passersby to quiz them on fine points of doctrine. In 16th and 17th
century England there were many people--likely the majority, really--
who didn't care one way or the other and went quietly about their
business. This included clergy. There is an account of one parish
priest during the Henry/Edward/Mary/Elizabeth period who said that he
would be happy to have the fancy church stuff in the church or to put
it in the basement: just keep him up to date on where it should be.
There are sometimes circumstances where the activists on the two sides
consider this unacceptable and force the issue, but more commonly they
don't.
Richard R. Hershberger
David E. Siegel
wrote:
According to at least some historical accounts, and much SF/Fantasy/
Alternate history, such a question in 6th century Rome or Byzantium
would not have been uncommon, and basically served as a proxy for "Are
you one of us or one of the bad guys" whcih tends to gets asked of
strangers in one form or another during troubled times any-and-
everywhere.
-DES
Gene
406c-9ae6-3...@34g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:
> There is an account of one parish
> priest during the Henry/Edward/Mary/Elizabeth period who said that he
> would be happy to have the fancy church stuff in the church or to put
> it in the basement: just keep him up to date on where it should be.
The Vicar of Bray
In good King Charles's golden days,
When Loyalty no harm meant;
A Furious High-Church man I was,
And so I gain'd Preferment.
Unto my Flock I daily Preach'd,
Kings are by God appointed,
And Damn'd are those who dare resist,
Or touch the Lord's Anointed.
And this is law, I will maintain
Unto my Dying Day, Sir.
That whatsoever King may reign,
I will be the Vicar of Bray, Sir!
When Royal James possest the crown,
And popery grew in fashion;
The Penal Law I houted down,
And read the Declaration:
The Church of Rome I found would fit
Full well my Constitution,
And I had been a Jesuit,
But for the Revolution.
And this is Law, &c.
When William our Deliverer came,
To heal the Nation's Grievance,
I turn'd the Cat in Pan again,
And swore to him Allegiance:
Old Principles I did revoke,
Set conscience at a distance,
Passive Obedience is a Joke,
A Jest is non-resistance.
And this is Law, &c.
When Royal Ann became our Queen,
Then Church of England's Glory,
Another face of things was seen,
And I became a Tory:
Occasional Conformists base
I Damn'd, and Moderation,
And thought the Church in danger was,
From such Prevarication.
And this is Law, &c.
When George in Pudding time came o'er,
And Moderate Men looked big, Sir,
My Principles I chang'd once more,
And so became a Whig, Sir.
And thus Preferment I procur'd,
From our Faith's great Defender,
And almost every day abjur'd
The Pope, and the Pretender.
And this is Law, &c.
The Illustrious House of Hannover,
And Protestant succession,
To these I lustily will swear,
Whilst they can keep possession:
For in my Faith, and Loyalty,
I never once will faulter,
But George, my lawful king shall be,
Except the Times shou'd alter.
And this is Law, &c.