Stencil's mother

[Paul Mackin]

On Fri, 29 Dec 1995, Burgess, John wrote:

> Paul's comments about Henry Adams' "Virgin and the Machine" metaphor seem 
> particularly apt.
> 
> I wonder, though, mightn't the 'priest' held together with all the 
> chewing gum and baling wire not be that metaphor fused into one being?  
> 
> 
Thanks for the compliment. I have out my old copy of _V._ trying to find the
passage you refer to, so far without success. The pages of the book are
all falling out--not from too frequent reading, but from lying in the sun and
other abuse.

I _do_ want to reread the book and see if Henry Adams, The Virgin,
The Immaculate Conception, Original Sin as seen by St. Augustin, Death
avoidance by devine grace, prosthesis and inanimateness, all tie together in 
any way. Might even bring "the bad priest" into it. Maybe form a synthesis 
with Chris's (and others) interpretation of Stencil. Who knows. It's all 
good clean fun.

As you probably know, the Immaculate Conception is a _very_ big deal in
the Catholic Church. It's a _dogma_, which is as big a deal as it can
get. Far more important than the Virgin Birth, for example. And all 
so's  one person (being, idea, hope) could be _immortal_. (If we 
accept St. A.) Wouldn't it be remarkable if TRP could at last make us see 
what all the fuss is _really_ about? Thanks, Tim, for bringing it up.

Will get back to you, John, on that priest.


				P.