MD3PAD 133-135

[Toby G Levy]

        Mason suspects that St. Helena might be a creation of the Devil.
He is attempting to observe some stars when suddenly a large portion of
the sky disappears. At first he thinks it is a supernatural creature but
then it begins to rain and he realizes it was just a rapidly developing
cloud. Mason gets soaked securing the observatory while Maskelyne
remains warm and dry inside.

        Maskelyne floats a theory that St. Helena is populated by
extra-terrestrials and the civilization is all a show for their benefit.

vw#33: Mathesis -  Learning; especially, mathematics.

        Mason would like to believe that the points in the sky are but
parts of a mathematical equation that, when comprehended, would answer
the mysteries of the Universe.

        Maskelyne floats another theory that the garden of eden may have
been on St. Helena. He believes the serpent still lives inside the
volcano. Maskelyne also believes that people will gradually destroy the
environment until they either all die off or kill one another.

        Mason asks how long this will take, and Maskelyne says hopefully
not in their lifetime.  He speaks of studying Astronomy as being a form
of "disobedience." Maskelyne quotes the mathematician Bernoulli in latin
and translates the motto as "Against my father's wishes I study the
stars." Mason takes this at a swipe at Mason's humble father.

Toby