calculated madness on the way to the transit of Venus-

[Joseph Tracy]

"At this turn in his Life, Capt. Grant has discover'd in his own feckless Youth, a Source of pre-civiliz'd Sentiment useful to his Praxis of now and then pretending to be insane, thus deriving an Advantage over any unsure as to which side of Reason he may actually stand upon."

What is this "Advantage"? For the "pre-civiliz'd" there is an association with madness and divinity/the spirit world/second sight/hidden powers.  This shamanic  advantage may trace to the claimed divinity of rulers, to simple fear reinforced by social and technical powers, and may have a modern global role as M.A.D.  But my first thought was that it lines up with Pynchon's role as captain of his literary enterprise: part shamanic lightning rod, part  traveler through a world he did not create, part godlike creator of something always simultaneously both imaginary and real. 

   The captain is self aware and affably sensitive to the fact that  respect for his authority is a kind of negotiated magic that has to make sense to the crew and the superstitions and practicalities of seafaring. 

This magical aspect of commanding a ship is set against the imperial mechanics of orders to be opened at Tenerife. Why? Is he supposed to take them to a naval post to witness the proper timing of the opening. What would keep him from opening them as soon as the messenger leaves. Are they fucking with his head the way he is with his crew to keep the lines of power clear?

-
Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l