Gravity in Mason & Dixon

[Mark Kohut]

*Emerson, William (1701-82)*
There was living at that time at the village of Hurworth, a few miles from
Darlington, an eccentric character, William Emerson, whose
unconventionality in dress and manners were rather at variance with the
fact that he was a man of education with considerable knowledge of
mathematics and physics. ... Jeremiah was brought to notice by someone
named Emerson who was probably this man; that he was summoned to the
Woolwich academy for examination and evidently satisfied his examiners, for
they asked him, "Were you at Oxford or Cambridge?" "Neither," he said.
"Well then, where did you get your knowledge of astronomy?" "In my
pit-cabin at Cockfield Fell," he replied, meaning doubtless in the office
at his father's colliery where he was then engaged in some capacity above
ground. [1]
<https://masondixon.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=E#cite_note-1>

17; Dixon's "old teacher"; Mr. Emerson was a real person, a minor
mathematician and scientist of his day who wrote about a dozen scientific
books and texts and whom Jeremiah Dixon did in fact know personally.
Emerson's mystickal nature may be a Pynchon invention; 73; 98; 215; 251;
268; 317; 318; 423; coat, 500; Dixon first hearing of (from Lady Barnard),
507; 556; of Hurworth, 568; 709; Wikipedia entry
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Emerson_%28mathematician%29>

On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 2:17 AM, da kid <peterock86 at live.com> wrote:

> Oh it's a line in Mason and Dixon. Emerson is Dixon's tutor.
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Mark Thibodeau <jerkyleboeuf at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Sunday, November 5, 2017 11:28:19 PM
> *To:* da kid
> *Cc:* Mark Kohut; pynchon -l
> *Subject:* Re: Gravity in Mason & Dixon
>
> Having just read Eugene Thacker's In The Dust of This Planet, which has a
> section on the occult hermeneutics of oil/petroleum (as best exemplified
> lately in Reza Negarestani's novel/discourse Cyclonopedia), I am very
> intrigued by what you say about Emerson's thoughts on the mystical nature
> of coal. Any idea where I might find that?
>
> Also, has anyone else read In The Dust of This Planet?
>
> Jerky
>
> On Sun, Nov 5, 2017 at 10:23 AM, da kid <peterock86 at live.com> wrote:
>
> I had to Google that to catch the reference. Old back to front. Nice. I
> don't know why that never stood out for me because I've often quizzed with
> myself over what the significance of wind is in Pynchon's books. This may
> be some kinda clue. (If light is Jesus then wind is the holy ghost? )
>    I am a fan of Emerson's thoughts about the mystical nature of coal
> myself.
>
> -Pete
> (Tried to change it from "da kid" bit it switched back)
> ------------------------------
> *From:* owner-pynchon-l at waste.org <owner-pynchon-l at waste.org> on behalf
> of Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Sunday, November 5, 2017 5:27:50 AM
> *To:* pynchon -l
> *Subject:* Gravity in Mason & Dixon
>
> "Winds are imagined to be forms of Gravity, acting not vertically but
> laterally, along the globe's surface..."
>
> "Gravity, the Pulse of Time..."
>
>
>
>
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