The Dovetail

"Despite the general trend of modern philosophy toward idealism, salvation lies in a return to wisdom, that is, in recognizing the primacy of being, from which proceed all intelligibility, creativity and, along with the beings born of its intelligent and free fecundity, their truth and their beauty.  In order to do so, philosophy must transcend the immobility of being and the mobility of becoming in the pure actuality of the act whereby being is.  For that act transcends being, upon which it confers the existence proper to becoming.

"This is why the philosophical implications of art are a necessary complement to a philosophy of being; indeed, to meditate on the paradox of art -- an analogical image of what true creation might be -- may prepare the mind for the notion, so important to a genuine metaphysics, that all is not said by asserting that being (esse, das Sein) is, and is itself; for this is true, but it is also true of that which is (das Seinde), whereas only of the act of being itself is it right to say that it is that whereby that thing is a being, is that which it is and never ceases to change in order to become more fully that which it can be.  What a careful study of art helps us to understand -- if we do not think it unworthy of a philosopher's attention -- is that despite its inferior ontological status, becoming results in an increase of reality."

+ Etienne Gilson (The Arts of the Beautiful, p. 140)

Dearest M.,

I don't know when you'll read this but I figured since we won't be talking regularly anymore I'd say some things I might ought to say.  This transition back to normalcy for you is, I gather, kind of analogous to a friend "moving" to a new city or state for me; but in another sense, it's not any different than two school friends who by default lose touch after one or both of them leaves school.

I don't blame you for wanting to leave school.  As you know, I myself have had more ambivalence about formalized education than anyone. My position about it in many ways resembles the position of agnostics concerning what they call "organized religion."  They think "spirituality" -- if pursued at all -- ought to be explored as a personal endeavor.  Well, I think "intellectuality" (as it were) ought to be explored as a personal endeavor.

I must say I'm happy to have helped you see this; it's nice to know I can be a positive influence in some way at least.  It seems that I have changed you more than you have changed me; indeed, I'm not the type that is easily "budged."  But I agree that your influence over me will be concerning deeper matters and over the longer haul, and will be of much more long-term -- indeed, eternal -- importance.

As letter-writing is not something I do nor am likely to start doing, I hope that I can, from time to time, create more "Dearest M." posts here; perhaps they can serve as my occasional "letters."  Aside from that, I hope you'll check back here from time to time to check other things as well, in which case such e-letters shouldn't escape your notice.  Certainly this method is far more transparent than e- or paper-mail, for anyone else in the world can read here if they choose to.  In any case, as you can see from my recent posts, I'll be keeping the world (and myself) abreast here of my Progress As A Professional Writer.  I don't believe I'll be making that Big Bad Blog any time soon, though I may do some renovations around this place; it could use some cornice-work, and a new roof, perhaps some stronger foundations, a few gargoyles...

Anyway, ciao for now,
Gaius Iohannes Caesar Trevorianus, Esq.

re:

I don't want people to see me:  I want them to see what I see.