Jurgen and the law : $b A statement, with exhibits, of the Court's opinion, and the brief for the defendants on motion to direct an acquittal — John Shaqi
Jurgen and the law : $b A statement, with exhibits, of the Court's opinion, and the brief for the defendants on motion to direct an acquittal
General
Jurgen and the law : $b A statement, with exhibits, of the Court's opinion, and the brief for the defendants on motion to direct an acquittal
Cabell, James Branch, 1879-1958. Jurgen; Pornography -- Law and legislation
(_b_) Harpocrates, “who held an astonishing object” (206-7). This is
attacked along with the reference to the People of the Fields, who
practise eudæmonism. Jurgen sees the People of the Fields, “who dwell
between the forest and the city of Pseudopolis” (204). These people
“did one and all what they had always done” (204) whereas, “whoever
heard of the People of the Wood doing anything useful?” So Jurgen,
after being informed that the People of the Field never take a holiday
(206) decides to see what the People of the Wood do about it (206).
He finds them practicing eudæmonism outdoors instead of indoors.
Eudæmonism: “The type of utilitarian ethical theory that makes the
pursuit, enjoyment and production of happiness the supreme end in moral
conduct.”--Funk & Wagnalls’ Dictionary. This was of course the creed of
Cocaigne--“Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” The point
here is that satyrs do not go indoors, for the reason that for a satyr
to go indoors is unheard of. If it is indecent to mention a satyr,
then not only should Keats and Swinburne be destroyed, but Elizabeth
Barrett Browning should be reprimanded for writing that poem “A Musical
Instrument”, which is all about “The Great God Pan”, chief of Satyrs.
As to Harpocrates, we refer to Tooke’s “Pantheon of the Heathen
Gods”,--a most respectable authority. It is there said (p. 352): “The
Egyptians worshipped Harpocrates as the god of Silence * * * They
consecrated the tree persea to him; because the fruit was like a heart
* * * He was painted with a finger upon his lips, thereby commanding
silence.” It is, therefore, probably the persea fruit which Harpocrates
is carrying, and the astonishment of Jurgen at seeing the human heart
thus publicly displayed is equally nature and good allegory. The custom
that led to stiffness was of course Harpocrates’ custom of not speaking
to or answering the remarks of others.
(_c_) Jurgen’s sword (124-8, 148-150). Mention is made of Jurgen’s
sword. But, like the staff and the lance (_vide supra_) all that need
be said is that it really is a sword, Caliburn. The book tells just
where and how he got it (72, 76).
(_d_) The doorknocker on the entrance to Cocaigne (150). These were
simply the nude figures of Adam and Eve. Jurgen, being conventional,
and yet seeking sin, is embarrassed at the nude, and thinks it is
indecent; so he talks about it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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