Saturday, December 04, 2004

Neither Wholesome Nor Final

Long since on Mars, and more strongly since he came to Perelandra, Ransom had been perceiving that the triple distinction of truth from myth and of both from fact was purely terrestrial - was part and parcel of that unhappy division between soul and body which resulted from the Fall. Even on earth the sacraments existed as a permanent reminder that the division was neither wholesome nor final. The Incarnation had been the beginning of its disappearance. In Perelandra it would have no meaning at all. Whatever happened here would be of such a nature that earth-men would call it mythological. All this he had thought before. Now he knew it. The Presence in the darkness, never before so formidable, was putting these truths into his hands, like terrible jewels.
~C.S. Lewis, Perelandra (1943)

Margin detail from The Sherborne Missal, 15th Century------------------>

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Cool links of the day:

Digitally turn the pages of The Sherborne Missal and other Illuminated Manuscripts

Browse the manuscript collection at the Bodlein Library, Oxford, England

A Hundred Highlights from the Koninklijke Bibliotheek

1 Comment(s):

At Mon Dec 06, 07:11:00 AM EST, Blogger Arborfield said...

Spent a day in Sherbourne last August... the 'blue moon' day here. Never been before but well worth a visit if you are ever close...

 

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