Chapter I The Two Poets of Saffron Park

In which we meet our hero, Gabriel Syme, a poet. Gabriel Syme engages in a friendly argument with another poet Lucian Gregory about the nature of art, anarchy and order. The chapter ends with Gregory offering Syme a cryptic and perilous challenge and Syme accepting.

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If you are new to the group, here's how it works. Sometime over the course of the week, post your comments, questions, and thoughts on this chapter and read and reply to others' thoughts.

Most of the chapters are about this long, so before the comments on the text itself, I'd like to ask all of you: Should we do one chapter or two a week. If most people say one, I'm fine with that. If people want two, I think that could work also.

Thanks, and remember, hide any spoilers for future chapters in the comments using <spoiler> </spoiler>. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. God be with you.

Next book: The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton

I've said this before, but thought it merited a post of its own. Our next book will be G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday. I'll post the discussion thread for chapter one this Saturday morning. If you're new here, you'll need a Disqus account to comment.

One note to newcomers: This is this group's second book. Feel free to look back at the discussion of our first book and join in the conversation. However, if you want to comment, please be relevant to the conversation, and please actually have something to say. Anyone whose posts consist primarily of various versions of denouncing us as morally flawed will be warned, and, if they persist, banned. I am fine with disagreement, but I want an actual argument not just moral preening.

I would like this to be an open forum with free discussion, however, since this is, effectively, my house, I reserve the right to escort troublemakers out. If I find this necessary, I generally give people a warning and a second chance.

Oh, and for the sake of people who've not read the book before, please no spoilers for upcoming chapters. EDIT: I've since found that Disqus has a spoiler tag. If your comment mentions material we've not yet gotten to, just hide that portion using <spoiler> and </spoiler>.

That said, I hope you'll join us to talk about Chesterton and his book. God be with you.

You can find a free text at Gutenberg.org.
You can find a free audiobook version at Librivox.

Chapter XV Conclusion. Habit or Law

CHAPTER XV

Conclusion. Habit or Law?

301

Granted that the solution I advance (a full recognition of separate nationality) is the just solution, should it be expressed in law?—Not, I think, until it has first appeared in our morals and social conventions—to begin with laws and regulations on our side would inevitably breed oppression—but the suggestion of separate institutions coming from the Jewish side should be welcomed—urgency of a settlement—modern quarrels are growing fiercer, not less—but for my part I say, "Peace to Israel."

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And this is the last chapter. Next week, for those interested, we will pick up with The Man Who Was Thursday. So, for those few of us who finished, I was hoping Yehuda could grant us a limited-time (one month? one year?) k-word pass. Any word on that?

That didn't go well.

I wasn't going to have a midweek post this week, but then I discovered AI Dungeon, a procedurally-generated text adventure game. The computer makes up parts of a story and you respond.

So, I decide to make a time machine and travel back to 1938. I find Hitler has been murdered. And, well, I'll just show you where the story goes from there:

> Go to the year 1938

You return to the year 1938 and find that Adolf Hitler has been killed by a bomb planted in his pocket. Your family is dead, your home destroyed, and you are now trapped in the past.

> Impersonate Hitler.

You impersonate Adolf Hitler and convince everyone that you are the real man behind the throne. The people accept your rule and you become Emperor.

> Be nice to Jews.

You decide to be nice to the Jews since they helped you during World War II. They all have jobs and everything is fine. However, you realize that this isn't going to last forever and eventually someone will rebel against your rule.

> Call my advisors.

You call your advisors and explain that you need their advice on how to deal with the rebellion. They agree to come with you but only if they get first dibs on any new jobs or promotions.

> “Who is rebelling?”

You say who is rebelling when the rebels attack. Everyone is shocked by your answer. You then order an invasion of Germany.

> Ask Jews who is rebelling.

You ask the Jews who is rebelling and they don't know. You then order them to spy on the rebels.

>

They spy on the rebels and discover that they are all Jewish. You then order them to kill every single one of them.

> Every single time!

You order the execution of every single Jew in Germany. This causes a huge uprising which you put down.

 I tried, guys. I really tried.

Chapter XIV Various Theories

CHAPTER XIV

Various Theories

277

This chapter is a digression on the various theories on the Jewish race and its fortunes which have arisen in history and some of which are still present.

The theory that reconciliation is impossible—its attachment to the idea of a special curse or blessing.

The theory of a mysterious necessary alliance between Israel and Britain—its most extravagant forms.

The theory that the Jews are the necessary flux of Europe, without which our energies would decline—note on the intellectual independence of the Jew and on his original effect on our thought—demand for a Jewish history of Europe and Islam combined.

The theory that the Jewish problem is domestic only and no concern of ours—its error, since the relations are mutual.

The two theories of the Jew as a malignant enemy of our innocent selves, and of our malignant enmity against the innocent and martyred Jew—both erroneous.

The theory that the Jewish problem is now solving itself by absorption—this theory false and due to a misunderstanding of history and a neglect of acute modern and recent differentiation—Mr. Ford's epigram on "the melting-pot."

Fantastic theory that no Jewish national type exists!

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So, the current plan, for those interested, is to pick up with Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday after we finish this book. Thanks for everyone who's contributed your thoughts. It's been interesting and educational. I look forward to your thoughts on this week, and God be with you.

A Poison Tree by William Blake

A Poison Tree

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.


I found this poem while reading through an anthology last year, and immediately knew it was one I was going to have to record at some point. Above, I have only the first stanza, but the whole poem is in the linked recording.

And this is really a beautiful, succinct explanation of the cause of a lot of this friction, not just with Jews but with political correctness in general. In real life, two individuals who have any contact are going to have some degree of conflict and disagreement. And if we get that out in the open and deal with it forthrightly, it is often fairly easy to resolve.

But if, for whatever reason, we are not allowed to speak of these problems openly, they go on getting worse. And the anger and resentment builds up. Problems which could have been resolved easily get compounded. People who can't get an open explanation try to come up with their own, which may end up creating a narrative much more malevolent than the reality.

I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

If you want to make create lasting resentment, it's not difficult. Just don't let people talk about what's bothering them.

Chapters XII and XIII Our Duty and Their Duty

CHAPTER XII

Our Duty

249

This but a consequence of the conditions established in Chapters IV, V and VI—our double duty of mixing with the Jews and of recognizing their separate nationality—necessity of openly admitting this separate nationality in conversation and social habits—in spite of difficulties opposed by convention—in this the wealthier classes should follow the lead of the populace—folly and danger of Fear in this matter—the fear of Jewish power a degrading and exasperating thing to the European—delay makes it worse—our plain duty is to recognize this alien nation, to respect it, and to treat it frankly as we do every nationality other than one's own.

CHAPTER XIII
Their Duty 271
Only a brief mention—for interference or advice in domestic concerns of Jewry would be an impertinence—but it is clear that all specially Jewish institutions favour the right policy for which I plead—those already in existence—schools, newspapers, Jewish societies—all increase of these institutions should be welcome, because they emphasize and make clear the separate nationality of the Jew.

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As I said in my mid-week post, who hear thinks they'd stick around for The Man Who Was Thursday? If it helps, Chesterton was a friend of Belloc's. And I can promise if you haven't already read it, it's a fun ride.

I think I like the idea of alternating between fiction and non-fiction, but if no one else is interested in that plan, then I'll have to do something else to keep this running. So who's up for it?