On 7/13/2016 10:43 PM, Nancy Gish wrote:
> "is it wrong?" Yes.
>
> "The perfect life," as I noted, is a common concept in Christian
> mysticism. Eliot read Evelyn Underhill early and also read many
> mystics. All this takes is a little reading in what he read.
Yes, well, just the same, my question concerned what he wrote, not
just what he read (the whole listserv must be long aware of his having
read Underhill and co.), and pronouncements of my impression of Gordon
as wrong seem premature without that data.
>
> I'm sure you do find it wrong.
Have no idea what "it" you're referring to. But it does seem odd
that you point to E having read Underhill and mystics, etc., but think
that his poetry does not involve theological issues. From what I've been
reading lately, it appears that Emily Hale plays an inconsequential role
in 4Q while theological issues play large. Both can be found in
biographical data, as your statement demonstrates.
By the way, I don't have any investment in Gordon's use or abuse of
"perfection"; she just points to it so loudly, and surely with multiple
meanings, that I'm curious to know how Eliot himself did or didn't use
it. Still no answers on that forthcoming.
Ken A
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