-Poul Anderson, The Van Rijn Method (New York, 2009), p. 139 (my emphasis).
That is our first sight of Nicholas van Rijn. Although he is a merchant prince to whom it is fitting to bow, his employees may occasionally refer to his girth:
"'...I admire your courage - nobody can say you lack guts -' van Rijn gave him a hard look..." (p. 159)
"'Suppose they got brains in their bellies,' said Van Rijn.
"'Well, some people do,' murmured Torrance. As the merchant choked, he added in haste, 'No, actually, sir, that's hardly believable.'" (p. 582)
- as can colleagues:
"'I don't make a god of my stomach.'
"'You think I do, ha? No, by damn, I make my stomach work for me, like a slave it works. My palate, that is what I pay attention to.'"
-Poul Anderson, Rise Of The Terran Empire (New York, 2011), p. 136.
There follows a statement of the van Rijn philosophy of life:
what is wrong with attention to palate?;
Our Lord's first miracle was water into wine;
it was a select vintage;
God's gifts are "'...good food, drink, music, women, profit...'" (ibid.);
the troublemakers are not content with these;
they cause misery by playing God and trying to save us.
I agree with some of this and would love to discuss it with van Rijn - over dinner, of course.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I had to laugh a bit when you said you would love to discus Nicholas van Rijn's philosophy with him over dinner!
By and large I agree with Old Nick, it would be a better world if more of us would be content with the simple good things of life. Which, btw, is almost exactly what the dying Thorin Oakenshield said to Bilbo Baggins in THE HOBBIT, while taking back angry words he had said to the hobbit.
Sean
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