"'It may be the root of your greatness as a race,' Aycharaych mused. 'Could a St. Matthew Passion have welled from an immortal Bach? Could a Rembrandt who knew naught of sorrow and had no need for steadfastness in it have brought those things alive by a few daubs of paint? Could a Tu Fu free of loss have been the poet of dead leaves flying amidst snow, cranes departing, or an old parrot shabby in its cage. What depth does the foreknowledge of doom give to your loves?'"
-Poul Anderson, A Knight Of Ghosts And Shadows IN Anderson, Sir Dominic Flandry: The Last Knight Of Terra (Riverdale, NY, 2012), pp. 339-606 AT IX, p. 460.
I have previously referred to this passage, e.g., here, but not quoted it in full as it deserves.
Questions And Observations
(i) Are other races not mortal?
(ii) Will humanity be regarded as "great" on an interstellar scale?
(iii) Anderson conveys his appreciation of Bach, Rembrandt and Tu Fu.
(iv) Will the immortals in The Boat Of A Million Years and World Without Stars cease to be creative?
(This is yet another post occasioned by rereading World Without Stars.)
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
We see Aycharaych offering similar reflections about mankind in WE CLAIM THESE STARS, Chapter II. With Dominic Flandry even giving us his own metaphor using dead, bright autumnal leaves (as the Terran nobles shivered as they contemplated the fall of the Empire).
As for your four points:
(i) I personally believe it is more likely than not that other intelligent species exist, at least of which are probably mortal.
(ii) I admit I hope the human race WILL do mighty and great things on an interstellar scale.
(iii) And I also suspect some non-humans will appreciate and admire some human artists and musicians.
(iv) I recall Hugh Valland saying in WORLD WITHOUT STARS that a major reason why so many left Earth after the antithanatic came into use was because simply living snug and safe on Earth was no fit way to use greatly extended lifespans. Only by embracing danger and risk and boldly seeking out what could be found in the universe could truly justify having such extended lifespans.
Sean
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