Cease then your fruitless scratching! say I, and attend rather to my tale. For though the Great Calamity has cast us into ruination, yet it is said that History moves in its cycles. The time may come again when we—or rather, our descendants—regain that high estate to which our breeds are entitled. Such latter Restoration, however, depends in no small part upon the diligence with which you and your ilk absorb the lessons of the past. Thus I say again: attend to my tale, putting aside all useless antipathies. For we are companions in misfortune.
PART I
The Which
Consists of Alfred CCLVI’s
Account of Zulkeh’s Last Days
in Goimr, the Events and Thoughts
of Those Final Days, and His Decision
and Departure. Taken From the First
Chapters of the Great
Chronicle of the
Alfredae.
CHAPTER I.
A Sublime Discourse on the Nature of Gravity. A Knock on the Door. The Wizard Is Summoned by the King!
It was Zulkeh’s habit of the evening to instruct Shelyid in the art of wizardry and the lore of science. With the dwarf ensconced upon a stool in a corner of the study, the wizard would pace to and fro, expounding at length upon whatever subject struck his fancy. On this particular evening, Zulkeh had chosen to enlighten the dwarf upon the nature of gravity.
“So you see then, Shelyid,” spoke the mage, “this question of gravity has gripped the mind of man since time immemorial. The great ancient philosopher Disquo was the first to provide a general answer to the question: Why do all objects rest where they do? His answer was of the piercing simplicity of all true genius.
” ‘Because they belong there,’ said Disquo, and no one has been able to refute this proposition since. This is because it is irrefutable, for ’tis clear to even the dullest intellect that all things exist in their place because they belong there. Indeed, it must be so, for if they did not belong there, they would be somewhere else. Is this clear?”
“Oh yes, master!” cried Shelyid.
“Good. We may continue. Following the destruction of ancient civilization for those reasons which I have on earlier occasions opened up to your understanding, Disquo’s great truth disappeared in the chaos of barbarism. Only centuries later, after a passing semblance of culture had been resurrected under the aegis of the Ecclesiarchy, was the insight of Disquo revived, albeit in a form more suited to the needs of Religion. For it was then that the famed theologian St. Quinine brought forth Disquo’s dictum anew, but now with the caveat that all things belong where they are because God wills it. This thesis was to dominate human thought for a millennium. It is, of course, utterly specious.
” ‘How so?’ you ask, groping in the dimness of your runtish intellect. It is self-evident. The true scientist understands by the nature of inquiry that such is designed to answer such questions as are posed through the examination of the question which is posed, and no other. Thus, the answer to the question: ‘Why do objects rest where they do?’ can only be scientifically answered by explaining why objects rest where they do. This Disquo had already done: ‘Because they belong there.’ To add to this truth the quibble that this is so because God wills it, adds nothing whatever to the investigation. If God exists, then ’tis rampant tautology to say that he causes all objects to belong where they are, for He is naturally the source of all objects, being and belonging. If God does not exist, then He has nothing to do with any of these. The revered saint’s thesis thus merely posits the existence of God under the guise of explaining the nature of gravity. But it advances us no further than Disquo’s formula. Indeed, it throws confusion over the problem. Is this clear, dwarf?”
“Oh yes, master!” cried Shelyid.
“Good. We may continue.” A sudden frown enveloped the wizard’s brow. Zulkeh peered fiercely at his apprentice, who shrank before his gaze.
“Misinterpret not my words,” spoke the mage. “My intent is not to cast aspersions upon Religion, for such is necessary to discipline the passions of the common herd. In this task, the servants of Religion perform a most exemplary service. For this work they deserve all just credit and due, despite their superstitious habit of cloaking the Old Geister’s immanence in all manner of frivolous and ridiculous trappings. Is this understood?”