Reviews for Metaphysics in the Twelfth Century: On the Relationship among Philosophy, Science and Theology (Textes Et Etudes Du Moyen Age Series #19)

The average rating for Metaphysics in the Twelfth Century: On the Relationship among Philosophy, Science and Theology (Textes Et Etudes Du Moyen Age Series #19) based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-10-03 00:00:00 Miles Latham This is at one and the same time one of Chesterton's paradoxical mysteries and one of his most pronounced moral landscapes. What I mean by this expression is that the author uses a strange, even eldritch landscape as suggesting a moral evil or imbalance that must be righted. He has used this technique to great effect in The Man Who Was Thursday as well as many of the Father Brown stories. In this case, the moral landscape is dominated by some exotic trees brought from Africa to Cornwall by one of Squire Vane's ancestors, who died during the voyage. These trees are called peacock trees and soon become the target of local superstitions. Squire Vane angrily refuses to indulge the locals; and to set the issue at rest once and for all, he resolves to do what none of them would do, namely, go down among the trees at night. This he does, but when he disappears, the mystery begins. Involved are Dr. Brown, the local physician; a local poet named Treherne; an American visitor named Cyprian Paynter; and the local attorney, named Ashe. Chesterton expertly deceived me multiple times, an average of at least once per page! I think The Trees of Pride is one of his best mysteries. It requires a careful read to untwist out of all the wrongful suppositions one adopts.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-08-05 00:00:00 Marco Hartog Brilliant. A fascinating mystery that ultimately leads to a crucial philosophical point. Chesterton's writing requires some effort to appreciate, but few people in history possessed a greater felicity with language than he did--and even fewer possessed a greater mental alacrity. You'd be hard-pressed to find another book that packs so much into four measly chapters.