June 26 - 28, 2006 Arts · The Epoch Times· B7

Book Review French Literary Works Fetch High

‘Mindsight: Image, Dream, Meaning’ Prices at Auction
Collector cultivated closeness to prominent literary figures
What do we see in our mind’s eye?
PARIS (Reuters)—One of France’s in about twice that much, not includ-
By SHARIF ROACH greatest private collections of manu- ing fees, with the most expensive
Epoch Times Philadelphia Staff scripts and rare editions from the gi- item, a 16th century collection of bird
ants of French literature fetched high paintings fetching over $1.5 million.
Like most Western philosophers prices in the most closely watched Reportedly an avid reader of the
since antiquity, Colin McGinn be- auction of its type in years. The sale death notices in Le Figaro with deep
lieves philosophy is a quest for knowl- of the private library of Pierre Beres, a knowledge of the private libraries of
edge of the ultimate reality and the legendary Paris book dealer, aroused chateaux across France and a win-
fundamental principles that govern unusual interest after he donated the ning way with their owners, Beres
human existence. Consistent with this manuscript of “La Chartreuse de was tenacious in his pursuit of rare
self-privileging tradition of deciding Parme,” one of the great novels of the books wherever they could be found.
what knowledge is and how do we 19th century, to the state last week. But he was also close to some of the
know, in his book “Mindsight: Image, The manuscript of the work by the leading artistic and literary figures of
Dream, Meaning,” McGinn claims to novelist Stendhal, called in English the 20th century, a closeness attested
offer nothing less in a comprehensive “The Charterhouse of Parma,” was to by several of the 177 items up for
account of the human imagination. considered the most significant sale. “Pour Pierre Beres, Hommage Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images

McGinn lays the foundation for his
exploration of human imagination
by first establishing an important
conceptual distinction between what
he calls “percepts” and “images.”
McGinn defines percepts as what we
see when we use our physical eyes to
look at objects in the physical world.
If I were in Vatican City, Rome, I
could see Michelangelo’s “Sistine
Chapel.” Contrastingly, an image
is what we visualize with our eyes.
Were I in Beijing, China, I could visu-
alize the “Sistine Chapel.” In Beijing,
what appears on my retina is an im-
age—not a percept of Michelangelo’s
masterpiece. In choosing to discuss
percepts and images, McGinn offers
a perspective on the human imagina-
tion that has received proportionately
very little attention in the history of
philosophy.
With these two definitions as start-
ing points, McGinn then spends the
remainder of the first and longest
chapter going through a series of
examples, by way of readings from
Hume and Wittgenstein, in order
to firmly establish just how similar
and how different the two phenom-
ena really are. In Chapter 2, McGinn
further discerns the similarities and
differences between percepts and im-
ages by holding that, while both are
kinds of seeing, we see percepts with
our physical eyes whereas we see im-
ages with our mind’s eye.
Once McGinn is convinced that his
readers have accepted his account of
what images are and are not, he turns
attention in the succeeding chapters
to a range of mental phenomena, the
correct understanding of which in-
volves our knowing the role visual
images play in the human imagina-
tion. For example, in Chapter 4, “The
Space of Imagery,” McGinn wonders
at the distinctive character of the sort
of spaces we purport to see in im-
IMAGE OR PERCEPT: Author Colin McGinn defines percepts as what we
see when we use our physical eyes to look at objects in the physical world, and
images as what we visualize with our eyes.
ages. McGinn asks, “How exactly
is space represented in imagery, if
it is?” Part of McGinn’s strategy in
this chapter is to address the sup-
posed intuition—raised cryptically
in comments by Wittgenstein—that
our ordinary talk about seeing space
in visual perceptions somehow seems
inadequate to explain the sort of
spaces we see in our visual images.
Readers familiar with the terse densi-
ty of Wittgenstein’s prose may resist
McGinn’s brief treatment of the great
20th century philosopher.
Yet any reader may also appreciate
McGinn’s attempt to extend discus-
sion of obscure philosophical ideas.
In Chapter 9, “The Imagination of the
Child,” McGinn continues to specu-
late on a domain in which neither
Harvard University Press
philosophy nor empirical science has
much to say. In this chapter, he won-
ders how the maturation of a child’s
ability to voluntarily produce visual
images plays a crucial role in the de-
velopment of the imagination. Since
McGinn offers little empirical or
philosophical support for his claims
in this area, one may not immediately
agree with the force of his reasoning
or conclusions. Nevertheless, it seems
fair to say that, overall, this unique
book was written in a genuine spirit
of philosophical generosity.
“Mindsight: Image, Dream,
Meaning” by Colin McGinn, hard-
cover, 224 pages, Harvard University
Press (ISBN: 0674015606)
French 19th century manuscript in
private hands. After 80 years in the
book trade, Beres, 93, has accumulat-
ed an enormous collection of sought-
after editions and signed albums
that constituted a virtual history of
French literature from the medieval
poet Francois Villon onward. Inside
the crowded Drouot auction hall in
central Paris, the scene resembled an
updated version of one of Balzac’s
novels of money and avarice as an
auctioneer dispatched one treasure
after another to a floor of impassive
bidders. The sale was expected to
raise some $7.56 million but brought
New Paris Museum Adds to Debate on Colonial Past
Pet project of President Chirac opens amid immigration tensions
PARIS (Reuters)—France opened
a new museum celebrating tribal arts
and culture, but at a time of height-
ened tensions over the country’s
colonial legacy, critics fear it could
deepen divisions further. Built next
to the Eiffel Tower, the Musee du
Quai Branly gathers together 300,000
works of art and objects collected
over the centuries from Africa, the
Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images
MUSEUM CELEBRATES TRIBAL
ART: French President Jacques
Chirac gives a speech close to a
reproduction of a Mexican Chupicuaro
sculpture as he inaugurates the
“Musee du Quai Branly,” a museum
of primitive arts from Africa, Asia,
Oceania and America.
de l’auteur,” reads a pencil inscription
from Pablo Picasso on the program of
a privately produced play by the great
Spanish artist attended by Jean-Paul
Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir in
1944. Among the other items up for
sale were a first edition of Gustave
Flaubert’s novel “Madame Bovary”
with a dedication from the author
to Alexandre Dumas, and corrected
proofs of another of France’s great
19th century novelists, Honore de
Balzac. Although bidders mainly re-
mained anonymous, most appeared
to be private dealers or collectors and
several were evidently foreign.
Americas, Oceania and Asia, ranging
from Congolese harps to Amazonian
feathered masks.
Featuring a vertical flower bed on
one of its walls, a cinema, a library
and a garden bigger than two soccer
fields, the museum represents a per-
sonal triumph for President Jacques
Chirac, who promoted the project af-
ter taking power in 1995. “It’s a sign
and a symbol of a France that knows
and recognizes the world’s cultures,”
Chirac told France 3 television last
week. He says the museum, costing
$290 million, will be a counterweight
to the array of European collections
dedicated to Western art and has dis-
missed suggestions that Paris already
has too many galleries.
But the inauguration of the Musee
du Quai Branly comes at a particu-
larly tense time for France, divided
over a tough new immigration bill
and stunned by suburban riots last
year. Some critics say the decision
to show indigenous art in isolation
could create or reinforce a “them
and us” mentality. “If you isolate,
PRECIOUS WRITTEN WORDS:
An employee of the Hotel Drouot
auction house presents manuscripts
written by French author Stendhal
from one of France’s most important
private collections in Paris. Collector
Pierre Beres, 93, decided last year
to sell 177 manuscripts and rare
editions amassed over the past 80
years with an estimated value of
some $7.5 million dollars. Stendhal
experts have urged the government
to mobilize to ensure that the editions
are kept in France, preferably placed
with a collection held in Stendhal’s
home town of Grenoble.
past were unfounded, arguing the
museum sought to provide a fresh
insight. “I think it will be very
clear that it is not our idea to show a
France that has conquered the world.
And neither do we want to put the
world into a box. It’s not an ‘Around
the world in 80 showcases,’” Martin
told Reuters in an interview. “It’s
the place where you can question a
French collection ... and help people
understand the world they live in a
bit better,” he said, standing on the
roof of the futuristic four-building
site designed by French architect
Jean Nouvel.
But historian Manceron, vice-pres-
ident of France’s League for Human
Rights, said the debate about the
museum’s name reflected France’s
struggle to deal with its past. After
stirring criticism for floating the idea
of a “primitive arts” or “fi rst arts”
museum, organizers fi nally plumped
for the least controversial sugges-
tion—to name the building after
the street it was built on. “But even
with the name changed, the problem

The Antidote– Classic Poetry for Today

you risk to repeat the old devaluation remains,” Manceron said. “The mu-
(of certain civilizations),” historian seum’s objective is not clear.” Chirac
Gilles Manceron said. “For France, himself might have a solution to the
there seems to be a particular diffi- name problem. Asked whether one

A Reading of ‘Hymn to Diana’ by Ben Jonson culty to become aware of the stereo-
types constructed at colonial times
and to get rid of them.”
of his successors should rename the
new complex the “Jacques Chirac
Museum,” the president said: “I don’t
By CHRISTOPHER NIELD entreats the moon to appear and save the world from total darkness. But museum chief Stephane know whether that would be a good
Special to The Epoch Times Darkness and anarchy. Diana’s presence will ensure the universe stays in its Martin said accusations the new idea. It would be a great honor to me,
“wonted” (meaning “accustomed”) state. This wish for the sun and moon to complex glorified France’s colonial in any case.”
Is the moon nothing more than dead rock? remain true to their courses goes back to early man, who made bloody sacri-
fices to prevent these sacred fires from suddenly vanishing. Here this desire
Hymn to Diana has a patriotic dimension, for the British state needed Elizabeth’s iron rule

Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,

to contain the geographical and religious tensions that after her death would
explode into civil war.
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Now the sun is laid to sleep, In the second stanza, Hesperus begs the earth not to eclipse the moon, which All Models
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Seated in thy silver chair, was made to “clear” the sky at the “close” of the day. When one world shuts
State in wonted manner keep: then another opens. Denied our dose of gaudy distractions, our mind indeed Jet Shower Head
Hesperus entreats thy light, changes mode at night, becoming restful and more naturally absorbed in what Massaging Jet Heads
Goddess excellently bright. we’re doing, leading to “wishèd” insights we can bring to the affairs of the
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Earth, let not thy envious shade This nocturnal rhythm is reflected in the poem’s style. The stress pattern
Dare itself to interpose; comes down on the first and last syllable of each line, evoking quiet strength Quick and Easy installation
Cynthia’s shining orb was made and resolve. Each stanza ends in a couplet, a flourish of musical finality, el- Jet Stream Control Panel
Heaven to clear when day did close: egantly rounding off the sense. The triple repetition of “Goddess excellently Built-In Radio w/ volume control
Bless us then with wishèd sight, bright” is a mystical motif and one that keeps us focused on the moon in a and station selector
Goddess excellently bright. mood of holy reverence. Built-In Phone Speaker (for
In the third stanza, the speaker asks for divine mercy from the huntress. incoming call pick-up)
Lay thy bow of pearl apart, There is a brilliant, ghostly quality to the description of Diana’s “bow of pearl” Built-In Inside and Outside Lamp
And thy crystal-shining quiver; and her “crystal-shining quiver” but her arrows carry real threat. Creation and
Give unto the flying hart destruction, love and hate, exist as one above the mortal realm of opposites.
Space to breathe, how short soever; Is the “hart” or “stag” a symbol of the poet’s own passionate self? If so, “ FR
“A FREE
EE MA
MASS
SSA
AGE WITH EVERY
E R SHOWER.”
RY
Thou that mak’st a day of night, then it looks like he’s doomed, for the hart alludes to the legend of Diana and
Goddess excellently bright. Wikipedia Common
Actaeon. One day, hunting for deer, Actaeon had the misfortune to see Diana
bathing naked in a pool. Enraged, but unable to reach for her arrows, she
How often do we bother to look up at the night sky? And what do we see turned him into a stag. Trying to escape, he was torn apart by his own dogs,
when we do? A dusty, barren, meaningless moon? We rarely stop to notice which couldn’t recognize him.
how alive it still is to the eye—this appearing and disappearing light, growing The speaker asks for space, perhaps for just one more night, before the
from and shrinking into nothingness, waxing to a sickle-shape and then to a forces of desire and revenge strike him down. Are we reminded of a later
beaten orb. figure from the British monarchy, named after the hunter but who became the
In Jonson’s poem, we return to the emotional landscape of classical religion, hunted?
where the moon is personified as Diana. This Roman goddess was associated Read during the day this poem might seem creaky, dated, hollow and silly.
with Artemis and given the name Cynthia too, from her birthplace Mount With its courtly diction, simple rhymes and classical references it may live up
Cynthus. She was a virgin huntress and birth-goddess linked with unculti- to our worst fears about poetry. But read during the night, in sweet silence and
vated places and wild animals. Her temple at Ephesus in Turkey was one of the perhaps with a cool breeze from outside, we may find ourselves oddly moved,
wonders of the world and is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. musing on the moon overhead and savoring that soft refrain: “Goddess excel-
The poem is also a hymn of praise to Queen Elizabeth I, who had trans- lently bright.”
formed herself into Gloriana (an epithet coined by the poet Edmund Spenser):
a Protestant substitute for the Catholic-venerated Virgin Mary. So, in short, "Enjoyy multi-purpose jet showers and own it today."
this lyric works on a number of levels—personal, political, historical and Ben Jonson (1572–1637) was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and
mythological. actor. “Hymn to Diana” is taken from his play “Cynthia’s Revels.” 1-800-965-8868
In the first stanza, the speaker adopts the role of Hesperus, a term for Venus
as the evening star—that intense dot of light we often notice at sunset. Venus Contact Christopher Nield at: christophernield@hotmail.com.
WWW.JETSHOWERS.COM
WWW.JETSHOWERS.COM