'"If any man conceive I have done amisse in using such obscure words in my writings, I answer, that it is sometime fit for Poeticall pomp sake...Othersome time necessitie requires it because of the 'poverty of language and the novelty of matters', as Lucretius pleads for himself in like case." -- Henry More, 1659
Imm-man-YAR-OK: n. Inupiat (polar Alaskan native) word for the 'Little People', spirits manifested as inexplicable lights you see on the tundra in polar winter; lights that you mustn't follow, lest they lead you into danger...
Monday, June 11, 2012
Lucretius
I have been fascinated by the Roman philosopher Lucretius (died c. 50BC) for some time; he identified the essential factors of evolution nearly 2,000 years before Darwin, but came just short of assembling them into a coherent theory. Below, an interesting reference to Lucretius by Henry More (1614-1687). I have yet to be disappointed by research into the origins of our civilization!
Truly wild: my grandfather's name was Lucretious McPherson, of Mendocino County, CA. He was the grandson of Alexander McPherson, formerly of Inverness, Scotland.
ReplyDeleteSmall world. Cool Blog. I googled the term "Lucretious McPherson" and landed on your Blog. Peace and good tithings. Geoff McPherson