'REDBURN' , BY, HERMAN MELVILLE
[The full title is Redburn: His First Voyage: Being the Sailor-boy Confessions and Reminiscences of the Son-of-a-Gentleman, in the Merchant Service.]
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But I meant to speak about the fort.
It was a beautiful place, as I remembered it, and very wonderful and romantic, too, as it appeared to me, when I went there with my uncle.
On the side away from the water was a green grove of trees, very thick and shady; and through this grove, in a sort of twilight you came to an arch in the wall of the fort, dark as night; and going in, you groped about in long vaults, twisting and turning on every side, till at last you caught a peep of green grass and sunlight, and all at once came out in an open space in the middle of the castle.
And there you would see cows quietly grazing, or ruminating under the shade of young trees, and perhaps a calf frisking about, and trying to catch its own tail; and sheep clambering among the mossy ruins, and cropping the little tufts of grass sprouting out of the sides of the embrasures for cannon.
And once I saw a black goat with a long beard, and crumpled horns, standing with his forefeet lifted high up on the topmost parapet, and looking to sea, as if he were watching for a ship that was bringing over his cousin.
I can see him even now, and though I have changed since then, the black goat looks just the same as ever; and so I suppose he would, if I live to be as old as Methusaleh, and have as great a memory as he must have had.
Yes, the fort was a beautiful, quiet, charming spot. I should like to build a little cottage in the middle of it, and live there all my life.
It was noon-day when I was there, in the month of June, and there was little wind to stir the trees, and every thing looked as if it was waiting for something, and the sky overhead was blue as my mother’s eye, and I was so glad and happy then.
But I must not think of those delightful days, before my father became a bankrupt, and died, and we removed from the city; for when I think of those days, something rises up in my throat and almost strangles me.
[REDBURN, CH7]
Melville, recalls, the bliss-ful, days of Youth.
This, Superb Writer, combines, elements, of, 'memory', and, 'emotion', to graphically, describe, His, 'SELF'.
What a description! A, 'Fort'!, 'Noon-day', in ,'June', in, NYC, USA.
As may be seen, this creative giant, has, 'unconsciously', opened, his , 'Third Eye!', yet..his early, Biblical knowledge, shines through!
[Methusaleh!].
He, unconsciously, has seen, him-self. This, is ,an, imperishable 'vision', the very centre, of his being.
The 'Fort', is his stronghold, and refuge, it ,is,, also, geometric,[ie,'Mandala'] symbolism!
Melville, is for me, the greatest, of the , 'Transcendent', writers, of the, 'New England School'. But ,all, his, later works, spring, from this, 'centre'.
Unfortunately, life, is no Picnic!, and, harsh, reality, soon threatens , to, 'strangle' , his, youthful optimism!
for more, on ,'Animal Chakra's..' see..http://www.whats-your-sign.com/chakra-animal-symbols.html
From a ,'Jungian', perspective....
[The full title is Redburn: His First Voyage: Being the Sailor-boy Confessions and Reminiscences of the Son-of-a-Gentleman, in the Merchant Service.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But I meant to speak about the fort.
It was a beautiful place, as I remembered it, and very wonderful and romantic, too, as it appeared to me, when I went there with my uncle.
On the side away from the water was a green grove of trees, very thick and shady; and through this grove, in a sort of twilight you came to an arch in the wall of the fort, dark as night; and going in, you groped about in long vaults, twisting and turning on every side, till at last you caught a peep of green grass and sunlight, and all at once came out in an open space in the middle of the castle.
And there you would see cows quietly grazing, or ruminating under the shade of young trees, and perhaps a calf frisking about, and trying to catch its own tail; and sheep clambering among the mossy ruins, and cropping the little tufts of grass sprouting out of the sides of the embrasures for cannon.
And once I saw a black goat with a long beard, and crumpled horns, standing with his forefeet lifted high up on the topmost parapet, and looking to sea, as if he were watching for a ship that was bringing over his cousin.
I can see him even now, and though I have changed since then, the black goat looks just the same as ever; and so I suppose he would, if I live to be as old as Methusaleh, and have as great a memory as he must have had.
Yes, the fort was a beautiful, quiet, charming spot. I should like to build a little cottage in the middle of it, and live there all my life.
It was noon-day when I was there, in the month of June, and there was little wind to stir the trees, and every thing looked as if it was waiting for something, and the sky overhead was blue as my mother’s eye, and I was so glad and happy then.
But I must not think of those delightful days, before my father became a bankrupt, and died, and we removed from the city; for when I think of those days, something rises up in my throat and almost strangles me.
[REDBURN, CH7]
 | Third Eye - Ajna | Black antelope | Explore inner realms. Journeying. Trust. Vision. Truth. | I guide |
Melville, recalls, the bliss-ful, days of Youth.
This, Superb Writer, combines, elements, of, 'memory', and, 'emotion', to graphically, describe, His, 'SELF'.
What a description! A, 'Fort'!, 'Noon-day', in ,'June', in, NYC, USA.
As may be seen, this creative giant, has, 'unconsciously', opened, his , 'Third Eye!', yet..his early, Biblical knowledge, shines through!
[Methusaleh!].
He, unconsciously, has seen, him-self. This, is ,an, imperishable 'vision', the very centre, of his being.
The 'Fort', is his stronghold, and refuge, it ,is,, also, geometric,[ie,'Mandala'] symbolism!
Melville, is for me, the greatest, of the , 'Transcendent', writers, of the, 'New England School'. But ,all, his, later works, spring, from this, 'centre'.
Unfortunately, life, is no Picnic!, and, harsh, reality, soon threatens , to, 'strangle' , his, youthful optimism!
for more, on ,'Animal Chakra's..' see..http://www.whats-your-sign.com/chakra-animal-symbols.html
From a ,'Jungian', perspective....
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