Aldous Huxley and the Mysticism of Science
Can religious belief survive in a scientific era? Aldous Huxley thought so. His early recognition of the profound significance of twentieth-century science and the need for moral and spiritual direction resulted in his espousal of mysticism. An examinatio
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Aldous Huxley and the Mystic istn of Science June Deery
Assistant Professor of Literature Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY
First published in Great Britain 1996 by
MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Hmmdmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London Companies and representatives throughout the world A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-1-349-39482-1 DOI 10.1057/9780230375055 ·····-·· .........................
ISBN 978-0-230-37505-5 (eBook)
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First published in the United States of America 1996 by
ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, INC.,
Scholarly and Reference Division, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 ISBN 978-0-312-15983-2
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Deery, June. Aldous Huxley and the mysticism of science I June Deery. p. em. Includes bibliographical references and inde11. ISBN 978-0-312-15983-2 978-0-312-15983-2 1. Huxley, Aldous, 1894-1963-Knowledge-Science. 2. Literature and science-England-History-20th century. 3. Mysticism in literature. 4. Science in literature. I. Title. PR6015.U9Z5967 1996 823'.912·--dc20 9&-339 I 8 CJP © June Deery I996
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1996 978-0-333-63767-8
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without wrilten permission. No paragraph of this publica! ion may be repmduced, copied or transmitted save with written pem1ission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the tem1s nf any licence pcnnitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Toucnham Court Road, London WIP So Huxley turned elsewhere. In Eyeless in Gaza (1936), the mature Staithes speaks for Huxley when he records that art 'used to be an escape and a support. But now ... now I find myself wanting something more, something heavenlier, something less human' (302). That something was mysticism. Since Huxley henceforth regarded literature from the mystical perspective, its limits were made even more plain. However, it must be stressed that Huxley's religious conversion was not in itself responsible for his disparagement of literature. It is more accurate to say that a previous disenchantment with literature encouraged his move toward mysticism. He was most severe toward literature when first settling its status in relation to mysticism, but this eventually mellowed into fond regret. The harshest criticism came in the mid- to late 1930s, as though Huxley at first needed to firmly reject literature in an act of penitential purgation before taking up any other position. In the novel After Many a Summer (1939), one orator's glib declaration that in art 'the Religious Spirit most clearly manifested itself' this century, is greeted with an irreverent 'Cripes!' (70). Propter, however, is less amused and delivers the most vehement attack on literature so far seen in Huxley's work. He wonders if there is not something profoundly silly as well as po
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