SPINNING WITH SPINOZA
Benedict [Baruch] Spinoza Philosopher, 1632-1677
P.G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse Writer, 1881-1975
Why have these two men from different vocations and centuries come together in an essay? P. G. Wodehouse wrote humorous novels, most of which poked fun at 20th century British aristocracy; Spinoza gave voice to his philosophical pronouncements from his home in Holland.
Early in P. G. Wodehouse's 1946 novel "Jeeves in the Morning", Bertie Wooster seeks to placate his man-servant mentor, Jeeves, by offering to buy him a book. Jeeves requests a new and recently annotated edtion of the works of Spinoza. Bertie consents and assumes that Spinoza is the latest mystery thriller, and wants to know if the book is Book Society's Choice of the Month. Jeeves reply is, "I believe not, sir."
At the bookstore it becomes known that the clueless Bertie has ordered a book by Spinoza, at which point the novel spins off into a convolution of comedic events propelled by someone being misled into thinking that Bertie must have reformed and become a serious thinker.
Some readers might have wondered what there was about Spinoza that made Jeeves choose that subject. A little research would reveal that the philosopher included science, mathematics, and much more, in his thinking, and that much of his work was incomprehensible to the layman, especially to the reader who would be perusing P. G. Wodehouse in the first place. However, one statement by Spinoza has become known to everyone and is often quoted without attribution.
Spinoza wrote
P.G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse Writer, 1881-1975
Why have these two men from different vocations and centuries come together in an essay? P. G. Wodehouse wrote humorous novels, most of which poked fun at 20th century British aristocracy; Spinoza gave voice to his philosophical pronouncements from his home in Holland.
Early in P. G. Wodehouse's 1946 novel "Jeeves in the Morning", Bertie Wooster seeks to placate his man-servant mentor, Jeeves, by offering to buy him a book. Jeeves requests a new and recently annotated edtion of the works of Spinoza. Bertie consents and assumes that Spinoza is the latest mystery thriller, and wants to know if the book is Book Society's Choice of the Month. Jeeves reply is, "I believe not, sir."
At the bookstore it becomes known that the clueless Bertie has ordered a book by Spinoza, at which point the novel spins off into a convolution of comedic events propelled by someone being misled into thinking that Bertie must have reformed and become a serious thinker.
Some readers might have wondered what there was about Spinoza that made Jeeves choose that subject. A little research would reveal that the philosopher included science, mathematics, and much more, in his thinking, and that much of his work was incomprehensible to the layman, especially to the reader who would be perusing P. G. Wodehouse in the first place. However, one statement by Spinoza has become known to everyone and is often quoted without attribution.
Spinoza wrote
NATURE ABHORS A VACUUM
posted by marguerite louise at
5:08 PM
1 Comments:
Thanks for calling up a lovely memory! Bertie does epitomize a vacuum ... and Spinoza is the perfect philosophical companion for Jeeves. A note: In the US, I believe the book was published as "Joy in the Morning," aptly enough.
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Unknown, at 7/27/2006 3:42 PM
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