So, yesterday another of those old books I tend to acquire when researching a piece arrived, the curiously titled
LECTURES ON THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF RELIGION AS ILLUSTRATED BY CELTIC HEATHENDOM by John Rhys.* This copy is from the original printing in 1888, based on the 1886 Hibbert Lectures. While old, it's in pretty good shape, and I'm pleased to see two previous owners have written their names in it -- one an old signature, probably of the same era as the book itself, the other being a much more recent bookplate. Mine has now joined them as the third in the series. There's a copy of this book in Suzzallo-Allen, which I've looked through years ago the first time I thought of tackling this project, but it's much more handy to have the book at home ready of access anytime I might need it, rather than being at the mercy of anyone who can get it recalled if they want a look at it (students and faculty of U.W. quite rightly coming before 'friends of the library' like myself).
For the curious, here's the Rhys book in its proper sequence among the other pieces I've assembled over the years which shd between them provide the key sources for my current piece:
ROMAN ANTIQUITIES AT LYDNEY PARK, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
by the Rev. Wm Hiley Bathurst (1879)
LECTURES ON THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF RELIGION AS ILLUSTRATED BY CELTIC HEATHENDOM
by John Rhys (1888)
THE GREAT GOD PAN
by Arthur Machen (1890)
THE CAULDRON OF ANNWN
by T. E. Ellis (1922)
THE DREAM-QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH + THE STRANGE HIGH HOUSE IN THE MISTS
by H. P. Lovecraft (1926)
REPORT ON THE EXCAVATION OF THE PREHISTORIC, ROMAN, AND POST-ROMAN SITE IN LYDNEY PARK, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
by R. E. M. & T. V. Wheeler (1932)
Just out of curiosity, can anyone spot the common thread among them?
--John R.
current reading: THE INN AT CORBIES' CAWW (Flieger), A NOBLE CAUSE (Doug Niles)
*this is the same John Rhys whose book CELTIC BRITAIN is probably Tolkien's source for the word 'Ond'/Gond (stone).
5 comments:
Ancient religion in Britain?
Looks like a great list. I was struck by the listing THE CAULDRON OF ANNWN. I love Lloyd Alexander's Prydain books, but I always wondered about the leap from the Mabingion (sp?) to his Prydain, if there was an intermediary inspiration.
Hi Paul
Well, there's Walton, but I don't think she had much influence on Alexander. Ellis is too obscure, Peacock seems to be off on a sideline all his own.
The missing link may be the brilliant Kenneth Morris, whose THE BOOK OF THREE DRAGONS probably shd rank on the top-ten best fantasy books of all time list. He's that good.
Ancient Religion in Britain: close, but not quite.
--John R.
The common thread? Nodens.
Yes, Magister's got it: all of these pieces attempt in some way to recover the lost god Nodens.
--John R.
I know only Machen and Lovecraft -- but Nodens was the obvious connection between those three texts.
Post a Comment