William Walker and the loss of Psyche.

An ocassion arose this morning that suggested I send an image by Burne-Jones to a friend. I was discussing the change that came over William Walker when his girlfriend died young, Walker Sr. becoming thereafter a killing machine.


I made the comparison between Walker and Jabotinski in light of a couple of emails I received privately last day. This being the real world of real men who live real lives we must consider that they do not all live as we all do, in peace and sweet reason, feasting on the milk of Human kindness. For some it's soured and there is no appetite for it. For some there is a thirst for blood. Some of them are us.

We who understand the lesson of Cupid and Psyche know the person is better off who loves the mind of others. As we can see from the life and times of Walker Sr. when the love is gone there is sometimes Hell to come.

To the best of my recollection this is the first of nearly 800 posts in which I have used the word love, at least in it's Platonic sense. I bring it up now to remind us that it is zepherous.When the relationship we have of Cupid and Psyche is missing, then we are as we are in the world of men alone, and our Muslim friends will meet us thus if we do not cling to Psyche tightly. I don't care to lose my relationship with Psyche for the sake of playing games with savages and fools. It's too high a price to pay.

The point then is to make reason prevail and order to rule. Tomorrow we meet again at the public library. Plaese join us.

E. Burne-Jones (1833-1898), Cupidon délivrant Psyché
Peinture commandée par George Howard, 9ième comte de Carlisle pour la salle à manger de Palace Green à Kensington.