"God's Counterpoint" is the story of a Puritan who hated all things sexual and tried to banish them from his life, with baneful consequences. Philip Maning spent his boyhood under the yoke of a stern Victorian father whose favorite word was "Don't." Philip goes to Dulwich College, where his career was entirely uneventful save that he sometimes had queer sensations in passing through the tunnel under Herne Hill station, and once had an eerie experience in the fields near Croxted Road, his first contact with the beastly. Not ...
Read More
"God's Counterpoint" is the story of a Puritan who hated all things sexual and tried to banish them from his life, with baneful consequences. Philip Maning spent his boyhood under the yoke of a stern Victorian father whose favorite word was "Don't." Philip goes to Dulwich College, where his career was entirely uneventful save that he sometimes had queer sensations in passing through the tunnel under Herne Hill station, and once had an eerie experience in the fields near Croxted Road, his first contact with the beastly. Not being clever enough to win a scholarship at the 'Varsity, he goes into the business of a publisher named Wing, whose specialty is Purity. Maning hates all women, or as it is discovered later, "he loves women too much, and is afraid." However at Wing's he is brought into contact with Evelyn Lang, the business-like daughter of a Dean whom he had once met in odd circumstances, and becomes engaged to her. The physical side of marriage is repulsive to him, but he marries Evelyn and has a son. His rigorousness develops, he drifts apart from his wife, he sinks into an abnormal state, is visited by neuralgia, indigestion, and sleepnessness. He is roused at length by the visit of Evelyn's cousin Helene, the wife of a Californian millionaire and a true Parisienne. Evelyn had by now resolved to leave Philip, but Helene, who claims to understand him better, renders that course unnecessary. She elopes with him. The change does Philip good, his eyes are opened, a miracle is performed. "I was a pathological case all right. I don't deny that. But I know that I'm cured." He leaves the lady from Paris (and California) within three weeks, and within nine is discussing the matter quite coolly with Evelyn at Seaford. "But will you always feel "that?"" she asked, and the tears that had welled into her eyes, began to overflow. So when the novel is beginning to wax exciting, Mr. Beresford, who is nothing if not contrapuntal, writes his coda, for the "vox humana." Such is the outline of the story. -"Meredith Revisited, and Other Essays" [1921]"
Read Less
Add this copy of God's Counterpoint to cart. $55.77, good condition, Sold by John C. Newland rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Cheltenham, Glos., UNITED KINGDOM, published 1918 by Collins.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Used-Good. Good hardback in red cloth. Red cloth browned on spine, with a little wear at head & foot; wear to bottom edge of back board; internally clean.
Add this copy of God's Counterpoint to cart. $63.74, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Palala Press.
Add this copy of God's Counterpoint to cart. $63.74, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2015 by Palala Press.