The Gay Gnani of Gingalee; or Discords of Devolution Read online

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  THE GAY GNANI OF GINGALEE]

  THE GAY GNANI OF GINGALEE

  OR

  DISCORDS OF DEVOLUTION

  A TRAGICAL ENTANGLEMENT OF MODERN MYSTICISM AND MODERN SCIENCE

  BY

  FLORENCE HUNTLEY, Author of "Harmonics of Evolution" and "The Dream Child"

  HARMONIC FICTION SERIES VOL. II

  CHICAGO INDO-AMERICAN BOOK CO. 1908

  Copyright 1908 By FLORENCE HUNTLEY

  Published 1908

  DEDICATED to Those who are wise enough to be foolish--at intervals

  PRELUDE.

  Mother Nature contributes the elements and qualities and "temperament"of the individual; and no matter what the education, occupation,position or experience, those native tendencies persist.

  One who is born with the disposition for mental frivoling and a keensense of nonsense discovers that these tendencies persist with fargreater tenacity than any impulses of anger or fear or otherdestructive elements. The writer of this little book has found themsubordinate only to the thirst for knowledge and the love of truth.

  When the author of this "romance" finally renounced the small gods ofher personal ambitions, and surrendered the diverting occupation ofnewspaper work for serious instruction in the School of NaturalScience, she merely restrained but never eliminated that Sense ofNonsense. The native tendency toward intellectual badinage andliterary travesty persisted--and even to the present time it furnishesrelaxation from the absorbing duties in connection with The GreatWork.

  Science, if it be Science, must take into account all of the facts ofHuman Nature; and Philosophy, if it be Philosophy, must include andassign to place every intellectual, native and normal tendency of theSoul.

  Science and Philosophy that have no room for the incongruities of lifeand the frivolings of the intelligence are only partial mentors andmasters.

  The workshop occupies so much of life, thought and energy, that no oneshould refuse an occasional hour in the play room.

  Confidence in the good sense of the readers of the Harmonic Seriesforbids the thought that this little satire should be mistaken for areflection upon the Verities of the School of Natural Science, orthat it could be so misinterpreted as to discredit the HarmonicPhilosophy.

  In so far as it is a travesty it deals, not with the facts of Scienceand the Truths of Philosophy, but with the people and the things whichdiscredit both.

  "The Dream Child" and the first sketch of "Discords of Devolution"were written at the same time and place, but at different desks.

  This was done in Washington City, at the time of my separation fromnewspaper life.

  The one stands for that earliest concept and ideal of the Great Law,while the other represents the undertone of nonsense whichinstruction, experience and self-denials have subdued but nevereliminated.

  The manuscript of this little volume has been read, from time to time,by friends who have urged its publication. This, however, was neverseriously intended until the "Interlude" (Chapter XII.), wascontributed by the TK, which interlude gives to the whole a definitemeaning and purpose but vaguely suggested by my own work.

  Except for this masterly arraignment of The Gay Gnani of Gingalee theauthor of this tale would have lacked the courage to publish it.

  With this addition, however, the writer reconsidered, reread andretouched the Ms., and consented to an Experiment.

  With this explanation, excuse and apology for the writing of theromance in the first place, and now for its publication, the authorcommits it to criticism--with a certain conviction that it has amission of its own to perform. FLORENCE HUNTLEY.