282
tioned that he can now for once
perform a free act before the
operations of fate close in upon
him yet again. It is for these ex–
ceptional moments that a man
lives, though it is conceivable that
he may never see even one such
moment in his own life.
These free acts are not Andre
Gide's
acte gratuit,
Gratuitousness
is not freedom. Gide's
acte gratuit
presupposes that all decisions may
be freely made and that one may
at any moment choose to perform
an act without recognised motive.
"Gratuitous" in this sense is mere–
ly "eccentric," and
actes gratuits
may be as powerfully conditioned
as the most rigid conformity.
The possibility of freedom de–
pends upon a scrupulous obser–
vance of necessity. (Spinoza said
PARTISAN REVIEW
tlus.) I must become extremely
sensitive to the operations of na–
tural and "supernatural" law in
order that I may be in a position
to strike home quickly with my
free act when the vulnerable
mo~
ment occurs.
There is a good and evil. Evil is
any form of clotting or stoppage.
Blood must flow.* Money must
flow. Love must flow. Hoarded
money, spilt and clotted blood,
possessive or introverted love,
closely systematised thought, ven–
erable institutions ... these are the
forms of evil. They express them-
*
This expression is commonly used
in a contrary sense.
Blood is commonly held to "flow"
when it runs out and presently clots.
Blood properly flows only in the veins
and arteries of a living body.
You can't be modern and not read
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~for
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~for
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For its fresh presentation of the art of the past
~
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In giving first importance to the
imagination,~
through its writers and artists, View's
impact~
on modernity increases with each
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Now in its fifth year, each issue,
9
11
x 12", is presented with
an original cover design,
in
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pages, forty-eight; numerous half-tone reproductions. Appearing
in March, May, October and December. Price per copy: one
doltar. $3.50 a year; Armed Services $3.00; Latin America and
Canada $3.75; Foreign $4.00.
Charles Henri Ford,
Editor. Parker Ty–
ler, Associate Edi–
tor, John M:y:ers,
Managin!l'
Editor.
Contributmg Edi–
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ley, Philip Laman–
tia, Kenneth Mac–
pherson, R o b e r t
M e I vi II e , Paul
Bowles.
Advisory
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Bride, James John–
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