友人のホワイトヘッド(Whitehead, Alfred North, 1861-1947: Principia Mathematica の共著者/ラッセルより11歳年上)とはどういう出来事がきっかけで初めて知り合いになったのか,はっきりとは記憶していない。私は,当時「地球は丸い」と聞かされていたが,私はそれを信ずるのを拒否していた。そのために,家の者たちが私を説得しようとして,その地区の教区の牧師を招いたが,偶然にも,その牧師はホワイトヘッドの父親であった。聖職者の導きのもと一般に認められた正統的な考え方を受け入れ(←皮肉),地球の正反対の地点(対蹠地)に向かって穴を堀り始めた。ただしこのことは私はただ人から聞いて知っているだけである。 (参考) ・Web church |
I do not clearly remember the incident which first brought me into contact with my friend Whitehead. I had been told that the earth was round, and had refused to believe it. My people thereupon called in the vicar of the parish to persuade me, and it happened that he was Whitehead's father. Under clerical guidance, I adopted the orthodox view and began to dig a hole to the Antipodes. This incident, however, I know only from hearsay. While at Broadstairs I was taken to see Sir Moses Montefiore(Portrait: From the University College London Manuscripts & Rare Books Collection), an old and much revered Jew who lived in the neighbourhood. (According to the Encyclopaedia, he had retired in 1824.) This was the first time l became aware of the existence of Jews outside the Bible. My people explained to me carefull, before taking me to see the old man, how much he deserved to be admired, and how abominable had been the former diabilities of Jews, which he and my grandfather had done much to remove. On this occasion the impression made by my grandmother's teaching was clear, but on other occasions I was puzzled. |