CYCLE TWO

1. To contrast, on a European basis, the outer fire of French materialism with the inner fire of Dutch materialism, the former corresponding, in personal terms, to the eyes and the latter to the heart, so that we have a space-time axis which contrasts metachemical sensuality with metachemical sensibility.

2. Likewise, to contrast the outer water of English realism with the inner water of Italian realism, the former corresponding, in personal terms, to the tongue and the latter to the womb, so that we have a volume-mass axis which contrasts chemical sensuality with chemical sensibility.

3. Similarly, to contrast the outer vegetation of Spanish naturalism with the inner vegetation of Russian naturalism, the former corresponding, in personal terms, to the phallus and the latter to the brain, so that we have a mass-volume axis which contrasts physical sensuality with physical sensibility.

4. Finally, to contrast the outer air of German idealism with the inner air of Irish idealism, the former corresponding, in personal terms, to the ears and the latter to the lungs, so that we have a time-space axis which contrasts metaphysical sensuality with metaphysical sensibility.

5. Of course, each of the above aphorisms has reference to a generalization, on a European-wide basis, such that focuses on what is conceived to be the most applicable element to each of the aforementioned countries, further subdividing this element along sensual and sensible lines in relation to outer and inner contexts.

6. Thus the Frenchman, the Englishman, the Spaniard, and the German are conceived as being on the sensual, or outer, side of their respective elements, viz. fire, water, vegetation, and air, whereas the Dutchman, the Italian, the Russian, and the Irishman are conceived, by contrast, as being on the sensible, or inner, side of those same elements respectively.

7. Thus where the eyes, the tongue, the phallus, and the ears are the (sensual) organs with which Frenchmen, Englishmen, Spaniards, and Germans have been respectively identified, the heart, the womb, the brain, and the lungs are the (sensible) organs with which, directly or indirectly, I tend to identify a majority of Dutchmen, Italians, Russians, and Irishmen.

8. One is thereby contrasting, in very general cultural terms, the outer evil of France with the inner evil of Holland in relation to fiery materialism; the outer goodness of England with the inner goodness of Italy in relation to watery realism; the outer folly of Spain with the inner folly of Russia in relation to vegetative naturalism; and the outer wisdom of Germany with the inner wisdom of Ireland in relation to airy idealism.

9. In simple religious terms, this would suggest that whereas fundamentalism would be chiefly characteristic of both France and Holland in their respective ways (eyes/heart), humanism would be no-less chiefly characteristic of England and Italy in their respective ways (tongue/womb).

10. Likewise, I am suggesting that whereas nonconformism would be chiefly characteristic of both Spain and Russia in their respective ways (phallus/brain), transcendentalism would be no-less chiefly characteristic of Germany and Ireland in their respective ways (ears/lungs).

11. In general cultural terms, France and Holland should be identified with a painterly tradition, since painting is the art form that corresponds most closely to the element of fire, whereas England and Italy should be identified with a writerly tradition, since writing is the art form that corresponds most closely to the element of water.

12. Similarly, Spain and Russia should be identified with a sculptural tradition, since sculpture is the art form that corresponds most closely to the element of vegetation (earth, clay), whereas Germany and Ireland should be identified with a musical tradition, since music is the art form that corresponds most closely to the element of air.

13. In each of the above aphorisms, the cultural generalization to which each of the countries is subjected has to be considered in relation to the Heathen/Christian dichotomy, here implicit, between sensuality and sensibility, the outer, or 'once-born', manifestations of the respective elements and their inner, or 're-born', manifestations thereof.

14. Hence French painting, for example, will be rather more outer, or 'once born', than Dutch painting, whilst English literature will be correspondingly more sensual, or heathenistic, than Italian literature.

15. Conversely, Russian sculpture will be rather more inner, or 're-born', than Spanish sculpture, whilst Irish music will be correspondingly more sensible, or Christian, than German music.