The Apes of God

656 Pages·55.311 MB·English

by  Lewis, Wyndham

ANOVELbyWYNDHAMLEWIS
GOD
THE APES OF
By Wyndham Lewis
On publication in
its first
book
a limited edition this
was the subject of such heat-
ed public controversy; so
much was written for, agai-
and about with such
nst it;
enthusiasm, indig-
fervour,
nation and surprise; that it
has been decided, in response
to the great number of re-
quests that have come from
sources to reissue it at
all
a more reasonable price to
pub-
meet the extraordinary
demand. That it is a
lic
really great novel has been
abundantly proved
already
by the verdict of the critics;
while the fact that the origi-
was rapidly ex-
nal edition
hausted testifies to the
breadth and popularity of
appeal.
its
{See back flap)
$20.00
BOSTON
PUBLIC
LIBRARY

Some Appreciations which appeared on the
Publication of the Original Limited Edition.
That The Apes of God is a book which no one can afford to
overlook is proved by the enormous volume of public expression
of opinion which it has called forth from the foremost minds in
literature and art to-day. From this vast amount of brilliant and
appreciative criticism the following few passages may be aptly
quoted here, as reflecting, not only a far wider consensus of opinion,
but something of the nature and breadth of appeal of Mr. Wyndham
Lewis's portentous satire as well.
RICHARD ALDINGTON in The Referee: “The Apes of God,
though one of the cruellest, is also one of the most tremendous
farces ever conceived in the mind of man. For comparisons one
My
must fall back on Rabelais and Aristophanes. final feeling
. . .
is that The Apes of God is the greatest piece of writing since Ulysses.”
ROY CAMPBELL in A Rejected Review: "It is not unlikely that
in The Apes of God Mr. Lewis may have anticipated the attitude
of future generations towards our own: and this book will certainly
stand to Ulysses as Candide does to the Confessions and the Emile
of Rousseau. ."
, .
DR. MEYRICK BOOTH in Everyman: "Like a series of exhibits
mounted upon slides, the poseurs of this decaying world of sham
and irresponsibility are seen under the high-power microscope of
Mr. Lewis's mercilessly analytical mind. With the aid of a whole
gallery of meticulously drawn portraits (the detail is incredibly finely
elaborated) we are shown the workings of a society in intellectual
and moral dissolution."
D. BERESFORD: "It is surely unnecessary at this time of day
J.
to praise Mr. Wyndham Lewis's extraordinary gifts. Everyone who
has read him must recognise, even if they will not openly admit,
his astonishing brilliance and force. But I am glad to have this
opportunity of repeating my own admiration for his w^ 'k."
Digitized by the Internet Archive
2017 with funding from
in
Kahle/Austin Foundation
https://archive.org/details/apesofgodOOIewi
THE
APES GOD
OF
BY
WYNDHAM
LEWIS
WITH AN AFTERWORD BY
PAUL EDWARDS
BLACK SPARROW PRESS SANTA BARBARA 1981
: :
THE APES OF GOD. Copyright © 1930 by Wyndham Lewis. Copyright
© 1981 by the Estate of Mrs. G. A. Wyndham Lewis by permission
of the Wyndham Lewis Memorial Trust.
©
AFTERWORD. Copyright 1981 by Paul Edwards.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part
of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever
without written permission from the publisher except in the case of
brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For infor-
mation address Black Sparrow Press, P.O. Box 3993, Santa Barbara,
CA
93105.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Wyndham,
Lewis, 1882-1957.
The apes of god.
1. Title.
PR6023.E97A85 1981 82T.912 81-7659
ISBN 0-87685-513-3 AACR2
ISBN 0-87685-514-1 (deluxe)
ISBN 0-87685-512-5 (pbk.)
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE. DEATH-THE-DRUMMER
p. 7
Oh Dear Niahel !
The Toilette ofa Veteran Gossip—Star.
Saint Bride.
The Body Leaves the Chair.
PART DICK 27
1. p.
PART II. THE VIRGIN p. 39
PART THE ENCYCLICAL
III. p. 115
Extract from Encyclical addressed to Air. Zagreus.
PART IV. BE NOT TOO FINICAL p. 133
PART THE SPLIT-MAN
V. p. 143
PART APE-FLAGELLANT
VI. p. 177
PART VH. PAMELA FARNHAM’S TEA-PARTY p. 193
. .
PART VHI. LESBIAN-APE 221
p.
PART IX. CHEZ LIONEL KEIN, ESQ p. 237
PART X. WARNED FOR DUTY AT LORD OSMUND'S 319
p.
.
Directions for Lord Osmund's Party.
PART XL MR. ZAGREUS AND THE SPLIT-MAN 327
p.
. .
.
CONTENTS
PART LORD OSMUND’S LENTEN PARTY
XIl. 349
p.
.
The Banquet.
/.
II. The Players Solus.
III. The Kitchen.
IV. Mrs. Bosun’s Closet.
V. At the American Bar.
Dan
VI. at the Assembly.
VII. Blackshirt.
VIII. Einnian Shaw Family Group.
IX. Blackshirt Explains Ratner, Ratner Blackshirt.
X. The Old Colonels.
XI. The Thresholds.
XII. NowJonathan Bell was an oldJohn Bull.
XIII. Captain Blunderbuss and his Man Squib.
XIV. The Wicked Giant ’’Cockeye.”
XV. The Library.
XVI. Albino Blushes.
XVII. Dan and the Tropical Man.
XVIII. Post-Champagne.
XIX. Killed by Kindness.
XX. God Always Desires to Manifest Himself.
XXL
The Vanish.
XXII The Play.
XXI
11. Beware oj Pickpockets.
PART XIII. THE GENERAL STRIKE p. 607
.
AFTER\Y/ORD BY PAUL EDW^ARDS 629
p.
The designs in this hook are hy Wyndharn Letvis.