2 ?b90

45
expressed at the beginning of Lezama's "Preludio a las eras imaginarias, "
with the Squabs favouring rationalism, what Lezama often calls la causa-
lidad aristotdlica: "Con ojos irritados se contemplan la causalidad y lo
incondicionado. Se contemplan irreconciliables y cierran filas en las
_.
dos riberas enemigas" (11,797). The confrontation ends in the death of
the exponent of lo incondicionado, Andresito. There is no reconciliation
between the explicable and the mysterious in this case. The conversation
of Do'na Augusta and Florita, ostensibly about Rialta's dangerous escapa-
des, is like a stone thrown into a pool tQ make ripples of meaning which
reach out across the rest of the chapter. Florita condemns Rialta for
overreaching herself, while Doffa Augusta remarks: "Pienso que a los 9nge-
les tendrA queserles amable, y aumentargn sus musicados cuidados, cuando
un nin'o se extiende por un ramaje para oir el gracioso rodar de aquellas
esferitas por el misterio de su cipsula" (1,58). She approves of the
child's sense of adventure and wonder at natural things. Florita justi-
fies her inaction with the fatalistic remark that her will was only strong
enough to prevent the child from stealing, not from falling. There fol-
lows a debate on the merits of Free Will in Protestant doctrine, and the
action of Divine Grace in Catholic belief. Do5a Augusta defends her own
beliefs against the gloomy ideas of Florita, as she sees them: "Pero us-
ted se fla demasiado de su voluntad y la voluntad es tambi6n misteriosa,
cuando ya no vemos sus fines es cuando se hace para nosotros creadora y
po4tica, " (1,57). The Olayas prefer to leave room for Grace to have a
beneficial effect on their human limitations, to improve their own efforts
in a mysterious way until they are acceptable to God, according to their
faith. She regards the Protestant way as too independent and proud, and
says so: "Qu6 sombrio debe ser en ustedes los protestantes. ... que espe-
-ran que al lado de su voluntad suceda algo ...
" (1ý 58).
Mr. Squabs is also mocked in the phrase "Do you want to play the organ,