There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.” … “There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.” … “But they used to take morphia and cocaine.” … “Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.” … “Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.” … “Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.” … “All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.” … “Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.” … “Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.”

“There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.”

“But they used to take morphia and cocaine.”

“Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.”

“Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.”

“Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.”

“All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.”

“Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.”

“Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.” … “There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.” … “But they used to take morphia and cocaine.” … “Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.” … “Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.” … “Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.” … “All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.” … “Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.” … “Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.”

“There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.”

“But they used to take morphia and cocaine.”

“Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.”

“Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.”

“Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.”

“All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.”

“Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.”

“Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.” … “There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.” … “But they used to take morphia and cocaine.” … “Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.” … “Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.” … “Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.” … “All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.” … “Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.” … “Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.”

“There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.”

“But they used to take morphia and cocaine.”

“Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.”

“Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.”

“Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.”

“All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.”

“Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.”

“Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.” … “There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.” … “But they used to take morphia and cocaine.” … “Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.” … “Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.” … “Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.” … “All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.” … “Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.” … “Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.”

“There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.”

“But they used to take morphia and cocaine.”

“Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.”

“Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.”

“Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.”

“All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.”

“Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.”

“Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.” … “There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.” … “But they used to take morphia and cocaine.” … “Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.” … “Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.” … “Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.” … “All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.” … “Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.” … “Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.”

“There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.”

“But they used to take morphia and cocaine.”

“Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.”

“Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.”

“Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.”

“All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.”

“Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.”

“Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.” … “There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.” … “But they used to take morphia and cocaine.” … “Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.” … “Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.” … “Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.” … “All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.” … “Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.” … “Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.”

“There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.”

“But they used to take morphia and cocaine.”

“Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.”

“Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.”

“Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.”

“All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.”

“Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.”

“Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.” … “There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.” … “But they used to take morphia and cocaine.” … “Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.” … “Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.” … “Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.” … “All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.” … “Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.” … “Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.”

“There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.”

“But they used to take morphia and cocaine.”

“Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.”

“Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.”

“Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.”

“All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.”

“Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.”

“Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.” … “There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.” … “But they used to take morphia and cocaine.” … “Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.” … “Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.” … “Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.” … “All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.” … “Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.” … “Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

There was a thing called Heaven; but all the same they used to drink enormous quantities of alcohol.”

“There was a thing called the soul and a thing called immortality.”

“But they used to take morphia and cocaine.”

“Two thousand pharmacologists and biochemists were subsidized in A.F. 178.”

“Six years later it was being produced commercially. The perfect drug.”

“Euphoric, narcotic, pleasantly hallucinant.”

“All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects.”

“Take a holiday from reality whenever you like, and come back without so much as a headache or a mythology.”

“Stability was practically assured. – Aldous Huxley

Why? Why does what was beautiful suddenly shatter in hindsight because it concealed dark truths? Why does the memory of years of happy marriage turn to gall when our partner is revealed to have had a lover all those years? Because such a situation makes it impossible to be happy? But we were happy! Sometimes the memory of happiness cannot stay true because it ended unhappily. Because happiness is only real if it lasts forever? Because things always end painfully if they contained pain, conscious or unconscious, all along? But what is unconscious, unrecognized pain? – Bernhard Schlink

Why? Why does what was beautiful suddenly shatter in hindsight because it concealed dark truths? Why does the memory of years of happy marriage turn to gall when our partner is revealed to have had a lover all those years? Because such a situation makes it impossible to be happy? But we were happy! Sometimes the memory of happiness cannot stay true because it ended unhappily. Because happiness is only real if it lasts forever? Because things always end painfully if they contained pain, conscious or unconscious, all along? But what is unconscious, unrecognized pain? – Bernhard Schlink