User:Kul/the method
Dear S.
I heard through the grapevine that you are troubled these days with two haunting phantoms embodied in the symbols Kritḗrion and Méthodos. I know, my friend, that this situation might appear to you as hopeless. These two are coupled with an almost complete ineluctability and always strike simultaneously when scenting in their noses the tiniest odour of doubts or inconstancy passing through theirs victim’s reasonable mind.
Please do not despair. The more time I spent here, in the inscrutable valley of the Kamchatka River, accompanied by the seductive closeness of Kronotsky volcano, the more trust I have that “the unknown” might be concurred by irresponsible spirits ululating in the recesses of every human soul. I have no doubt, therefore, that it will be possible to overcome all obstacles you have recently encountered, the gravity of which I do not fail to recognise.
As you know I have been send here in early autumn to conduct an extensive research on Siberian Silver Tigers (Panthera tigris argentum.) The reasons and outcomes of my expedition stays mysterious to me since the existence of the tigris argentum has never been scientifically documented, despite occasional unsubstantiated reports of sightings of spectral pearl creatures in the regions where wild Siberian tigers live. Local Koryak hunters, who occasionally fish nearby my camp, swear on the wings of Big Kutkh that many times they’ve seen luminous shadows aptly moving through the stone birch forest. While listening to their stories I could almost see the tigris argentum among silver birches; I could feel how its paws lightly glide through the bushes to finally tear apart a sable between willow shrubs; I could easily imagine the tigris argentum majestically starching on the metamorphic rocks, resting on their warm surface for more than a few hours. However, my pragmatic mind tells me that both, my fellow Koryaks and I were easily deceived in our perceptions. All we knew and recalled is the familiar image of the wild Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) frequently hunting and resting in the region. By means of our solitary and hungry imagination we just made it silver.
I’ve decided to trouble you with my story because I am almost sure that the problems you are actually facing among Dutch intelligentsia are similar to mine. Your search for the method and effort to apply the means of judgment upon the ambiguous field of arts are, in deed, like my quest of the Panthera tigris argentum. I would spare you my comments on figment of human imagination and place the final greetings at this point of my letter if only …not more than a few days ago I have come across the group of wandering Tatars caring their hunting trophies. Among salted meat and antlers, I have noticed the unusual ashy-white fur on the back of their wagon. At first glance I took it for a common fur of a mountain sheep, yet, as soon I stroke it with my fingers, the sheep hair revealed peculiar opalescent tones. Is that possible? I tried to ask Tatars about the origin of their prey. None of them have spoke a word regardless of my attempts to make a conversation in Russian, Chukhi and Itelmen language. But I am telling you my friend: where ambiguities of various natures can be born, there is always a group of adolescent wolves soon ready to swallow them.
T. B. C.