Reflections on the Death of a Porcupine and Other Essays

This volume contains what Lawrence himself called philosophicalish essays written in the decade 1915-25. The topics range from politics to nature from religion to education; the tone from lighthearted humor to mordant wit to spiritual meditation. For all these contrasts however the essays share many of the underlying themes of the mature Lawrence: Be thyself could be the volume''s motto. As far as possible this edition restores what Lawrence wrote before typists editors and compositors made the extensive alterations that have been followed in all previous editions of the texts--on occasion entire passages removed by mistake or for reasons of censorship have been recovered. The introduction describes the genesis textual history and reception of the essays; notes offer help with allusions and other difficult points. Several incomplete and unpublished essays are reproduced in an appendix.