Another Lewis Quote

"AJA" <ahnemann.DeleteThis@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:a9Fng.1359$Ym7.472@fe12.lga...
> Some rather famous lines about experience:
> Letters 8 May '39 "Experience is essential to understand truths about life.
> No real teaching is possible: every generation starts from scratch."
> What you say below doesn't ring a bell- doesn't sound characteristic of
> Lewis humility, really.
> Blessings,
> Ann
>
> "Henry IX" <Eanruig0.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:R0Bng.12011$o4.6969@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> >I am trying to locate a Lewis quote to the effect that he is not presuming
> >to be a teacher - rather that he has been along the road a little longer
> >and so may proffer advice. I thought it might be in "A Severe Mercy," but
> >haven't found it. Thanks in advance for any help.

I don't agree, Ann - it does sound Lewisian to me. I don't recognise the
exact words but I think the sentiment is found in a number of places, possibly
including his first Christian book, _The Pilgrim's Regress_. Something
similar appears in the preface to either _The Screwtape Letters_ or _Screwtape
Proposes A Toast_, where he comments that there are two roads to understanding
sin: one is to be a great saint and the other to be a great sinner - and his
is the latter. But that's not quite what you're looking for.

I could well imagine it's somewhere in the apologetics, though. If I find it
I'll let you know!
Nicholas.
--
"Macbeth" is ... by a playwright who ought, at least on this occasion, to have
written a story, if he had the skill or patience. - JRRT, _On Fairy-Stories_
To email me, use vnicholasv.DeleteThis@vinchbare-yv.vfsnetv.co.uk,
removing all occurrences of the letter "v".
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The Dead Man wrote:
> On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 22:47:35 +0100, "Nicholas Young" <from.DeleteThis@spam.trap>
> wrote:
>
>> "AJA" <ahnemann.DeleteThis@optonline.net> wrote in message
>> news:a9Fng.1359$Ym7.472@fe12.lga...
>>> Some rather famous lines about experience:
>>> Letters 8 May '39 "Experience is essential to understand truths about life.
>>> No real teaching is possible: every generation starts from scratch."
>>> What you say below doesn't ring a bell- doesn't sound characteristic of
>>> Lewis humility, really.
>>> Blessings,
>>> Ann
>>>
>>> "Henry IX" <Eanruig0.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>> news:R0Bng.12011$o4.6969@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
>>>> I am trying to locate a Lewis quote to the effect that he is not presuming
>>>> to be a teacher - rather that he has been along the road a little longer
>>>> and so may proffer advice. I thought it might be in "A Severe Mercy," but
>>>> haven't found it. Thanks in advance for any help.
>> I don't agree, Ann - it does sound Lewisian to me. I don't recognise the
>> exact words but I think the sentiment is found in a number of places, possibly
>> including his first Christian book, _The Pilgrim's Regress_. Something
>> similar appears in the preface to either _The Screwtape Letters_ or _Screwtape
>> Proposes A Toast_, where he comments that there are two roads to understanding
>> sin: one is to be a great saint and the other to be a great sinner - and his
>> is the latter. But that's not quite what you're looking for.
>>
>> I could well imagine it's somewhere in the apologetics, though. If I find it
>> I'll let you know!
>> Nicholas.
>
> I agree. The tone of humility has a Lewisian "ring" to me, too.
>
> A similar statement (though without the appended offer of advice) may
> be found in his letters, Volume II, pg. 914. Lewis is responding to an
> American correspondent who has inquired about a point of doctrine
> unfamiliar to him. He replies:
>
> "That is a subject on which I wd. gladly learn: I have nothing to
> teach." And, again, on pg. 941: "These things I need to learn, not
> teach."
>
> As I say, similar statements are made throughout his letters making
> it, therefore, very easy to conceive that he has also made the
> statement you have inquired regarding.
>
> TDM

I think I have it, though not just as I remembered it (isn't it
interesting how our memories add to and embellish these things.) It is
in "A Severe Mercy." Chapter VI, "The Barrier Breached," on p 133 in the
Bantam Books paperback (1979) "Think of me as a fellow-patient in the
same hospital who, having been admitted a little earlier, cd. give some
advice." It is at least a related thought.

Thanks to those who responded.
Henry IX
 >> Stay informed about: Another Lewis Quote 

Christian Rendel wrote:
> On Sun, 25 Jun 2006 18:57:53 GMT, Henry IX <Eanruig0.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> I am trying to locate a Lewis quote to the effect that he is not
>> presuming to be a teacher - rather that he has been along the road a
>> little longer and so may proffer advice. I thought it might be in "A
>> Severe Mercy," but haven't found it. Thanks in advance for any help.
>
> I think what you are looking for is in the introductory chapter of
> /Reflections on the Psalms/: "the fellow-pupil can help more than the
> master because he knows less. ... In this book, then, I write as one
> amateur to another, talking about difficulties I have met, or lights I
> have gained ... I am 'comparing notes', not presuming to instruct."
>
> Christian

Thanks for that one. It appears that memory has conflated that thought
with the one from "Severe Mercy", then mixed things up a bit.

Henry IX
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