Volume II, Issue 2   --   May, 2001

Kant: a limerick sequence
On Kant's Critique of Pure Reason and N.K.Smith's Commentary

by

Ernest d'Urfé

I quite recently bought Kant's Critique
Philosophical thought at its peak
Then I read the whole text
And was left quite perplexed
To me it was simply Greek

Norman Kemp Smith tried to explain
But that was entirely in vain
His attempt at a gloss
Left me more at a loss
And fried what was left of my brain

I then picked it up once more
And found it still quite a bore
I flung it aside
And turned to my bride
And entered her welcoming door

Philosophical thoughts washed away
Such romps were much more fun play
I forgot that dull German
And all of his learnin'
Though Kant, in a way, won the day

Some sort of truth we're all seeking
And Kant sought it out by critiquing
But I much prefer
To go at it with her
And get the bed properly creaking

Norman K. Smith wrote this big book
An attempt to get Kant off the hook
But my bride, by the bye,
Wasn't nearly as dry
So I gave it no more than a look

There's something to be said for pure reason
Though maybe this isn't the season
If you turn to these tomes
You'll find your mind roams
So do something entirely more pleasing

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Links:

• Immanuel Kant:
  • Immanuel Kant page at Books and Writers
  • Kant on the Web -- excellent collection of links
  • The complete review's review of Manfred Kuehn's biography, Kant
  
  
• Other limerick sequences by Ernest d'Urfé:
  • Marcus Aurelius

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