CHAPTER V

Dr. Seward’s Diary.

(Kept in phonograph)

25 May.—Ebb tide in appetite to-day. Cannot eat, cannot rest, so diary instead. Since my rebuff of yesterday I have a sort of empty feeling; nothing in the world seems of sufficient importance to be worth the doing… As I knew that the only cure for this sort of thing was work, I went down amongst the patients. I picked out one who has afforded me a study of much interest. He is so quaint that I am determined to understand him as well as I can. To-day I seemed to get nearer than ever before to the heart of his mystery.

I questioned him more fully than I had ever done, with a view to making myself master of the facts of his hallucination. In my manner of doing it there was, I now see, something of cruelty. I seemed to wish to keep him to the point of his madness—a thing which I avoid with the patients as I would the mouth of hell.

(Mem., under what circumstances would I not avoid the pit of hell?) Omnia Romæ venalia sunt. Hell has its price! verb. sap. If there be anything behind this instinct it will be valuable to trace it afterwards accurately, so I had better commence to do so, therefore—

R. M. Renfield, ætat 59.—Sanguine temperament; great physical strength; morbidly excitable; periods of gloom, ending in some fixed idea which I cannot make out. I presume that the sanguine temperament itself and the disturbing influence end in a mentally-accomplished finish; a possibly dangerous man, probably dangerous if unselfish. In selfish men caution is as secure an armour for their foes as for themselves. What I think of on this point is, when self is the fixed point the centripetal force is balanced with the centrifugal; when duty, a cause, etc., is the fixed point, the latter force is paramount, and only accident or a series of accidents can balance it.

Letter, Quincey P. Morris to Hon. Arthur Holmwood.

"25 May.

"My dear Art,—

"We’ve told yarns by the camp-fire in the prairies; and dressed one another’s wounds after trying a landing at the Marquesas; and drunk healths on the shore of Titicaca. There are more yarns to be told, and other wounds to be healed, and another health to be drunk. Won’t you let this be at my camp-fire to-morrow night? I have no hesitation in asking you, as I know a certain lady is engaged to a certain dinner-party, and that you are free. There will only be one other, our old pal at the Korea, Jack Seward. He’s coming, too, and we both want to mingle our weeps over the wine-cup, and to drink a health with all our hearts to the happiest man in all the wide world, who has won the noblest heart that God has made and the best worth winning. We promise you a hearty welcome, and a loving greeting, and a health as true as your own right hand. We shall both swear to leave you at home if you drink too deep to a certain pair of eyes. Come!

"Yours, as ever and always,
“Quincey P. Morris.”

  • Zagorath@aussie.zoneOPEnglish
    3·
    13 days ago

    The wax cylinder phonograph was invented in 1877, 20 years before this book was published. Here we get some more of our theme of the importance of modern technology.

    Omnia Romae venalia sunt, “all Romans are venal”, apparently with the meaning “everything in Rome was up for sale”.

    Verb. sap. is short for verbum sapienti sat est, “a word is sufficient to a wise man”.

    aetat is “aged”

    This makes me very curious about how Arthur, Quincey, and Jack know each other. I don’t recall us ever getting an answer more than this one letter, “at the Korea”. What that means is anyone’s guess. Were they in the country of Korea? The 1880s & '90s were a very turbulent time on the Korean peninsula, and there was involvement of western traders and even the Royal Navy were involved at one point. So it’s definitely feasible, if still a bit of a stretch.

    a health as true as your own right hand

    😳

    But seriously, this is great. Some really positive masculinity. All three of them were direct in their wishes, but respect Lucy’s answer, and don’t let it get in the way of their friendships.

    • Sergio@slrpnk.netEnglish
      3·
      12 days ago

      The 1880s & '90s were a very turbulent time on the Korean peninsula, and there was involvement of western traders and even the Royal Navy were involved at one point.

      That’s a nice way of saying Korea was a victim of colonialism. The US and British were both involved, though at different times. FWIW while Stoker was writing Dracula from 1893-1896 the First Sino-Japanese War was going on in and around Korea from 1894-1895, so it would have been in the newspapers. Both sides had foreign advisors who doubtlessly had staff members and hangers-on, not to mention reporters and speculators and diplomatic military observers, so my guess is Stoker’s suggesting they’re in that crowd.

      Some really positive masculinity.

      I dunno, if I were Jack Arthur I’d only show up with backup. Otherwise I might end up with a brick to the back of the head and a slow rot in a Jack Arthur-sized bag at the bottom of a lake. Nah, what am I thinking, I bet that loony-bin doc has plenty of ways to make a body disappear.

      • Zagorath@aussie.zoneOPEnglish
        3·
        12 days ago

        Korea was a victim of colonialism

        It was, and quite a brutal one at that, although mostly at the hands of the Japanese, not western powers. When I lived in Korea in the mid '00s, there was still some very obvious animosity towards Japan over how the Japanese treated them in the 1800s through WWII. From the outside, it appears relations are very gradually healing, possibly over a shared fear of North Korea and China.

        Anyway, I found other notes suggesting “the Korea” may also have been the name of a gentleman’s club, or of a ship they may have all served on. Though it referring to the country cannot be ruled out.

        • Sergio@slrpnk.netEnglish
          1·
          12 days ago

          Anyway, I found other notes

          Nice find there. Looks like they cite someone called Leatherdale who apparently has referenced Stoker’s notes for some of his annotations? I have a friend w access to Leatherdales’ “Dracula Unbound” and according to them, Note 746 there is:

          This refers either to an undisclosed tavern or gentleman’s club, or to the Asiatic peninsula of that name. Korea was in the 19th century more usually spelled Corea, though it was common to append the definite article – the Corea. Korea seems an unlikely destination for western adventurers, having only recently emerged from centuries of isolation. Not until 1882 did Korea sign a trade treaty with a western country (the USA), and she remained desperately poor and undeveloped until recent times. Not the place for a youthful English aristoctrat. Stoker’s purpose is merely to list exotic-sounding places, irrespective of the practicality of getting there. In 1894, the year after the novel is set, Japan invaded China through Korea.

          I didn’ t realize Dracula was set in 1893, so there goes my theory about them lads being on the staff of military advisors. I think Leatherdale’s right that “Stoker’s purpose is merely to list exotic-sounding places, irrespective of the practicality of getting there.” If we really need a head-canon, I’d say it refers to some type of adventure that they know about and we don’t, the specific nature of which is irrelevant.

          • Zagorath@aussie.zoneOPEnglish
            2·
            11 days ago

            One point possibly worth noting from the Wikipedia page History of Korea:

            In 1885, British Royal Navy occupied Geomun Island, and withdrew in 1887.

            Ther’s really no information to support this, so I wouldn’t suggest it as very likely, but it’s not impossible that Holmwood and Seward were in the Royal Navy at this point.

            • Sergio@slrpnk.netEnglish
              2·
              10 days ago

              Yeah, I guess it’s also possible they were on a merchant ship that passed by the Korean coastline and they took note of that country bc it was so isolated.