Page 123 - BRAVE NEW WORLD By Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)

Brave New World By Aldous Huxley

Hymn. Again, again–and it was not the ear that

heard the pulsing rhythm, it was the midriff; the

wail and clang of those recurring harmonies

haunted, not the mind, but the yearning bowels of

compassion.

The President made another sign of the T

and sat down. The service had begun. The dedicated

soma tablets were placed in the centre of the table.

The loving cup of strawberry ice-cream soma was

passed from hand to hand and, with the formula, "I

drink to my annihilation," twelve times quaffed.

Then to the accompaniment of the synthetic

orchestra the First Solidarity Hymn was sung.

"Ford, we are twelve; oh, make us one, Like

drops within the Social River, Oh, make us now

together run As swiftly as thy shining Flivver."

Twelve yearning stanzas. And then the

loving cup was passed a second time. "I drink to the

Greater Being" was now the formula. All drank.

Tirelessly the music played. The drums beat. The

crying and clashing of the harmonies were an

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