Sir Francis Bacon saw that knowledge of Truth begins with inquiry. And inquiry, Bacon said, is 'the wooing of Truth'. Here,
notre petit écolier has agreed to model for us the perfect picture of the inquiring mind. I note, in particular, the following:
(1)
notre petit écolier is undistracted from her study by the media. She is not concerned to project an image that is more flattering or more focused upon herself. It is not her visage she is concerned to present; but the face of what she has encountered to confront. This means that she is focused in her attention to the subject at hand.
(2) The interest of
notre petit écolier in
herself, for the moment, has thus been set aside in the greater interest in her subject. She has thereby abandoned her limitations and parameters and transcended her self, to present her powers of perception unto whatever evidence and substance her subject may have power and persuasion of itself to impress upon her. She is risking her world as she knows it in order that it may grow.
(3) Note the posture: classic academia! One hand to steady the gaze, the other
just quite raised as if to say
'note what we have here!' ... the head, noble and learned, yet lowered in honest, humble and open readiness to receive what might be gained to the mind if only in a glimpse.
(4) The heart of the scholar is here revealed: willing to bow even before the lowest of subjects - to marvel at what might be gained in reverent regard for even the swine - are there 'pearls' there!? One might thus come to understand more of the self in an affinity that is held with 'the least of these', and be as St. Francis, who came to regard his body as 'Brother Ass', to make of the ass a noble and worthy goal in life for all of us.
I want to ask of all my students, 'Who among you is so wise as this to learn; who shall inquire thus ...?'
It shall in no wise happen ... 'except you become as a child ... '
