FIGURE 82. The Air and the Song, by Rene Magritte (1964).Crab: Thank you. I had it specially done-it's a gold lining.
Achilles: A gold lining? What next? What are those words below the pipe?
They aren't in English, are they?
Crab: No, they are in French. They say, "Ceci n'est pas une pipe." That
means, "This is not a pipe". Which is perfectly true.
Achilles: But it IS a pipe! You were just smoking it!
Crab: Oh, you misunderstand the phrase, I believe. The word "ceci" refers
to the painting, not to the pipe. Of course the pipe is a pipe. But a
painting is not a pipe.
Achilles: I wonder if that "ceci" inside the painting refers to the WHOLE
painting, or just to the pipe inside the painting. Oh, my gracious! That
would be ANOTHER self-engulfing' I'm not feeling at all well, Mr. Crab.
I think I'm going to be sick ...
(^494) Edifying Thoughts of a Tobacco Smoker