Getting fried with Mr Frye

It's been a long while since I've had Northrop Frye over to guest blog (see here and here), so we're long overdue.

What's he on about this time? Why, gettin' loaded, of course:

For the relaxations of the spirit which is wisdom some kind of narcotic is essential, I think. It disturbs routine existence enough to suggest the infinite. Teetotallers are often cultural go-getters & over-rationalized. Their rhythm is all wrong. In the Middle Ages everybody was stewed in beer all day long.

(From here, as always)