CLOYNE

SYNOPSIS:
Philosopher-soldier David Hume visits, Bishop George Berkeley in Ireland during the Rebellion of 1745 in order to pump his former mentor for secrets that would turn Berkeley’s concept of immaterialism into a weapon of mass destruction. Berkeley’s wife snipes at the men from the sidelines as they discuss weighty technical and moral issues. (Run time: 10 minutes)

CHARACTERS:

BISHOP GEORGE BERKELEY -- aging 18th Irish century cleric and philosopher

ANNE BERKELEY -- George’s wife, an ardent supporter of Irish independence

DAVID HUME -- Anglo-Scottish philosopher and part-time military man, a student of Berkeley’s ideas

SAMPLE DIALOGUE:

ANNE: Why in the world is he coming to Ireland at a time like this, and why come see us again?

BERKELEY: How can I know anything until he gets here and tells me? If I perceive him not, he doth not exist. Why, then, should I speculate about his motives in the meanwhile?

ANNE: Don’t be an idiot George. He’s coming because he wants something. You don’t have to wait for him to enter the room and speak to know that.

BERKELEY: On the contrary, dear Anne. Let us assume, for example, that in a distant forest there stands a great tree---

ANNE: Will you stop with the damned trees? These English plunder our dear Ireland even as we speak. You yourself have anonymously published a treatise regarding this national misfortune. If they discover your authorship, we will both hang for it. And now this boy, who learned everything he knows from sitting at your feet... this boy who spouts your ideas while wearing the uniform of our sworn enemies---

BERKELEY: Come now, Anne. You exaggerate. He was the most brilliant of my pupils. He has taken my ideas, but developed them in ways quite profound…

DISCLAIMER:
This is a work of fiction. Any perceived similarity to people, places, things or other works of fiction, living or dead, is purely coincidental, etc. etc.