THE ANGELS OF ECCLESIASTES Yes, in our author's discussion of futility, he shows himself a master of dire argument and of telling examples to prove his case. However, if in his overall, superintending operation, the author of this "book of wisdom" has chosen to act under the predominant influence of this latter angel, this great poetic power-and one need only remember the author's preoccupation throughout his text with irony and perplexity and mystery to recognize the likelihood of this latter possibility-then the author will be recognized as having a much larger nature and much greater power than that of the complaining, contemptuous, mixed-up, and rather pitiable imposter that he is often assumed to be. moder nagejour nal .com 71http://www.modernagejournal.com