A Reply to "Subjective Idealism".

There was a young man who said
"God
Must think it exceedingly odd
If he finds that this tree
Continues to be
Where there's no one about in the
Quad."

"Dear Sir, your astonishment's odd;
I am always about in the Quad
And that's why this tree
Will continue to be
Since observed by . . . Yours faithfully,
God."

-Attributed to Ronald Knox by Edward T. Oakes, S.J. in his review of Sweet Dreams: Philosophical Obstacles to a Science of Consciousness by Daniel C. Dennett, which review appears in the January 2006 issue of First Things.