CONFLUENCE REVISITED By Brian Aldiss When an Earth ship discovered the Myrinian system the planet Myrin’s civilization was alreadyeleven million years old. The Myrinians traced their history back that far they had erected amemorial of vertiginous beauty to the passing of the ages every million years either inreverence or fun. Most of that lengthy period was passed in what one Earth philosopher has termed ‘fruitfulstagnation’. Stagnant or not the Myrinian cultural complex is to be envied for the generallevel of contentment in which its peoples live referred to as Bi Jo approximately StylizedSubmerged Individualism. The people eat moderately and sleep well at night. Bringing back with it many records of the venerable Myrinian culture the Tenth Research Fleethas just returned to Earth android-manned since the human crew in the main elected to remainon Myrin in the state referred to as First Lobby. Unfortunately it has not yet proved possibleto receive a visitation here from representatives of the Myrinian system despite many pressinginvitations. Doubtless we may expect acceptances when levels of radiation decrease. Meanwhileterrestrials must be grateful that Myrin does not ban all human visits. Even the unfortunateincident involving the Earth ship Bombast has been clemently overlooked. The complexity of the chief Myrinian language Confluence has already been noted. That it is alanguage-cum-posture or lingopost was established by the Seventh Research Fleet members ofwhich were privileged to attend special lectures at the Oeldrid Stance Academy on Myrin Centrein Sector Ten. Meanings in lingopost can be radically