Because Nat refused to release Bart and keeping him 24/7, after several years Bart was getting weaker and weaker.

But other magicians were keeping their personal djinnis on 24/7 too and why those djinnis didn't show the similar weakening?

The most notable example was Faquarl and Jabor serving under Lovelace. They were strong as ever.

Is Barty a whiner? :blink:

I think that the magicians keeping them on 24/7 meant that they could stay in the other place and return when asked for.

Also it's mentioned that Nathaniel has had Bart hanging around for the last 3 years or so. Presumably other magicians such as Lovelace rotate djinni regularly, and Nathaniel's only keeping Bart around because it links him to his childhood.

FuzzyLobster wrote: and Nathaniel's only keeping Bart around because it links him to his childhood.

According to Bart, which may not be entirely true, is that Nathan was afraid if he released Bart and some other magician took Bart over there was a chance that the new master might force Bart to reveal Nathan's true name.

There's that too, good point.

Welcome Waldo Frey!
Yeah, Lovelace would have rotated his djinn often. Or it could also be that if a djinni has accepted his/her fate & decides Earth isn't as bad as he/she earlier thought, possibly, they could survive better.

Bart mentions in the beginning of PG somewhere that any magician in his right mind dismisses his slave here and there to let the essence recuperate.

Also I think Faquarl commented on Barti's poor state at some point (Nouda definitely did).

I dont think so N&B, Bart said something like djinn like Simpking, someone who likes being on earth, still feels the pain of it.

And Simpkin, even for a Foliot, doesn't strike me as a powerful spirit.
He reaches for a stick, for goodness' sake.
Even a Foliot should be able to manage a decent detonation.

Chiz wrote:I dont think so N&B, Bart said something like djinn like Simpking, someone who likes being on earth, still feels the pain of it.

I am not saying the spirit is devoid of pain. Just less of an itch to return to OP. So surviving on Earth might be easier.

Bartimaeus's power decreased so significantly because he was kept on Earth continually for 3 or so years. Normally, a spirit would be allowed by a magician to return to the other place regularly to recouperate; Nathaniel, however, did not allow this. His paranoia had increased to the point that he feared Bartimaeus would be summoned by another magician, and would then reveal his birth-name.

And also, we know for a fact that the pain of being on Earth decreases over time, spirits don't grow accustomed to it or somehow not feel it. What Bart was talking about was Simpkin no longer resenting his situation as a slave, considering himself Sholto Pinn's assistant.

I think Simpkin would still be sensible and go back to the other place occasionally. Sholto would let him, for the obvious reasons.

FuzzyLobster wrote:I think Simpkin would still be sensible and go back to the other place occasionally. Sholto would let him, for the obvious reasons.

Yes. Simpkin's shelf stacking abilities must be kept at maximum efficiency.

Well yeah. Better to have one, incredibly faithful servant doing everything, than have a bunch of different ones who want you to die. Or worse, hire employees.

Who likes simpkin ?

I don't like him. But, in a way, I pity him. Not much really. He bested Bartimaeus, after all.

Me too. :P

Oh well at least he gets powned by the Golem. :D

No, see, the reason bart's essence was pained was because he was kept to this earth without being dismissed. Usually magicians, when they do not need their demons, they dismiss them to the other place. Nathaniel didn't dissmiss him ever because he was afraid other magicians would summon bart and he would tell them his birth name.

--- Lem's right.
But, according to Barti himself, it was also because the great John Mandrake couldn't break his last bond with little Nathaniel.
Which in my twisted slash-loving mind means omg sweet Nat/Bart yaoi moment.

Yes, Barty is a whiner, but in this case he was really weak. The other spirits were allowed to go back to the Other Place and were called back when they were needed. Bartimaeus was kept on Earth with no breaks.