Francis Marion Crawford:
“By The Waters Of Paradise” (Short Story):
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Crawford wrote about duels and the nobility, love and adventure, arranged marriages and romance. He wrote of the Italian Republic and the Vatican from his Catholic perspective without preaching. In 1893, defending romance and his work in The Novel: What It Is, (1893) his philosophy was that books are for entertaining, a “pocket theatre”. Titles to follow it were By the Waters of Paradise, (1894) Katherine Lauderdale, (1894) The Ralstons, (1895) Casa Braccio (1895) and Corleone: A Tale of Sicily. (1896) Crawford gained remarkable success, fame and affluence that was envied by many of his peers. By 1896 it was estimated that more than 600,000 of his novels sold in the United States. This established Crawford as a major American writer. F. Marion Crawford achieved enormous world-wide popularity in the 1880’s and 1890’s with a long series of novels. However, he is best remembered for his collection of uncanny tales of the supernatural.
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By The Waters Of Paradise
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Francis Marion Crawford (1854/1909).-
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Quotes & Extracts taken of “By the Waters of Paradise”:
“I seemed to be unlucky in everything I undertook and, finally, believed that I was pursued by Fate”.
“The days would be very long if I were gloomy”:
“Anything is better than being alone”.
“It was warm July evening and as I sat there I could hear the noise of the fountains and I began to think about the Woman of the Water… Though, I can not say why, sad people always like the sound of running water. I sat and listened in the darkness. Slowly, the large white moon began to rise on the eastern horizon. She rose quickly and the gardens were bathed in her soft light… Suddenly, something blocked my view and I looked up instantly. I saw the luminous face of a woman… She stood still for a moment and then, in an instant, she was gone, and I was alone again”.
“Suddenly there was a crack of breaking wood, a cry and a splash. I stood on the bridge alone. I did not hesitate for a second; I jumped into the dark water. I dived to the bottom, but surfaced with empty hands. I swam through the dark grotto, diving at every stroke, cutting my hands on the sharp stones. At last I found her and dragged her to rhe surface with all my strenght“.
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“Don’t empty the Water Jar until the Rain falls”.
(Philippine Proverb).-
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Fuente Post: Crawford, Francis. Marion. The Upper Berth/By the Waters of Paradise. Buenos Aires. Artes Gráficas Rioplatenses. Libros Bilingües Clarín. 2008.-
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Links Post:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Marion_Crawford
http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/~agg/ghosts/#crawfordfm
http://www.gardendigest.com/water.htm (Quotes about Water)
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“À Propos de l´Eau”:
“Classique Source Perrier”:
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