410 Results with the "Biography" genre


    • Chapter XV — A Gossip on Romance Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter XV opens by suggesting that for the romantic reader and writer alike, the joy of fiction lies not in perfect wording but in the vivid feeling it awakens. Words serve merely as the bridge to imagination, and if they succeed in conjuring the desired vision, their elegance becomes secondary. Scott, for instance, often relied less on precision and more on evocation, allowing raw sentiment to lead the scene. His best passages can dazzle with energy, but this brilliance appears intermittently, embedded…
    • Chapter XIV — A Gossip on a Novel of Dumas’s Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter XIV opens with a quiet meditation on the nature of familiarity found in re-reading. Returning to beloved books resembles revisiting old companions—comforting, revealing, and never quite the same. Each reading draws forth new emotions, revealing how both the reader and the text have subtly changed. Among these enduring friends, The Vicomte de Bragelonne occupies a special place. Although it may not be as critically adored as its predecessors, its richness lies in more mature themes—loyalty aging…
    • Chapter IX — Thomas Stevenson — Civil Engineer Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter IX reflects on a life devoted to science and service, tracing the profound yet quiet legacy of Thomas Stevenson, a man whose innovations often lit paths for others more than himself. Though rarely celebrated in the public eye, his name is embedded in engineering history, not just as a builder of lighthouses, but as a visionary who saw safety as a gift worth giving without seeking glory in return. His aversion to self-promotion didn’t diminish his impact; it highlighted a rare commitment to public…
    • Part IV — Memories and Portraits Cover
      by LovelyMay Part IV – Memories and Portraits begins with the narrator recalling his earliest impressions of a distant and quiet island seen through a cabin port. It was not just a glimpse of landscape but a view into a different pace of life—one shaped by sea, stone, and the enduring simplicity of human routines. The house on Earraid stood modest, nestled among natural surroundings, where even the trees leaned with the wind’s memory. That visit was not a leisure trip but part of a practical mission tied to…
    • Chapter VII — The Manse Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter VII begins with the memory of the old manse, a place etched deeply into the narrator’s sense of self. Near the Water of Leith, a door opened to more than a river—it revealed scenes from early life, filled with small adventures and emotional awakenings. This doorway was not just physical, but symbolic, representing the connection between childhood wonder and lasting identity. The manse, surrounded by its divided garden and echoing with footsteps of many relatives, stood like a time capsule.…
    • Chapter V — An Old Scotch Gardener Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter V opens with a portrait of Robert, whose quiet strength and earthy wisdom recall a time when gardens were more than mere landscapes—they were extensions of the soul. He worked not for prestige but from a deep-rooted connection to the land, shaped by seasons and soil rather than modern manuals. Though age had bowed his back, his eyes still held the calm of a man who spoke in deeds, not words. Robert didn’t tend flowers for show; he cultivated purpose, making vegetables thrive like proof of his…
    • Chapter V — Memories and Portraits Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter V opens with a sincere reflection on the trials of early creative work, where the thrill of writing often clashed with the sobering weight of imperfection. Each failed draft became a lesson in restraint and humility, not a defeat. The author chose to distance himself from superficial praise, opting instead for the rare friend who could pinpoint flaws with tact and honesty. Through this tough-love feedback, his work grew stronger, sharper, and more conscious of its own tendencies. While most would…
    • Chapter VI — Memories and Portraits Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter VI opens with a portrait of a young man deeply immersed in the act of learning by doing. He wasn't driven by deadlines or recognition, but by a persistent urge to understand how words worked. Always carrying both a book to read and a notebook to write in, he used the world around him as his silent instructor. Landscapes, conversations, and fleeting expressions became raw material for written experiments. Writing, to him, was not just a pastime but an obsession—one built not on talent alone but on…
    • Chapter VII — Memories and Portraits Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter VII opens with a reflection on how true happiness often comes when attention shifts away from the self. Life tends to become more bearable when focus moves outward—toward purpose, toward others, or toward moments unburdened by excessive introspection. The metaphor of Prometheus still bound to his rock captures this human struggle: enduring pain yet unable to escape from the loop of personal concerns. To be caught in one’s own thoughts, especially when tainted by regret or pride, is a quiet…
    • Chapter VIII — Memories and Portraits Cover
      by LovelyMay Chapter VIII draws us into a contemplative setting where the sound of trains clatters near the cemetery, carving a strange harmony between modern life and old rest. The narrator, surrounded by stones marking forgotten names, finds himself lingering between his own youthful discontent and the larger, quieter story told by the dead. There is no grandeur here—just chipped inscriptions and neglected weeds, quietly hinting that all things, even ambition and romance, slip toward silence. His days spent in the…
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