The great white way;: a record of an unusual voyage of discovery, and some romantic love affairs amid strange surroundingsPaine, Albert Bigelow
Science
The great white way;: a record of an unusual voyage of discovery, and some romantic love affairs amid strange surroundings
Paine, Albert Bigelow
Science fiction
So on Saturday immediately after breakfast we began our programme. We
were to have many other such diversions during the long night that
followed, and as our first was fairly representative of the others I
will give it somewhat in detail. There were a number of musical
instruments on board and most of us could play, or at least strum a
little. Edith Gale, who was a skilled musician, had composed something
for the occasion, and led on the harp. Ferratoni played well on the
violin, Gale had some mastery of the flute, and I could follow with
chords on the piano. Then we had singing, in which all joined, and the
great barrier behind us echoed for the first time in all its million
years to a grand old English ballad with a rousing chorus.
Now followed a literary series in which we were to give things of our
own composition. Edith Gale was first on this programme. She did not
need to read her effort. It was very brief.
“Beauty,” she said, “and a love of the truly beautiful, are nature’s
best gifts to men and women. We have only to look and to listen, and we
learn something of the joy of the Universe and the soothing spirit of
peace. Even in this loneliness, and through the long night that lies now
at our Gateway of the Sun, we may find, if we will understand it,
something beside desolation and unillumined dark. Within, we shall keep
the semblance and memories of summertime. Without, will fall a night,
mighty and solemn, and terrifying, but always majestic, always
beautiful. And in our hearts we shall not grow faint, or despair.”
After the acknowledgments Gale said:
“That’s the sort of thing that Johnnie used to carry to the homes and
hearthstones of Tangleside, and it’s wonderful the way they seemed to
take to it. What do you think about it, Bill? Do you think a love of the
beautiful will be our greatest comfort during a hundred-day night? Let’s
hear from you.”
Mr. Sturritt rose nervously.
“I—I am quite sure,” he began, “that Miss Gale understands her
bus—er—subject, I should say, but I would suggest, that, without proper
nourishment—that is—food we would find it not easy to appreciate the
less filling—er, I mean less material comforts of beauty.”
Here Mr. Sturritt glanced at a little paper in his hand and continued
more steadily.
“Without proper food man becomes ill in body and morals. With it, he
becomes hopeful, and inspired to high achievements. Different foods
result in varied trains of thought. Acting upon this I hope to produce a
condensed lozenge or wafer that shall assist each according to his
needs. The inventor, the artist and the poet will then be gently
stimulated in imagination, command of words or rhythmic forces, as may
be required.”
Mr. Sturritt lowered his paper.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account