Under the Hill, and Other Essays in Prose and VerseBeardsley, Aubrey
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Under the Hill, and Other Essays in Prose and Verse
Beardsley, Aubrey
Beardsley, Aubrey, 1872-1898; English literature -- 19th century
_All who would respire the perfumes of Saint Rose's sanctity, and enjoy
the story of the adorable intimacy that subsisted between her and Our
Lady, should read Mother Ursula's "Ineffable and Miraculous Life of
the Flower of Lima," published shortly after the canonization of Rose
by Pope Clement X. in_ 1671. "_Truly," exclaims the famous nun, "to
chronicle the girlhood of this holy virgin makes as delicate a task
as to trace the forms of some slim, sensitive plant, whose lightness,
sweetness, and simplicity defy and trouble the most cunning pencil."
Mother Ursula certainly acquits herself of the task with wonderful
delicacy and taste. A cheap reprint of the biography has lately been
brought out by Chaillot and Son._]
[Footnote 3: _A comedy ballet in one act by Philippe Savarat and
Titures de Schentefleur. The Marquis de Vandésir, who was present at
the first performance, has left us a short impression of it in his_
Mémoires:
"The curtain rose upon a scene of rare beauty, a remote Arcadian
valley, a delicious scrap of Tempe, gracious with cool woods and
watered with a little river as fresh and pastoral as a perfect fifth.
It was early morning and the re-arisen sun, like the prince in the
Sleeping Beauty, woke all the earth with his lips.
"In that golden embrace the night dews were caught up and made
splendid, the trees were awakened from their obscure dreams, the
slumber of the birds was broken, and all the flowers of the valley
rejoiced, forgetting their fear of the darkness.
"Suddenly to the music of pipe and horn a troop of satyrs stepped out
from the recesses of the woods bearing in their hands nuts and green
boughs and flowers and roots, and whatsoever the forest yielded, to
heap upon the altar of the mysterious Pan that stood in the middle of
the stage; and from the hills came down the shepherds and shepherdesses
leading their flocks and carrying garlands upon their crooks. Then
a rustic priest, white robed and venerable, came slowly across the
valley followed by a choir of radiant children. The scene was admirably
stage-managed and nothing could have been more varied yet harmonious
than this Arcadian group. The service was quaint and simple, but with
sufficient ritual to give the _corps de ballet_ an opportunity of
showing its dainty skill. The dancing of the satyrs was received with
huge favour, and when the priest raised his hand in final blessing, the
whole troop of worshippers made such an intricate and elegant exit,
that it was generally agreed that Titurel had never before shown so
fine an invention.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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