Här är en bit av Edgar Allan Poes "The Bells"
I.
HEAR the sledges with the bells --
Silver bells !
What a world of merriment their melody foretells !
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night !
While the stars that oversprinkle
All the heavens, seem to twinkle
With a crystalline delight ;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells --
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.
Ett utdrag av Jane Austens "Pride and Prejudice"
Chapter 1
It is a truth universally
acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want
of a wife.
However little
known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood,
this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he
is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
"My dear Mr. Bennet,''
said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let
at last?''
Mr. Bennet replied
that he had not.
"But it is,''
returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about
it.''
Mr. Bennet made
no answer.
"Do not you want
to know who has taken it?'' cried his wife impatiently.
"You want to tell
me, and I have no objection to hearing it.''
This was invitation
enough.
"Why, my dear,
you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large
fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and
four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with
Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and
some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.''
"What is his name?''
"Bingley.''
"Is he married
or single?''
"Oh! single, my
dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year.
What a fine thing for our girls!''
"How so? how can
it affect them?''
"My dear Mr. Bennet,''
replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking
of his marrying one of them.''
"Is that his design
in settling here?''
"Design! nonsense,
how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one
of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.''
"I see no occasion
for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which
perhaps will be still better; for, as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr.
Bingley might like you the best of the party.''
"My dear, you
flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to
be any thing extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown up daughters, she
ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.''
"In such cases,
a woman has not often much beauty to think of.''
"But, my dear,
you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood.''
"It is more than
I engage for, I assure you.''
"But consider
your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them.
Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for
in general, you know they visit no new comers. Indeed you must go, for it will
be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not.''
"You are over-scrupulous,
surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send
a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying which
ever he chuses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little
Lizzy.''
"I desire you
will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure
she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia. But
you are always giving her the preference.''
"They have none
of them much to recommend them,'' replied he; "they are all silly and ignorant
like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.''
"Mr. Bennet, how
can you abuse your own children in such way? You take delight in vexing me.
You have no compassion on my poor nerves.''
"You mistake me,
my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have
heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.''
"Ah! you do not
know what I suffer.''
"But I hope you
will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come
into the neighbourhood.''
"It will be no
use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.''
"Depend upon it,
my dear, that when there are twenty I will visit them all.''
Mr. Bennet was
so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that
the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife
understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develope. She was a
woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When
she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life
was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.
Fakta om Romantiken.
Många människor drabbades av kolera under Romantiken. Barnadödligheten var stor, och de flesta familjer fick begrava minst ett av sina egna barn. Detta var bland annat på grund av att vattnet som man spädde ut mjölk åt barn med var väldigt smutsigt. Romantiken var ganska de förra årtalen, den stora ändringen var att nu blev det "inne" att uttrycka sina känslor på ett nytt och mer romantiskt sätt, och nu gifte man sig inte för att ens föräldrar hade bestämt det, utan av kärlek. Iallafall i de flesta fallen. Nya författare kom med nya böcker och dikter, Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe, och flera andra började skriva och släppa nya verk. Romantiken var en ganska intressant tidsperiod, med tanke på alla nya böcker och dikter som skrevs!
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