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Conspiracies Illuminati insider reveals everything in this shocking expose03:20 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 339
I Was In The Illuminati I’m Going To Tell You Everything, Shocking Expose
Posted on March 4, 2016 by Sean Adl-Tabatabai in
A post has appeared online in which an ex-illuminati member outlines the plans that the secret society have in store for the world. After spending 47 years as a high-ranking illuminati member, the anonymous insider says that he wants to reveal everything about the groups plans after it became “too much to bear” for him.
In the post the ‘illuminati insider’ tells us:
The process you have to go through in order to become a member
Shocking revelations about who Obama really is (he is much more evil than anyone realises apparently)
Information about ‘Space flights’ program
How dark and satanic Denver, Colorado really is
The truth about aliens
This post will be about how the Illuminati recruited me and what exactly I had to go through.
When I was nineteen years old, I fell into some money through some connections with friends and some successful investments of some money that I had made throughout my childhood. I got involved in some backroom deals and saw my money begin to grow. As I attended college at Harvard in 1964, I begin to become increasingly rich, and my influence on campus grew as well through my participation in various clubs, and organizations. Some friends and I began to serve as quasi-stock brokers while still at Harvard. I made tons of cash during that year, and was very powerful and influential on campus.
One night as I was walking back to my dorm shortly after midnight, I was approached by two men in black suits. I initially assumed that they were going to investigate my business activity because some of it was not exactly legal. They asked me to come with them and I followed them into the basement of a two story house a couple streets over from my dorm room. They sat me down at a table and asked me if I was willing to make a deal. They would not tell me what deal I would be making, but just continually asked if I would be willing to make a deal. I half-assed agreed that I would, and that is when the biggest man that I have ever seen walked through some closet doors and sat down First of all, if you do not believe me then I am sorry. I am here to tell the truth, and nothing that is written by me is false exaggeration nor science fiction. This information is real, it is true, it is reality, and it is time for it to be told.
I was a member of the Illuminati for 47 years. I was recruited when I was 19 years old. I have posted here off and on over the past year. (Some of the posts are mine, others are my brothers, mainly they are his) The information that I am about to unfold is very revealing and very dangerous. I am one of seven people in the history of the Illuminati that have performed the “Departure” Ritual. I knew that I needed to get out when I had something revealed to me at a meeting in June of 2010. For years I was in line with the beliefs, motives, and actions of the Illuminati, but it recently became too much for me to bear, and I had to extinguish my sacred contract.
My reason for coming here is to reveal EVERYTHING about the Illuminati. How you become a member, what the organization is about, what the organization does, and the future plans that we have.
I will be back to make my first post when I can see that this thread has enough attention for me continue. Any time in the near future when I begin to reveal the secrets of the Illuminati, I need to ensure that there are enough people paying attention so that my efforts do not go to waste.
Once I see that this thread has a substantial amount of views and replies, I will make my first post.
Here is a preview of some of the things that I will reveal:
Barack Obama is not a member of the Illuminati, he is something much, much worse.
The new “space flights” which are planes that can briefly enter orbit are not as fun as they seem, they are an Illuminati tool.
Denver, Colorado is an evil place
Aliens are a little different than what mainstream teaches us
The information I have is essential!
page 69 of thread:
The first topic to discuss will be these underground bunkers that I have mentioned. Currently, there are 57 underground bases and bunkers around the United States that are in use for various purposes. There are 439 bunkers in the entire world. ALL of these bunkers and bases are controlled and maintained by the Illuminati. The largest underground bunker is in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This bunker has the capability of holding up to 5,000 people for a period of up to ten years. I have personally been in this bunker, and it is much larger than one that anyone can possible even imagine. This bunker is secured mainly for the events of the end times. 5,000 of the world’s richest, brightest, and most powerful individuals will secure shelter in this bunker in the event of a global thermonuclear war, natural disaster, or any other form of global catastrophe. Don’t be confused. Several other bunkers have the ability of housing large numbers of people for extended periods of time, but no other bunkers is as large and capable as this one. In the event of World War 3, all of the world’s leaders will take shelter here, and the governments of the world will be theoretical proxy governments. The world’s richest people will be here as well. People such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, the oil tycoons ( however, these oil tycoons will be murdered while they are in the bunker so that the takeover of the Middle East will be much easier for the New World Order). I do not know the exact number, but of the 439 bunkers in the world, I would say that around 275 of them are constructed mainly for shelter and extended stays. I myself stayed in one of these bunkers while in China in the nineties. They are very nice, very luxurious. It is practically like you are staying in a 5 star hotel.
Some people that have stayed in these bunkers:
Leon Trotsky: After Stalin defeated Trotsky and secured power in the Soviet Union following Lenin’s death, Trotsky was moved to an underground bunker just inside Switzerland. Stalin originally did not know about this because if he did not follow the orders of the Illuminati, then Trotsky was going to be reinstated as the leader of the Soviet Union. It was important to have Trotsky placed in this bunker because Stalin was going to kill him otherwise. Stalin eventually fell in line with the Illuminati’s plans, and Trotsky was executed because he was no longer needed.
Abraham Lincoln: Lincoln was NOT murdered by John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln was placed in the office of presidency as a pawn. The Illuminati knew that if he was elected then the South would secede. The Civil War made the North very, very rich. That was the only reason the Civil War was allowed to happen. If the Illuminati had not seen the opportunity to become rich off of the war, then slavery would still be an American institution. Lincoln was placed in office just to start the war. He made a deal that once the war was over, that he would be removed from office. This was taken care of through a fake assassination, and he spent the rest of his days in a bunker in Mexico.
Saddam Hussein: Hussein was in power in Iraq merely to raise justification for invasion by the United States and other nations. Many of you are already familiar with what I have said about the plans to entirely take over the Middle East and to secure the oil that is currently untapped. The Hussein that was “hung” was a dummy, and the cell phone video that was release was meant to be released as “proof.” Saddam is currently in a bunker somewhere in Argentina. I do not know of any future plans with him.
The rest of the bunkers in the world are used for storage of things that cannot be stored on top of the ground. Nuclear stockpiles are being held in these underground bunkers . In the event that a nation veers off the course that is planned, then they will be eliminated. Either through assassination of their leaders or by nuclear destruction. Thankfully, nuclear action has not had to be taken yet; however, do not put it past these people to bring about such destruction.
You all know about the HAARP machine conspiracy. It is real. I can assure you. The machine is housed entirely in a bunker that is underwater in the Pacific Ocean. This machine was developed back in the 1980’s, and was first used in the late nineties. This machine has capability of creating any natural disaster that the Illuminati wish to create. Hurricane Katrina was a product of the HAARP machine. The Hurricane was used as a diversion. While the area was in chaos, and attention was diverted everywhere, engineers were sent down to prepare for the gulf oil spill. I can assure you that the Illuminati is capable of releasing more oil into the gulf. The oil that has already been pumped into the gulf is only a small amount compared to what could possibly be done. I already mentioned that the oil spill was used as an agent to implant microbodies into the brains of the children in the area. These children that have been affected are now subject to government control whenever these microbodies are activated. The Illuminati also used the opportunity that Katrina presented to build a bunker that is directly beneath the French Quarter. Why else do you think that FEMA was slow to provide adequate assistance? The engineers needed time.
The HAARP machine is not controlled by any one single country; it is collectively controlled and used. The earthquake in Haiti, the ones that happened over the past couple days, all are products of the HAARP. Not all of the events are relevant or important, some are just tests, some are even mistakes. Rest assured however that once there is need for a natural disaster, the disaster can be generated, engineered, and directed and have whatever effect is necessary.
Another thing that is housed in these bunkers are drugs. There are massive amounts of cocaine, marijuana, heroine, and all kinds of other drugs being stored. The drug trade and war on drugs are essential to the Illuminati. As more and more drugs are traded and cartels become more powerful, the Illuminati becomes richer and more powerful. One of the major contributors and benefactors to the drug trade is Warren Buffett. Buffett has been running the drug trade in the Western Hemisphere for the past twenty years. The drug cartels of Mexico are under his power. It is important that the Illuminati control the majority of the drugs in North America. This is because it gives them yet another vehicle to transport technology that allows them to take control of the consumers. The Illuminati is constantly searching for ways to implant themselves in the minds of the general public, and naturally, control of the drug trade was the perfect way to do so. Buffett secured control of the drug trade when he approached multiple drug cartels and presented them with contracts. He has been in control ever since, and Ben Bernanke is assisting him with the day to day operations.
Multiple bunkers are also equipped to serve as crematories. Much in the same way that the Nazis burned their victims, the Illuminati plans to burn victims that are killed off. Many have speculated that FEMA has constructed stockpiles of coffins to be used for mass burials, but this is not true. Mass burials would take a massive amount of time and effort. Therefore, when the time comes to begin mass killings and executions, the bodies will be shipped to “burn yard” where they will be dropped in these bunkers and reduced to ashes. FEMA, which is an Illuminati run organization, decided that this would be the most effective way to dispose of a mass amount of bodies.
Yet more of these bunkers contain robots that are designed and ready to infiltrate the workplace in the case of a labor shortage. The scenario in which these robots will most likely be used is when the mind control aspect of the Illuminati’s plan goes into effect. Robots will be sent in to perform the jobs that these people were doing, and these people will be used for other events, such as war, propaganda, and violence. These robots will also be used once population control goes into effect.
Alex Jones is not who he says he is. For years he has been working to uncover the secrets of the Illuminati and the New World Order, but yet he is a member of the former, and will be in power in the latter. Jones has been placed in the world of conspiracy theories to feed false information, to throw trackers off the trail. Do not believe anything that the man tells you. All of the information that he presents is fabricated by the Illuminati, for the Illuminati. Think of Joseph Goebbels. Alex Jones is the perfect Joseph Goebbels. STOP LISTENING TO HIM IF YOU ARE. You are being lied to by a man that receives his instructions straight from the Illuminati.
The moon landing in 1969 was real, but there was a moon landing seven years earlier that was the first real landing. In truth, the Russians were the first ones to land on the moon; however, they did not publicize the mission nor the results. It was decided that America was going to win the space race in order to secure a feeling of capitalism over communism. Russia launched their own rocket ship toward the moon as a test run to ensure that the American trial would be successful seven years later. Everything went perfect with the Russian moon landing, and the same technology was then applied to the American moon mission. While on the moon, the American astronauts began the first construction of nuclear missile sites on the moon. These nuclear missile sites have been added onto over the years by way of subsequent moon missions and work by remote control robots. The purpose of these missile sites is the ability to launch nuclear missiles without the risk of tracing the missiles back to a particular country. The scenario in which these missiles would be used is to attack a nation that is not cooperating with the Illuminati. The Illuminati would order missiles launched at the nation, but without the afflicted nation being able to track where exactly the missiles came from, they would not be able to show evidence that they should declare war on a specific country. In my opinion, these missiles will never be used because there are many other ways that the Illuminati can bring down an entire government other than nuking them. However, to my knowledge, the moon currently has 2 fully equipped nuclear missile sites that can be operated from Earth.
Sticking with space….
Scientists working for the Illuminati have found a way that they can “shut” off the sun. A weapon has been created that shoot a beam of high density radiation right into the heart of a planet or star. This beam of radiation penetrates through the planet creating a very large cylinder in the exact middle of it. The radiation that is left behind begins to eat at the star or planet and the effects spread like wildfire. This technology has been tested on various stars in our immediate solar system and is very effective. The first thing that occurs to the star is that the radiation eats a perfect cylinder through the middle of the star, the radiation left behind begins working its way outward degenerating anything in its path. The radiation continues to build and spread. Some stars hung on until they were totally deteriorated from the radiation; however, some stars became so unstable that they combusted at a certain point.
Scientists are certain that this technology can be used on the sun, but also on other planets. One estimate that I overheard was that from the initial shot of radiation, it would take approximately nine years for the entire sun to be entirely consumed. We would begin seeing the effects of the radiation in approximately 3 and a half years however. The first signs would be shorter days and a decreased amount of sunlight during those days. The sun would start becoming unstable at about the seven year point, and we will begin seeing massive solar flares. Once the nine years is up, all life on earth will be dead.
Since my departure, I am completely unsure who the top, head leaders of the Illuminati are at this point, but I will give my best guess. The Illuminati is structured so that there are one to three major leaders in each major region of the world; however, some regions are left out because of a lack of a suitable leader; therefore, a leader is installed there.
In North America:
Warren Buffett is most likely the head of all Illuminati operations. Followed by Ben Bernanke, followed by Lloyd Blankfein who is CEO of Goldman Sachs.
Goldman Sachs is a key player in the North American Illuminati sector. Recently, Goldman Sachs invested almost $500 million dollars in Facebook. Usually this means that Facebook will fall under Illuminati control soon, just as Myspace and Twitter have.
Other key players in North America are Alex Jones, Bill Clinton, Rahm Emmanuel, of course Obama, and Timothy Geithner
South America is void of any real Illuminati leaders. Hugo Chavez has been difficult to work with in the past. He seems to be in line with the Illuminati agenda; however, he does not like being told what to do. Most of the North American leaders control South America as well.
In Europe:
Nicolas Sarkozy is the main guy. He controls the majority of the operations in Europe and Africa. Gordon Brown was very influential in the Illuminati until he decided to begin playing his way; this is why he was removed from office. My opinion is that he is still a key player, just not as key as he once was. There are several African arms dealer that have recently gained some power; however, I am unaware of their identities.
The Middle East is controlled largely by Benjamin Netanyahu which should not come as much of a surprise. Netanyahu does not have as much control as you would think however. As I have stated before, Israel is the grand puppet state of the Illuminati.They will do absolutely anything that the Illuminati wants them to do, and they will do it to the best of their ability without even thinking twice. Israel has been given the permission to fire upon Iran whenever it wishes to do so. Control of the Middle East is hard because there are so many rebel groups. Palestine should not even be worried about. Although they are not controlled by the Illuminati, they are not able to do anything. Iran is borderline at time, and completely in opposition at others. This is why Israel will destroy Iran to start WWIII.
Asia is controlled entirely by Vladimir Putin and his cronies. Putin is a very powerful, very smart man. He will regain popular control of Russia very soon, but you can be assured that everything that is happening in Russia right now is going through him. China has chosen to give up a little power to the Illuminati. They cooperate; just do not care to become too involved. In my opinion, it is because they feel that they will be able to defeat the Illuminati in the end. They are sadly mistaken. Eventually they will come to terms and will join in the great skit that will be called World War 3.
The Spanish flu of 1918, SARS, and the H1N1 scare all have one thing in common: they all were engineered by the Illuminati. While nothing has been instituted on a global scale, the Illuminati has been testing these viruses for years and they are finally unlocking the keys to creating a virus that will spread across the globe very, very fast killing select people. My advice: do not receive the vaccines. You will become a part of a test group that the Illuminati is using to experiment. The H1N1 virus started to become widespread when animals escaped from a farm in Brazil where the virus was being tested. Several of these animals mingled with citizens of surrounding towns, and many of the animals were consumed. The population of the surround towns were quarantined, and the ones that died were covered up; however, somehow, a traveler had carried the flu virus all the way up into northern Mexico, where the virus was first reported. The Illuminati soon found out that the virus was much, much less ineffective than they thought. They are currently pursuing research on a virus that will wipe out a country within a matter of days.
I hope this data dump has been informational for you and has contributed to my credibility in some way. I have much, much more information. It just takes me time to sit down and father my thoughts long enough to format them in an easily readable and comprehensive manner. This is definitely not my last post, as I have more information that needs to be told. It has been a long, tiring past couple of days, and I hope this is enough information to give me a good rest for awhile. If you have any questions then feel free to post them here, on my youtube account, or email me at walte1944@yahoo.com
This article was originally published in 2015 and is updated regularly.
http://yournewswire.com/i-was-in-the-illuminati-im-going-to-tell-you-everything-shocking-expose/
Gypsy Culture: Customs, Traditions & Beliefs by Alina Bradford Romani in Germany, 193502:58 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 341
About 11 million people worldwide, according to the New York Times, and about a million in the United States, according to Time, belong to an ethnic group known as the Roma or Romani. They are more commonly called Gypsies or travelers.
The term Gypsy, considered to be mildly derogative, according to the Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption organization (FRUA), is a holdover from when it was thought these people came from Egypt. However, a study published in 2012 concluded that Romani populations have a high frequency of a particular Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA that are only found in populations from South Asia. It is now thought that the Roma people migrated to Europe from India about 1,500 years ago.
Often, many groups are lumped together into the classification of "Gypsy." The Romani people can include ethnic groups who are spread out all over the world, according to Open Society Foundations. Their cultures may vary somewhat, but they have common ties. Some groups that are considered Roma are Romanichals of England, Beyash from Croatia, the Kalé of Wales and Finland, Romanlar from Turkey and Domari from Palestine and Egypt. The travelers of Ireland are not Roma, but they are considered Gypsies by many.
The Romani people faced discrimination because of their dark skin and were once enslaved by Europeans. They have been portrayed as cunning, mysterious outsiders who tell fortunes and steal before moving on to the next town. In fact, the term “gypped” is probably an abbreviation of Gypsy, meaning a sly, unscrupulous person, according to NPR.
Also, as a matter of survival, the Romani were continuously on the move. They developed a reputation for a nomadic lifestyle and a highly insular culture. Because of their outsider status and migratory nature, few attended school and literacy was not widespread. Much of what is known about the culture comes through stories told by singers and oral histories. "A people’s culture needs to be looked at in the context of that people’s development, and no culture [should] be judged to be intrinsically superior or inferior to another," Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live Science.
Spiritual beliefs
The Roma do not have an official faith and n the past, they typically disdained organized religion. Today, they often adopt the predominant religion of the country where they are living, according to FRUA, and describe themselves as "many stars scattered in the sight of God." Some Roma groups are Catholic, Muslim, Pentecostal, Protestant, Anglican or Baptist, according to Open Society Foundations.
The Roma live by a complex set of rules that govern things such as cleanliness, purity, respect, honor and justice. These rules are referred to as what is "Rromano." Rromano means to behave with dignity and respect as a Roma person, according to FRUA. "Rromanipé" is what the Romani refer to as their worldview.
Language
Though the groups of Roma are varied, they all do speak one language. This language is called Rromanës, or the Romani language. Rromanës is related to a northern Indian dialect, called Punjab, and is spoken by about 5 to 6 million Roma people throughout Europe and the United States, according to FRUA.
roma
Pin It Three unidentified Roma girls in Romania. The Roma constitute one of the largest minorities in Romania.
Credit: dinosmichail / Shutterstock.comView full size image
Dress
Typically, Gypsies love opulence. In day-to-day life, Roma women wear gold jewelry and headdresses decorated with coins as a display of prosperity and generosity towards others, according to the FRUA.
Weddings are huge affairs with large, custom-made wedding dresses. Often, the girls in a group will compete to see who can have the largest, most extravagant wedding dress. Some of this has been documented in the American show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.
Hierarchy
Traditionally, anywhere from 10 to several hundred extended families form bands, or kumpanias, which travel together in caravans. Each band is lead by a voivode, whom the families elect for lifetime. This person is their chieftain. A senior woman in the band, called a phuri dai, looks after the welfare of the group’s women and children.
Smaller alliances, called vitsas, are formed within the bands and are made up of families who are brought together through common ancestry.
Family Structure
The Roma place great value on extended families, according to FRUA. Families typically involve multiple generations living together, including unmarried young and adult children and a married son, his wife and their children. By the time an older son is ready to establish his own household, a younger son often will have married and brought his wife and children into the family.
Romani typically marry young — often in their teens — and many marriages are arranged. Weddings are typically very elaborate, involving very large and colorful dress for the bride and her many attendants. Though during the courtship phase, girls are encouraged to dress provocatively, sex is something that is not had until after marriage, according to The Learning Channel. Some groups have declared that no girl under 16 and no boy under 17 will be married, according to the BBC.
Romani professions
The Roma have a long history of training, trading and caring for animals. They also have worked as metal smiths, and repaired utensils and sold household goods they made themselves, according to FRUA. Many worked as traveling entertainers, using their rich musical background to earn money.
Roma migration path on map
Pin It This map shows the migration of Roma people from northwest India to Europe.
Credit: PNASView full size image
The Roma today
While there are still traveling bands of Gypsies, most use cars and RVs to move from place to place rather than the horses and wagons of the past.
Today, most have settled into houses and apartments and are not readily distinguishable. Because of continued discrimination, many do not publicly acknowledge their roots and only reveal themselves to other Romani.
While there is not a physical country affiliated with the Romani people, the International Romani Union was officially established in 1977. In 2000, The 5th World Romany Congress in 2000 officially declared Romani a non-territorial nation.
April 8 is International Day of the Roma, a day to raise awareness of the issues facing the Roma community and celebrate the Romani culture.
Additional reporting by Kim Ann Zimmermann, Live Science Contributor
BIRTH AND DEATH IN THE ROMANIAN FOLK BELIEF Joanna Kretsu-Kantsyr. Chisinau, Moldova01:58 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 345
Romanian traditions and customs, which accompany the important events of life have been and still are under investigation by researchers in various fields, including folklorists and ethnographers.
The ethnographic research is mostly characterised by concrete information, collected in the studied areas, by a variety of facts, by attempts to describe the accomplishment of each custom and, in some cases by attempts to find out their role and significance in social life. Among these works the first to mention are the volumes published by Simion Florea Marin in Bucuresti in 1892 and dedicated to the three great cycles of customs connected with birth, wedding and death.
The study of birth and death customs is not an easy task in the present ethnographic situation. On the one hand there are certain micro-zones of a wide spectrum of ritual practices which in the remote past might have had a more important or general character. On the other hand, we can speak of substratial mutations in the function and significance of some customs and even of the omission of certain moments of special significance in the corresponding cycle of performance.
While speaking about the three great cycles _ birth, wedding and death _ we can see a different situation. The observations show the tradition to be stronger in customs connected with family life, than in customs in general, as the customs with a restricted number of participants have a greater persistence. The funeral customs are the closest to their traditional substance, their essential moments have remained much the same. The birth customs have been deeply and rapidly changed.
Only a systematic ethnographic collection work might clear up the relations between different categories of customs, between the basic moments in some customs related to the life cycle, and the whole series of practices and popular credences, between the practice of customs and the popular mentality.
The Romanians, as well as other nations have always expressed joy about the arrival of a new-born child in the world. An old proverb said: `The more children, the richer the Romanian'. So, one of the most ardent desires of the newlyweds, especially the bride's, is for the mighty God to bless them with sons and daughters. If the bride's desire is not fulfilled she seeks help in different remedies, by preparing and consuming certain plant drinks. The most frequently were used some species of the orchids, white rose and white lilac, which were boiled in honey or wine, or nine young garlic plants were put in spirits of wine and kept in the flue for nine days. This kind of remedy was taken in on nine successive days. Garlic is an acknowledged remedy used by old Indo-Europeans as well as by contemporary people. The Romanians used it especially often for driving away ghosts and evil spirits, against bewitching and to cure different real and imaginary diseases. It was believed that the woman who had no children was not accepted by God. During pregnancy the woman was to follow certain regulations, either while doing her everyday work or while eating, resting and preparing food. These bans, along with different customs, are kept till after the birth in order to avoid doing harm to the woman or to the new-born baby. The `blessed', that is the pregnant woman, should not go out too often, in order not to be bewitched and give birth prematurely. She was not to give water to anybody, or she might not be able to give birth to the child until the person in question gave her water to drink from his (her) hands. She was not to blow on the bread in the oven, so that she would not give birth to a child with a viciously joint tongue. She was prohibited to pass through the weaving-loom and to eat joint berries or she might have twins. Nobody was to cross the pregnant woman's way, or he (she) carried her away into the better world on his (her) back. She was not to kick a dog with her foot, or the child might be dog-hearted. A pregnant woman should not be a bridesmaid at weddings, or her child might die. If the woman knew that she was pregnant and denied it when asked, she might give birth to a mute child.
Often pregnant women were said to lose their children due to some evil spirits, like the Flier, who in the form of a snake with a flaming appearance tortured the woman for the whole night and she gave birth to a dead child. Another evil spirit Samka tortured the woman during child-birth. It is known that the husband of a delivering woman put two axes in a house pillar, when his wife's labours began. For the child-birth to be easy the bride, when leaving her parents' house, had to step on an egg.
In Roman Dacia it was believed that the birth was difficult, if people knew about it and precautions were taken to conceal the event from the neighbours and relatives. If, however, a woman knew about the birth, she took out her wedding-ring and put it on the woman in childbed. If nobody knew about the birth and the birth was nevertheless difficult, the midwife turned over all the things in the house to make the delivery easier. When the baby was born, the midwife washed the new-born child with cold water to make it insensitive to cold and put it for a moment on the floor _ under the table, as a rule.
The Romans had a number of gods looking after new-born children, first of all Ops, the earth-mother, the goddess of children. That is why the Romans, according to the old custom, laid the new-born child on the ground, which is similar to Romanian custom to lay the new-born child under the table. While the child lay under the table, each of those present threw a stone over his (her) head saying: `Run into the ghost's mouth', alluding unawares to Saturn, who was supposed to devour children and was cheated, using stones wrapped in swaddling clothes.
For the mother and child not to be bewitched, a red thread pinned with a needle was fixed above the door. The custom goes back to the Romans, whose goddess Carna was believed to guard the room in which a woman lay after delivery, standing against the door and the window to prevent the evil spirits from entering the room. The attribute of Carna was sweetbrier (Rosa canina) which was supposed to have great power against devilish influence. Therefore it was hung outside above the door, or burnt before the door.
While the child is not yet christened, every evening a black thread is burned and the mother and child are smoked to prevent evil things from coming near them.
At the same time it is not good for the mother in this period to go out without a light or to go out barefoot or bareheaded _ otherwise the grass will not grow where she has stepped. Before christening the woman was neither to go out of the yard, nor use the well, nor look after the animals.
The custom to have a light burning from the birth till after the christening is, probably, a symbol of the light reached by the child coming into the world. The Greeks adored a birth goddess Eileithya, whose image on the Aegion coins is wrapped in a cloth from tap to toe and there is a torch symbolising the light of the world, reached through the birth.
The midwifery, as well as rituals connected with the childbirth, introduction of the new-born child into the family and kinsfolk are fulfilled, according to the tradition, by the midwife who ties and cuts the umbilical cord, looks after the mother and the baby, takes part in the christening. Soon after the birth the new-born child is bathed. The water must be warm, but not hot, for the child not to grow licentious. Then a branch of Ocimum gratissimum symbolising cleanliness and love, especially for girls, brought from church on Cross Day, is put into the water, together with silver coins for the child to be unspotted as silver and to be loved by everybody as they love silver; a peony _ for the child to be strong and ruddy; in case of a boy _ honey, that he would speak sweetly as honey; sugar _ to have a sweet life, bread _ to be well-provided and to be as good as bread; an egg _ to be healthy; sweet milk _ to be wealthy, etc.
After bathing, the child is swaddled and laid on the ground or under the table. A piece of garlic is laid beside it (to prevent bewitching). The bathing water is thrown in a solitary place at a tree-root. The child is not to be bathed before sunset, in order not to lose its sight. If in the family previous children had died, the midwife laid the child in a basin with an iron chain near it, took it out through the window and laid it at the road, guarding it. The first man who passed it was to be its god-father. It was brought out through the window because deceased were carried out through the door. Numerous ritual practices were known to guard the new-born child from misfortune and disease. So, if the child fell ill, its parents simulated its sale and changed its name. Other peoples have done similarly and the custom originates from the period of primitive society. It was believed that the evil spirit that had brought the disease might be deceived by changing the child's name. In the first three days the `fortune-teller's table' was prepared on which different things were put for the three fairies to come and tell the child's fortune. This action had the purpose of knowing the child's future.
At the funeral ceremony usually a great number of people assembled, who with their presence supported the family in their misfortune. This is an old custom and the ceremony is considered a moral and social duty. The archaic funeral customs were preserved in Romanian tradition better than other customs. Several of them are strictly followed, although they have lost their initial sense. The customs and practices connected with death have preserved pre-Christian elements, going back to the era of the primitive society. Some of them were adopted by the Church for its rituals of funeral services. The traditions and practices connected with death and burial are numerous and various, with many local characteristic aspects.
The most remarkable and widely spread omens of death are the following: unexpected cracking of some things in the house, such as tables, chairs, mirrors, the unexpected falling and breaking of icons or mirrors, a hen's crowing like a cock, a cow's mooing, especially in an inappropriate moment, for example, when the bride is taken from her parents to her fiancé in a bull cart, or the dog's howling. It is considered to be an omen of death if there is a sick person in the house and the dog, howling, scratches or digs the ground near the house and keeps its head down or if the sick person looks repeatedly at his nails or turns his face to the wall. The most powerful of all omens is considered to be the owl's call. Another name for an owl was the death bird. When a man is dying, the light must be held by a stranger, because if it is held by a relative, death will be slow and painful. This widely spread custom called forth a number of plaintive songs, called doinas.
The lighted wax candle means that the dying person is a Christian and that he is in concord with everybody and his spirit will be met with light when it leaves the body. When somebody has a long agony he is moved from one place to another, laid on the ground with his face to the east, his bedclothes are changed from head to feet and vice versa. There is also the custom to close his eyes for him not to see the sorrow and pain of his relatives. It is an old custom dating back to the Romans. In the house the mirror and the clock are turned to the wall. From this moment rituals are performed which have practical purposes. The windows and doors are opened for the spirit and death to go out. Pails of water are covered to prevent the soul from falling into them and drowning. After bathing, the water is left at the feet of the deceased for his soul to bathe. For recollection and luck some hairs of the deceased are hidden on the door-post, because one cannot know for certain who brings luck in the house. As to clothing, it is important to know that old people keep the custom to be clothed in traditional clothes. Not rarely old people prepare beforehand the clothes to be put on after their death. The custom is preserved to dress the unmarried deceased young people in bridal clothes and to perform the funeral like a marriage. All the sucklings were believed to become angels, therefore their shirt is cut to enable them to fly. The deceased is laid on the ground to feel what he will transform into, with his head to the east and his feet to the door _ a sign that he is ready for his last journey. A candle is fixed in his hands to light his way and to pass the evil's bridge. A coin is also put in his hand to pay for the boat, which will carry him to the other world.
The hens and other animals should be driven away, not to cross the way of the deceased, or he will either become a ghost or his soul may enter in one of the animals. If the head of the family has died, the oxen are harnessed with the harness upside down, symbolising that everything is topsy-turvy.
The bochirea, a lament with individually improvised words, is performed three times: in the morning, afternoon and evening, when the bells ring. The laments acquire sometimes an artistic, poetic colouring. The keening women are careful for the tears not to fall on the deceased's face, or they may burn him or drown his innocent soul. At the same time when the deceased is keened, the relatives prepare the alms, bake the kolachei, a kind of fancy bread, make the coliva, a sweet nicely decorated dish of wheat grains. In some places the coliva signifies the sins of the deceased. Simultaneously, the pomul is made. Pomul is a branch of a fruit-bearing tree decorated with different dried or fresh fruits and kolachei. Pomul symbolises:
1) the tree of life,
2) the passage from this world to the other,
3) the shadowing and recreation of the spirits after passing the vamas,
4) the paradise tree.
Almost everywhere the custom to go to priveghi is preserved. Priveghi means keeping vigil over the deceased at night. The vigil is kept in two nights between death and burial. The origin of this ritual we can find in the antiquity: the devil, claiming the man's body as his property, wanted to take it. At priveghi different theatrical scenes are performed with masks like the Goat, the Old Man, the Old Woman, etc. The burial usually takes place on the third day. This day is the richest in regard to old traditional practices. The burial takes place before sunset, otherwise the soul may wander. On the third day at sunrise a group of women sing an old ritual song _ the Sunrise Song. They ask the sun rays not to hurry for the deceased to have time to prepare for the long journey. On the way to the cemetery, halts are made _ the vamas. As a rule there are 12 halts but not less than three. The first halt is done after carrying the deceased out of the house, the rest at the crossroads and near bridges. During the first halt in the yard different things are offered over the coffin: animals, objects, clothes of the deceased, a hen, etc. The presented animals' feet are washed before ritual. For instance, it is believed that the sheep cools the spirits of those who work in hell, the hen goes in advance of the soul, looking for its place. On his way to the other world the man must pass a lot of rivers, of course, not without help. Therefore the relatives, wanting to make the passing over the rivers easier, lay on the way in different places usually at all bridges, rivulets, etc. a piece of cloth, which the whole procession must pass over. These allegoric bridges symbolise bridges to the Paradise door. After the service at the cemetery the coffin is released into the grave. Red wine is poured on it, as well as wheat grains and coins. After that, all the participants of the ceremony must take a handful of earth and throw it on the coffin, thereby forgiving all the errors committed by the deceased against them.
Before leaving the cemetery, the participants wash their hands in the procession and go home by some other way. After the burial the relatives of the deceased invite those who were present to dinner, named Praznik.
After 40 days the grave is incensed and sprinkled with wine or water. Alms are given and this is the end of the funeral ritual. The prayers for the deceased belong to the old tradition and they have been preserved in different forms. The repast for the deceased is done during Moshi, when food and drink are distributed as alms. The Moshi are of different kind and take place in different periods of the year: the Christmas Moshi, the Easter Moshi, etc. The Moshi means the family spirits in whose honour the alms are given.
The customs connected with death and burial are losing their significance. Today the bridges of cloth and the halts are often omitted from the ceremony, different practices with religious character lose their initial sense. They are performed only formally, or are entirely ignored. Nevertheless, the described customs constitute an unsurpassed treasure _ a lighthouse that throws some light on the spiritual life of the Romanians on both sides of the Prut River.
Link to Romanian Traditions and Customs...01:56 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 346
http://travelguideromania.com/customs-traditions-romania/
Romanian Religious Belief of the Dead...01:54 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 347
A Romanian bust of Dracula. Romanian folklore tells of ghosts and vampires.A Romanian bust of Dracula. Romanian folklore tells of ghosts and vampires.
A Romanian bust of Dracula. Romanian folklore tells of ghosts and vampires.
by Contributing Writer
Modern Romanians observe a mix of Orthodox Christian and folk rituals, with an especially rich set of beliefs regarding death and the souls of the dead. Death signifies the beginning of the soul's journey to the afterlife, and is the basis of many Romanian superstitions, including vampires. Although the church is crucial in providing official rites to improve the status of the soul of the deceased, there are still many folk rituals performed by families at home.
Romanian beliefs regarding death are based in Orthodox Christianity, including a belief in the afterlife, reverence of the Virgin Mary and the importance of salvation for the soul. Souls go to heaven, a floral paradise, and those who "don't have God" go to a fiery hell. Worshipers look to the Romanian Orthodox church for "purification of the soul, forgiveness of sins, and the church sanctioned incorporation of the deceased into the other world," writes Gail Kligman in her book, "The Wedding of the Dead: Ritual, Poetics, and Popular Culture in Transylvania," a detailed ethnography of Romanian religion.
Folk Beliefs
Romanians hold many folk beliefs and superstitions about the dead left over from pre-Christian times. While mourning is important, in Romanian folklore too much mourning for a dead child puts the young soul in danger of drowning in excessive tears on its way to heaven. The dead are also thought to communicate directly with the living through dreams; a dream of a deceased loved one is a sign that the dead still cares for the living.
More Folk Beliefs
The mourning period is heavily influenced by Romanian folk religion. Candles are kept lit by the deathbed to light the soul's passage to the next world, including a long taper of wax called a "toiag" that is thought to burn away the sins of the deceased. The corpse is bathed and the tainted bathwater disposed of, or possibly sprinkled on an enemy to bring him harm. Until the funeral passes, women will leave their hair unbraided in the belief that it decreases the number of obstacles for the soul on its way to the afterlife.
Mourning
Mourning has special significance in Romania, where the departed soul is believed to watch over its own funeral to ensure no ritual is forgotten. From the moment of death, women relatives are supposed to keep up a chorus of poetic and sorrowful lamentations until burial. Mourning is a key aspect of "maintaining social relations between the living and the dead," writes Kligman, and ghosts are thought to haunt the living if lamentations are not performed correctly.
All Soul's Day
Romanians continue mourning during holidays, such as All Soul's Day, to commemorate the deceased. All Soul's Day has its roots in Christianity, but its observance among Romanians is infused with folk belief. In honor of dead loved ones, families hold large meals that are thought to restore the energies of the dead. Neighbors and even tourists are invited to partake in honor of the soul, and it is considered offensive to the dead if the invitation is refused.
Vampires
In Romanian folklore, vampires are a real concern. As a supernatural version of the dead who were unbaptized, vampires are feared for their tendency to roam cities unnoticed, killing loved ones of the living, and they strike a real chord of fear in some Romanians. In villages like the small Marotinu de Sus in Romania, residents have been known to dig up coffins of dead relatives and perform a mutilation to ensure that a suspected vampire causes no mischief, according to an article in the Seattle Times.
Romanian gypsy children become engaged aged six and four A six-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl have become engaged to be married after a gypsy ceremony.
01:51 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 348
Maria Caldararu and fiance Victor: Gypsy children become engaged aged six and four
Maria Caldararu, from Romania is engaged to her fiancé – six-year-old Victor, after Victor’s grandfather and great uncle, arranged their marriage Photo: BARCROFT
12:01PM GMT 11 Mar 2009
Victor Caldararu's grandfather and great uncle arranged the union with Maria Caldararu in the Sibiu region of Transylvania, Romania.
The children are Caldarari gypsies, who regularly become engaged and married while very young.
Every Caldarari has the surname Caldararu which means tin or coppersmith. Male Caldarari make their money from forging buckets, kettles, pots and boilers for distilling alcohol while the women are stay at home and look after the children.
While the tradition of childhood engagements is not illegal, it is mostly frowned upon in mainstream Romanian society.
The engagement ensures Victor and Maria remain in the Caldarari community and thousands of pounds exchanged hands between the families to confirm the deal.
Victor's great uncle Traian Caldararu, 47, said: "The arrangement and the celebration resemble a wedding.
"The difference is that we don't have a priest to bless the alliance. We spent 10,000 Lei (£2,286) for the event and all the Caldarari gypsies were present. They will marry by law as soon as Maria turns 16."
Once marriage arrangements are made it is very difficult for children to break the deal and choose another partner.
If a child decides to marry someone else then his or her family must pay back three times the dowry, accounting for inflation and banking interest rates.
"This outcome is very rare," said Traian, who mediates many marriages in the community. "Children are required to marry by their family. It is not really a child's choice."
Victor's family coughed up 50,000 Lei (£11,429) for Maria's hand, so if he changes his mind he'll financially cripple his father, Victor Caldarau, 26.
A split would also be considered a great dishonour for Maria who would have severe difficulty finding a new husband and could risk being outcast completely.
Traian said: "In our community girls are not disobeying. We don't let them out of the house and we don't let them go to school after fourth grade, they might get stolen away from us.
"We make sure that we give kids away to one of our lot, just like any other parent would do."
Victor and Maria have been raised together in the community and while they appear to enjoy playing together they're too young to understand their commitments.
Traian said: "The children didn't even know what was going on at the engagement ceremony. They thought it was just a usual party in the courtyard. Later they will be told and they will marry at 16 and 18-years-old."
In the Caldarari marriages are sometimes arranged before the child is even born.
Traian said: "My niece got engaged before the age of six to our friend's unborn child. Now the boy is 12 and our girl is 18. When the boy turns 16 he will marry her according to the deal."
Romania has the largest proportion of Gypsy people in the world. It's estimated that two million people or 5-10% of the population are Roma.
Romania joined the EU in 2007 but many gypsy customs are outside of EU regulations working on hundreds of years of tradition and ritual.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4972768/Romanian-gypsy-children-become-engaged-aged-six-and-four.html
Egypt: Opening of the Mouth Ritual, A Feature Tour Egypt Story The Opening of the Mouth Ritual By Marie Parsons01:42 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 349
When an ancient Egyptian died, he was not buried into the ground, mourned and then forgotten. Nor was his grave simply visited at certain times and some token words spoken over it, so that once again he is forgotten until next visit. The ancient Egyptians believed that ritual existed which would bring sensory life back to the deceaseds form, enabling it to see, smell, breathe, hear, and eat, and thus partake of the offering foods and drinks brought to the tomb each day.
Priests would recite hymns such as this one, for Pa-nefer:
"Awake!..May you be alert as a living one, rejuvenated every day, healthy in millions of occasions of god sleep, while the gods protect you, protection being around you every day."
Once the deceased was rejuvenated back with all his senses, he could also interact and watch over the family members, affecting their lives. Letters have been found attesting to the continued contact, or at least, belief in the continued contact, between deceased and living. Letters such as this one, from the scribe Butehamun to his deceased wife Ikhtay, where he asks her to intercede with the Lords of Eternity on his behalf. "If you can hear me in the place where you areit is you who will speak with a good speech in the necropolis. Indeed I did not commit an abomination against you while you were on earth, and I hold to my behavior."
The ritual that would re-animate the deceased was called The Opening of the Mouth ceremony. It was an important ritual in both funerary and in temple practice. The Opening of the Mouth originated as a ritual to endow statues with the capacity to support the living ka, and to receive offerings. It was performed on cult statues of gods, kings, and private individuals, as well as on the mummies of both humans and Apis bulls. It was even performed on the individual rooms of temples and on the entire temple structure.
The Opening of the Mouth Ritual
The effect of the ritual was to animate the recipient (or, in the case of a deceased individual, to re-animate it). The ritual allowed the mummy, statue, or temple, to eat, breathe, see, hear and enjoy the offerings and provisions performed by the priests and officiants, thus to sustain the ka. .
The Egyptian terms for the ceremony are wpt-r and wn-r, both translating literally to "opening of the mouth." The verb wpi denotes an opening that entails splitting, dividing or separating, and is used to describe the separation of two combatants, the dividing of time or even a determination of the truth. The verb wn emphasizes accessibility and exposure, used in contexts such as wn-hr, literally "open the face", but more correctly meaning "see" or "be seen".
The earliest Old Kingdom textual references to the ceremony date to the early 4th dynasty, to the Palermo stone and the decoration of the tomb of the royal official Metjen. At this time, the ritual seems to have been performed solely to animate statues, rather than to re-animate the deceased. The Palermo stone states that the ritual takes place in the hwt nbw, in the goldsmiths quarter, sometimes translated as "Castle of Gold, (or perhaps referring to the quarry of Hatnub). The textual formula for the ritual reference is written as "the fashioning and opening of the mouth of (a statue of god X) in the goldsmiths quarter/Hatnub."
The captions of the scenes in Metjens tomb mention that the ritual is performed four times, in conjunction with censing and transforming the deceased into an akh. In the Pyramid Texts and later funerary texts and captions, the rites are also said to be performed four times. The spells are repeated four times, for Horus, Set, Thoth, and Dwn-anwy.
It was probably not until the sixth dynasty that the statue ritual was incorporated into an Opening of the Mouth ceremony already developed independently as part of the funerary ritual. This ritual itself may have been a symbolic re-enactment of the clearing of a babys mouth at birth. The earliest implements used were probably the priests fingers, later replaced by finger-shaped iron blades. In many texts, reference is made to the fingers of Horus
Earliest references to the ritual comes from the Pyramid Texts, inscribed on the burial chamber of the pyramid of Unas, dating to the end of the 5th dynasty. One set of Pyramid Texts referring to the use of the fingers to open the mouth are PT 1329-1330, translated by Faulkner as "your mouth is split open by Horus with this little finger of his with which he split open the mouth of his father Osiris."
The Opening of the Mouth Ritual
Other implements besides fingers were added, as indicated by Spells 11-15 of the Pyramid Texts. They describe the Opening of the Mouth ceremony using the foreleg of a bull and an iron wood-working adze. Other inscriptions give an offering ritual in which two blades of meteoric iron, called the ntjrwy, are said to open the mouth. Faulkner translates this spell as "O Osiris the King, I split open your mouth for you gods iron of Upper Egypt, 1 ingot; gods iron of Lower Egypt, 1 ingot."
The ritual was thus be performed with various implements, most commonly a wood-carving adze, which were touched to the lips by the officiating priest. An adze was an arched metal blade fasted across the top of a wooden handle with leather thongs, used in woodworking. The ceremonial adze was made from the metal of heaven, bi3 n pt, meteoric iron. The adze mimicked carving and sculpture, logical if the Funerary ceremony evolved from the ritual performed on a statue.
Another implement often depicted in the ceremony was the psh-kef knife. The psh-kef knife is first attested in prehistoric tombs as early as the Naqada I period.
Psh-kf sets were limestone platters with recesses that usually hold the two ntjrwy blades, a blunt psh-kf knife, two tiny bottles and four tiny cups. The bottles and cups are half of light-color and half of black. The same set of implements is listed together in the inventories of temple equipment found at the mortuary temple of Neferirkare at Abusir.
The implements used in the Pyramid Text ritual continue to appear in private tombs of the Middle Kingdom, but a rather different version of the ritual also appears in the Coffin Texts. Now Ptah joins Horus to open the deceaseds mouth, then Ptah and Thoth transform the deceased into an akh, and Thoth replaces the heart in the body, so that the deceased remembers what has been forgotten and can eat bread as desired.
In the New Kingdom, Chapter 23 of the Book of Dead says "my mouth is opened by Ptah; the bonds that gag my mouth have been loosed by my city-god. Thoth comes fully equipped with magicmy mouth has been parted by Ptah with this metal chisel of his with which he parted the mouths of the gods." Here, instead of Horus, the gods Ptah and Thoth are mentioned. And although in the Pyramid Texts the god Set is associated with the iron of the adze used to open the mouth, here in the New Kingdom texts associate the bonds obstructing the mouth with Set. But the adze, the dw3-wr, the fingers and psh-kf are all included with other older elements.
The earliest complete account of the Opening of the Mouth ceremony dates to the 19th dynasty, embodied in a long ceremony performed at funerals in or before the tomb. King Seti I had such scenes depicted on his tomb, and so did the vizier Rekhmire. He held office under both Tuthmosis III and Amenhotep II. The scenes are among the best sources on the subject. The stm and lector-priests played central roles, the former representing the son who was closest to the father, the latter making the correct recitations.
The ceremony should be carried out in the House of Gold. Once the deceased had arrived at his tomb, the akhu rituals were performed to bring about his transfiguration The rite consisted of many acts, the opening of the mouth being just one, but central. The first part was the lustration or washing. The deceaseds mummy was first set up on a clean mound of sand, facing south. He should be purified with water poured from nmst and dshrt jars, and his mouth especially purified with balls of natron from Upper and Lower Egypt.
The deceased should then be fumigated by incense. This part of the purification harks back to the Pyramid Texts, such as spells 16-29, where perfume is used. The stm priest should be awakened. After he is dressed in his panther-skin garb. The stm-priest identifies himself with Horus and opens the mouth of the statue with his fingers rather than with the adze.
The ox/bull is butchered and the heart presented to the deceased, its foreleg is severed and pointed towards the deceased. The hieroglyph for foreleg denoted strength, and perhaps it was considered that the foreleg transferred the life-force of the bull to the recipient of the Opening of the mouth (alternately, the bull may have had to do with reviving sexual powers).
Then the mouth is opened with the ntjrwy tool, and the mummy is presented to the son "who loves him." More scenes depict the son coming to the House of Gold, opening the mouth with the mdjdft-tool, and touching the mummys mouth with the little finger again.
An ostrich feather is presented, the psh-kef knife is presented, and more aromatics are burned. Grapes and other foods are offered. Then the newly animated mummy is brought to his place. The ceremony is done.
Sources:
Village Life in Ancient Egypt by A.G. McDowell
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt
The Pyramid Texts translated by Raymond O. Faulkner
Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt by John H. Taylor
The House of Horus at Edfu by Barbara Watterson
Ancient Egyptian Religion by Jaroslav Czerny
Life and Death in Ancient Egypt by Sigrid Hodel-Hoenes translated
Read more: http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/open.htm#ixzz474rNVWn9
Top 10 Films With Creepy Links To The Occult BENJAMIN WELTON APRIL 21, 201601:40 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 350
A loose and highly sensational definition of the occult has been a part of cinema since its inception. For the most part, the horror film genre has been the occult’s unofficial home, with devil worshipers, pagan cults, and the like populating movies such as The Wicker Man, The Blood on Satan’s Claw, and others. Occult-themed movies really exploded in popularity during the 1960s and 1970s, when the hippie counterculture’s flirtation with Eastern thought and New Age practices was turned into something much darker. (The Manson family murders also helped to spread the idea that “peace and love” was just a front for hippie malevolence.) While some of the entries here come from that time period, many are much older and date to the era of silent films. Some of these movies are linked to the occult by secondary and even tertiary threads. While some were written by writers looking to thrill audiences with blasphemous tales, others were penned by serious practitioners of the occult. 10Nosferatu
While sometimes erroneously called the first vampire film or the first adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula (a lost Hungarian film from 1921 called Dracula’s Death may be the true first in both categories), Nosferatu is nevertheless a masterpiece. Directed by F.W. Murnau, Nosferatu is an Expressionist take on horror that tells its story in shadow and chiaroscuro. As an unauthorized adaptation of Dracula, Nosferatu essentially tells the same story of a Transylvanian vampire leaving his home and coming to Western Europe as a social plague. However, in Nosferatu, the fictional German city of Wisborg replaces London, while the time period is changed from the 1880s to the 1830s. Also, Nosferatu transforms Count Dracula’s figurative plague into a literal one that decimates an entire city. The characters in Nosferatu have slightly altered names such as Tomas Hutter instead of Jonathan Harker and Ellen Hutter instead of Mina Harker. Finally, unlike the suave aristocrat of Dracula, the vampire in Nosferatu, Count Orlok, is a rodent-faced demon that is much closer to folkloric depictions of the undead. Because the film was made without the permission of Florence Stoker, Bram Stoker’s widow and the controller of his estate, the film was shelved until it slipped into the public domain decades later. This oversight almost killed any opportunity to not only see perhaps the world’s greatest vampire film, but also examine producer Albin Grau’s decision to imbue the film with occult symbolism. Grau, who has been described as a “lifelong occultist,” came upon the idea of making a vampire film after being exposed to Serbian vampire legends while serving in the Balkans during World War I. Later, while acting as the film’s producer and art designer, Grau decided to put occult-inspired hieroglyphics into the letters mailed between Count Orlok and the Renfield-like Knock. Overall, Grau and fellow producer Enrico Dieckman envisioned Nosferatu as a theosophic horror film that would incorporate Eastern mysticism into its overall tale. 9The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari
Released years before Nosferatu, Robert Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was the first horror film to explicitly incorporate elements of Expressionism into its mise-en-scene. A psychoanalytic exploration of madness and obsession, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari concerns a young student named Francis (played by Friedrich Feher) who falls prey to the machinations of the evil circus performer and mesmerist Dr. Caligari (played by Werner Krauss). In particular, Dr. Caligari uses his sideshow attraction, a walking somnambulist named Cesare (played by Conrad Veidt), to harm those whom Francis loves the most. Ultimately, the whole experience turns Francis insane, at which point the audience realizes that the entire story has been an elaborate explanation for why the committed Francis detests his sanitarium’s director (who happens to look like Dr. Caligari). Famously considered an allegory about Weimar Germany’s desire for a political strongman, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was intended to be a critique of authority. Specifically, screenwriter Carl Mayer (who, along with writing partner Hans Janowitz, had turned to pacifism after serving in World War I) was inspired to compose the story after dealing with a strange and abusive army psychologist. The genesis of Janowitz’s contribution to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari stemmed from his firsthand experience of seeing a sex murder in Hamburg. As for the film’s connection to the occult, not only does The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari attempt to visually represent psychosis through contorted and uncanny stage sets, but it also deals with the possibility of cerebral suggestion, otherwise known as mind control.
8Genuine
Subtitled “Tale of a Vampire,” 1920’s Genuine was also directed by Robert Wiene. A little-known and very nonsensical film, Genuine is more or less a continuous dream sequence about one artist’s unhealthy obsession with a painting that features a goddess named Genuine. Like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Genuine makes great use out of the painted sets produced by the Expressionist artist Cesar Klein. Narratively speaking, the priestess Genuine is depicted as fluent in Eastern magic and the ways of the occult. A bizarre little film, Genuine was a flop during its day and has not received critical reappraisal since. That being said, Genuine offers a glimpse not only of the high degree of influence Freudian psychoanalysis had over German filmmaking during the early 1920s, but also at how seriously Weimar filmmakers studied occult practices. Wiene, along with directors Murnau and Paul Wegener, injected such things as theosophy, Kabbalah, and the aestheticism of occult practitioners such as Paul Klee, Max Ernst, and others into their early horror films. 7Haxan
Although filmed as a documentary, Danish director Benjamin Christensen’s 1922 film Haxan is widely considered one of the horror genre’s greatest and perhaps most disturbing films. Christensen was inspired to make a film examining witchcraft after studying the Malleus Maleficarum, the infamous 15th-century witch hunting guide written by two German Catholic monks. As a result, Haxan is full of shocking images that dramatize such things as Walpurgis Night celebrations and medieval black magic. Indeed, a major portion of the film’s first half is dedicated to dramatizing scenes of sacrilege and devil worship. Despite its sensationalism, Haxan ultimately argues that the anti-witch hysteria of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period was the result of misjudging mental illnesses and mass hallucinations as demonic possessions. When the film was released, its logical conclusions were ignored. Seen as a scathing critique of Catholicism, some 8,000 Catholic women took to the streets of Paris in order to protest its French premiere. In the United States, Haxan was banned outright. 6The Magician
Released in 1926, Rex Ingram’s The Magician, which stars the German actor and director Paul Wegener as the nefarious wizard Oliver Haddo, is one of the forgotten classics of the silent film era. Barring some alterations, Ingram’s screenplay is faithful to W. Somerset Maugham’s original novel. Published in 1908, Maugham wrote The Magician as a cynical attempt to earn a healthy payday. A potboiler about Haddo’s attempt to sacrifice the life of the beautiful Margaret in order to create grotesque homunculi, The Magician was inspired by one of Maugham’s acquaintances in Paris—the English occultist Aleister Crowley. In fact, Crowley thought The Magician bore such a close resemblance to his own work that he publicly accused Maugham of plagiarism. In the film version, Wegener’s turn as Haddo is undeniably menacing. Bolstering this performance is Ingram’s experimental use of camera work. In particular, The Magician features a terrifying and innovative dream sequence that shows Haddo using black magic in order to create a hellish vision of a ritual dedicated to the Greek god Pan. Coincidentally, a widely reported story about Crowley claims that the occultist tried to summon Pan during a ritual that took place in Paris sometime during the early 20th century. 5Vampyr
Rather than Dracula, Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1932 film Vampyr is a loose adaptation of another vampire classic—J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s novella Carmilla. Although released during the early days of sound, Vampyr is an almost silent film about the vampire-haunted village of Courtempierre. Allan Gray (played by the film’s financial backer Nicolas de Gunzburg), the film’s protagonist, is a serious student of the occult who begins to lose his grip on sanity once he enters Courtempierre. As a result, Vampyr mostly presents an untrustworthy narrative that drips with psychoanalysis, dream logic, and occult symbolism. The action in Vampyr may take place in an alternative dimension wherein Gray has already died and is left only to observe the slow deterioration of Courtempierre’s residents. A more literal reading of film posits that Gray’s odd experiences are the result of a vampire’s curse on the village, which is only stopped once Gray and his love interest Gisele (played by Rena Mandel) drive an iron spike through the heart of the old crone Marguerite Chopin (played by Henriette Gerard). In a final act, the pair escape the village while the evil village doctor (played by Maurice Schutz) accidentally kills himself inside an abandoned mill. According to Dreyer himself, his lifelong interest in the supernatural began when, as a little boy, he read certain books concerning the occult that he found in his grandmother’s library. 4Lucifer Rising
An experimental short film, Kenneth Anger’s Lucifer Rising was made as a sort of ode to San Francisco’s counterculture of the late 1960s. The film is also a psychedelic rumination on Anger’s search for a modern Lucifer, a bearer of light who will usher in a new age of freedom. Anger’s vision of Lucifer was largely inspired by the writings of Aleister Crowley, who believed that Lucifer would be the god of the coming age of Horus. Anger’s other great influence was Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey, who appears as the Devil in Anger’s other occult ode, Invocation of My Demon Brother. Also in Invocation of My Demon Brother, which was made from footage taken from the original cut of Lucifer Rising, is Bobby Beausoleil, the convicted murderer and Manson Family associate. Beausoleil also recorded a soundtrack for Lucifer Rising. Another Lucifer Rising soundtrack was recorded by Led Zeppelin guitarist and Aleister Crowley enthusiast Jimmy Page. All told, Lucifer Rising, which stars British pop singer Marianne Faithful as the demon Lilith, represents Anger’s idiosyncratic take on the new religion of the counterculture. 3Simon, King Of The Witches
A surface reading of Bruce Kessler’s 1971 film Simon, King of the Witches would call it a campy take on the many Satan-themed horror films that were then incredibly popular. Featuring a story about a Los Angeles magician who tries to curse the “Establishment” through various Satanic rituals (most of which involve his magic mirror), Simon, King of the Witches does seem to have its tongue placed firmly in cheek. In one scene, Simon and his associate Turk (played by George Paulsin) conduct a drug-fueled ritual involving a goat and Ultra Violet (one of Andy Warhol’s muses and a later convert to Mormonism). However, many authors have pointed out that Simon, King of the Witches displays familiarity with actual occult practices. While the character of Simon Sinestrari (played by Andrew Prine), a ceremonial mage who lives in a storm drain, presents a mockery of the counterculture archetype, his far-out adventures may actually be based on the real life practices of California occultist Poke Runyon. 2The Holy Mountain
Like many of his other creations, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s The Holy Mountain is a mind-bending exercise in surrealism. Its confusing narrative presents a mixture of Christian mysticism, occult symbolism, and psychedelic stream-of-consciousness. The film also presents a dramatization of the Tarot deck, with characters representing such cards as the Thief, the Hermit, and the Devil. The film’s most famous character, the Alchemist (played by Jodorowsky himself), spends most of the film performing various magic ceremonies, many of which are accompanied by naked women, Tarot characters, and goats. The Holy Mountain is far from Jodorowsky’s only foray into the occult. His entire oeuvre often mixes occult symbolism with absurdity and depictions of altered consciousness. Because of this, he has sometimes been described as a Gnostic filmmaker. Along with his 1970 film El Topo, The Holy Mountain has also been accused of promoting the whims of the Illuminati by certain conspiracy theorists. 1Metropolis
Fritz Lang’s 1927 film Metropolis is a visual masterpiece about a futuristic city sharply divided by class. While the city’s wealthy live aboveground in skyscrapers that combine modern amenities with bucolic pleasure gardens, the workers live underground in cramped living quarters. Work in the city presents an extreme version of Taylorization, with everything from menial tasks to walking atomized and choreographed. After falling in love with a poor girl named Maria (played by Brigitte Helm), Freder (played by Gustav Frohlich), the rich son of Metropolis’s designer, decides to follow her down into the machine areas where the workers are employed in soul-crushing tasks. While posing as a worker, Freder experiences not only how dehumanizing the city’s labor can be (in a famous scene, Freder replaces an exhausted worker and takes manual control of a large clock), but he also witnesses a large-scale accident that kills and maims several workers. While witnessing this tragedy, Freder dreams that the factory transforms into a temple dedicated to the demon Moloch, a Phoenician, Canaanite, and/or Assyrian demon mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with the practice of child sacrifice. Realizing that his son is starting to sympathize with the city’s subjugated workforce, Joh Fredersen (played by Alfred Abel) contacts the mad inventor Rotwang. Rotwang creates a female robot in the image of his lost love, Hel, in order to stir discontent among the workers. In the scene where Hel is brought to life, several pentagrams are visible in Rotwang’s laboratory. Apparently, Lang was interested in a deeper exploration of technology vs. magic, but cuts to Metropolis essentially canceled this narrative stream. After effectively instigating a minor civil war among the workers, Hel is brought back above in order to perform a sensual dance for a party of Metropolis’s elite men. In this sequence, Hel is explicitly compared to the Whore of Babylon from Revelation. This is not the film’s only reference to the Bible. The story of the Tower of Babylon is recounted and juxtaposed with the landscape of Metropolis, which was designed to look like medieval depictions of the fabled structure. Those convinced that the film alludes to the Illuminati conspiracy often point to this symbolic reference as proof. Without question, Lang and wife/co-creator Thea von Harbou (who wrote the novel Metropolis and its screenplay adaptation) were interested in occult matters. Von Harbou’s later support for National Socialism may have been partially inspired by her interest in Eastern mysticism and the occult. Benjamin Welton is a freelance writer based in Boston. His work has appeared in The Weekly Standard, The Atlantic, Listverse, Metal Injection, and others. He currently blogs at literarytrebuchet.blogspot.com.
10 Bizarre Clubs With Extremely Influential Members GORDON GORA APRIL 21, 201601:38 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 351
We are social creatures and have been meeting in groups for generations. Even the most famous people in history are no exception to this rule. When like-minded people get together behind closed doors, things can get very unusual, especially when there is little chance that anyone will find out. Some of the most odd clubs in history have been started when famous and influential figures decided to come together.10Club Des Hachichins10charlesClub des Hachichins literally translates in English as “Hashish Club,” so you can guess what its members did. In the early 19th century, most Europeans had never used the drug hashish because it was mostly a Middle Eastern crop, but when Napoleon Bonaparte and his army returned from Egypt in 1801, they brought hashish along with them. Its reputation soon grew throughout France and, more specifically, Paris. It wasn’t long before people began to experiment with it. One famous group of Parisian hash enthusiasts included some of the most iconic writers of all time. Club des Hachichins was originally started by Dr. Jacques-Joseph Moreau so he could observe the effects of the drug on France’s most brilliant minds. Almost every historic author in mid-18th century Paris could be counted as members: Alexandre Dumas, Charles Baudelaire, and even Victor Hugo. The group met regularly from 1844 to 1849 at the Pimodan House. Wanting to use hashish as authentically as possible, they would dress in traditional Arab garb and drink hashish that was mixed with strong coffee. The drug quickly quickly gained popularity among Paris’s literary elite. They felt that hashish gave a more “intellectual intoxication” that was preferable to the “ignoble heavy drunkenness” of alcohol. Charles Baudelaire wrote extensively about his experimentation with hashish and said that it was one of the most convenient drugs on Earth along with opium. Those who tried the exotic drug reported mostly positive experiences, and the writers admitted that it heightened their creativity. Baudelaire claimed that while it was a good drug for writing, hashish zapped the user over time and destroyed imagination. His warning was quite reasonable: Use hashish responsibly. By 1849, the club had accomplished its original purpose and Dr. Jacques-Joseph Moreau had gathered enough information to publish a book on hashish and its effects. 9The Hollywood Vampires9vampire
Photo credit: Mike Dillon
The Hollywood Vampires was a group of friends who met regularly and used copious amounts of drugs and alcohol. This wasn’t just any group of friends, as the club was mostly made up of the hardest-partying rock stars in the world. Presided over by rocker Alice Cooper, the club gained a reputation for their hell-raising behavior throughout the 1970s. Eventually, the club broke apart through tragic ways.According to Cooper, the Hollywood Vampires had a core group of himself, The Who drummer Keith Moon, singer Harry Nielsson, Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees, and John Lennon (when he has in town). Their usual stomping ground was the Rainbow Bar and Grill in West Hollywood, a club with a long history of serving rock stars. There is still a plaque ordaining their walls that claims the establishment as the meeting place of the Hollywood Vampires. According to Cooper, the name “Hollywood Vampires” came from the group’s ability to stay up all night and crash by sunrise. Moon was known to wear different costumes, including one fashioned after the Queen of England. The guys were reckless, drank heavily, and used any chemical they could get their hands on. This eventually led to the unexpected deaths of many of the members. Jimi Hendrix, who was considered a member, died of an overdose in 1970. Jim Morrison, another member, died in 1971. Both were only 27. The club slowly disbanded after the death of Keith Moon, who was the hardest partier of the group, in 1978. It wasn’t all in vain, as Alice Cooper admitted that many of the deaths inspired him to become sober and clean up his act.
8Cresthill8ComedyStoreIn the 1970s, the Comedy Store in West Hollywood was a breeding ground for new comedians. Some of the comics who honed their skills at the scene were Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, David Letterman, and Jay Leno. Directly above the Comedy Store was a house on a hill that served exclusively as a socializing spot for the comedians. It was called Cresthill, and it became notorious for the raucous antics that went on inside.Mitzi Shore, the owner of the Comedy Store, bought Cresthill in 1974 so that the comedians could have a place to unwind. In 1979, Argus Hamilton became the first comic to move into Cresthill, and he set the precedent for what went on there. Hamilton was thought of by many as the successor to late-night host Johnny Carson, but his abuse of and addiction to cocaine and alcohol destroyed his career. According to Hamilton, the wild behavior from most of the comedians was due to the huge amount of money they had made playing the American comedy circuit. Some made as much as $100,000 annually, and much of it went “up people’s noses,” as Hamilton put it. Robin Williams and Richard Pryor were known to do drugs together at the house. By the 1980s, the comedians who traded jokes at Cresthill had either burned out completely, cleaned up their acts, or had tragically died too young. John Belushi, a Cresthill frequenter, infamously died of an overdose in 1982. By the 1990s, the golden years were over and fresh comedians, like Jim Carrey, went there mainly for nostalgia. The days at Cresthill enjoyed by the funniest men in America quietly came to a close. 7Bullingdon Club
The Bullingdon Club is one of the most exclusive groups in England. Based from Oxford University, for centuries it has consisted of only the most powerful men in England. Most English readers might recognize the Bullingdon Club as one of the groups that Prime Minister David Cameron belonged to in his youth and where he allegedly engaged in lewd behavior with a pig’s head. The ensuing scandal exposed much of the Bullingdon Club’s notorious behavior.The Club hasn’t changed much since it was first established. Even its uniform hails from 1850—blue tie, blue coat, brass buttons, buff waistcoat, and blue trousers. While many of its members are students of Oxford, it can no longer associate on campus due to the destruction of 534 windows at Peckwater, a beautiful quad of Christ’s Church, in 1894. But it wasn’t always a group of wild men. It was a cricket club when it first formed in 1780, and it slowly went downhill until it became a gathering group for wealthy, privileged men who engaged in expensive parties. In 1868, receipts from the club showed that a single dinner cost £56, or £8,000 in today’s money. In 1977, Bartholomew Smith, a son of an MP and member of the Bullingdon Club, committed one of the worst acts in the club’s history when he caused a car crash while driving his Maserati intoxicated. Many people think he got off too easily: He received a driving ban and a fine. In 1909, Winston Churchill criticized the club when he said, “7,000 lads of the poorer classes are sent to gaol every year for offenses which, if the noble Lord had committed them at college, he would not have been subjected to the slightest degree of inconvenience.”6Piers Gravestone Society
The Piers Gravestone Society was another club that the British Prime Minister David Cameron belonged to, and it was even more exclusive than the Bullingdon Club. It consisted of 12 undergraduates who were the most privileged young men in England. Like the Bullingdon Club, the Piers Gravestone Society has a notorious reputation for what went on behind closed doors.The club got its name from the alleged male lover of King Edward II, Piers Gravestone. Valentine Guinness, one of the men who founded the club in 1977, said, “[the club] was a conscious effort to say, look, you know, the country may be in a mess but we’re still going to have a good time.” The club holds an annual ball in which each member invites 20 guests . . . preferably women. It’s a club of cross-dressing, speed-laced jelly, and no rules, according to former members. In 1995, one journalist went to the ball and claimed that it wasn’t as wild as everyone said. He said there were raunchy drag costumes and men dressed in bondage gear. Broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer, who attended the parties from 1989 to 1991, stated, “[They’re] just big, fairly wild parties. Lots of drink, lots of very rich posh kids getting wasted—probably lots of drugs [but not my thing so I wouldn’t know]. They were fun bashes—very hot and sweaty, and very much about getting off with people.”5The Merry PrankstersFurthurbus_01
Photo credit: Joe Mabel
In 1963, the Merry Pranksters sole mission was to spread the word about psychedelic drugs and, most importantly, LSD. Becoming quite wealthy with the publication of his bestseller One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey had used psychedelic drugs for a while and felt that the drugs would benefit society. He decided then that he was going to do something about it. Kesey’s vision was realized in June 1964 when he made plans to drive across America. He started in California and ended at the World’s Fair in New York City. Carrying several like-minded passengers, the Merry Pranksters’ car was a simple 1939 Harvester school bus that had been colorfully painted. Many icons of the Beat Generation joined Kesey: Neal Cassady (the inspiration for Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac’s On the Road), and later in New York, Allan Ginsberg, Tom Wolfe, and Jack Kerouac himself. Armed with a jar of LSD-laced orange juice, the Merry pranksters set off in the bus, which they named “Further.” Cassady, who was often high on amphetamines, drove the bus. Carolyn Garcia, future wife of the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia, joined the Pranksters and said “They didn’t know they were starting the ’60s, obviously, but they knew they had a big secret and they were going to exploit it to the full.”The out-of-this-world journey was chronicled by Tom Wolfe in his book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, and many consider this the beginning of the psychedelic ’60s. Musicians especially enjoyed the Merry Pranksters because of the supposedly increased creativity. The Pranksters attempted to document their cross-country trip through film but, in the words of Kesey’s son Zane, “they were absolute amateurs and they were high. At best, the footage is hard to wade through.” Kesey would continue his mission until 1966, when he fled to Mexico because law enforcement had begun to crack down on counter-culture figures. 4The Sublime Society Of BeefsteaksbeefIn 1735, Henry Rich (machinist of the Covenant Garden Theater) became famous among the British elite for his delicious meat that was cooked with rare ingredients. Soon, the enthusiasm for “beef stakes” among the elite grew to such a degree that Rich began his own club that would cater to upper class friends. Thus, the Sublime Society of Beefsteaks was born. It was restricted to 24 members, and those who weren’t among the chosen were forced to wait for membership. No one was exempt from this rule, not even future king George IV. Over the years, members included venerable politicians like radical MP John Wilkes and celebrated artists like William Hogarth. The original club met at the Covent Garden Theater until it burned down in 1808. They then moved to the Bedford Coffee House and later to the Old Lyceum Theater in 1809. That building also burned down, and they went to the Lyceum Tavern on the Strand, then back to the Bedford Coffee House. The group rebuilt Lyceum Theater and finally settled there. They feasted on exquisite cuisine centered around beefsteaks and large portions of port wine and whiskey. Singing and revelry were integral parts of the club, and no doubt fueled by alcohol. Afterward, the members took their good time to the street. When John Wilkes was issued an arrest and was forced to go to Paris, he wrote to his friends saying he pictured them “visiting the Whore-houses of Covent Garden” after their dinner, and regretted that he couldn’t be there. The club still exists today and meets at the Boisdale in London. 3Hellfire Clubhellfire
Photo credit: jasonrogers
The Hellfire Club is well known to many historians, but it has always been shrouded in mystery and misconception. Rumors about the group have ranged from it being an orgy club to being a meeting place for satanic rituals. To sift through what is true and what was just gossip, many have looked back to what few firsthand accounts and records still exist. All we know is that it wasn’t your average men’s club.The title “Hellfire Club” has been given to many secretive and exclusive clubs in England. The most famous one was established by Sir Francis Dashwood in 1746 as the Order of the Knight’s of St. Francis. Four years later, Sir Dashwood began leasing the ruined 13th-century abbey Medmenham. He had the Rabelaise quote “Fay ce que voudras“—which translates to “do what thou wilt“—carved above the door. The original Hellfire group had only 12 members, but it quickly grew with its infamy. The most famous person involved with the club was the American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, with other possible members including the painter William Hogarth and MP John Wilkes. It represented many of the ideas of learned men during the Age of Enlightenment. Particularly, it made a point of mocking religion. Calling themselves the Monks of Medmenham, the club gambled, drank, and kept their mistresses nearby for their own pleasure. The Monks held their mock religious ceremonies in the Hellfire Caves near Medmenham until 1766, when it closed down. The cave remains open today as a tourist attraction, and its sordid reputation lives on.2The Beggar’s Benisonbeggars
Photo credit: James Allan
The Beggar’s Benison was a group of Scottish men who, in spite of Scotland’s pious Presbyterian values, decided to start a club so they could indulge their wildest sexual fantasies. The men who were in the Beggar’s Benison looked back fondly on the early 18th century, when Scotland was still independent. After Britain united with Scotland, the businessmen and Scottish citizens formed a club that soon included aristocrats and intellectuals.The Beggar’s Benison was devoted to all things sexual. James V of Scotland was a notoriously promiscuous monarch and the first Benison. It started from Anstruther in Fife with activities such as reading erotic texts like The Song of Solomon, Byron’s Don Juan, and the famous pornographic book Fanny Hill. Of course there was heavy drinking and nude women (you could only look, but not touch). There were erotic images, lectures on sex . . . and collective masturbation. They even had “trophies,” including a wig crafted from the pubic hair of Charles II’s mistresses. When that was stolen by a disgruntled ex-member, honorary Benison George IV (then Prince Regent) gave them a replacement—another wig from his own sexual conquests. A notable fact about the Benison’s was that they were some of the first to look at masturbation positively. In the 18th century, most of Great Britain denounced it as damaging and harmful, but the Benisons said it was a healthy and normal activity. The club’s pinnacle came in 1822 when George IV was crowned king and was greeted by the Earl of Kellie in Edinburgh (head of the Beggar’s Benison). The club died out in 1836, just before the reign of Queen Victoria and the beginning of a time when sexuality became even more repressed. 1The Cannibal Club1cannibleIn 1863, the Ethnologist Society of London was divided by an unusual issue—are humans inherently monogamous or polygamous? In Victorian England, any “respectable” researcher would say that they were monogamous, since the idea of multiple sexual partners was repulsive at that time. However, two of the most influential men of that era felt differently and started a club that has remained controversial to this day.Richard Francis Burton and Dr. James Hunt established the Anthropological Society of London with Dr. Hunt as President. Burton started another, more secretive group named The Cannibal Club. Richard Francis Burton was one of the most widely traveled and colorful men in Victorian England. He was an explorer, speaker of over 20 languages, a hard drinker, and a sexual deviant. The Cannibal Club met in the back room of Bertolini’s Restaurant. They smoked cigars, drank, and discussed topics such as polygamy, bestiality, phallic worship, female circumcision, ritual murder, fetishes, and cannibalism. Living up to his controversial reputation, Burton encouraged members to trade pornography, stories of whipping, and the encounters they had with their sex workers. Algernon Charles Swineburne, an acclaimed poet with a debauched personal life, wrote the blasphemous oath for the group. He went on to become a Nobel Prize nominee. Another member was Charles Bradlaugh, who was an early proponent for birth control and was later elected into Parliament in 1880, only to be briefly imprisoned for refusing to take an oath on the Bible. These were the most progressive figures of the time, but their ideas were tainted with unashamed racism and wild behavior. After Dr. Hunt died in 1869 and Burton left England on diplomatic missions, the club died out. Many of the members went to join the newly established Royal Anthropological Institute. In 1886, Richard Francis Burton was knighted by Queen Victoria, despite his reputation. Gordon Gora is a struggling author who is desperately trying to make it. He is working on several projects, but until he finishes one, he will write for Listverse for his bread and butter. You can reach him at gordongora21@gmail.com.
Top 10 Magical Societies JAMES NICKERSON APRIL 27, 201601:37 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 352
Who wouldn’t like to be a magician, able to sling spells of power? People are obsessed with magical power and societies due their prominence in popular culture, but very few know about the real magicians and magical societies that populate our world today. These magical orders are quite real, and here are 10 societies that can help to start your magical training!10 Builders Of The AdytumBOTA
Photo credit: Builders of the Adytum
The Builders of the Adytum, commonly referred to as BOTA, is a magical organization based out California and has growing branches throughout the world. Founded by master mason Paul Foster Case, BOTA is dedicated to the idea of spiritually uplifting humanity via the Ageless Wisdom, ancient magical knowledge written by God into nature. Their teachings are based around the spiritual potency of Esoteric Tarot, astrology, alchemy, and the Qabalah.The goal of a BOTA initiate is to reach higher levels of consciousness and become one with God’s thoughts. One technique is to read magical Tarot cards, form a mental image of what the cards represent in one’s life, and then use that image’s symbolic powers to overcome one’s spiritual problems and ascend to higher knowledge. If one practices these arts and does so with a desire for compassion and justice, BOTA believes that they can be reincarnated with higher levels of magical power and secrets.
9 Ordo Templi OrientisOTO
Photo credit: Ordo Templi Orientis
The Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO) is arguably the poster child of magical societies. Originally founded by Theodor Reuss as an offshoot of Freemasonry, it eventually was overtaken and massively influenced by Aleister Crowley and his Thelema religion. Today, the OTO is one of the dominant organizations that still represent Crowley’s teachings alongside the A.’.A.’. and the Typhonian Order.The OTO follows a synergistic blend of Masonry and Thelemic thought, with the primary text being Crowley’s Book of Law. The ranks of the order are divided into three tiers or grades, with initiates starting as Man of Earth grade, rising in degree until they become part of the the Lover grade, and then rising once again until at last settling into the Hermit Grade. Higher-grade followers learn more complex rituals and magic, involving everything from magical diaries and the Rites of Eleusis, Sex Magic, and ritual sacrifice.
8 Ordre Reaux CroixOrdre Reaux Croix
Photo credit: Ohjay
Many magical societies can trace their origin back Freemasonry, and Martinism was one of the most prominent to break from it. The mystical tradition was founded by Martinez de Pasqually in the 18th century. He combined Masonic principles with Gnostic theology. The Martinist school grew and fractured over the centuries, even coming into conflict with the Bavarian Illuminati and advising Tsar Nicholas II. Today its traditions are upheld by many different societies, the most prominent being the Ordre Reaux Croix (ORC).ORC combines the various schools and customs of Martinism into one order and organizes their philosophies into three separate paths to spiritual enlightenment, represented as a candelabra: The first is the Voie Cardiaque (“Way of the Heart”), which focuses on inner meditation and symbolic interpretation. The second, the Chevaliers Bienfaisantes de la Cite Sainte, is the knightly arm of the order and focuses on enlightenment through selfless actions and chivalrous heraldry. The last is Elus Coen, the heirs of the original magic practiced by Pasqually, who dedicate themselves to learning spells that summon astral beings and bind demonic influences.7 Fraternitas SaturniFraternitas Saturni
Photo via Wikimedia
One of the preeminent German mystical societies is the Fraternitas Saturni (“Fraternity of Saturn”). The organization formed after the disastrous Weida Confrence, in which Aleister Crowley tried to assert himself as leader, known as the world savior, of the German magicians and lodges. Those who rejected Crowley but were influenced by Thelema would form their own magical society, independent of his rule.The Fraternitas Saturni is today organized into chapters, with members raising through a 33-degree system. As an initiate rises in rank, they learn more complex magic and rituals based around a blend of Thelemic and astrological traditions called Saturn Magic. One peculiar ritual is the summoning of an egregore, an astral being that is the accumulation of the summoning group’s ideals, emotions, and aspirations and can take on many physical forms. One such egregore, named GOTOS, provides the Fraternity’s psychic power.6 Illuminates Of ThanaterosIOT
Photo via Wikimedia
Most magical societies are based around ancient social hierarchies and customs, but in the 1970s, a new magic and its adherents appeared as a new challenger. This magical system, developed by Peter J. Carroll and Ray Sherwin in London’s East End, was named Chaos Magic and was an attempt to break from old anachronisms and to replace superstitions with a magical system based around pragmatic, testable, and individual experiences. The original practitioners officially formed the Illuminates of Thanateros (IOT) in an Austrian castle and set out to change the world.IOT, due to Chaos Magic, is highly individualistic and bases rank on magical skill and obligations to the order. This meritocratic approach to governance is highly contrasted with other magical orders, but it has caused schisms, such as the Ice War, which split the group along political lines. IOT’s members attempt to achieve the Gnostic state, an ecstatic state of altered consciousness, which will allow the magicians to surpass any mental blocks and perform magic of their choosing. One such ritual is the Invocation of Baphomet, where chaos magicians can summon a manifestation for communing with different consciousness or altering physical reality.Membership is open and free to all who wish to join IOT. They see themselves as socially responsible, so they often encourage members, and even nonmembers, to perform spells and rituals for the betterment of all.
5 Servants Of The LightServants of the Light
Photo credit: Servants of the Light
When we think of magical orders, we think of secrecy and hidden knowledge. The Servants of the Light oppose this obfuscation and desire to spread the Western Mystery Tradition to all who wish to learn. The Servants are ardent followers of the Qabalistic trends in Western magic but believe that it can be combined with faith in any religion or personal practice.To further spread their benign teachings, the Servants do not have ranks or set practices. They instead operate like a true school, where any individual can join and learn at any time. This openness changes the dynamic of learning magic, which the Servants see as a way to achieve spiritual balance and oneness, as opposed to power over others. The Servants derive their authority to teach from a mystical collective known as the Alexandrae Fraternitatis, a group that is described as ascended master beings who are linked to a higher reality.4 The Open Source Order Of The Golden DawnOpen Source Golden Dawn
Photo credit: Joseph Max
Is magic something that can change with culture? The Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn, an offshoot of the original Golden Dawn, believes so. Composed primarily of pagans, the Open Source Order believes that the original Golden Dawn’s magical practices were too influenced by the prevailing Victorian ethos of the time and have adopted ways to update their magic using technology.The Open Source Order is based on the open-source software movement. Both share the idea that information (or magic in the Order’s case) must be shared by all in order to evolve to the best state possible. This is exemplified in the Open Source Order’s change from the Christian mythos of the original Golden Dawn to a more universal approach incorporating Egyptian and Eastern symbolism as well as technologically based ways of speaking. An example of this is the Rite of the Milk of the Stars, which uses mathematical, spiritual, and magical means to enhance spells and control energy.3 Ordo Aurum SolisOrdo Aurum Solis
Photo credit: Ordo Aurum Solis
Many magical orders and societies claim ancient heritage, but the Ordo Aurum Solis (OAS) truly stands apart, stating that their Ogdoadic Tradition was started by the Egyptian god Thoth. Originating in the mystery traditions of Greece and Ptolemaic Egypt, the Odoadic Tradition was passed from secret master to secret master, including people like Plato and Galen, in a tradition called the Golden Chain, until the OAS formed in 1897.Formed organizationally around the lodge structure seen in most Hermetic-influenced societies, the OAS divides members into three separate halls to classify their rank and skill. These members follow the Three Pillars—theology, traditional philosophy, and finally Theurgy, or high magic. Theurgy is considered the most important aspect to master, as exemplified by the ritual Desmos kai Eklusis, in which a human becomes a living vessel for a god or spirit to communicate divine orders or knowledge with the Order.2 Fraternitas L.V.X. Occulta
An American branch of the Golden Dawn that gained independence, the Fraternitas L.V.X. Occulta, or the Fraternity of the Hidden Light, is dedicated to educating a select few in Western mystery traditions to serve humanity. The term “Hidden Light” was chosen because of its numerological correspondence to the keystone of King Solomon’s temple. The Fraternity, though still primarily American, has spread throughout the globe.The Fraternity is a traditional school of Hermetic practice, which trains in correspondence magic and derives its methods from the Emerald Tablets, the earliest text of Western magic. This magic can be best be expressed by the axiom, “As above, so below.” In other words, whenever one wishes to accomplish something with magical power, they must align with the higher astral powers to invoke it in our world. For example, if one desires love, they would need to cast their ritual under the Moon while facing southwest and involve water.1 Temple Of SetTemple of Set
Photo credit: Temple of Set
On the night of July 21, 1975, Michael Aquino was contacted by Set, a figure commonly known as Lucifer or Satan. Set demanded a restoration of his temple and for his teachings to be followed again. This mythology, combined with influence from Thelema, Hermeticism, and paganism would lay the foundation for the Temple of Set.The Temple of Set’s goal is the self-deification of all its members through understanding Set and the black magic he teaches. Although it has a degree system like traditional magical lodges, the Temple of Set differs by having members organized into groups called Pylons, which can study esoteric topics, like vampirism or dark knighthood, in larger groups called Orders. The Temple of Set prescribes no formal rituals but instead encourages its members to learn and develop their own black magic and spells.
10 Dark Ancient Origins Of Everyday Phrases ELIZABETH S. ANDERSON APRIL 26, 201601:35 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 353
Some of the seemingly innocent phrases that we utter today have disturbing historical backstories. A cakewalk was a dance performed by slaves for their masters, blockbusters were big bombs created during World War II, and deadlines were literal lines drawn during the US Civil War to discourage prisoners from escaping.
10 ‘Sold Down The River’iStock_000063409773_Small
Today, a person who is “sold down the river” is someone who has been cheated or betrayed. The phrase has its roots in slave trade–era Mississippi. Back then, slaves in the northern part of the United States were treated comparatively better than those in the South. If any group of slaves in the North proved difficult to handle, they were rounded up and put up for sale in Louisville, Kentucky. From there, they were transported via the Mississippi River to the South and sold to plantations to meet the rising demand for slaves needed to work in the blooming cotton industry.Slaves sold down the river were consequently separated from their families and subjected to hard labor in harsher conditions. Slaves viewed it as a death sentence and preferred suicide to being sold. According to an eyewitness account, a slave sold down the river committed suicide by drowning after his earlier attempts to do so by cutting his legs and throat were unsuccessful.
9 ‘Smart Aleck’iStock_000016686704_Medium
A “smart aleck” (or “smart alec”) is a person who, to the irritation of everyone around, acts like they know everything. The phrase was inspired by a 19th-century man named Alec Hoag. Hoag and his wife, Melinda, were robbers in New York City. They developed a con that involved Melinda posing as a prostitute and luring innocent customers into a dark alley. While making out with the unsuspecting victims, she’d slyly steal valuables from their pockets and hand them to Hoag, who was hiding nearby. The duo, knowing that some of their victims would report to the authorities, struck a deal with several police officers to split the valuables with them.Hoag stopped giving the police officers their share after he ran into some financial troubles. To avoid suspicion, he came up with the “panel game.” In this new scheme, Melinda would instead lead the victims to their apartment, where she would have them take off their clothes and give a subtle signal. Alec would emerge and secretly take the valuables from the clothes before leaving through an exit. Then, to the horror of the victim, Hoag would knock on the door. Melinda would tell the victim that it was her husband, who’d returned from a trip earlier than expected. The victim would quickly pick up their clothes and escape through the window.The police soon discovered the couple’s new scheme and subsequently arrested and jailed them. The nickname “Smart Alec” was given to him by police officers mocking him for trying to outsmart them, and it soon became widely used in the decades that followed.
8 ‘Meet A Deadline’Andersonville Prison
Photo credit: Library of Congress
The phrase “meet a deadline” dates back to US Civil War. One of the first recorded uses of the phrase was at the Confederate prison at Andersonville. To keep the prisoners from escaping, a line was drawn 6 meters (20 ft) from the heavily fortified walls of the prison. An order given to the prison guards stating that any prisoner who came near the line or attempted to cross it should be immediately shot dead, hence the nickname “dead-line.” Unfortunately, the guards used the order as an excuse to execute prisoners at will. An eyewitness confirmed that prisoners were killed on a daily basis by the guards, who claimed that their victims tried to cross the line even though they were well within it. According to etymologists, many other war prisons at that time had their own dead-line.By the 20th century, various meanings for the word began to appear. At one point, it was a printing terminology. Later, it was used to define the age limit of church ministers, who were expected to retire at age 50. Over time, its meaning changed to imply a stipulated time by which a deed must be performed.7 ‘Blue Blood’
To be a “blue blood” is to be of noble birth. The phrase is also used to describe anyone born into a wealthy or influential family. “Blue blood,” which is the literal translation of the Spanish phrase sangre azul, has its dark origin in medieval Spain. During the rule of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile, the Moorish and Jewish people in Spain were given an ultimatum to convert to Christianity or leave. All who stayed had to convert to Christianity to be accepted as citizens of the country. By they early 19th century, members of oldest and most powerful royal family, which had refused to interbreed with these other races, began to claim that their blood was pure and blue. The ostensible reason for their prejudiced logic was that since they were fairer than the Moors and Jews, who were mostly peasants who worked under the Sun, their visible veins had a hue of blue. The phrase soon spread to Britain, where it became popular.6 ‘Blockbusters’
Today, a “blockbuster” is a movie, book, or piece of music that is widely accepted and commercially successful. The origin of the phrase dates back to 1942, during World War II. A blockbuster was a huge aerial bomb. It weighed up to 1,800 kilograms (4,000 lb) and could destroy a city block. One of the first written references of the word was in the September 29, 1942, issue of Time, narrated the testing of several blockbusters. After the war, the phrase became a real estate term. It was used to refer to a real estate agent who sold a house to a minority family in an all-white community. Once he sold the house to the minority family, usually blacks, the city block had been “busted.” Consequently, most of the white neighbors would put up their houses for sale at a very low price. These houses were eventually sold to other minority families. Over time, the meaning of the phrase evolved to its current meaning.
5 ‘Call A Spade A Spade’iStock_000023679501_Small
To “call a spade a spade” means to tell something as it is. The phrase has a surprisingly innocent origin: It once meant to give an honest opinion about a situation. The phrase originated in ancient Greece and has been credited to various historical figures, such as Aristophanes and Menander. Although the phrase was widely used throughout history in various forms by different writers, there was no racist tone to its meaning.The meaning of the phrase took a dark turn in the late 1920s. This was attributed to a novel called Home to Harlem, written by Claude McKay in 1928. The book featured a line in which a black character was referred to as a “fool spade.” Subsequently, fellow writer Wallace Thurman followed Mckay’s example by naming the black characters in his novel “spades.” The phrase “black as a spade” also helped to further the racist use of the term. Over the years, black activists have tried to reclaim the phrase by applying it instead as a compliment to help erase its ugly past.4 ‘Loophole’iStock_000065942387_Small
“Loopholes” are gaps in a set of rules or laws that can be exploited to avoid consequences. The phrase originated in medieval Europe. Back then, castles were prone to attacks by enemies. To keep themselves safe, the powerful owners had their castles built with vertical arrow slits known as loopholes. These loopholes enabled guards in the castle to strike down enemies with little exposure to danger. Although loopholes were narrow on the outside, they were much wider on the inside, enabling archers to strike from different angles. Their length varied from 1 to 3 meters (3–9 ft). A loophole also served as a source for letting light into the castle.With the invention of the crossbow in the 12th century, horizontal slits were added to the loopholes to enable accuracy and efficiency. The loopholes were built in the form of crosses and were known as crosslets. Over time, the literal meaning of the word was eventually replaced with its metaphoric definition.3 ‘Pleased As Punch’
Punch and Judy, a puppet show, began to appear in Britain around the 17th century. The show, which was inspired by an Italian character called Polichinello, starred the sadistic hunchback Mr. Punch and his wife, Judy. The revolving plot of the show centered on how Punch kills his infant child and his wife before he is arrested and thrown in jail. With the use of a golden key, he escapes from jail and murders a host of others, including Death and the Devil. The show was very popular in Britain and drew large crowd of adults and children.While engaging in his spree, Punch was known to delightfully utter his catchphrase, “That’s the way to do it!” The disturbing pleasure that Punch derived from the killing was what lead to use of the phrase “pleased as Punch” to describe anyone who is very delighted about something. The phrase, as used today, became popular at the beginning of the 19th century.2 ‘Diehard’iStock_000050914104_Small
Anyone whose commitment to a belief is difficult to change is referred to as a “diehard.” William Inglis, commander of the British 57th Regiment of Foot, is often credited as the first man to use the phrase. He reportedly ordered his men to die hard during a battle in the Peninsula War in 1811. This earned his regiment the nickname the “Die-hards.” Although Inglis made the phrase popular, the first documented use of it use was in a 1703 publication that discussed condemned men approaching toward death.The text was written in Tyburn in London, where frequent public hangings took place until 1783. Back then, the drop method of hanging was not in use, so some men paid people to pull their legs to hasten their death. Men who would rather go through the lengthy and slow death process were referred to as the die-hards. In the 20th century, the meaning of the phrase evolved into it current definition after some members of the Conservative Party in Britain named themselves the “die-hards.”1 ‘Cakewalk’iStock_000010591635_Small
When you’re told that some task is no “cakewalk,” you’ve been warned of the huge difficulty or obstacle that you might face engaging in it. The origin of this phrase is not as cheerful as it sounds. A cakewalk was a dance performed by slaves on plantations in the southern United States. The dance was done in mockery of their white owners. The owners, who knew nothing about the dance’s backstory, took delight in it and had slaves perform it for them during weekend contests while they served as the judges. The winner is rewarded with a piece of cake, and the phrase “piece of cake” also comes from the dance.After slavery came to an end, cakewalks became popular for another wrong reason. It was performed by white actors who painted their faces black and portrayed the slaves as people attempting to sincerely emulate white culture but failing hilariously. It eventually became the foundation of famous ragtime songs. Over time, the phrase remained while the gruesome story behind it faded. If any phrase origin takes the cake for being disturbing, this one does.
10 Dark And Unsettling Rituals Of Death And Immortality DEBRA KELLY APRIL 25, 2016
01:33 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 354
For centuries, mankind has taken comfort through the performance of rituals. Religion is built on the idea, and it allows us to feel as though we’re a part of a larger, more enduring whole. It’s a nice idea, but some of history’s rituals were pretty dark. Be it human sacrifice, celebrating under the influence of mind-altering substances, or attempting to summon demons, mankind has come up with some ridiculously unsettling stuff.
10 The Sacrificial Ritual Of The KhondsKhond Sacrificial Post
Photo via Wikimedia
In the 1840s, Major S.C. Macpherson lived among and studied the Khonds of Orissa in India. Over the next few decades, he wrote about and documented beliefs and practices that seemed shocking to Western eyes, such as killing infant girls to prevent them from growing up to cause trouble and become the target of witch-hunters.He also recorded, studied, and lobbied for putting an end to a sacrificial ritual that he observed when he was living among the Khonds. The Khonds worshiped a creator god called Boora Pennu, and just beneath him in their hierarchy were the Earth goddess Tari Pennu and other deities. They were responsible for things like rain, hunting, and war, and they were honored with human sacrifices by some Khond sects. (Others found the idea of human sacrifice horrifying and claimed that those who practiced it had been deceived into doing so by a false god.) Sacrifices were made to ensure fruitful harvests and were also occasionally done if a major tragedy struck the village. The sacrificial victim was variously called a tokki, a keddi, or the meriah. They were often either purchased or kidnapped from another village or were “hereditary victims,” born into a family whose purpose was to produce sacrificial victims. Since it was believed that the victim became a God when they were sacrificed, it wasn’t always as dismal a prospect as it probably should have been. In the time leading up to the ritual, the designated meriah was given complete sexual run of the village, and the husband or father of any woman he chose considered the act a blessing from the gods. The ritual itself lasted anywhere from three to five days, and it started with the shaving of the meriah‘s head and a massive party. The next stage began with a bath, new clothes, and a parade, which ended when the meriah was seated, tied to a stake, covered with garlands of flowers, oil, and red dye, and worshiped by his people. Before the final sacrifice, the meriah was given milk. He was fastened to a post (pictured above) with his arms and legs broken (to ensure that he wouldn’t resist). The priest in charge of the sacrifice struck the first blow, and the people cut the body (aside from the head) into pieces that would be buried in every field that needed the blessing of sacrifice. Afterward, a buffalo was sacrificed, and its remains were left as an offering for the spirit of the meriah.
9 The Initiation Rites Of The Eleusinian MysteriesElusinian Mysteries
Photo via Wikimedia
The Eleusinian Mysteries were set of traditions that existed for around 2,000 years, finally dying out sometime around AD 500. At the center of the cult practicing them was Persephone, kidnapped by Hades and forced to spend a few months each year with him in the Underworld and the rest with her mother—the ancient Greek explanation for winter. The only requirements for entry into the cult were the ability to speak Greek and having never committed a murder. Aside from that, anyone—even women and slaves—were accepted, and an initiation ceremony kicked off a person’s access to the cult’s secret knowledge. Much of that knowledge has been lost, but we do know what the initiation ceremony entailed.The mass initiation in Athens started on the 15th day of what’s now September. The day after the first gathering, the prospective initiates (and their animal sacrifices) were sent to the ocean to purify themselves. (This didn’t always end uneventfully, as in 339 BC, one was attacked and killed by a shark.) After a three-day rest, the assembled procession left on a 24-kilometer (15 mi) journey, replete with things like singing, music, and calling on Iacchus (who was associated with Dionysus) to usher in the night. The next day began with sacrificial bulls being lifted by initiates and carried to sacrifice. Over the next few days, initiates were washed and taken into the final ceremonies. The lower orders’ ceremony involved the acting out of the Persephone-Demeter myth. What went on in the higher levels of the order is a bit more of a mystery, but there are a number of clues, like writings that suggest that there was a lot of dancing and that at least a part of it was absolutely terrifying, possibly because people were drinking something mild-altering. When the initiates reached the end of their long journey to Eleusis, they drank their share of a beverage called kykeon. What exactly the drink was is debated, but we know it was made from barley and pennyroyal, and it was likely a hallucinogenic. The barley would have been infested with the parasite ergot, and the drink would have caused effects similar to an LSD trip.
8 The Aztec Sacrifice Of TezcatlipocaAztec Sacrifice
Photo via Wikimedia
The Aztecs were widely known for their human sacrifice, but a lot of what went on in their sacred rites has been lost. Diego Duran, a Dominican priest, wrote a huge amount on the Aztec rituals that he studied. He didn’t attend them, but he interviewed those who did. What emerged was a picture of human sacrifice as a theater production. Aztec sacrifices happened on a surprisingly frequent basis, and Duran (as well as Franciscan missionary Bernardino de Sahagun) describes one festival that included the sacrifice of a man who was dressed as and given the persona of the god Tezcatlipoca. He would have been picked out of a group of warriors who had been captured from a neighboring state, selected for his physical beauty and a few other traits like a slender build and perfect teeth. Blemishes on the skin or even a speech impediment would disqualify someone from the position. If he gained weight in the year over which he was being coached and prepped for his starring role, he would be forced to drink saltwater until the weight was gone. After the year of preparation and training, he would be dressed in the traditional costume of Tezcatlipoca and assigned his name. For a few months, he would live in the temple, be visited and worshiped by the upper echelons of society, and lead parades through the city before being locked in a cage at night to keep him from escaping. For 20 days before his sacrifice, he was given four wives to do whatever he wanted with, and his hair was cut in the style of a warrior captain and adorned with a heron feather. On the day of the sacrifice, he would be restrained by four priests holding his arms and legs, while a fifth cut out his heart and threw it in his face. The body was then thrown down the stairs of the temple in a symbolic gesture, showing that he’d first been raised to the level of a god and then transformed again—into food for the gods. His head would later be removed, punctured, and added to the city’s skull rack in what would be the final transformation.7 The Mass Of Saint-SecaireiStock_000009074543_Medium
Sir James George Frazer was a Scottish anthropologist who studied the evolution of magic into religion and finally, the shift into science. In his seminal work The Golden Bough, he detailed a terrifying dark mass that was said during the most desperate times in the Gascon region of France. Only a handful of priests knew the ceremony, and most wouldn’t even say it, as it meant damning their soul to a point beyond typical pardon. Only the pope himself could undo the damage done by saying the Mass of Saint-Secaire and pardon anyone who dared perform it. The mass was said in a ruined or abandoned church, and as the clock struck 11:00 PM, he would begin saying the regular mass backward and end it at the stroke of midnight. The communion host for the mass was black, and instead of wine, the priest and his attendants drank water from a well that was the horrible final resting place of an unbaptized baby. When the priest made the sign of the cross, he drew it not on himself but on the ground (using his left foot). According to Frazer, other things went on, too—things that “no good Christian could look upon without being struck blind and deaf and dumb for the rest of his life.”The mass was said with a particular target in mind, and once it was done, that person would grow sicker and sicker, wasting away and finally dying. Doctors wouldn’t have been able to find anything wrong with him or any reason for his illness, and no one would have suspected that he’d been cursed by a dark mass.6 Kawanga-WhareMaori
Photo credit: Josiah Martin
According to Maori belief, a ceremonial ritual needs to be performed to make a new house safe for its inhabitants. Because the trees that were killed, cut, and used in its construction are protected by the Tane-mahuta, god of the forest, the people who used them need to be protected from the wrath of the gods. During the home’s construction, incredible care was taken with things like wood chips and shavings. They were never used for cooking fires, and workers also refused to blow away sawdust. They brushed it away instead, as their breath could pollute the purity of the trees. Once the house was finished, a tohunga said a prayer over the new home, releasing the sacred wood from the protection of the forest god. Another chant was them performed, which removed any enchantment that had been left behind by the tools used to build the house and carve the wood. The last incantation was an appeal to the gods to keep the house and its inhabitants safe. Once the prayers were complete, the house is considered an aspect of the Tane-mahuta. The first person to enter the home was a woman (in order to make it safe for all other women), and then traditional foods were eaten and water was boiled to make sure that the inside of the house was safe, too.This is all based on a witness who saw the performance of the sanctifying ceremonies in 1908, but the account left out a major part of what used to be included in the ritual—child sacrifice. The Taraia tell a story of man who had his own child sacrificed and buried with one of the supporting posts of the house. Another version of the story claims that the child had a last-minute reprieve, and the child of one of the man’s slave wives was killed and buried instead. The sacrificial part of the ritual varied. In some places, the person was still alive when they were put in place, usually near a support beam, where they were left to hold up the house. Sometimes, they were killed before they were buried. Sometimes, they were put in the hole and killed by having stones and boulders piled on top of them. The victims came from certain families who had a duty to provide sacrifices. Reverend W. Gill wrote about one instance in which a man was shunned from his community for the actions of his grandfather, who had refused to be sacrificed. The man’s brother had taken his place, and all his descendants remained outcasts.
5 The Mithras LiturgyMithras
Photo credit: Cristian Chirita
The Mithras Liturgy walked the line between spell, ritual, and liturgy. Found in the Paris Papyrus, the liturgy is rather mysterious as far as texts go. The connection between the Persian Mithras, the Roman one, and the Egyptian gods and imagery isn’t clear, and while that’s enough to give scholars nightmares, the liturgy on its own is a pretty unsettling look into the mystery cult. The ritual was performed with the goal of elevating a single person through the different levels of the heavens and into the company of the various gods of the pantheon. Mithras sits at the top, and along the way through this journey through the heavenly afterlife, the person in question is guided past gatekeepers and through the realms of Earth, heaven, and into supraheaven. While “heaven” might conjure up images that are largely positive, that’s absolutely not the case. Built into the liturgy are instructions and prayers to be used against the more dangerous celestial beings, those that aren’t happy with the idea of someone heading up into their realm. While it’s a simple saying that’s supposed to protect the person (“Silence! Silence! Silence! Symbol of the living, incorruptible god, Guard me, Silence! Nechtheir Thanmelou!”), it also relies on establishing the visitor as a god himself.The ritual itself was performed in a few stages. After an introduction, the spirit was guided through the four different elements (including things like thunder and lightning) and then faced the guardians of the door to the heavens, the Fates, and up through to Mithras himself. The liturgy also contained instructions for preparing protective amulets (and what to do with them), a magical cake for the scarab ceremony, and even breathing exercises for the journey. It was only after going through realms of hissing, angry gods and heavenly fire and brimstone that one get to meet the fire-haired, white-clad Mithras. Those who did also needed protection against him, too, if they wanted to be honored with a revelation and consecration as a god.4 Bartzabel Working
According to the teachings of Aleister Crowley, Bartzabel is a demon that embodies of the spirit of Mars. Crowley claimed to have summoned and spoken with the demon in 1910. He said that the creature told him that there would soon be major wars starting in Turkey and Germany and that the wars would mean the destruction of life and nations on an epic scale. Even though he only conveniently remembered this conversation in 1914, Crowley still wrote up his ritual for summoning the demon. He detailed how to draw the pentagon and the circle, which demons’ names to include, and how to draw the Sigil of Bartzabel. There is proper attire for everyone involved, plenty of other sigils, and diagrams on how to set up the altar with its spear, torch, holy oil, and images. The ritual itself was an incredibly long set of appeals and actions, involving lines like, “May the Names of God that gird us, Be our sign that he hath heard us!” and walking around the altar while carrying weapons. The first part of the ritual involved consecration of the area, the second the preparation of the materials, and the third the invocation of the spirit himself. Part four detailed the format for the interactions with the demon, and Crowley even recorded just what went on in his face-to-face Q&A with the creature. Bartzabel was then given license to depart.In 2013, Los Angeles–based performance artist Brian Butler performed the ritual in front of thousands of people, the largest group to have ever bore witness to one of Crowley’s rites. A blindfolded and bound man acted as the receptacle for the spirit of the demon. According to Butler and the witnesses, the whole thing went off without a hitch.3 The Sacrificial Messengers Of The UnyoroiStock_000041801472_Small
James Frederick Cunningham was a British explorer who lived in Uganda during British occupation and wrote extensively on his interactions with the different people he encountered and documented the cultures he found there. In his work Uganda and its Peoples: Notes on the Protectorate of Uganda, he recounted one group’s ritual for honoring the death of a king. A pit about 1.5 meters (5 ft) across and 4 meters (12 ft) deep was prepared. The bodyguard of the dead king would go out into the village and grab the first nine men he came across. Those men were thrown into the pit alive, and then the body of the king, wrapped in bark cloth and cowhide, was placed into the pit with them. Another piece of cowhide was then stretched over the top of the pit and secured on all sides. A temple was built over the grave, which was the new home of the surviving servants of the dead king as well as their descendants. The idea of human sacrifice as providing messengers or guides to the dead is an old one, but Cunningham seemed shocked over the method in which the sacrifices were chosen then sealed inside what would become their tomb.Cunningham also noted a practice observed by the members of another group, one that went a long way in explaining some of the difficulties translators were facing. When a person died, the survivors would never say the person’s name again in any context. That was particularly problematic when the name was a common word, like an adjective or animal. The word would be removed from the group’s vocabulary and replaced with something new, a huge problem for any outsiders trying to understand their language.2 Nazca Trophy Heads Ritual
Take a look at some of the traditional art from the Peruvian Nazca (or Nasca) people, and you’ll see a disturbingly common motif—the trophy head. Archaeologists have sifted through pictorial and physical evidence to try to figure out what kind of rites and rituals were performed with and around these heads, and they’re pretty gruesome. The Nazca were only one of two South American cultures that prepared trophy heads for a ritual use. (The other was the Paracas.) After the head was severed using an obsidian knife, pieces of bone were removed, and the eyes and brain were extracted. A hole was made for a rope that would typically ultimately attach the head to a cloak. The mouth was pinned shut, and the skull was filled with cloth. It’s thought that the preparation of the heads was the first step in the ritual process, and the entire thing revolved around a shaman who served as something of a gatekeeper between the world of the living and the next life. While archaeologists haven’t been able to piece together a concrete timeline of what was done with the heads, they have many illustrations that depict particular moments. The heads feature heavily in images that also include cacti, huge storage jars, and people drinking, making it certain that ritual drinks played a big part in the ceremony. The drinks were most likely hallucinogenic, made from the San Pedro cactus, and seem to have been the key that opened the gate to the spirit world. Other images show processions of people and the playing of instruments like drums, trumpets, pipes, and rattles.The Nazca culture grew out of the earlier Paracas, and both are associated with an image called the Oculate Being. The figure, which is central to religious rites and beliefs, has an oversized head and eyes and a tongue that sticks out of a smiling mouth. It is decorated with snakes and often holds a trophy head or the instruments used in their preparation.The ritual use of the trophy heads seems to have ended with their burial. Caches of heads have been discovered, buried in groups ranging from three or four to more than 40, some buried inside jars.1 Capacocha
The ritual of Capacocha was the Incan practice of child sacrifice, usually done only when life was becoming extreme. According to written records left behind by Spanish conquistadors, the sacrificial victim was usually the child of a chief, and sacrifices were usually performed during or after ordeals like drought, famine, or the death of an Incan emperor. It was a major honor for a child to be chosen as a sacrifice. Only the most perfect children would be selected to be deified through Capacocha, and their families would enjoy an elevated status as relations of this worldly god.After the child was chosen, the ritual would begin with a procession from the child’s village to Cuzco, the heart of the Inca Empire. Major construction projects would be started to prepare the mountain to receive its sacrifice, including a sacrificial platform, a burial site, and in most cases, a number of buildings and shelters at the base of the mountain to act as a sort of staging ground. The child’s final resting place was usually a tomb-like structure that also contained ritual and ceremonial offerings. On the chosen day, the child was given chicha, a type of alcohol brewed from corn, and was then taken up to the mountainside platform. What happened next has been hotly debated by archaeologists. Many of the victims who have been examined bear skull fractures, and some contend that the blow, always to the back of the head, was meant to knock the children unconscious before they ultimately died from exposure. Other injuries and illnesses, such as bronchitis and damage to sinus cavities, suggest that the children weren’t accustomed to the high altitude that they were finally buried at. The presence of vomit and feces on their clothes also suggests that they absolutely weren’t willing participants. Some of the children, like the Llullaillaco boy, were bound, and some of the bodies show signs of strangulation. Accounts by Spanish explorers who witnessed the ritual speak of ritual violence visited upon the children, and the more archaeological evidence that’s uncovered, the more their testimonies are supported. While it was undoubtedly of little comfort to the families or the children themselves, the rituals associated with the children, who were always well-clothed, well-fed, and well cared for, were done because they felt they had no other choice. They were a link between the natural and the supernatural, a way of controlling the fate of an entire people, and the children were elevated to the status of a deity for their sacrifice.
UNDERSTANDING TWELFTH NIGHT The Holiday That Time Forgot By Sandy Levins January 3, 200501:24 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 355
CAMDEN, N.J. -- Although its vestiges are still visible in the January 6 "Three Kings Day" celebration of Hispanic culture, the historic holiday of "Twelfth Night" has been abandoned and forgotten by almost all the rest of the country.
twelfth night holiday 1
Photo: Hoag Levins
The Twelfh Night cake was a central element of 18th-century celebrations. This one was on display in the 'Holiday Tastes and Traditions' exhibit at Winterthur Museum and Gardens. Larger photo.
The twelve-day, mid-winter festival Twelfth Night once ended with great public fanfare has receded to leave behind our truncated modern holiday season that views December 25 and January 1 as its high points, and January 2 as the day life goes back to normal.
18th century
But it wasn't always so for the people who inhabited the Delaware Valley and other parts of the colonies in the 18th century.
In recent years, the Camden County Historical Society, along with other historical research institutions like the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Winterthur Museum and Gardens, has steadily shifted its view to acknowledge how very different today's Christmas traditions are from the past's.
In some ways, the historical record of 18th-century life portrays a Christmas far more drab and low-key than ours today. But in other ways, the same record illuminates a set of traditions -- including that of Twelfth Night -- that invoked the bonds of close community in a ways not matched by our own 21st century high-tech lifestyle.
Williamsburg and Philadelphia
The holiday celebrated as Twelfth Night in 18th-century American cities like Philadelphia and Williamsburg was a high-spirited mid-winter event whose practices date back to the days of ancient Rome.
It evolved from the Roman Saturnalia festival marking the onset of the winter solstice -- that point in late December when the sun, whose daily arc had reached its lowest, darkest, coldest point,
twelfth night holidays 2
Photo: Hoag Levins
The 18th century's Twelfth Night was a feasting holiday in an era where food presentation itself was a primary entertainment. Shown here is part of a typical spread of deserts that would have been seen in the mansions of the Delaware Valley. Larger photo.
began its rise toward the longer, warmer days that would ultimately cause trees to bud and seeds to sprout in the spring.
Though originally rooted in pagan fertility rites, the annual practice of an extended winter solstice festival of feasting, family gatherings and public gaiety was later grafted into the emerging Christian culture of Europe. In the fourth century, in a move to placate those it hoped to convert and hold to the new faith, the Christian church pronounced the official date of the commemoration of Christ's birth to be that of the winter solstice: December 25th.
The Yule log
By the time of the late Renaissance, Christmas was a day of low-key observance that opened an annual twelve day festival of religious ceremony and secular celebration. The English word "Yuletide" actually means the twelve-day period between Dec. 25 and Jan. 6. In many communities, large bonfires were set in village centers and, on Christmas eve, each family burned a ceremonial Yule log to start the hearth fire around which its members and visitors would gather throughout the rest of the Christmas festival days.
While that period's most important holiday was New Year's, its second most important ended the twelve days on January 6 and was called Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night was a final frenzy of feasting, drinking and often-raucous merry making before the community returned to its daily working grind for the rest of the winter.
The spirit of that annual European custom which joyfully convulsed all society each year is captured in an extraordinary mid-17th century painting by David Teniers the Younger, a Flemish artist who specialized in documenting life among the common folk along Europe's western edge. Titled "Twelfth Night (The King Drinks)," the painting, now in the Prado Museum of Madrid, meticulously details a tavern scene on Jan. 6. Dancing, clowning and consuming prodigious quantities of liquor and food, the patrons are depicted as they follow the practice of crowning one of themselves "king" to rule over the Twelfth Night's
twelfth night holiday customs
Prado Museum
A 17th-century painting by David Teniers the Younger depicts a typical Twelfth Night celebration in a village tavern. Larger photo.
festivities. Those who donned the crown were also expected to treat their fellow revelers to a round of drinks.
Twelfth Night cake
At some point, this tradition gave rise to the creation of the "Twelfth Night" cake -- an often-ornate confection into which a bean, a coin or a tiny carved or cast metal version of the Baby Jesus was placed. During early evening ceremonies, the cake was cut and its pieces distributed to guests who were advised to chew carefully. The person who found the icon then became the king or queen of Twelfth Night. By the late 18th century in England and America, the selection of Twelfth Night's "royalty" was also alternately accomplished by the distribution of paper slips with each piece of cake. The slips were opened and the person holding the one with a special mark inside was declared king.
Some believe this paper ballot tradition was instituted as a matter of safety to prevent often-inebriated and distracted guests from inadvertently choking to death on hard beans, coins or cast metal Jesuses hidden in wads of cake.
Wassail, the drink of good wishes and holiday cheer, has been associated with Twelfth Night since the 1400s. The ale-based drink seasoned with spices and honey was served in huge bowls, often made of silver or pewter. It was passed among family members and friends with the greeting "Wassail." The name comes from the old English term "Waes hael," meaning "be well."
Wassailing the apple trees
In England and Ireland, a related Twelfth Night drink called "Lambs Wool" was made of cider or ale, sugar, spices and roasted apples. It was customary to
twelfth night holiday traditions
Photo: Hoag Levins
Wassail bowls were central features in the homes of the rich as well as the poor during Twelfth Night. A symbol of hospitality and holiday good cheer, the ale-based drink was seasoned with spices and honey. Larger photo.
ceremonially pour a little Lambs Wool or cider on your apple trees in order to bless them for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. The happy drink was applied to the trees with a "Wig," a triangular piece of toast floated in the Wassail bowl. The tradition was known as "wassailing the apple trees" and was likely to have been popular in the Delaware Valley where apple orchards were plentiful on 18th-century farms.
From its earliest days, the Twelve Days of Christmas festival involved masked dancers and play actors who cavorted through the streets and visited homes unannounced to beg for holiday treats and drink. In England they were called "Mummers," from the French term "momer," which means to wear a mask. Some historians suggest that when the Christian church initially subsumed the pagan Saturnalia, it may have encouraged or tolerated demonstrations by the newly faithful mocking the old Roman gods. Those early revelers donned grotesque masks satirizing the Roman deities but their masked street antics ultimately became a popular and unstoppable part of the Christian Christmas festival.
Village dancers and play actors
In the England and Ireland from which 17th- and 18th-century Delaware Valley colonists came, it was common for villagers to don costumes and face coverings to play music, dance and perform brief, impromptu Yuletide plays in the streets. Some blackened their faces with charcoal. Others wore suits made of thatched straw, transforming themselves into the village "straw man." Others masqueraded as animals. Several genres of English folk dancing, including Morris Dancing, Sword Dancing and Molly Dancing, evolved from this activity.
Meanwhile, in the castles and estate houses of society's upper crust, dancing remained an important part of the holiday in the form of formal balls.
The socially elegant level to which Twelfth Night celebrations rose in the high society of colonial America can be seen at the annual "Yuletides Past" museum displays that are now an annual Christmas season feature
twelfth night holiday 3
Images: National Archives
George and Martha Washington were married in 1759 on Twelfth Night. The holiday that drew families together from long distances also provided a convenient venue for family weddings. Larger photo.
at Winterthur Museum and Gardens in Winterthur, Del., as well as in the historic holiday tavern and home displays of Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.
Washington's holidays
In fact, the 18th-century importance of Twelfth Night -- rather than Christmas Day -- is nowhere better documented than in the papers of George Washington. He paid scant attention to Christmas Day, usually attending a church service after which he would spend the day sorting through other year-end business matters of his plantation. Twelfth Night, however, was a different matter. Washington's records indicate that he and his wife Martha often entertained groups of relatives and friends throughout that day. Further illustrating how Twelfth Night holiday gatherings provided convenient opportunities for conducting other large family events, George and Martha Washington were married on Twelfth Night in 1759 in Williamsburg.
And Martha Washington's papers, preserved at Mt. Vernon, include her recipe for a huge Twelfth Night cake that included 40 eggs, four pounds of sugar and five pounds of dried fruits.
In the Delaware Valley, Christmas day was even less observed because the area was so heavily dominated by Quakers, who disdained ostentatious holiday behavior.
Grand Twelfth Night balls
However, throughout the region around Philadelphia, the nation's largest city, Twelfth Night was widely celebrated. In the homes of its wealthy non-Quaker merchants, gentlemen in powdered wigs and ladies in the finest silk gathered in mansion ballrooms to listen to chamber music, toast each other with crystal glasses and politely applaud the arrival of the magnificently decorated Twelfth Night Cake.
Other common Yuletide community activities included horse racing, fox hunting, cock fighting, card playing, apple-bobbing, blind man's bluff, nine-pins and other entertainments featuring mock sword fights, fiddlers, jesters, tight-rope walkers, plays and group singing.
Twelfth Night was also the time for each household to conduct its ceremonial extinguishing of the Yule log. Charred remains from the hearth were scooped up and kept for use in kindling the coming year's Yule log. Storing the Yule log remains in one's home also was thought to protect the house from fire and lightning.
Twelfth Night was a key feasting holiday in an era where food presentation itself was a primary entertainment. Affluent hostesses set tables with entres and desserts created and displayed
twelfth night holiday 4
Photo: Hoag Levins
In the Twelfth Night street 'frolics' that later evolved into the modern day Mummers' parade, villagers donned masks and costumes. Some dragged plows with them as they went house to house seeking holiday treats and drink. Today's Molly Dancer troupes like this one, continue the traditions in their performances. Larger photo.
like sprawling works of edible art. The culinary exhibits were toured and touted like a gallery display before being consumed by the well-heeled guests.
Mummers frolic
Meanwhile, out in the streets of the Delaware Valley's cities and villages, it was a different scene as subsistence farmers, tradesmen and river workers carried out their annual "frolics," or street rites which tended to mix equal parts of merriment and mayhem in keeping with the old world traditions of holiday mummery.
In many ways, Twelfth Night and related Twelve Days customs were an annual catharsis of the community's social tensions, frustrations and anxieties. The public dancing, drinking and street foolery all openly and profusely mocked established authority and normal social controls. It was a time for letting loose that often caused its own kind of social friction.
One 18th century Pennsylvania patrician wrote that the local mummers "were a set of the lowest blackguards, who, disguised in filthy clothes and ofttimes with masked faces, went from house to house in large companies, ...obtruding themselves everywhere, particularly into the rooms occupied by parties of ladies and gentlemen, (and) would demean themselves with great insolence."
Molly dancers
Among the different street dancing traditions that came from the freezing, blustery peat bog regions of East Anglia in England was that of the "Molly" dancers. These all-male troupes would dress some of their members in women's clothing and move through the town dancing for handouts of money or beer.
The raucous street performing aspects of the Twelfth Night season were extremely popular throughout the Delaware Valley and evolved directly into what is today's Philadelphia's famous Mummers Parade. Another branch evolved into the modern day's New Orleans Mardi Gras.
It wasn't until the mid-1800s that American society broadly broke out of the twelve-day Yuletide tradition that so revered Twelfth Night as the grand culminating party of it all.
New Christmas traditions
During the first half of the 1800s, writers like Washington Irving, with his essays about what a perfect English Christmas should be; Clement Clark Moore, with his poem of a gift-giving St. Nicholas who climbs down the chimney; and Charles Dickens, with his brilliant "Christmas Carol" story, dramatically changed society's expectations of Christmas.
During the Civil War, famed illustrator Thomas Nast created the full-blown Santa Claus we know today. Meanwhile, the increasingly industrialized economy that rose out of that war fostered the concept of a Dec. 25 that pivoted around the buying and giving of consumer goods rather than the joys of dancing in the street or celebrating fellowship and good wishes with an ornate cake whose flavor, some said, lingered in the soul for the whole of the coming year.
~ ~ ~
Sandy Levins is a Trustee and director of programming at the Camden County Historical Society.
The End of High Society...01:22 Apr 28 2016
Times Read: 358
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/cazalets/society.html
After the sun had set on the British Empire, it shone its light closer to home: on British high society. What began as a relaxation of rules at the close of World War I became the end of the aristocracy as World War II loomed. English society traditionally centered on members of the royal court, whose wealth, influence, and style enabled them to support great estates as centers of social and political influence. But in the 19th century, the circle expanded to include the local landed gentry, who were tied to the aristocracy by marriage and a similar lifestyle. The industrial age deprived society of control over newcomers into its ranks and as a result the elite began to focus on more frivolous pursuits. After the gruesome war years, British high society was ready to make merry, but the party would not last for long.
Land Lovers
While the London party season lasted only from late March to early August, (roughly coinciding with the sitting of Parliament), the English country estate was always in season. Land was the basis of the English aristocracy. A country estate, handed down from father to son, was a sacred inheritance. The Edwardian era, when 80 percent of the land was owned by three percent of the people, marked the zenith of country house life. But change was afoot as early as 1909, when the Finance Act increased taxation on all land revenues and triggered a sell-off of farmland and estates. After the First World War, an estimated eight million acres in Britain changed hands, far more than at any other time in history. One real estate firm claimed to have sold property the size of an English county. Some aristocrats kept just the house and park, others sold them off separately for use as schools or other institutions, and still other great houses were razed -- continuing the destruction of the country houses begun in the late 19th century. The editors of Burke's Peerage and Burke's Landed Gentry found that the older the family, the more likely they were to keep their estates. Still, by 1937 only a third of the families listed in these aristocratic directories actually held land.
At the same time, staffs were growing smaller. After the First World War, there was a shortage of servants in London, where alternative employment was both more abundant and more lucrative than in the country. When a family returned to their London house, they generally took their country staff with them rather than do without. New labor-saving appliances also reduced the need for a large staff. The vacuum cleaner replaced an army of housemaids. Commercial laundries took over for laundry maids. Electricity supplanted oil lamps, which needed endless cleaning and filling. Still most country estates operated as they had for years, on the principles and traditions that would not change until the onset of the next world war.
The Good Life
In the years between world wars, life in an English country house revolved around the family and its guests. A normal visit lasted a weekend, then considered Saturday to Monday. House parties often centered on a sporting event such as a race, hunt, or shoot in the winter or a cricket match in the summer.
Visitors arrived by car or a train from London. The gentleman would not bring his own valet, as his butler would remain at home to supervise the staff in his absence. The host's butler and footmen would act his valets, which entailed removing clothing discarded when changing for dinner and brushing, pressing, and returning them in the morning when he called with tea. A lady would take her own maid who knew exactly what her mistresses would wear and when and would lay the requisite garments out. A woman's clothes -- tweed suits, twin-sets, and flounced evening gowns -- traveled in a trunk. Every woman traveled with at least eight pairs of shoes because, as with men's day clothes, shoes were whisked away and cleaned by a servant specially employed for this purpose. Unfortunately, they were seldom returned before morning, which meant that ladies often came to breakfast in their evening slippers.
With or without guests, the daily routine for a family at its country house was unalterable, due in part to the servants, whose meal-times were rigid, and in part to Edwardian era tradition. At nine o'clock, housemaids and valets arrived to draw bedroom curtains and deliver a cup of tea as ordered by the hostess the night before. An estate such as The Cazalet's Home Place could do with no less than a butler, cook, housemaids, and chauffeur. If there were children, a nanny and governess were required as well. The outdoor staff would include a head groom, possibly two under grooms if the whole family hunted, a head gardener, and an under gardener. Estates of any size were managed by a resident land agent, and the farm was managed by a farm bailiff. Grander houses had larger staffs, the ultimate belonging to the royal household. When George V recuperated in Bognor in West Sussex, he took a "skeleton" staff of 45 servants.
Weekend life at an English country house was regimented by four meals, whose menus were determined by the lady of the house and the cook -- at Home Place the Duchy and Mrs. Cripps. Breakfast, served at 9:30 a.m., was considered a major meal. Lunch, served in the dining-room at one o'clock or after the servants had eaten, was usually an egg dish to start, followed by a main course, cold meats on the sideboard if anybody wanted them, pudding, cheeses, and dessert. Lunch was an informal meal, with guests and family often helping themselves. In the summer, picnics on the estate's grounds were popular not only with the guests but also with the staff left behind. Afternoon tea was served in dining room or, less often, in the drawing room. The practice of women changing for tea died out in most houses before World War I.
The most popular summer entertainment was tennis. Every country house of note boasted a court, sometimes more than one. These courts were nearly all grass, as most aristocrats still considered hard courts a vulgar novelty. Croquet was played with enthusiasm, as was golf, by both men and women. Some estates, including all royal country residences, had their own courses. Wet-weather entertainment was a long damp walk or ride. In more traditional houses, men and women spent their days apart. Men played games of billiards and snooker in the afternoon, between tea and dinner. To play after dinner would have been rude to the hostess and insulting to the other women.
At a half an hour before the dinner, a gong sounded and everyone retired to change for dinner. Family members and guests went up to a bath drawn for them and to change into the clothes laid out for them. Women's fashions changed constantly. Pajamas for dinner were a 1930s invention and only worn for dinner with family and close friends. Men wore dinner jackets; the host sometimes donned a smoking jacket. In the grandest houses, all gentlemen were expected to wear tailcoats.
Family and guests first gathered in the drawing room for cocktails, generally served by the host. Unlike in London, no one was escorted into dinner but there was a seating arrangement, with neighbors placed between guests and family. A typical dinner party menu began with soup, followed by fish, then chicken or quails, a saddle of lamb or beef, a pudding, a savory, and finally fruit. There was sherry with the soup, white wine with the fish, red with the main course. For a more informal family dinner, the entree might be left out. Coffee was served the dining room. When the hostess had finished, the women retired to the drawing room while the men stayed on smoking and drinking port for an hour or more.
The party was reunited in the drawing room for post-dinner entertainment like bezique, backgammon, and bridge. After World War I, contract bridge became so popular among both men and women that it was nearly mania. Equally popular in the 1920s was mah-jongg, the society game for the short time the craze lasted. Other houses went in for acting games like charades. The younger members of the family and their friends would roll back the carpets, wind up the gramophone, and dance. The grandest houses often imported local bands for after dinner dancing. When family and guests returned to their rooms, a fire had been stoked, the bed turned down and the day clothes removed. Guests could watch the shadow of the flames on the ceiling as they fell asleep.
The War
When Hitler's armies invaded Poland in 1939 and marched on to occupy France in 1940, British aristocrats could no longer ignore the war that had reached their shores and now threatened their lives as well as their way of life. Like all British citizens, they would be called on to sacrifice. Conscription was ordered for all men 20 years and older and men like Rupert and Edward Cazalet promptly enlisted. Meanwhile, German U-boats formed a blockade around the British Isles, sinking 160,000 tons of British shipping and causing massive food shortages. The days of sumptuous menus and vast dinner parties were over. Even the Royal Family was issued ration books. The naval blockade was followed by an air attack known as the Blitz, flying more than 1,500 missions a day over England. Air raid shelters were dug in back gardens, and London subway stations hosted a nightly influx of sleepers. Children were whisked away from cities under attack to find shelter in country households. Gas masks were issued to everyone, even babies like Sybil and Hugh's young son William. The Cazalets, like families all across England, tacked black fabric over their windows to comply with the total blackout imposed by air-raid wardens. When German bombs hit the Cazalets' timber yard, a worker is killed and inventory destroyed. Such heavy losses were incurred all across England, bringing the wealthy to their knees. Much of their vast holdings were lost and their land could not save them.
While English high society did survive after the war, it never regained its former level of power and influence. A new era of egalitarianism dawned, and the days of country houses and aristocratic lifestyles became the stuff of rosy reminiscence.
AbeBooks' 50 Most Expensive Sales of 2014
18:11 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 366
An example of a Les MaÎtres de L'Affiche poster
Discover the incredible books that the world's richest collectors added to their bookshelves during 2014. You'll be amazed at how much people spend. Many of the most famous names in literature are found on our list, including Lewis Carroll, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Harper Lee, Salman Rushdie, JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, William Wordsworth, and Voltaire.
As always, art features prominently, with books illustrated by the likes of Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse. Two copies of David Bailey's Box of Pin-ups - one of the quintessential photography books of the 1960s - are featured.
A collection of books displaying stunning posters from the turn of the century topped our list. Les Maîtres de L'Affiche was a French art magazine that reproduced the finest posters at the height of the Art Nouveau movement. More than 100 artists were featured including Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, William Nicholson and Maxfield Parrish. This is also the only list that places Karl Marx's Das Kapital alongside a postcard from Mohandas Gandhi and the works of Winston Churchill.
The 50 Most Expensive Sales of 2014
Aquatilium animalium historiae
Aquatilium animalium historiae
1. Les Maîtres de L'Affiche (5 vols) - $43,450
This translates as Masters of the Poster, which was a monthly illustrated French publication published between December 1895 and November 1900. The magazine, produced under the leadership of Jules Cheret, contained reproductions of the best Art Nouveau posters of the era from both French and international artists. This is a five-volume collection featuring 256 posters from 97 artists.
2. Das Kapital by Karl Marx - $40,000
Published in 1867 by Otto Meissner with German text, this copy of Das Kapital was the only one published in Marx's lifetime (he died in 1883). The book is housed in a slipcover with cloth wrapping. It's not the first time that a copy of Das Kapital has sold for a high price via AbeBooks. In November 2011, a very rare copy in three volumes sold for $51,739. Interest in Marx's book, which arguably did indeed help change the world, remains as strong as ever.
3. Aquatilium animalium historiae, liber primus, cum eorundem formis, aere excusis by Ippolito Salviani - $22,638
Published in 1554, this rare Renaissance book contains 81 engravings of Mediterranean fish collected by Italian physician Ippolito Salviani from Rome's markets. The book was the first to use copper-engravings for illustrating marine life, which had previously been depicted by woodcuts. Salviani's patron and benefactor was Marcello Cervini, later pope Marcellus II. Salviani (1514-1572) was a professor of medicine and physician to three popes. The names of the fishes are listed in Latin, Greek and Vulgar Latin.
Call for the Dead by John Le Carré
Call for the Dead by John Le Carré
4. Call for the Dead by John le Carré - $22,500
A fine first edition, complete with a near fine yellow dust jacket, of le Carré's debut book, which introduced readers to George Smiley - the very British spy who uses brains rather than brawn in his Cold War tussles. Published in 1961 by Gollancz, the book is signed by the author, "David Cornwell aka John le Carré" on the title page.
5. La Dioptrique oculaire ou la théorique, la positive et la méchanique, de l'oculaire dioptrique en toutes ses espèces - $21,112
The most exhaustive treatise on lens making in the 17th century, examining the mechanics of all manner of eyepieces.
6 Recueil des Noticies et Mémoires de la Société Archéologique, Historique et Archéologique du Département de la Wilaya Constantine - $21,060
A 71-volume collection of richly illustrated magazines, covering 96 years, published by this prestigious French archaeological society.
7. Revue Africaine Société Historique Algérienne - $20,718
199 bound volumes of Algerian history from this French journal.
8. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll & illustrated by Salvador Dali - $20,000
The 1969 Maecenas Press/Random House edition, signed by the artist. The seller described the book 'as new' and its leather Solander box as 'fine'. Only 2,500 copies were produced, containing 12 memorable illustrations from the surrealist.
9. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway - $18,000
A first edition inscribed by the author to his friend Earl Snook, who he met while recovering in hostpital from an automobile accident in Billings, Montana. It reads, 'To Earl Snook- much, much affection from an old friend, Ernest Hemingway'.
10. Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae - $17,655
Abbreviated to LIMC, this encyclopedia catalogs representations of mythology in the plastic arts (ie sculpture or ceramics) of classical antiquity. Published from 1981 to 2009, this complete collection comes in eight double volumes.
Couleur Amour by Marc Chagall
Couleur Amour by Marc Chagall
11. Collection of Salman Rushdie first editions - $16,162
This collection contains a UK proof of the first edition of Midnight's Children, an inscribed first edition of Midnight's Children, an inscribed uncorrected proof copy of Shame, a promotional blad (mockup) of The Satanic Verses, and one of the two known copies of the wrappers to the Penguin edition of The Satanic Verses, and also a proof wrapper for The Satanic Verses.
12. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling - $15,956
An uncorrected proof in white with a yellow stripe, 224 pages long. It lists Joanne Rowling on the copyright page and J A Rowling on the title page.
13= Couleur Amour by Marc Chagall - $15,000
Color Love features 13 watercolors from Chagall. The first edition book, signed by the artist and published in 1958, contains a preface by Jean Cassou. Each piece of artwork is a reproduction of the original produced using pochoir - a stenciling process where colors are applied by hand.
13= Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck - $15,000
A 1935 Covici Friede first edition, complete with its dust jacket. Illustrated by Ruth Gannett, one of 4,000 copies, this was Steinbeck's breakthrough book. This copy is inscribed by the author to the head of the production department at Covici Friede.
Box of Pin-Ups by David Bailey
Box of Pin-Ups by David Bailey
13= Dune by Frank Herbert - $15,000
A 1965 signed first edition of this famous science fiction novel complete with its dust jacket. One of 4,000 first edition copies.
16. Box of Pin-Ups by David Bailey - $14,506
Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson in 1965, this is Bailey's debut masterpiece - a soft cover first edition. Bailey was just 27 at the time. The photo-book contains 36 images of celebrities and socialites from the Swinging Sixties, including Terence Stamp, The Beatles, Michael Caine, Mick Jagger (on the cover in a fur hoodie), Jean Shrimpton, P.J. Proby, Rudolph Nureyev, Cecil Beaton, Andy Warhol and East End mobsters, the Kray Twins. Box of Pin-ups was not published in the USA due to the presence of the Krays in the book. The book shot Bailey to international stardom.
17. Indiae utriusque Re naturali et medica libri quatuordecim, Quorum contenta pagina sequens exhibet. (3 Parts) by Guilherme Piso - $14,170 Published in Amsterdam in 1658, this famous textbook contains around 650 fine wood-cut illustrations of fish, birds, plants, snakes, insects and other animals. This book was the only illustrated work of Brazilian natural history and native medicine until the 19th century. This work, sometimes called the second edition, is a revised and extended version of Historia Naturalis Brasiliae from 1648. Piso's work includes many descriptions of disease and native remedies. Piso became one of the earliest authorities on tropical medicine.
The Book of Kells (Facsimile edition)
The Book of Kells (Facsimile edition)
18. Ulysses by James Joyce - $13,850
The 1935 Limited Editions Club edition signed by Matisse, who provided illustrations, and the author. One of only 250 copies signed by this legendary duo.
19. The Book of Kells (Facsimile edition) - $13,673
A faithful facsimile of the manuscript in Dublin's Trinity College. The facsimile is housed in a box and includes original Latin text and commentary, in German, on this historic illuminated Gospel book written by Celtic monks around 800. The foreword is by Umberto Eco. No. 467 of 1480 copies. Published in 1990.
20. Da Costa Hours: Limited Facsimile Edition - $13,415
A deluxe facsimile edition of Flemish illuminator Simon Bening's 1515 Da Costa Hours, produced in 2011 by Austrian publisher ADEVA. This facsimile edition, which includes 112 beautifully reproduced illuminations, is protected by a handmade cover of top quality green leather with two silver clasps, including a true-to-the-original reproduction of the red leather case with gold embossing.
21. Institutiones Calculi Differentialis cum eius usu in Analysi Finitorum ac Doctrina Serierum by Leonhard Euler - $13,055 Published in 1755, this is the first substantial textbook on the differential calculus. Euler (1707-1783) was one of the pioneers of modern mathematics, and defined many mathematical terms in use today. Euler began writing this work in St. Petersburg and completed it in Berlin in 1750.
An Illuminated Quran manuscript
An Illuminated Quran manuscript
22. An Illuminated Quran manuscript - $13,002
Published around 1823. This book has black ink on Ottoman polished paper, borders in blue and gold and margins decorated with flowers, and is complete with its original morocco slipcase. It's a typical Quran published for private use by the middle classes during this period, with beautiful calligraphy and illumination.
23= Daphne - by Alfred de Vigny - $12,500
Published in 1924 by F.L. Schmied, this book contains 49 color wood engravings by Francois-Louis Schmied and is considered an Art Deco masterpiece thanks to its abstract illustrations and rich use of color. De Vigny (1797-1863) was a French poet, playwright and novelist. This novel was published posthumously in 1912. One of only 140 copies which were signed by F.L. Schmied.
Toros y Toreros by Pablo Picasso
Toros y Toreros
by Pablo Picasso
23= Auguste Rodin by Rainer Maria Rilke - $12,500
Published in 1903, this first edition sees the poet Rilke describe the skills and work of Rodin. Rilke dedicated this copy to Basque painter Ignacio Zuloaga with the following inscription: "Credo: A Ignacio Zuloaga. A son oeuvre. Rainer Maria Rilke. Viareggio prés Pise (Italie) en avril, 1903." Zuloaga's bookplate is present.
23= Toros y Toreros by Pablo Picasso - $12,500
Published in Paris by Editions Cercle d'Art in 1961, this is Picasso's famous book of bullfighting-inspired art. This first edition is one of 150 copies of a deluxe edition. The book is dated and signed by the artist in pencil.
26. Symbolae Physicae Icones et Descriptiones Insectorum quae ex Itinere per Africam Borealem et Asiam Occidentalem Friderici Guilelmi Hemprich et Christiani Godofredi Ehrenberg . Studio Novae aut Illustratae redierunt by F.G Hemprich and C.G.Ehrenberg - $12,335
Published in 1829 in five volumes with 50 fine hand-colored engraved plates, this is a very rare copy of a seminal work on the insects of western Asia and northern Africa. The authors travelled widely between 1820 and 1825 to gather the book's content.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll & illustrated by Salvador Dali
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
27= The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot - $11,500
A rare first edition of an influential 1584 text questioning the persecution of those accused of witchcraft. Because the book blamed that persecution on the Catholic Church, it was ordered burned when James I ascended the English throne in 1603.
27= Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and illustrated by Salvador Dali - $11,500
The 1969 Random House edition signed by Dali, who provided 12 color plates. This is number 533 of 2,500 copies. Similar copies sold for $20,000 in January 2014 and $7,650 in November 2013.
29. A postcard signed by Mohandas Gandhi - $11,067
Autographed postcard to the opera singer Marie Antoinette Sher-Gil, whose daughter, the painter Amrita Sher-Gil, had died on the 5 December 1941: "Dear Sister, I was sorry to learn about your daughter's death. May God give you strength to bear the loss."
30. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - $11,000
A second edition and 11th overall impression. Signed by Tolkien on the title page. The book and its jacket are in near fine condition.
31. Con L'espositione Di Christoforo Landino, et Di Alessandro Vellutello, Sopra la Sua Comedia Dell' Inferno, Del Purgatorio, & Del Paradiso. Con Tauole, Argomenti, & Allegorie, & Riformato, Riueduto, & Ridotto Alla Sua Uere Lettura, Per Francesco Sansovino Fiorentino by Alighieri Dante - $10,450
A beautifully illustrated 16th-century Italian edition of Dante's Divine Comedy. This 'Sansovino' edition, from 1564, is bound in mid-20th century red morocco with a spine in seven compartments. This book provides two commentaries on Dante's famous text and a 'Big Nose' portrait of Dante on the title page.
32. Beschreibung und Abbildung der kunstlichen Nester und Eier der Vogel, welche inder Schweiz, in Deutschland und den Angranzenden Handern Bruten by Heinrich Rudolf Schinz - $10,325
A book depicting birds' eggs and nests in Germany and Switzerland, published in Zurich in 1819 with 74 full-page hand-colored engravings.
33. Apollo 11 Large Color Photo - Signed - $10,031
Color photo of Buzz Aldrin standing next to a seismic experiment on the moon with the Lunar Module Eagle and U.S. flag prominent in the background. It is mounted to a 20" x 16" board signed by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin, and inscribed, "To His Royal Highness/ Prince Bernhard/ of the Netherlands/ From The Apollo 11 Crew".
Femmes et Faunes by Antonina Vallentin
Femmes et Faunes by Antonina Vallentin
34= Femmes et Faunes by Antonina Vallentin - $10,000
Published in 1956 in Paris, this is a portfolio of 13 pochoirs of drawings 'after Pablo Picasso', which means in the forbidden of Picasso. Printed on wove paper, this limited edition is one of 200 copies. Femmes et Faunes translates as women and wildlife.
34= The First Collected Works of Sir Winston Churchill - $10,000
The 1973 Centenary limited edition of Churchill's works, one of only 3,000 sets in 38 volumes. Boards gilt-stamped with the Churchill coat of arms, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, original dark green slipcases.
34= The Walls And Gates Of Peking Researches And Impressions by Osvald Siren - $10,000
Published in 1924, the work combines the beautiful photogravures after photographs taken by Siren with illustrations of measured drawings of a number of the gates made by Chinese artists under Siren's supervision, and historical and descriptive text.
34= Principia Philosophiae (bound with) Specimina Philosophiae: Seu Dissertatio De Methodo Recte regendae rationis, & veritatis in scientiis investigandae: Dioptrice Et Meteora by Rene Descartes - $10,000
Published in Amsterdam in 1644. Two works in one volume, both first Latin editions. Principia details Descartes' system of physics, including his theory of vortices. This book, where he states we are circling the sun, is the starting point for all serious work in physical theory in the mid-17th century, including Isaac Newton's. Specimina is Descartes' most famous work is which he describes that true knowledge must come from the work of a single person and that all existing philosophical learnings should be doubted. Descartes was arguably the first modern philosopher and one of the first modern scientists.
34= Twenty-five books from an exhibition at the Rhode Island School of Design by Dieter Roth - $10,000
Roth (1930-1998) was a Swiss artist known for art delivered in the form of books. The 1986 exhibition was simply called 'Dieter Roth at The Rhode Island School of Design'. Roth had been a teacher at the college in the mid-1960s. The collection was given to a former faculty member who was a friend of the artist. Each book has a hole through the entire binding near the top left hand corner. Roth usually hung his 'artist books' from chains suspended from the ceiling. Some of the books are signed or inscribed.
Another copy of Bailey's photography from the 1960s.
Another copy of
Box of Pin-Ups
39. Le Tableau des Riches inventions Couuertes du voile des feintes Amoureuses, qui font representees dans le Songe De Poliphile desvoilees des ombres du songe, & subtilement exposees par Beroalde - $9,958
Published in 1600, this book features a series of woodcuts depicting Poliphile's Dream, a curious Renaissance love story originally written in 1467.
40. The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and Other Sketches by Mark Twain - $9,950
First edition of Mark Twain's first book, a collection of short stories. The title story was Twain's first major success as a writer.
41. Lyrical Ballads, With Other Poems by William Wordsworth - $9,893
In two volumes. Published in 1800, this first edition is believed to be one of only around 500 copies. This book heralded the entry of the Romantic Movement into English poetry. Wordsworth wrote in the preface, "All good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings emotion recollected in tranquility."
42= Box of Pin-Ups by David Bailey - $9,500 Another copy of Bailey's photography from the 1960s.
42= American Woods (Parts 1-9) by Romeyn B Hough - $9,500
Nine of 14 parts, published from 1893 to 1903, the 14th book was published after Hough's death in 1924. This rare book offers transverse, radial, and tangential wafer-thin cross-sections samples of common American trees. It shows readers how to identify trees by looking at the grain. Complete sets are scarce as buyers tended to purchase volumes for particular regions. More than a thousand different trees are detailed across the series.
Another copy of Bailey's photography from the 1960s.
American Woods by Romeyn B. Hough
44. Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor - $9,250
The 1952 first edition of the author's first book, a so-called example of Southern Gothic, with its dust jacket. Inscribed to old friends, "For Reid and Hildy / Flannery O'Connor." Reid Broderick was a doctor and his wife, Hildegarde, was a socialite in Savannah. They were close friends of O'Connor's cousin and patron, Kate Flannery Semmes, who lived next-door to the O'Connors.
45. Oeuvres Completes de Voltaire (70 vols) - $9,198
The complete works of Voltaire, France's great writer, philosopher and thinker (1694-1778). His real name was François-Marie Arouet. Printed between 1784 and 1789, these books in French are bound in full mottled calf.
46. Metallotheca by Michele Mercati - $9,164
A posthumous publication of Michele Mercati's (1541-1593) studies in natural history, mineralogy, palaeontology, medicine, and botany. Published in 1717.
47. Complete Works on Architecture and Perspective by Sebastiano Serlio - $9,151
A key architectural handbook and the first to be a practical guide to the classical Greco-Roman forbidden. Five parts in one volume. Published in 1611, this is the first English edition of Tutte L'Opere D'Architettura, Et Prospetiva. It was translated from Italian to Dutch and then into English, and includes 500 woodcut illustrations. This is the earliest work on architecture in the English language. The work is dedicated to Henry, Prince of Wales and the translation was probably by Robert Peake.
48. The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia by David Roberts - $9,140
Roberts was the first professional artist to visit the Middle East without the backing of a patron or the military. He travelled for 11 months up the Nile and through Egypt until reaching Jerusalem in 1839. He recorded landscapes, temples, ruins, and people in three sketchbooks. This artwork was published in three volumes. This edition was published in 1855.
49. Les Délices de Versailles et des Maisons Royales by Charles-Antoine Jombert - $9,125
Published in 1766, this first edition offers more than 200 illustrations of Versailles and other French royal palaces including Saint Cyr, Trianon and Chantilly. Jombert, the publisher, provided brief descriptions while the artwork came from Gabriel Pérelle and his son, Adam. Jombert published the book after recovering the original copper plates produced by Gabriel Pérelle, who died in 1677.
50. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - $9,000
A first edition, first printing of this classic novel, complete with its dust jacket, published in 1960 and still going strong today.
How to know a Book's Value...17:44 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 368
A few things to keep in mind:
Condition means everything in a book's value. A book that has significant damage is likely not worth much. A book collector wants an attractive copy.
Dust jackets. Most hard cover books published since the early 20th century were sold with a dust jacket. The dust jacket is both the most decorative part of a book, and the most delicate. A missing dust jacket, or a dust jacket that is in poor condition, can cut a collectible book's value more than 50%, and make it harder to find a buyer.
Make sure that the copy you have matches the copy that is being offered. There are a number of ways that a book may, at first glance, look to be a rare collectible, but upon closer examination doesn't match up.
Reprint editions: Some publishers specialized in reprinting popular works in affordable reprint editions. Publishers such as Walter J. Black, Sun Dial, Triangle, Collier, A.L. Burt, and Grosset & Dunlop, to name just a few, would use the printing plates from the original publisher and reprint works long after their popularity was established. One way to check if your copy is a reprint is to compare the name of the publisher on the book's spine to the name of the publisher on the title page. Reprints will often have the original publisher's name on the pages in the book, but the book binding will identify the name of the reprint publisher.
Later printings: Publishers don't use any standardized systems for identifying a first edition. Each publisher uses their own individual system to state a first printing of a book. Even the words 'First Edition' aren't a guarantee. Publishers will sometimes forget to remove the 'First Edition' words from the printing history as they go into subsequent printings, and the number line is the only way that you can really know that your copy is a first edition.
Adding to the confusion, publishers will often change the way that they identify first editions. You can buy a guide to identifying first editions to make some sense of the confusion.
Book Club Editions Book of the month clubs often use the same printing plates as the original publisher, right down to the words "First Edition" on the printing history. You can find detailed help on identifying book club editions here.
Supply vs. Demand Too many comparable copies currently for sale may indicate a glut in the market. It's harder to sell a book if you have too much competition, and prices for that book tend to start going down.
Check the range: get an idea of the full range of similar copies currently offered. Don't just settle on the lowest or highest price for comparison.
If you're unable to find a comparable copy on Biblio, try using BookGilt which searches for antiquarian and rare books across the entire internet.
If you do decide to sell your copy, it may be months, or even years before the right collector comes along.
You might decide to offer your copy to a reputable local bookseller instead of selling it on your own. A professional bookseller can give you an immediate fair offer for your book, but their price will need to factor in the profit they need to run their business, so don't be surprised to be offered 1/4 of the average retail. Their offer will figure in their costs and the time that they expect to have it in their stock before a buyer comes along.
stephen bakes
Author Bio:
Stephen Bakes was born into books as the child of librarian parents. He worked in bookstores new and used for more than a decade before moving to the internet side of the book business in 2005.
So You Want To Be A Vampirologist by Anthony Hogg17:40 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 371
When I tell people I'm a vampirologist, the usual reaction is bewilderment or jokes about biting necks.
What is a vampirologist? Quite simply, someone who studies vampires. You don't even have to believe in 'em to do it. I mean, how many folklorists actually believe in pixies, unicorns and ogres?
Nor do you actually have to be a vampire. As Stephen Kaplan, founder of the Vampire Research Center, said in Vampires Are (Palm Springs, CA: ETC, 1984):
". . . being a criminologist does not make a person a criminal; being a bacteriologist does not make you bacterium; so why would being a vampirologist make you a vampire?" (3)
Vampirology is a much more complex field than you'd probably think. There's a variety of perspectives and disciplines under this umbrella heading. In one of my blog entries , I mentioned that David Lavery wrote a paper on one of its sub-branches, Buffy Studies, and managed to isolate fifty "disciplines, methods, and/or approaches." Can you imagine how many more exist in vampirology itself?
Still interested? Then let's move onto the basics.
1. Read!
My first piece of advice is to read, read, read and don't forget - read. There's no escaping it, folks. To be somewhat informed on the subject, you'll need to read as much as you can.
For a solid introduction into the field, I recommend J. Gordon Melton's The Vampire Book: Encyclopedia of the Undead (1994). I prefer it over the 1999 second edition, which has many superfluous entries.
Despite its horrible title, Jay Stevenson's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vampires (2002) gives a pretty decent run-through, and even dedicates its third chapter to vampirology.
Bibliographies are a handy resource to this end, whether they're the references that appear at the end of the book, or bibliographic monographs like Martin V. Riccardo's Vampires Unearthed: The Complete Multi-Media Vampire and Dracula Bibliography (1983). You'll also note that vampire books aren't the only sources of vampire info. For instance, John Cuthbert Lawson's Modern Greek Folklore and Ancient Greek Religion: A Study in Survivals (1910) contains a massive chapter on vampires and also impacted on Montague Summers' The Vampire: His Kith and Kin (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd., 1928), who acknowledges it in his introduction:
"I have already pointed out that it were impossible to better such a chapter as Mr. J. C. Lawson has given us in his Modern Greek Folklore and Ancient Greek Religion, a book to which as also to Bernhard Schmidt's Das Volksleben der Neugriechen und das Hellenische Alterthum, I am greatly indebted." (xii)
Summers' own work, along with his The Vampire in Europe (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd., 1929) are considered to be classics in the genre. Both have been reprinted multiple times since their original publication.
2. Choose Your Discipline
As I said, there are many perspectives and disciplines in vampirology. So what interests you about vampires? Is it the novels? The films? The folklore?
I'm personally into the latter. If you are, too, then I suggest Paul Barber's Vampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and Reality (1988), Jan L. Perkowski's The Darkling: A Treatise on Slavic Vampirism (1989) and David Keyworth's Troublesome Corpses: Vampires & Revenants, from Antiquity to Present (2007).
However, literature studies take up the bulk of the field. The Library of Congress has 110 listings in this division, alone. That's not even including the multitude of journal articles devoted to the subject.
Psychological perspectives are moderately popular, too. Nina Auerbach's Our Vampires, Ourselves (1995) straddles both these fields, but Laurence A. Rickels' The Vampire Lectures (1999) is much more of a challenge.
3. Write!
Now that you've chosen which approach you want to take, why not write something about it? This can be an essay, a journal article, a book or even scribblings in a blog (heh).
Niels K. Petersen's Magia Posthuma was born out of his search for the near-legendary work of the same title.
Truth be told, I was initially threatened by his blog. Its wanton sharing of resources felt like a dangerous incursion into my own "secret" studies. But, over time, I came to appreciate his approach. After all, why hoard everything like a dragon on a mound of gold coins, if it's just gonna sit there and get dusty?
4. Network
If you write or seek enough, you'll find other people with similar interests. I originally stumbled onto Niels' blog when I was conducting my own search for de Schertz's Magia Posthuma (I found a copy, by the way).
Thanks to a commentator on my blog (thanks Erwin!) I was able to follow a lead in identifying the original source of a mis-attributed "vampire" picture.
In not-necessarily-blog-related matters, I've also had the fortune of corresponding with authors I grew up reading (or reading about), like Paul Barber, Jeanne Keyes Youngson, Rosemary Ellen Guiley and Bruce A. McClelland. I even landed an interview with Martin V. Riccardo (which you can read here and here ).
It's also been interesting discovering what got other people into the field. Inanna Arthen's account is particularly interesting and you can read my own , on this very blog.
And, hell, why would Michele have even invited me to provide my contributions, at all, if I hadn't started Diary of an Amateur Vampirologist ?
5. Conclusion
But, a couple of words of warning before I wrap this thing up. Firstly, don't get into it cos of the money. Vampirologists aren't exactly millionaires.
If you really wanna make money with vampires, your best bet is to write novels. And even then, notably few actually hit paydirt, unless you happen to be Bram Stoker (who didn't even get to enjoy Dracula's overwhelming success until after his death), Stephen King, Anne Rice, Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlotte Harris and, of course, Stephenie Meyer.
Second, there's a high chance you'll come across nutters and other nasty folk [link edited out at VampChix's discretion]. Certain vampire fanclubs and research societies are also bombarded with letters and e-mail from folk proclaiming to be the real deal undead.
Vampires Converge on Halloween Today's special guest blogger is Anthony from Diary of an Amateur Vampirologist .17:21 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 372
Truth be told, there's very little connection between vampires and Halloween. At least, from a folkloric perspective.
The closest thing they have to their own "special" time of the year, is described in Agnes Murgoci's "The Vampire in Romania" article for Folk-Lore (Dec. 1926), along with some attributes and characteristics:
It is more especially on St. George's Eve that these vampires go to the boundaries to take rain and the "power" of animals, so as to have enough for the whole year. If they do not take "power" for themselves, they take it for those who pay them. They bring "power" and beauty to women who pay; also they cause men to hate the rivals of those who hire them. They can take "power" from women, and thus take milk away from nursing mothers. They can turn themselves into horses, dogs, or cats, so as to frighten people. The female vampires are dry in the body and are red in the face both before and after death. They go out on St. Andrew's Eve to the boundaries even if they have just borne children. They go out by the chimney, and come back worn out and in rags. The male vampires are bald, and after death grow a tail and hooves. (332)
Rosemary Ellen Guiley mentions two separate, modern-day events baring the name "Vampire Day" in The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters (New York: Checkmark, 2005), p. 293.
The first occurred on November 4, 1988 in Los Banos, California, to publicise the publication of Vincent Hillyer's Vampires (Los Banos: Loose Change, 1988).
The second was held in Saõ Paulo, Brazil, on August 13, 2002, to promote a city-wide blood drive.
However, in keeping with the horror theme of Halloween, vampires still get sizable representation.
For instance, the National Retail Federation in Washington, D.C. predicts that the second most popular costume on Halloween, among adults, will be the vampire.
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen gives some coverage on why people even choose such costumes at all.
There's also a whole range of vampire-themed merchandise for the occasion, like capes, severed heads and baby pacifiers.
You can get some helpful suggestions on throwing your own "Vampires Ball" from Halloween Costume Party.
Or, you could go to Transylvania itself, and take part in a "Dracula Tour". One of the things you'll see is "an actual "vampire" wedding ceremony as conducted by a local monk and his chanting nuns."
As a side note, I'll also mention that I dressed up as a vampire hunter for Halloween back in 2006 and walked about the streets of Melbourne. (Sorry, don't have any pictures!)
So, even though historic - and folkloric - vampires have no real connection to Halloween, thanks to their pervasiveness in Western pop culture, they certainly come alive on the Spookiest Night of the Year.
POSTED BY LINDSAY AT 4:00 AM
LABELS: 31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN, GUESTS, HALLOWEEN, OTHER BLOGS, VAMPIRES
Croglin vampire gets around In the previous entry, I said, 'As it stands, Hare's recount of Fisher's tale is the original version' of the Croglin vampire tale. That's a reference to the version printed in the fourth volume of Augustus Hare's autobio17:18 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 373
As mentioned, Hare's biography is composed of material taken from his journals, letters, et. al. The Croglin vampire story, as told to him by Edward Fisher-Rowe, features in a journal entry dated 24 June 1874. If we take Hare on his word (his autobiography isn't composed of facsimiles), then the earliest-known version of the story still stands at 1874.
However, thanks to Google Books, I can tell you that the story was doing the rounds before Hare included it in The story of my life. So who was spreading it? None-other than Hare, himself. And I'll tell ya, he loved creeping people out with it. Here's how Clifford Harrison described Hare, his penchant for ghost stories, and the vampire tale:
Everybody who knows Augustus Hare–and everybody does know Augustus Hare!–knows how wonderfully he tells a ghost-story. He has a fine collection of ghosts. They are all labelled and certified with names, dates and references–the most authenticated and documented ghosts I know. A ghost-story gains greatly by dramatic telling. Written down, it loses some of its 'creepiness.' Augusutus Hare tells a story of a vampire which, in his hands, owes a good deal to the 'points of circumstance' with which he tells it. I have heard the tale also from a descendent of the possessors of Crogley [sic] Grange, in which house the grisly incident occurred, and the tale is undoubtedly full of curious and somewhat unanswerable questions (1892, p. 190–1).
A very frustrating reference, as it doesn't relate the particulars of the story, nor does it say who the 'descendant of the possessors of Crogley Grange [Croglin Grange]' was. But it does show that Hare wasn't the only one who knew about it. Nonetheless, it's great seeing a reference to the story published before 1900.
But the fun doesn't stop there. I've actually turned up an earlier reference to the story. Here's Andrew Lang, discussing contemporary vampire literature:
That work [J. Sheridan LeFanu's 'Carmilla'] will give you the peculiar sentiment of vampirism, will produce a gelid perspiration, and reduce the patient to a condition in which he will be afraid to look round the room. If, while in this mood, some one tells him Mr. Augustus Hare’s story of Crooglin [sic] Grange, his education in the practice and theory of vampires will be complete, and he will be a very proper and well qualified inmate of Earlswood Asylum (1885, p. 20).
The article was probably written in 1884, as the volume I consulted (Nov 1884-Oct 1885), doesn't do the best job indicating which articles are from which issues. It's also unfortunate that Lang's reference to the story is vaguer than Harrison's. He doesn't even say how he heard it. But it's possible another reference might be found somewhere amidst his prolific output.
It's pretty obvious Hare was a popular bloke and keen on the story, as I've found another reference to him telling it. While this reference was published in 1957, the author recalls it from his childhood: he was born in 1881. The author in question? E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax:
And I remember, but I think he usually came in either summer or autumn, Augustus Hare making all our flesh creep with his story of the vampire at Croglin Grange, which he could only tell when he wore a very much ribbed shirt, so that picking his shirt with his nail, he could represent the vampire picking the mortar from the window pane to get in (The Earl of Halifax 1957, p. 34).
Hare certainly got around, didn't he? Incidentally, E.F.L. Wood's father was Charles Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax, of Lord Halifax's ghost book (1936) fame. Unfortunately, that book doesn't feature the Croglin vampire.
In the meantime, I've been delving into the Fishers. The only clue we have to when the story took place, is when the Fisher family moved to 'the south, to reside at Thorncombe near Guildford'. It was then leased to an unnamed family of two brothers and a sister, who Valentine Dyall named Michael, Edward and Amelia Cranswell. Edward Fisher (1832-1909) was born at Thorncombe, as was his father, Thomas Fisher (1790-1870). For now, that's where the trail ends.
However, F. Clive-Ross' local consultant, a Mrs. Parkin, told him that the story 'dates definitely from between 1680 and 1690', and also noted 'that in the deeds of Croglin Low Hall the name Croglin Grange was used until about 1720' (1963 p. 108). People familiar with Croglin Low Hall–a Grade II heritage listed building–and its layout will note it's a two storey house, while the house of Fisher's tale is a one storey. Clive-Ross has an answer for that: 'the house was raised by one storey, circa 1720' (p. 109), around the same time the window the vampire was supposed to have crept through, was blocked. Hmm...
In the meantime, here's an article on Edward. Specifically, his death. Quite a tragic figure.
References
Clive-Ross, F 1963, 'The Croglin vampire', Tomorrow, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 103–9.
The Earl of Halifax (EFL Wood) 1957, Fulness of days, Collins, London.
Harrison, C 1892, Stray records; or, personal and professional notes, vol. 1, Richard Bentley and Son, London.
Child vampire hunters sparked comic crackdown...By Stuart Nicolson,BBC Scotland News17:15 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 374
When Pc Alex Deeprose was called to Glasgow's sprawling Southern Necropolis on the evening of 23 September 1954, he expected to be dealing with a simple case of vandalism.
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Children turn vampire hunters
But the bizarre sight that awaited him was to make headlines around the world and cause a moral panic that led to the introduction of strict new censorship laws in the UK.
Hundreds of children aged from four to 14, some of them armed with knives and sharpened sticks, were patrolling inside the historic graveyard.
They were, they told the bemused constable, hunting a 7ft tall vampire with iron teeth who had already kidnapped and eaten two local boys.
Fear of the so-called Gorbals Vampire had spread to many of their parents, who begged Pc Deeprose for assurances there was no truth to the rumours.
Newspapers at the time reported that the headmaster of a nearby primary school told everyone present that the tale was ridiculous, and police were finally able to disperse the crowd.
But the armed mob of child vampire hunters was to return immediately after sunset the following night, and the night after that.
Urban myth
Ronnie Sanderson, who was an eight-year-old schoolboy in the Gorbals area of the city when the vampire scare was at its height, described how Chinese whispers in the schoolyard escalated into full-blown panic.
He recalled: "It all started in the playground - the word was there was a vampire and everyone was going to head out there after school.
"At three o'clock the school emptied and everyone made a beeline for it. We sat there for ages on the wall waiting and waiting. I wouldn't go in because it was a bit scary for me.
Ronnie Sanderson and Tam Smith
Ronnie Sanderson (left) and Tam Smith joined the vampire hunters
"I think somebody saw someone wandering about and the cry went up: 'There's the vampire!'
"That was it - that was the word to get off that wall quick and get away from it.
"I just remember scampering home to my mother: 'What's the matter with you?' 'I've seen a vampire!' and I got a clout round the ear for my trouble. I didn't really know what a vampire was."
There were no records of any missing children in Glasgow at the time, and media reports of the incident began to search for the origins of the urban myth that had gripped the city.
The blame was quickly laid at the door of American comic books with chilling titles such as Tales From The Crypt and The Vault of Horror, whose graphic images of terrifying monsters were becoming increasingly popular among Scottish youngsters.
Corrupt comics
These comics, so the theory went, were corrupting the imaginations of children and inflaming them with fear of the unknown.
A few dissenting academics pointed out there was no mention of a creature matching the description of the Gorbals Vampire in any of these comics.
There was, however, a monster with iron teeth in the Bible (Daniel 7.7) and in a poem taught in local schools.
Southern Necropolis
The Southern Necropolis provided the perfect setting for a vampire story
But their voices were drowned out in the media and political frenzy that was by now demanding action to be taken to prevent even more young minds from being "polluted" by the "terrifying and corrupt" comic books.
The government responded to the clamour by introducing the Children and Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act 1955 which, for the first time, specifically banned the sale of magazines and comics portraying "incidents of a repulsive or horrible nature" to minors.
Another of those who had gathered at the graveyard as a child, Tam Smith, said the Necropolis provided the perfect stage for a vampire story to take root, with the noise and light from the nearby ironworks casting spooky shadows across the graves in which some 250,000 Glaswegians had been laid to rest.
Mr Smith said it had been common for naughty children in the area to be threatened with the Iron Man - a local equivalent of the Bogeyman - by their exasperated parents.
Holy Grail
Neither Mr Smith or Mr Sanderson had televisions in their homes at the time, and neither had ever seen a horror movie or read a horror comic.
Comic book expert Barry Forshaw said getting their hands on one of the underground American horror comics had been like finding the Holy Grail for schoolyards of British children reared on the squeaky clean fare found every week inside the Beano and Dandy - both of which are produced in Scotland.
The story of the Gorbals Vampire had been a gift to the unlikely alliance of teachers, communists and Christians who had their own individual reasons for crusading against the corrupting influence of American comics, he said.
Mr Forshaw added: "It was a perfect fit. Here was a campaign that was looking for things to justify itself, and then this event happens.
"It is ironic that the moral furore began in Scotland, where the comics could not have been more safe."
The Gorbals Vampire will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 2300 GMT on Tuesday 30 March, and will be available on BBC iPlayer.
The Gorbals Vampire Andrew gave me a heads-up on a largely neglected episode in vampire history.
17:12 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 375
It shows what happens when vampire rumours (much like the Highgate Case) spin out of control and take on a life of their own.
Stuart Nicolson's "Child Vampire Hunters Sparked Comic Crackdown" chronicles the events that lead to graveyard desecration in Glasgow, 1954, and a comic book witch hunt.
Reality bites Reports of a 'vampire' prowling the streets of Birmingham have struck terror into the locals, even though police say it is a myth. Why do people continue to believe in it? Because, says Stuart Jeffries, they need to...Stuart Jeffries17:11 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 376
A vampire is on the loose in Birmingham. And an inept one, if reports are to be believed. Which they aren't. Last month, this "vampire" went on a "rampage" in Glen Park Road, Ward End. The attacker reportedly bit a male pedestrian and then bit neighbours who came to the man's aid. One woman had "chunks" bitten out of her hand, according to reports, which feature lots of one-word "quotes" and very little in the way of named sources.
No matter. The Birmingham Evening Mail has been flooded with calls from "terrified" families, community leaders and schools. Oliver Luft of the Birmingham news agency Newsteam reported: "As the sun dips below the rooftops of sleepy terraced streets, residents rush home, quickly gathering up playing children, because after night falls a vampire hungry for blood stalks. Reports of a Dracula-forbidden attacker on the loose biting innocent people has spread terror throughout neighbourhoods in Birmingham, causing many to fear the darkness of the night."
Such reports themselves spread fear. Thus, a spokeswoman for City Road primary school in Ladywood said: "We have had many parents coming in concerned because they had heard somebody has been going around biting people."
But police in Birmingham have not investigated this "case". Nor have any hospitals in the city reported treating more than the usual number of hard-bitten Brummies. A police spokesman said: "To date we have not received any reports from people stating they have been bitten and this appears to be an urban myth which is being fuelled by rumours."
Urban myths are always fuelled by rumours. Only last year, virtual inboxes throughout the US teemed with photographs of so-called camel spiders that were allegedly attacking US soldiers in Iraq. An anonymous caption read: "With a vertical leap that would make a pro basketball player weep with envy, these bastards latch on and inject you with a local anaesthesic so you can't feel it feeding on you." Entomologists later pointed out that camel spiders are neither venomous nor a threat to humans or camels.
The photograph of a camel spider was chosen as the top urban legend of 2004 by a US site that gleefully collects such faux photos, dodgy global emails and questionable stories that have spread across the land of the free and the home of the credulous. Here are some others that made it into the urbanlegends.com 2004 top 10:
Terrorists are buying up UPS (United Parcel Service) uniforms on eBay. A scary story, if true - but it was not: the FBI investigated the claim that $32,000 of UPS uniforms had been bought from eBay in the previous 30 days, and found it to have no substance.
Altoids mints help you perform fellatio. This myth gained notoriety when the 1988 Starr report stated that Monica Lewinsky handed to then president Clinton a printout of an email including this story during a secret White House rendezvous the previous year. Apparently, they don't.
A giant skeleton has been found in the Arabian desert. This skeleton was reported to confirm the legend of the people of Aad, who were so big that they could put their arms around a tree and uproot it. The Aad ultimately turned against God and, as you will know, were destroyed by Him. It turned out that the photograph of this "giant skeleton" had originally been entered in a Photoshop contest.
Jelly bracelets. Last year US parents were alarmed by stories that a middle school had banned girls wearing coloured bracelets. Each colour, it was widely claimed, indicated what kind of sexual favour they would perform. Despite the ban, the jelly bracelet phenomenon was spreading nationwide. Reportedly.
David Emery, chronicler of folklore for urbanlegends.com, defines urban legends as "apocryphal stories, told as true and plausible enough to be believed, about horrific, embarrassing, exasperating or ironic things that have supposedly happened to real people. In lieu of evidence, the teller of an urban legend is apt to rely upon good storytelling and the naming of allegedly trustworthy sources (eg a friend of a friend who swears it is true) to bolster its credibility. Legends tend to arise spontaneously and are rarely traceable to a single point of origin." No wonder, then, that the once-bitten of Birmingham have since become so publicity-shy. If, that is, they existed in the first place.
In this age of emails and texts, urban legends can spread faster and more widely than in the 1980s, when such books as The Choking Doberman and Other "New" Urban Legends by folklorist Jan Harold Brunvand became bestsellers. Emery offers tips on how to spot an email hoax. USE OF UPPERCASE LETTERS IS A DEAD GIVEAWAY. As is the use of exclamation marks!!!! If the text seems to be more about emotionally affecting you than communicating accurate information, it is likely to be a hoax. Finally, he suggests, ask yourself whether the information seems plausible.
I applied the last test to a video purportedly of the "Beast of Bodmin Moor" posted on news.bbc.co.uk website in July 1998. This "document" followed a 1995 government report in which zoologists concluded there was no evidence to support the claim that big cats lived wild in Cornwall. Since 1983, there had been 60 sightings of the beast in and around Cornwall. I remain sceptical: the image of the "big cat" I saw, though it purported to be of a three and a half foot long "beast", just needed the addition of a flea collar to be a dead ringer for the cat who sprays our front door. But how did he get all the way from Finsbury Park to Cornwall?
Urban legends pre-date emails and video footage. In the 1830s, a character appeared in the London streets called Spring-Heeled Jack. One woman reported to the police that she was attacked by a "tall thin man, enveloped in a long black cloak. With one bound he was in front of her, and before she had the chance to move, he belched blue flames from his mouth into her face." Jack was repeatedly "sighted" in London and identified as the offspring of the devil, with some "witnesses" reporting he had horns and cloven feet.
Peter Ackroyd writes in London - The Biography: "It is almost as if this bizarre figure emerged from the streets themselves, like a 'golem' which is supposed to be made from the mud and dust of a certain vicinity. The fact that 'Jack' , like a latter and more notorious 'Jack', was never apprehended serves only to deepen that sense of anonymity which suggests the monstrous figure to be some token or representation of London itself." Similarly, the Birmingham vampire will surely never be found - because the symbolic need for such a figure is infinitely greater than any forensic evidence that could be compiled.
Ackroyd's account of this urban legend is surely more interesting than those by people who have tried to explain away the uncanny nature of Spring-heeled Jack. In The Legends and Bizarre Crimes of Spring Heeled Jack, Peter Haining suggested that 'Jack' was a fire-eater who wore a mask to protect his face and had shoes with springs in their heels for leaping. This account, like Patricia Cornwell's "solving" of the Ripper case (pinning the murders on the painter Walter Sickert), is surely uninteresting because it doesn't account for the psychic need that makes such legends so richly embroidered and enduring.
Vampires, as Christopher Frayling, chairman of Arts Council England, points out, are the most enduring of urban myths - although "urban" hardly does vampires justice. He writes in The Vampire: Lord Ruthven to Count Dracula that vampires were part of rural 18th-century folklore. At that time, these bloodsuckers were inarticulate peasants "who attacked sheep and cows as often as their relatives". Lord Byron changed vampire legend for ever when, staying at a rented house on the shores of Lake Geneva in 1816, he suggested to guests - who included his physician, Dr Polidori, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Shelley's future wife, Mary - that they each write a ghost story. The most famous result of these is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, but more relevant for us is Dr Polidori's novel The Vampyre, inspired by the story Byron told the assembled guests on an inclement day.
The story told of a man's encounter with Lord Ruthven, a libertine killed in Greece who becomes a vampire. Ruthven has a "dead grey eye" and a "deadly hue of his face" - a description that became a stereotype of the vampire look. The book inspired great interest in vampirism in London and Paris, and profoundly influenced Bram Stoker, author of Dracula.
But vampires needed to mutate again before they were fit to prowl the streets of Birmingham. One such change was effected by Anne Rice and Stephen King, who domesticated the legend (King's Christine, for example, was a vampire car). Vampires were no longer on the fringes of civilised Europe or decadent aristos. At this moment, says Frayling, "the vampire enters our bloodstream".
It has never really left, though vampires have changed again: now they are not ghoulish Transylvanian counts, but hip, sexy, immortal teens from southern California. Perhaps Tory leader Michael Howard should take succour from this the next time someone titters about his Transylvanian ancestry.
What does the vampire represent now? "It's about multiculturalism," says Frayling. "It's about how we view the Other. You can't demonise a group as was done in America in the 30s or England in the 50s." Instead, the modern vampire incarnates many things - sexual fantasies, fears of urban anomie, especially for teenagers. "It's an amazing myth. It's so flexible."
It is also a hellish myth, which is no doubt why Father Marcus Stock, director of schools for Birmingham's Catholic diocese, warned in 2003 that parents should be vigilant in letting their children watch programmes such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. "They seem to be appealing to a spiritual element which perhaps they are not finding from traditional faiths," Stock said at the time. "It is significant that the supernatural element of these programmes is finding fascination with these young minds."
And it is also no doubt why, whatever real human beasts may be stalking the streets of Birmingham, stories of a vampire hungry for blood will be chilling and thrilling its citizens for some time yet.
Vampire takes a bite out of Brum by Sam Jones17:08 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 377
Urban myths have occasionally been known to nudge the boundaries of credibility, but the people of Birmingham are finding it difficult to laugh off the possibility that a vampire could be lurking in the city.
Stories about a man who stalks the streets, sinking his teeth into passers-by, began to emerge from the Ward End area of the city last month.
According to the rumours, he bit a man walking along the street, then pounced on neighbours who came to his aid. One woman is said to have had a "chunk" bitten out of her hand. Local media have since been inundated with calls from people in the city's Saltley, Small Heath and Alum Rock areas, who have heard of attacks and of people being bitten after answering their front doors.
But West Midlands police believe they are dealing with a tall tale rather than a prowling bloodsucker.
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They are baffled by the lack of forthcoming victims. "To date we have not received any reports from people stating they have been bitten. This appears to be an urban myth," a spokesman told the Birmingham Evening Mail. Those who claim to have seen the attacker say he is black and in his late 20s. Although police think he is probably nothing more than a bogeyman, some residents are no longer sure what to believe.
"All I've heard is that there's a fellow who is going round attacking people like a dog and biting them," said Josephine McNally, who works at the Old Barley Mow pub in Ward End. "It does put the wind up you."
Word had also reached the Saltley community leisure centre yesterday. "I've heard that this guy's a bit crazy and that he's been biting people" said one employee.
"I heard the story in the barber's the other day," said Father Anthony Rohan of the Holy Family Catholic church in Small Heath. "They asked me if I believed in vampires and I said no. Then the lollipop lady mentioned it to me as well.
"I'm not worried, though. I've got a lot of crucifixes in the house."
Sarah Ellen Roberts and the Birmingham Vampire Speaking of mass hysteria, I thought it'd be fitting to share another, little-known episode in vampire history. This time, we go to Peru.
17:06 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 378
Here's a snippet from Stephen Smith's "Sarah Ellen Robers: The Blackburn Vampire":
The story starts at the beginning of June 1913, when 41 year Sarah Ellen Roberts, the wife of John Pryce Roberts, of 25 Isherwood-street was accused of murder and the practising of witchcraft. At her trial held at Blackburn she was found guilty and sentenced to death . . . Her punishment was that she should be chained and sealed alive in a lead lined coffin. The sentence was carried out on the 9th of June 1913. Just as the coffin lid was being put on she cursed and swore that she would return to avenge her self in 80 years time. When John tried to inter his wife’s body he found the church authorities had little sympathy for him and refused him permission to bury his wife in consecrated ground. John travelled the length and breadth of the country trying to find a resting place for his late wife but could find no one willing to accept the body. In desperation he set sail with the coffin in the hope of finding some country that would allow him to bury his late wife.
If you can read Portuguese (yeah, I know that's a longshot), then I'd also advise you check out Shirlei Massapust's "A Maldição de Sarah Ellen". At the very least, it's got a few pictures for your enjoyment.
A more recent example is the Case of the Birmingham Vampire, which is covered by Sam Jones' "Vampire Takes a Bite Out of Brum" and Stuart Jeffries' "Reality Bites".
Tracking the first 'true' vampire I recently received an interesting comment from bshistorian, which gave me some food for thought: who was the first 'true' vampire?17:06 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 379
As I've mentioned many times in this blog, I'm a proponent of the 'modern' vampire theory, that is, vampires aren't as ancient or universal as many writers claim them to be. For starters, the word, 'vampire', is a relatively recent addition to our vocabulary. Superficial on the surface, sure, but I'll elaborate on its significance later. First, here's the relevant portions from bshistorian's comment:
More directly on topic for your latest post, I've been reading Masters' 'A Natural History of the Vampire', which suffers badly from the 'lumping in' syndrome you describe. Taking his lead from Summers, *everything* becomes somehow evidence of vampire belief - revenants, ghosts, cannibals, serial killers, you name it. But this is an 'old' book - it's when we see this still going on today that I really despair.
Though I said 'early 18th century), would I in fact be right in saying that the 'Jure Grando' incident of 1672 (reported by Valvasor in 1689) is the earliest instance of a 'true' (i.e. bloodsucking) vampire?
In case you're unfamiliar with our friend Jure, bshistorian is referring to a 'vampire' better known as Giure Grando. As bs alludes, [Johann Weichard von] Valvasor is believed to be the earliest source of this case, which he recorded in his 1689 book, Die Ehre deß Hertzogthums Crain (The glory of the Duchy of Carniola).
Rob Brautigam reproduced the relevant portions on the case from Valvasor's book (untranslated), while Niels has noted that the town in which it originally took place, has recently begun capitalising Grando's vampire reputation. The question is, does Grando deserve his 'vampire tag? Was he truly - as his Wikipedia entry says - 'the first classical vampire to be mentioned in documented records'?
Let's boil down the core elements featured in Brautigam's extracts. He has an overview of the case (in English), so I'll be relying on that in tandem with Google Translate for the extracts.*
Firstly, Grando is supposed to have returned from death to torment the living. He visited their homes and members of the household would die shortly after. There is no mention of direct attacks, which draws parallels with the Greek vrykolakas, which, in some cases, was said to knock on a resident's door, and, if answered, would ensure death to the householder. I might examine that aspect at a later time.
Brautigam repeats Dudley Wright's version of events, in that Grando was said to throw his widow 'into a deep sleep with the object of sucking her blood', however this attribute is not found in the Valvasor extracts, suggesting a latter-day embellishment.
In terms of the extracts, it's clear Grando wasn't called a 'vampire', either. At least, not locally or contemporary with the time the incident was recorded. Instead, supernatural beings of his type were called 'Strigon', as the Valvasor mentions. While this term - on the surface - bears a marked resemblance to the Romanian strigoi, which, itself, is often described as Romania's version of the vampire, that does not necessarily mean the word is a synonym. For instance, 'vampire' is rendered as vampir in Romanian and is of comparatively modern use, indicating the word had to be introduced to the language, otherwise an extant Romanian word would have sufficed. Same principle at work, in this case.
There are, however, other recognisable vampire tropes in the Grando case, so it's obvious to see why the vampire tag's been applied. There is an attempt to drive a stake through his body - as well as mention of the practice being used against others of his type. However, the use of a hawthorn stake (as per Wright's rendering) is not explicit, so I can't help wondering if Wright was trying to draw upon its use in Serbian vampire tradition, even if it wasn't explicitly listed by Valvasor. Apart from the stake, a crucifix is wielded at the 'vampire' while in its grave, however, this does not seem to have been used as a ward, per se, but as part of an exorcism or absolution rite.
The key ingredient missing from the Grando case is the vampire's tendency to suck the blood of its victims. This is a vital component to the vampire tag and this gets us back to my point about the significance behind the word's introduction to our language.
When the Arnold Paole case broke press, journalists and other writers used the local term for revenants of his 'type': 'vampyre' [vampire] and minor variants thereof. And by 'local', I mean the term used in Serbia, where Paole lived. These renderings can be traced to recounts of Flückinger's exhumation report, 'Visum et Repertum' (26 January 1732). In describing beings of Paole's type, Flückinger, himself, wrote 'die sogenannte Vampyrs'.
At the time, this area was occupied by the Austro-Hungarian empire, which is why Paole and/or the region he lived was occasionally - but mistakenly - referred to as Hungarian. Paole, himself, was said to have been attacked by a vampire while stationed in 'Turkish Serbia', i.e. the region of Serbia under Ottoman rule. Therefore, it can be surmised that Serbia is the 'source' of this term. That, in turn, means that components discussed in the Paole case should match up with other local applications of the term. Paole was explicitly said to have sucked his victim's blood after returning from the dead.
However, did Paole have an antecedent? Was there another Serbian revenant, also referred to as a vampire? Was it also described as sucking its victim's blood? Yep.
Enter Peter Plogojovitz. Another Serbian vampire. Another blood-drinker. Also referred to, locally, by the vampire tag ('so nennen Vampyri'). While not as well-known as Paole, his case also garnered press coverage, primarily from the Wienerisches Diarium (25 July 1725). However, despite what we're trying to establish with bshistorian's query about who the 'first' vampire was, Plogojovitz clearly wasn't. The report the Wienerisches Diarium reproduced, mentioned that other villages had been decimated by other such beings, which is why the villagers of Kisolova were so keen to 'dispose' of Plogojovitz in the 'traditional and approved manner': by staking him and cremating his remains. Such events were also said to occur during 'Turkish times', i.e. the period in which that region was under Ottoman rule.
So, is there an earlier version of a being - or person - explicitly referred to as a vampire along with these traits? To my knowledge, no. And Niels seems to agree. Neither us, however, are saying that Plogojovitz was the first vampire, per se, but that he is probably the first named vampire. The first case in which the terms and traits are explicitly fused. At least, that's my interpretation. Therefore, Serbia's vampire 'contribution', essentially, to the world, can not be underestimated. Romania usually takes the credit - thanks to Dracula - but it certainly wasn't the bedrock of the legend.
However, this is where things get murky.
In my original reply to bshistorian, I did allude to sources covering vampires elsewhere. Namely, Poland. When Calmet said, 'In this age, a new scene presents itself to our eyes, and has done for about sixty years in Hungary, Moravia, Silesia, and Poland', he was incorporating references to the 'oupire'.
The public memorials of the years 1693 and 1694 speak of oupires, vampires or ghosts, which are seen in Poland, and above all in Russia. They make their appearance from noon to midnight, and come and suck the blood of living men or animals in such abundance that sometimes it flows from them at the nose, and principally at the ears, and sometimes the corpse swims in its own blood oozed out in its coffin. It is said that the vampire has a sort of hunger, which makes him eat the linen which envelops him. This reviving being, or oupire, comes out of his grave, or a demon in his likeness, goes by night to embrace and hug violently his near relations or his friends, and sucks their blood so much as to weaken and attenuate them, and at least cause their death (p. 52).
The main traits - as well as a marked similarity in name - are present. Plogovitz and Paole were both supposed to strangle their victims ('hug violently'?). However, the method of the 'oupire''s destruction (decapitation and/or 'opening the heart') vary slightly. The term, 'oupire', is clearly derived from the Slavic upir and it's interesting to see that term is occasionally used in lieu of 'vampire' or an obvious derivative.
Naturally, this open the door to a version of the 'universal' vampire theory: if oupire or upir was an antecedent/variant of 'vampire', what other cultural variants are there of the Slavic type? Were they considered to synonymous? To justify that, I would suggest that a direct correlation needs to be established. But I think it's reasonable to conclude that the direct origins of vampire we today can be traced to the localised Serbian variant at least by its name and basic characteristics.
To employ the term, 'vampire' in a broad, generic sense, at least, without showing due respect - and citation of original, localised terms and characteristics - is to obscure and/or obliterate the cultural and local 'variants' (for want of a better description). If a case is to be made that the variants in question were 'the same thing', then a linguistic and cultural genealogy to the Serbian vampire should be established. After all, without the Serbian vampire precedent, there are no other 'vampires', either.**
* I know this isn't the best scholarly aid, but those able to read German are free to correct me if I've made any errors by consulting Brautigam's extract. I will happily cite corrections on this blog.
** This isn't to say that, generally speaking, the vampire label should only be used if it caters to this specific paradigm. After all, that'd make the vampire film and literary genres obsolete. What I'm saying is, yes, I know that the term can be used in a generic sense, especially in respect to its evolution even in our own language, but where folklore studies are concerned, a vampire 'family tree' should be taken into consideration before using the term in a 'universal' context.
Not All's Sunny in California I first read about the Ojai Vampire in Martin V. Riccardo's "Vampire Haunts" chapter for Rosemary Ellen Guiley with J.B. Macabre's The Complete Vampire Companion (New York: Macmillan, 1994).17:04 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 380
The story is told on pp. 47-48 and relates the account of (unnamed) local ranchers finding their cattle mutilated and exsanguinated in the 1980s. They suspect a vampire, arm themselves and target a new landowner.
They come across something that resembles a "large stone box near a crossroad off Creek Road" and hear a vicious growl. It comes from a large black dog guarding this "box" (actually a sarcophagus). One of the ranchers whips out a large, silver crucifix, which keeps the dog at bay.
When they get closer to the box, the dog lunges for them, and they fire at it, with no effect. A plucky rancher flings holy water at it and the dog shrieks and runs away, leaving them free to approach the tomb "surrounded by tall weeds under the tree".
They pried off the lid and find "the cadaverous body of a nobleman" and stake it through the heart, just as the sun begins to set, and replace the lid.
Riccardo points out that the story contains "common pagan, Christian, and fictional elements of the vampire myth", taking note of the "crossroad, the spectral black dog, the nobleman, the silver crucifix, and the approaching dusk" (47). He also notes that a black dog is sometimes seen in the area and the sarcophagus has apparently been found, on occasion, with a window in the lid that reveals the vampire's unholy remains.
The story still circulates in Ojai, and is related on a section of Weird California's "Char Man" article. However, the date given in the story is vastly different from Riccardo's account. It also gives a bit of a background to the mysterious nobleman, too:
According to urban legend, a vampire relocated to the Ojai area around 1890 from either Italy or Spain. He acquired a small ranch and kept a low profile. However, as soon as he arrived, local cattle began turning up dead and drained of blood. Shortly thereafter locals were assaulted by strange wolf like creatures. The townsfolk got up in arms and realizing that a vampire was in their midst, raided the vampire’s ranch during the day.
There's also speculation as to the story's origins and a more specific geographic location of the vampire's resting place. It ends with a sombre warning:
It has been speculated that this legend cropped up from a possible real life above ground tomb. It is plausible that an old family near the turn of the century could have buried their dead in this manner upon their estate. It is not only not unheard of, but also apparently the custom at the time in certain parts of Europe. Even the window in the stone coffin isn’t completely unheard of. Stating that, however, if you are wandering around Camp Comfort County Park and come upon a stone sarcophagus with a skeleton inside, don’t pull out the wooden stake.
I did some more browsing on the case and found a classic friend-of-a-friend account:
Supposedly in the mid 1800s a Vampire Settled in the Ojai valley. In the late 1800s the villagers of Nordhoff, now Ojai, hunted him down and staked him through the heart. Now I have heard that the poeple incased the remains of the vampire in a slab of cement. A buddy of mine actually says that he knows the location of the concrete slab. he says it is about a mile back from the intrance of Camp Comfort across the stream and over the first hill.....a bit of a hike but worth checking out....On my next trip to Ojai it is in the agenda. This is the area where the Phantom Dog roams as well as Charman
I tried registering with the forum, to ask this guy to produce a photo of the tomb, but was sadly confronted with this: "Sorry but you cannot register at this time because the administrator has disabled new account registrations."
I also came across what appears to be a slight variant of the story, but much less literate:
A guy that transformed into a vampire is repeatedly observed concealing a dead body by a large boulder in Camp Comfort Park after midnight. One thing's for certain, this spirit undoubtedly is bloodcurdling; one that you don't want to encounter at the stroke of midnight.
The Ojai Vampire has all the classic urban legend traits, but I'm also reminded of certain elements in 1959 Western, Curse of the Undead.
Not only is it set in California, but the plot revolves around a mysterious gunman, ranch wars and a vampiric plague.
To cap it off, the vampire turns out to be Don Robles, a Spanish nobleman.
Saturday, January 29, 2011 The FVZA Is Not a Factual Resource The Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency (FVZA) was set up by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1868 to combat a vampire epidemic sweeping across the United States.17:02 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 382
Did you believe that statement? I hope not. For starters, Grant's presidency began in 1869. If that's not enough to convince you that there's something a tad dodgy about the existence of a government agency established to eliminate vampires and zombies, then how about the following disclaimer from the FVZA's homepage?
This site is is fictional and is for entertainment purposes only. We are not affiliated with the U.S. Government in any way. Under no cirumstances [sic] are you to harm anyone based on information from this site.
Anyone with half a brain can tell that site's bogus. If they can't, then the disclaimer caps it off. That's why it disturbs me to see material from the site being reproduced as part of actual vampire lore or history. It's bad enough to see the propagation of imaginary works from the site, but to see material from the FVZA seep into non-fiction vampire books, too. Ugh.
Theresa Cheung's The Element encyclopedia of vampires (2009) is one guilty party. The FVZA and/or its fictional director, Dr. Hugo Pecos, are covered multiple times in her book. Worse than that, they are treated as authoritative sources. Here's their first appearance in the encyclopedia:
One vampirologist who has studied at length the aging experience of vampires is Hugo Pecos, overseer of an organization called the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency (FVZA). According to Pecos . . . vampires are only ageless in that they do not age in the same way humans do. Their longevity is not the result of some virus or pact with the Devil, but rather their unique ability to ward off the DNA damage that occurs during cell division in normal humans (p. 11).
Here's another instance, in which Pecos is cited as an authority:
In vampire communities, an alpha vampire is a vampire who asserts dominance over others vampires with his or her superior skills, strength and intellect. According to vampirologist Hugo Pecos, who oversees scientific research into the undead, an alpha vampire is the strongest and oldest vampire (p. 19).
Pecos resurfaces in the book several more times (pp. 232, 307, 410-11, 449, 498, 547-8, 631) , as does the FVZA (pp. 184, 231-2, 307, 410, 449, 498, 547, 621). To be fair, Cheung does retain some sense of skepticism over the organisation. Or, at least, mentions skepticism: 'The lack of historical accuracy in the FVZA website and the unsubstantiated nature of the claims it makes has led few vampire experts to take it seriously' (p. 232). But then you gotta ask yourself, why did Cheung take it seriously enough to incorporate their material into her book?
I have discovered another non-fiction book which incorporates FVZA material, but in a much more subtle way. What makes this one more disturbing, is that it was written by someone with a MA degree for History.
The book in question is Charlotte Montague's Vampires: from Dracula to Twilight: the complete guide to vampire mythology (2010). Her book contains no bibliography, already a warning sign in itself. In his review of her book, Andrew M. Boylan displays his frustration with a certain section of the text that deals with the vampire's reaction to sunlight:
When it comes to sources I would have loved to have seen one for the assertion that (having first neglected to mention Nosferatu when exploring the sunlight myth) in “later stories, vampires might collapse or explode when hit by sunlight, the ‘scientific’ explanation for this being that their neural pathways would fire randomly in their brains, causing them to experience extreme epileptic reactions, blinding them, and possibly setting them on fire”! I have seen many an explanation as to why sunlight might affect a vampire, and countless more films and books when it isn’t even explained but simply taken as read. I do not recall a theorem such as that… pray tell me your source… the book remains silent.
To be fair on Montague, there's a context for her statement, which directly precedes Boylan's quotation:
The idea that sunlight was harmful to vampires was an addition to the mythology that took place in the twentieth century, and went on to appear in comics, books, films, and on television (p. 55).
But it doesn't get her off the hook that easily. After all, her recollection of the vampire's reaction to sunlight is pretty damn specific. So where did she get this info? Thanks to Google, I can tell you. The giveaway term was 'neural pathways':
Sunlight renders vampires, with their hyperdilated irises, blind. It also causes neural pathways to fire randomly in the vampire brain, creating an extreme epileptic reaction. As dramatic as this reaction may appear, it will not be enough to start a fire.
That extract's from 'The top ten vampire myths', which is found on (you guessed it) the FVZA website. The bottom of the page contains a 2001-2009 copyright notice. Remember, Montague's book was published in 2010. The page has been used been cited by other authors like this guy and that one, clearly establishing the page's existence before the publication of Montague's book.
So, remember folks: the FVZA is a fictional organisation established for entertainment purposes. Sure, the theories they discuss might sound scientific, but they're made up. So is its history, as if that wasn't obvious enough. I've got no problem with authors who want to present the FVZA's theories in association with vampire lore, as long as it's make clear that they're dealing with a fictional resource. Also, unlike Montague, provide a bloody paper trail via citation. Don't wanna stumble upon FVZA-derived material through Googling. Be honest and admit your source.
References
Cheung, T 2009, The Element encyclopedia of vampires, HarperCollins Publishers, London.
Montague, C 2010, Vampires: from Dracula to Twilight: the complete guide to vampire mythology, Chartwell Books, New York.
Did a Wampyr Walk in Highgate? Sunday, April 5, 2015 Staking the Highgate Vampire
17:00 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 383
Manchester's story is just as theatrical and filled holes. Illustration from a 1917 issue of Punch. (Photo: Yankee Skeptic)
I'm very pleased with the outcome of Erin Chapman's "5 Reasons Why a Wampyr Didn't Walk in Highgate" (Feb. 27, 2015): it was Vamped's most popular post for March and it's currently our site's second-most commented post.
What you probably didn't know, is that the article took three months to write; there were many facts to confirm in order to bring a watertight case against Manchester's erroneous claims about the Highgate Vampire's movements in the cemetery. That's why we can conclusively say: he got it all wrong.
But that article, itself, was actually a spin-off: there was much more we unearthed. So much, we had to refine the entire article's final subject because it wasn't always intended to specifically focus on Manchester's topographical errors. For more on the "making of," read Erin's blog post "Cemetery Logistics: How I Tracked the Highgate Vampire" (April 4, 2015).
Her post doesn't just present the behind-the-scenes story of writing that article; you'll also see and appreciate the amount of work that went into it—and maybe pick up a few pointers along the way.
I'm also happy to report that our other findings won't be staying on the cutting room floor: there's going to be a sequel to "5 Reasons," so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, happy digging!
Monday, September 19, 2011 Q & A with Thomas J. Garza After a discussion with one of Thomas J. Garza's students (he teaches 'The vampire in Slavic cultures' at the University of Texas at Astin), I decided to contact the man, himself, for an interview.16:56 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 384
I've briefly covered some of his writings found on the 'net and one of them, in particular (see the question on xenophobia), stood out to me. I've also been impressed by his devotion to the Slavic vampire, following in the footsteps of Jan L. Perkowski and Bruce A. McClelland.
Thomas J. Garza in 'an appropriately bizarre photo from a newspaper article a couple of years ago'*
I sent a request for an interview† and after he agreed‡, sent a long a bunch of questions.§ To his credit, he didn't shy away from the hard stuff, as his responses reveal.‖ Without further ado, heeeeeeeere's Garza!
Anthony Hogg: You have an impressive proficiency with Slavic languages, so how'd you go from that to teaching a course on vampires? Is your vampire course 'bait' for students to delve deeper into Slavic language and culture?
Thomas J. Garza: My interest in vampires certainly goes back to watching -- and loving -- the old Tod Browning's "Dracula" back in the '60s. But it was my work in Slavic languages that took me to the Foreign Service Institute in the late '80s after finishing my doctorate at Harvard. While working with the FSI, I was working in Hungary in the summer of 1988, retraining Hungarian teachers of Russian to teach English (anticipating the political changes there). As my birthday fell on a national holiday, St. Stephen's Day, some colleagues suggested that we drive up to the Romanian border and into Dracula country. Back then, the roads in Sighisoara were terrible, and the final leg of the trip -- up the ravine to the castle remains -- had to be be donkey. But the trip was worth it, and the affect of standing in the ruins was incredible, a kind of transformative experience of being in such a place, as with Stonehenge or Machu Pichu. I distinctly remember thinking then that when I returned to teaching, I would use this "hook" of the vampire story to get students interested in this part of the world. So, in 1997, a year after getting tenured at the university of Texas, I offered the vampire course for the first time. I certainly use the the theme of the vampire as "bait," as you say, to get them into the course that covers the history, geography, religion, literature, and film of the Slavic world, but significantly, it is that same hook that keeps them interested, I think, throughout the semester! I always have a sizable quotient of students who go on to take a Slavic language or culture course after the vampire class, and that's very rewarding.
AH: Speaking of Slavic roots - from a mythic/folkloric perspective - what's your take on the 'universal' vampire? Do you believe vampires are found across the globe, or are they a local, Slavic revenant with unique attributes?
TJG: Vampires, in my experience, are absolutely a global phenomenon, from Asia to Europe, across Africa, and throughout the Americas. The story may vary in details, modes, and/or substance, but there is a "universal" core of the story -- at least in the West: the vampire is creature that has returned from the dead (a revenant), and who takes sustenance from a host, who in the process is weakened or killed by it. Slavic vampires have their own characteristics, which vary from Slavic region to another. In the Balkans, for example, vampires and werewolves began in the lore as rather similar entities, and evolved historically into enemies. In Russian, the werewolf stories were very rare, and the vampire has always taken center stage. S/He is characterized not only as a blood drinker, but also since the nineteenth century as a "contagion," capable of spreading the vampire "disease" to an entire village or community.
AH: You've said, 'As long as we can tap into our xenophobia, then we get into the kind of vampires that make us squeal and jump.' Why is xenophobia essential for this process? Does this process still have a 'place' in our postmodern age?
TJG: It may not be essential, but xenophobia certainly insures that human beings are predisposed to being afraid of anything that's different from us: The Other. In spite of globalization and a seemingly ever-shrinking world, we are nonetheless terribly complacent in our own lives and tend to be very suspicious of non-conforminty -- especially when it's in the form of another culture. Postmodernism has actually given use a better and more effective lexicon to talk about Othering, especially in the context of the post-colonial breakup of empires. So, while a blood drinking creature will, indeed, always be inherently frightening, s/he takes on a special horror when we think don't understand it. That's why the vampires in, say, 30 Days of Night are particularly horrific; they are tribal, pack creatures, who speak a very different language, whereas some the new "integrated" vampires in Twilight, for example, might make some of squeal for very different reasons. I find the vampires and story in "True Blood" particularly interesting in this regard because, although they are also "modern" vampires in a "modern" setting, they have a "back story" -- a history -- that places them in the larger vampire mythos; and in a place like Bon Temps, which is inherently "créolité," difference is more likely to be accepted, and "coming out of the coffin" is possible.
AH: What other elements make vampires scary? Why should we revert to the 'scary' type at all?
TJG: Besides being creature that we don't understand, I think the best vampires in literature and film fall squarely into the age old "thing-that-go-bump-in-the-night" category. Here I mean the element of the unexpected or the uncanny that makes our blood run cold and the hair on the back of our necks stand up. In the original Murnau Nosferatu, it's the anticipation of the arrival of the monster, epitomized by mere shadow of his hand creeping along wall and the accompaniment of live music intensifying our horror; or in Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula, it might be the entrance of Dracula into Mina's room as mist, and then moving under her bedclothes while she sleeps, and waiting for her to notice that she is no longer alone; or the vampire Armand in Interview with the Vampire simply running his finger through the flame of a candle -- unaffected. Scary doesn't always (often?) involve blood and guts. I think the vampire in lit and film has historically presented us with a much more complex creature of horror than, say, Freddy, Pinhead, or Chucky, and thus can be much more subtle and effective in the delivery of horror.
AH: I've got your 2010 book, The vampire in Slavic culture on my to-get list, but could you tell us...why is it so expensive? Its publisher, Cognella, is selling it for $129.95 and Amazon, $169.95.
TJG: Aurgh! Yes, I would also like the book more accessible and I know the price is high. It is, though, a compilation and as such requires that the publishers acquire the rights and clearances to use all of the texts, the prints, and the lyrics that are included in the book. I had hoped that the price could be kept under $100, but after I added the Russian songs to the volume, it went over. I'm hoping that as more of the texts that I've included in the book become readily available digitally, the price will go down accordingly. Sorry.
AH: A student of yours and I have been discussion on The vampire in Slavic culture's edition statements and we're coming up with some contradictory results. There seems to be more than one. Are there other editions of the book?
TJG: There have been two: the original is through University Readers in 2009, and an updated, slightly expanded version by Cognella (a subsidiary of University) came out in 2010.
AH: Which works/authors have influenced your writings on the undead. Which would you recommend as essential reading?
TJG: Certainly my Slavic-centric focus on the vampire story has been greatly influenced by the works of Prof. Jan Perkowski, who teaches a vampire course at the University of Virginia, and originally taught that course here at the University of Texas back in the 1970s. From the nineteeth century, I'm particularly fond of the works of AK Tolstoy (a relative of Leo Tolstoy), including the stories "The Family of the Wurdalaks," and "The Vampire." Especially the latter embraces the specifics of the Slavic vampire wonderfully, and was made into a very slick, dark film in Russia in 1991 called Blood Drinkers. But my take on the contemporary vampire is very strongly influenced by the Russian/Ukrainian writer Sergei Lukyanenko, who authored the Watch series (Night Watch, Day Watch, Evening Watch, and Last Watch) in the late 1990s and 2000s. All of these are now available in English translations. I think this series is very good, indeed, in not only bringing vampires into the new millennium, but in giving them a role in the greater historical saga of the battle of Good and Evil on Earth.
AH: The vampire in Slavic cultures is, essentially, a university reader. Considering what I've read from you so far, you clearly have some interesting things to say on the subject, yourself. Do you plan on writing your own work on the subject?
TJG: If only there were more hours in the day! I have done a couple of articles that talk about the contemporary Russian vampire in terms of Othering of the Chechens, Caucasians (people of the Caucasus), and Central Asians in Russia, but I would love to do something longer and more substantial in the area of mapping the vampire in Russia. Stay tuned; I promise that there's more to come!
I'd like to thank Prof. Garza for his participation, and forthright, insightful responses. His book, The vampire in Slavic cultures (2010), is available through Cognella and Amazon.
Evidence for antique vampire killing kits...
16:51 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 385
Recently, I've been examining the evidence for the authenticity of 19th century vampire killing kits. These were apparently manufactured for and sold to Western travellers to Eastern Europe. One of the prominent names attached to these kits, is Professor Ernst Blomberg. Spooky land's excellent article, 'Regarding Ernst Blomberg', attempted to unearth proof for the man's existence.
One of the article's attempts to validate the claims made about the kits is their presence in certain museums: 'Certainly, old vampire killing kits were reportedly produced in the 19th century - examples exist at numerous Ripley museums (Wisconsin Dells, etc.) and other public collections of oddities.' It says. 'Institutions like these have either held these kits for some time, or are willing to attest to their rough age through their documented provenance (although the Mercer Museum has recently declared their kit to be a modern assembly of mostly vintage parts).' The latter claim is something I personally verified.
But, as we've seen, their presence in such museums isn't—bizarre as it might sound—proof of antiquity. The Mercer Museum, Doylsetown, Pa., informed me that their kit 'is believed to be one of the compilations of both historical items and "made up" artifacts that found its way into the antiques market sometime in the 1970s or 1980s.' They also 'had some portions of it analyzed in the labs of the Winterthur Museum and learned that the "silver" bullets are actually pewter (not a surprise given their lack of tarnish) and that the paper is of 20th century vintage that has been artificially "aged."'
If that's the case, why display the kit at all? The Museum told me they 'use it currently to contrast traditional and contemporary vampire "lore," help interpret the origins of some vampire beliefs, and to demonstrate the use of scientific methodologies in authenticating artifacts.' To that extent, the kit is also accompanied by the following placard:
Diggers realm
So what are we to make of the kits' appearance in Ripley's museums? The Spooky land article notes, 'In a press release dated December 4, 2008 [2009], Ripleys maintains that their collection of kits now numbers 30 (26 on display). Most of the kits were acquired by Edward Meyer, their Vice President of Exhibits and Archives.' I contacted Edward Meyer, who agreed to an interview.
In light of the Mercer Museum's revelations, I asked him whether it was possible the kits he'd collected were hoaxes, too. He said: 'Anything is possible. I know of no hard evidence to confirm where or when any of these items were made. As I stated before the date of the guns is the only thing you can confirm with confidence…..'
The press release said 'Most were created in the Boston area and were available by mail order.The kits were acquired by people in preparation of possibly meeting a vampire during their international travels to Eastern Europe and their usage dates back to the mid-1800s. Most were created in the Boston area and were available by mail order.'
I asked Meyer whether he'd seen any of these mail orders. 'No,' he said. Had he verified their connection to Blomberg? 'Personally? I haven't.' Then how did authenticate the kits? 'One of the key elements in a vampire killing kit is a pistol. Pistols can easily be dated by forbidden, and maker. Some of the guns actually have dates an initials on them..From a study of several kits it is obvious some are older than others, but the guns typically come from the 1840s-50s'. In other words, the best evidence that the kits were produced in the 19th century for travellers to Eastern Europe? They come with old guns and unverified back-stories.
No museum—or—sellers have examined or provided contemporary 19th century references to their manufacture and sale. If they were, indeed, being made during the 19th century, then a record would've turned up. Somewhere. Something to link the kits with their alleged manufacturing date. Even the 'mail orders' cited in Ripley's press release. Regarding the kits Meyer's collected, he said 'we have nothing any earlier than 1990 mentioning their existence.'
However, the Spooky land article pushed the Ripley's link back further than Meyer's role in their collection: 'The Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum chain claims to have the world's largest collection of vintage vampire hunting kits, some reportedly collected by Robert Ripley prior to World War II.' Robert Ripley (1890–1949) originated the Ripley's franchise, which spun off from his Ripley's believe it or not! newspaper panel. If he did collect such kits, we'd have a pre-'1970s or 1980s' source. That would push the existence of 19th century vampire killing kits into the realm of plausibility, given the timeframe.
Unfortunately, the article doesn't provide a source for the claim. So, I asked Meyer, 'did Ripley's have any vampire killing kits before you started collecting them for the company? For instance, did Robert Ripley collect any?'1 He wrote back, 'No pre-edward vampire kits—I have been involved in the purchase of everyone we have…'2 The press release confirms 'Each kit in the Ripley's collection was acquired by Edward Meyer, VP of Exhibits and Archives for the company.'
The True Story Behind Those "Antique" Vampire Hunting Kits...Mark Strauss16:47 Apr 26 2016
Times Read: 387
You've seen them turn up on auction sites from time to time: "authentic vampire-killing kits," attributed to a master craftsman, Professor Ernst Blomberg of Germany. (One sold for $12,000 at Sotheby's.) A British museum curator explains how he proved them to be fakes — and why they're nonetheless still very valuable.
The typical vampire-killing kit, supposedly carried around Europe by a bunch of Van Helsing-wannabes, consisted of a walnut box with a hinged lid, housing such items as a wooden stake and mallet, crucifix, pistol and vials of garlic powder.
Over the years, some have said they were authentic; others said they were made as souvenirs for gullible tourists who descended upon Transylvania following the publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula.
The True Story Behind Those "Antique" Vampire Hunting Kits
At the blog of the British Library, Jonathan Ferguson, the curator of firearms at the United Kingdom's National Museum of Arms and Armour — one of the oldest museums in the world — describes his investigation into the authenticity of these kits, and why he chose to put one on permanent display:
I suspected that they were indeed novelty items, but were rather more recent than many believed. I conducted a survey of the folklore surrounding 'real' vampires, that is, dead bodies exhumed by a troubled community and ritually 'killed' as scapegoats for whatever malaise might be affecting people. Nowhere was there evidence to support real vampire slayers carting about one of these kits. I persisted, revisiting the fictional stories and movies of my childhood and beyond, noting the development of the various ingredients in the typical vampire killer's toolbox.
It became clear that the "Blomberg" kits, with their focus upon silver bullets, were very unlikely to have existed prior to about the 1930s at the earliest. Though constructed from antique boxes and contents, they were most likely not produced until the era of the classic Hammer vampire movies. Other kits are harder to pin down in terms of date and could be older, but there is as yet no evidence of this.
To some this might come as a disappointment, or even as a reason to decry the kits as fakes as some do. Would-be buyers should certainly not purchase under the apprehension that they are buying a Victorian antique as my own research has shown. So why acquire such an object regardless? Museums do collect deliberate fakes as comparators and for their own artistic and cultural merit, yet vampire kits are not fakes per se, because there is no evidence of a Victorian original.
So, if they're not fake, and not reproductions, what are they? The answer is that they are "hyperreal" or invented artifacts somewhat akin to stage, screen or magician's props.
Although I had set out to 'debunk' their very existence, I came to realize that these enigmatic objects transcend questions of authenticity. They are part of the material culture of the gothic; aspects of our shared literary and cinematic passions made physical. Lacking any surviving artifact of vampirism either folkloric or fictional, fans of the gothic had created one to fill the gap. So whilst we at the Armouries still plan to scientifically test our vampire kit, and there is the possibility that it's early rather than late 20th century in date, for me the outcome has almost become moot. Vampire killing kits are genuine artifacts of the Gothic fiction that still provides sustenance to our most beloved monsters.
Eternal Love Is Real: What It Means To Love Someone...
20:38 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 397
Love can drive a person insane.
It has started families just as well as ended them. It has fueled wars, both ruined and ended lives, changed the face of the planet.
At the same time, love has been the driving force of change for the better, giving people hope and something to look forward to.
Love has taught me more about life than anything else ever could. It has taught me about the way the world works.
It has taught me about how beautiful and horrible every single person in this world is capable of being.
It has showed me that we, ourselves, are both the cause and the cure to all our woes. It has introduced me to me.
How is it possible that one single concept could hold so much peace and so much hatred? So much beauty and so much monstrosity?
The answer is simple. Love is perfect – the one thing in the entire universe that is entirely perfect. And being such means it must hold everything within it – both good and evil, both beauty and ugliness, both peace and war.
Love is the single power in this universe that is perfection. It is mutable, multifaceted. It can grow in strength and dissipate.
Love is whatever we wish it to be. Or rather, love is whatever we make it to be. Whether what we make of it is what we wish it to be, is an entirely different question.
Understanding love and what it allows for is arguably the most important lesson a person can learn in his or her lifetime.
It is the one thing that every single human being in the world – and plenty of animals as well – longs for.
In a sense, even sociopaths wish to be loved – even if only by themselves.
Love is what drives us to act. It drives us to create change, to become different people. I say different and not better because the truth is love doesn't always turn us into better individuals.
It doesn't always make us better people – sometimes it makes us a whole lot worse.
In life, we are capable of loving a lot of things. We can love objects, experiences, memories, but no love is like the love we have for another human being.
To understand why this is so, we have to understand what love really is.
Love is an emotion, but not just an emotion. It is, more than anything else, a change. Love necessarily changes us because it is, itself, the change.
We love our friends and family because they changed our lives for the better. They showed us another, better version of reality.
They didn't simply add to our lives; they changed our lives, changed our perspective, changed what we thought it meant to be alive.
And then, of course, we have the most coveted of all loves: romantic love.
Romantic love is by far the most dangerous of loves, but for this very same reason, it is the most powerful.
It has the ability to change a person to such an extent that afterwards, that person is often not even recognizable to him or herself.
The problem with love is that it doesn't offer a definition. Sure, we experience it, but most people never come to truly understand it.
The issue starts with the preconceived notions we have of love. We go into it expecting and believing, instead of listening and learning.
The first time I truly fell in love, I fell into the same trap that countless others have fallen into – I fell in love thinking I understood what it meant to be in love, what it meant to love someone with your entire soul. And it was this misguided belief that ruined everything, as it does for countless others.
You can't learn anything if you approach things believing you already know all there is to know – and love, if anything, is a learning experience.
I went into love believing it would last forever. After the relationship failed, I was convinced it simply wasn't possible.
What I felt and experienced was most certainly love, and if it was love, then clearly love could not last forever.
Looking back over the span of a decade, I had to rethink my belief. The fact is that you can love someone forever; yet, it won't be in the manner that you likely thought it would be.
I'm not sure whether it's our culture that ruins love for so many individuals or whether we simply allow the intense emotions we experience to define love in its entirety.
Regardless, the fact is that because we misunderstand what it means to love, we ruin it.
How is it possible to love someone forever? The answer is an incredibly simple one.
If someone you love changes your life to a great enough extent, if he or she changes the person you have grown to be, if this person adds enough of his or her personal touch to the canvas that is your life, and you love the result, then you have no choice but to love this person.
Of course, sometimes it's those we hate who change us for the better, and clearly we don't love them.
But if someone you once loved, someone whom you once thought you'd spend your life with, share your life with, be with until the end, changes your life to such a great extent, then you will love him or her forever.
It doesn't matter if you want to. It doesn't matter if that person moved on with his or her life, fell for somebody else, even became a different person; you will – always and forever – love that person.
This doesn't mean you won't find someone else to love. It doesn't mean you can't move on with your life, get married, start a family and be incredibly happy sharing your life with another person.
But it does mean, I'm sorry to say, you will still never entirely let go. Because you just can't. He or she has changed you so greatly that letting go isn't possible without letting go of yourself.
It's sad but also beautiful. To think that one person could affect another in such a manner is remarkable. It tells us more about life and human nature than anything else ever could.
It may bring a tear to your eye from time to time, but without tears every so often, even smiles lose their meaning.
My thoughts for today... April 24, 201603:52 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 405
Many of you know how extensive my Journals are on here and have come to know bits and pieces of me that I have allowed to flicker in. I am a very private person and like to keep it that way. I do enjoy my Library and the many works of literary writing I have cherished over the years. Being a bit of a writer myself, I appreciate all of the research, compilation and pure raw gritty resolve it takes to write. Having said this, there are so many wonderful books out there, I find it hard to believe that I will ever satisfy my thirst for knowledge and truth.
I am after all a Bibliophiliac. When times get hard, I find myself in the nearest library, or even better in my own... they bring me such a sense of comfort, there are few things in life so rewarding to me...
So I invite you to add me, rate me and favor my Journals, pull up a chair, get comfortable and enjoy. The topics are vast, the selection varied. Please message me and let me know so that I may return the favor.
May your evening be filled with friends, wonder, knowledge and truth...
Curtsy,
Morganna777
Another great link for tucking your little ones into bed...03:34 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 407
http://www.talesofpanchatantra.com/short-stories-for-kids
English Bedtime Stories...Link For times when you need something special to tuck your loved one into bed...03:33 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 408
http://www.tonightsbedtimestory.com/category/books/english-fairy-tales/
Pride and Prejudice From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
03:30 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 409
This article is about the novel. For other uses, see Pride and Prejudice (disambiguation).
Pride and Prejudice
PrideAndPrejudiceTitlePage.jpg
Author Jane Austen
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre Novel of manners, satire
Publisher T. Egerton, Whitehall
Publication date
28 January 1813
Media type Print (Hardback, 3 volumes)
OCLC 38659585
Dewey Decimal
823.7
Preceded by Sense and Sensibility
Followed by Mansfield Park
Text Pride and Prejudice at Wikisource
Pride and Prejudice is a novel of manners by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of the British Regency. Elizabeth is the second of five daughters of a country gentleman, Mr. Bennet, living in Longbourn.
Page 2 of a letter from Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra (11 June 1799) in which she first mentions Pride and Prejudice, using its working title First Impressions. (NLA)
Set in England in the early 19th century, Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's five unmarried daughters after the rich and eligible Mr. Bingley and his status-conscious friend, Mr. Darcy, have moved into their neighbourhood. While Bingley takes an immediate liking to the eldest Bennet daughter, Jane, Darcy is disdainful of local society and repeatedly clashes with the Bennets' lively second daughter, Elizabeth.
Pride and Prejudice retains a fascination for modern readers, continuing near the top of lists of "most loved books". It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, selling over 20 million copies, and receives considerable attention from literary scholars. Likewise, it has paved the way for archetypes that abound in many contemporary literature of our time. Modern interest in the book has resulted in a number of dramatic adaptations and an abundance of novels and stories imitating Austen's memorable characters or themes.[1]
Contents [hide]
1 Plot summary
2 Main characters
3 Major themes
4 forbidden
5 Publication history
6 Reception
7 Adaptations
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Plot summary[edit]
The novel centres on Elizabeth Bennet, the second of the five daughters of a landed country gentleman. Elizabeth's father, Mr. Bennet, is a bookish man and somewhat neglectful of his responsibilities. In contrast Elizabeth's mother, Mrs. Bennet, a woman who lacks social graces, is primarily concerned with finding suitable husbands for her five daughters, who will inherit little or nothing from their father due to primogeniture laws. Jane Bennet, the eldest daughter, is distinguished by her kindness and beauty; Elizabeth Bennet shares her father's keen wit and occasionally sarcastic outlook; Mary is not pretty but is studious, devout and musical albeit lacking in taste; Catherine, sometimes called Kitty, the fourth sister, follows where her younger sister leads while Lydia is flirtatious and lacks maturity.
The narrative opens with news in the Bennet family that Mr. Bingley, a wealthy, charismatic and sociable young bachelor, is moving into Netherfield Park in the neighbourhood. Mr. Bingley is soon well received while his friend Mr. Darcy makes a less favourable impression by appearing proud and condescending at a ball that they attend (he detests dancing and is not one for light conversation). Mr. Bingley singles out Jane for particular attention, and it soon becomes apparent that they have formed an attachment to each other. While Jane does not alter her conduct for him, she confesses her great happiness only to Lizzie. By contrast, Darcy slights Elizabeth, who overhears and jokes about it despite feeling a budding resentment.
Upon paying a visit to Mr. Bingley's sister, Caroline, Jane is caught in a heavy downpour, catching cold, and is forced to stay at Netherfield for several days. Elizabeth arrives to nurse her sister and is thrown into frequent company with Mr. Darcy, who begins to act less coldly towards her.
Illustration by Hugh Thomson representing Mr. Collins, protesting that he never reads novels.
Mr. Collins, a clergyman and heir to Longbourn, the Bennet estate, pays a visit to the Bennets. Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth are much amused by his obsequious veneration of his employer, the noble Lady Catherine de Bourgh, as well as by his self-important and pedantic nature. It soon becomes apparent that Mr. Collins has come to Longbourn to choose a wife from among the Bennet sisters (his cousins), and Jane is initially singled out, but because of Jane's budding romance with Mr. Bingley, Mrs. Bennet directs him toward Elizabeth. After refusing his advances, much to the consternation of her mother, Elizabeth instead forms an acquaintance with Mr. Wickham, a militia officer who relates having been very seriously mistreated by Mr. Darcy despite having been a godson and favourite of Darcy's father. The accusation and her attraction to Mr. Wickham both increase Elizabeth's dislike of Mr. Darcy.
At a ball given by Mr. Bingley at Netherfield, Mr. Darcy becomes aware of a general expectation that Mr. Bingley and Jane will marry, and the Bennet family, with the exception of Jane and Elizabeth, make a public display of poor manners and decorum. The following morning, Mr. Collins proposes marriage to Elizabeth, who refuses him, much to her mother's distress. Mr. Collins recovers and promptly becomes engaged to Elizabeth's close friend Charlotte Lucas, a homely woman with few prospects. Mr. Bingley abruptly quits Netherfield and returns to London, which devastates Jane, and Elizabeth becomes convinced that Mr. Darcy and Caroline Bingley have conspired to separate him from Jane.
Jane is persuaded by letters from Caroline Bingley that Mr. Bingley is not in love with her but goes on an extended visit to Aunt and Uncle Gardiner in London in the hope of maintaining her relationship with Caroline, if not with Charles Bingley. There, she visits Caroline and, eventually, her visit is returned. She does not see Mr. Bingley and is forced to realise that Caroline does not care for her.
In the spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr. Collins in Kent. Elizabeth and her hosts are frequently invited to Rosings Park, the home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy's aunt; coincidentally, Darcy also arrives to visit. Elizabeth meets Darcy's cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who vouches for Darcy's loyalty by using as an example how Darcy had recently stepped in on behalf of a friend, who had formed an attachment to a woman against whom "there were some very strong objection". Elizabeth rightly assumes that the said friend is none other than Mr. Bingley, and her dislike of Darcy deepens. Thus, she is no mood to accept when Darcy arrives and, quite unexpectedly, confesses love for her and begs her hand in marriage. His proposal is flattering, as he is a very distinguished man, but it is delivered in a manner that is ill suited. He talks of love but also of revulsion at her inferior position and family. Despite assertions to the contrary, he assumes she will accept him.
Elizabeth rebukes him, and a heated discussion follows; she charges him with destroying the happiness of both her sister and Bingley, with treating Mr. Wickham disgracefully and with having conducted himself towards her in an arrogant, ungentleman-like manner. Mr. Darcy, shocked, ultimately responds with a letter giving a good account of his actions: Wickham had exchanged his legacies for a cash payment, only to return after frittering away the money to reclaim the forfeited inheritance; Wickham then attempted to elope with Darcy's young sister, Georgiana, which would have secured her fortune for himself. Regarding Jane and Bingley, Darcy claims he had observed no reciprocal interest in Jane for Bingley and had assumed that she was not in love with him. In addition to this, he cites the "want of propriety" in the behaviour of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and her three younger daughters. Elizabeth, who had previously despaired over this very behavior, is forced to admit the truth of Mr. Darcy's observations, and begins to see that she has misjudged him. She, quite rightly, attributes her prejudice to his coldness towards herself at the beginning of their acquaintance.
Elizabeth tells her father that Darcy was responsible for uniting Lydia and Wickham, one of the two earliest illustrations of Pride and Prejudice.[2] The clothing forbiddens reflect the time the illustration was engraved (the 1830s), not the time in which the novel was written or set.
Some months later, Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle Gardiner visit Pemberley, Darcy's estate, believing he will be absent for the day. He returns unexpectedly and is surprised but gracious and welcoming, quite unlike his usual self. He treats the Gardiners very civilly, surprising Elizabeth, who assumes he will "decamp immediately" on learning who they are. Darcy introduces Elizabeth to his sister, which Elizabeth knows is the highest compliment he can bestow. Elizabeth begins to acknowledge her own attraction to him. Their reacquaintance is cut short, however, by the news that Lydia has run off with Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth and the Gardiners return to Longbourn (the Bennet family home), where Elizabeth grieves that her renewed acquaintance with Mr. Darcy will end as a result of her sister's disgrace.
Lydia and Wickham are soon found and are persuaded to marry, which enables the Bennet family to preserve some appearance of decorum. Jane, Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet conclude that Uncle Gardiner must have bribed Wickham to marry Lydia, and they are ashamed of their indebtedness and inability to repay him.
Mrs. Bennet, quite typically, has no such scruples; being ecstatic to have a daughter married, she never stops to consider the want of propriety and honesty throughout the affair. Mr. and Mrs. Wickham visit Longbourn, where Lydia lets slip that Mr. Darcy attended their wedding but that it was to have been a secret. From a letter, Elizabeth discovers from Aunt Gardiner that in fact, Mr. Darcy was responsible for finding the couple and negotiating their marriage at great personal and monetary expense for him. Elizabeth is shocked and flattered as "her heart did whisper that he had done it for her" but is unable to dwell further on the topic because of Mr. Bingley's return and subsequent proposal to Jane, who immediately accepts.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh pays an unexpected visit to Longbourn. She has heard a rumour that Elizabeth will marry Mr. Darcy and attempts to persuade Elizabeth to agree not to marry. Lady Catherine wants Mr. Darcy to marry her daughter (his cousin) Anne De Bourgh and thinks that Elizabeth is beneath him. Elizabeth refuses her demands. Disgusted, Lady Catherine leaves, promising that the marriage can never take place. Elizabeth assumes she will apply to Darcy and is worried that he may be persuaded.
Darcy returns to Longbourn. Chance allows Elizabeth and Darcy a rare moment alone. She immediately thanks him for intervening in the case of Lydia and Wickham. He renews his proposal of marriage and is promptly accepted. Elizabeth soon learns that his hopes were revived by his aunt's report of Elizabeth's refusal to promise not to marry him.
The novel closes with a "happily-ever-after" chapter including a summary of the remaining lives of the main characters. None of the characters changes very much in this summary, but Kitty has grown slightly more sensible from association with Jane and Elizabeth and distance from Lydia, and Lady Catherine eventually condescends to visit the Darcy family.
Main characters[edit]
[show]Character genealogy
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy by Hugh Thomson, 1894
Elizabeth Bennet[edit]
Elizabeth Bennett The reader sees the unfolding plot and the other characters mostly from her viewpoint. The second of the Bennet daughters, she is twenty years old and is intelligent, lively, playful, attractive, and witty—but with a tendency to judge on first impression (the "prejudice" of the title) and perhaps to be a little selective of the evidence on which she bases her judgments. As the plot begins, her closest relationships are with her father, her sister Jane, her aunt (Mrs. Gardiner), and her best friend Charlotte Lucas. As the story progresses, so does her relationship with Mr. Darcy. The course of Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship is ultimately decided when Darcy overcomes his pride, and Elizabeth overcomes her prejudice, leading them both to surrender to their love for each other.
Mr. Darcy[edit]
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is the male protagonist of the novel and is twenty eight years old. He is the wealthy owner of the renowned family estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire, and is rumoured to be worth at least £10,000 a year. This is equivalent to anywhere from around £200,000 ($290,120 USD) a year to around £10 million ($14.5 million USD) a year in 2014, depending on the method of calculation,[3] but such an income would have put him among the 400 wealthiest families in the country at the time.[4] Handsome, tall, and intelligent, Darcy lacks the social ease that comes so naturally to his friend Bingley. Others frequently mistake his aloof decorum and rectitude as further proof of excessive pride (he is the "pride" of the title). While he makes a poor impression on strangers, such as the landed gentry of Meryton, Darcy is greatly valued by those who know him well.
As the novel progresses, Darcy and Elizabeth are repeatedly forced into each other's company, resulting in each altering their feelings for the other through better acquaintance and changes in environment. At the end of the work, both overcome their differences and first impressions to fall in love with each other.[5]
Mr. Bennet[edit]
Mr Bennet is the patriarch of the Bennet family, a gentleman of modest income with five unmarried daughters. Mr. Bennet has an ironic, cynical sense of humour that irritates his wife. Though he loves his daughters (Elizabeth in particular), he often fails as a parent, preferring to withdraw from the never-ending marriage concerns of the women around him rather than offer help. In fact, he often enjoys laughing at the sillier members of his family, partially the reason many have fatal faults, as he has not taken pains to amend them. Although he possesses inherited property, it is entailed—that is, it can only pass to male heirs—so his daughters will be on their own upon his death.
Mrs. Bennet[edit]
Mrs. Bennet is the wife of her socially superior Mr. Bennet and mother of Elizabeth and her sisters. She is frivolous, excitable, and narrow-minded, and she imagines herself susceptible to attacks of tremors and palpitations when she is displeased. Her public manners and social climbing are embarrassing to Jane and Elizabeth. Her favourite daughter is the youngest, Lydia, who reminds her of herself when younger, though she values the beauty of the eldest, Jane. Her main ambition in life is to marry her daughters to wealthy men; whether or not any such matches will give her daughters happiness is of little concern to her.
Lady Catherine confronts Elizabeth about Darcy, on the title page of the first illustrated edition. This is the other of the first two illustrations of the novel.
Jane Bennet[edit]
In a letter to Cassandra dated May 1813, Jane Austen describes a picture she saw at a gallery which was a good likeness of "Mrs. Bingley" - Jane Bennet. Deirdre Le Faye in The World of Her Novels suggests that "Portrait of Mrs. Q-" is the picture Austen was referring to. (pp.201-203)
Jane Bennet is the eldest Bennet sister. Twenty-two years old when the novel begins, she is considered the most beautiful young lady in the neighbourhood. Her character is contrasted with Elizabeth's as sweeter, shyer, and equally sensible, but not as clever; her most notable trait is a desire to see only the good in others. As Anna Quindlen wrote, Jane is "sugar to Elizabeth's lemonade."[6] Jane is closest to Elizabeth, and her character is often contrasted with that of Elizabeth. She is favoured by her mother because of her beauty.
She falls in love with Mr. Bingley, a rich man who has recently moved to Hertfordshire, and a close friend of Mr. Darcy. Their love is initially thwarted by Mr. Darcy and Caroline Bingley, who are concerned by Jane's low connections and have other plans for Bingley. Mr. Darcy, aided by Elizabeth, eventually sees the error in his ways and is instrumental in bringing Jane and Bingley back together.
Mary Bennet[edit]
Mary Bennet is the only plain Bennet sister, and rather than join in some of the family activities, she mostly reads and plays music, although she is often impatient to display her accomplishments and is rather vain about them. She works hard for knowledge and accomplishment, but has neither genius nor taste. Like her two younger sisters, Kitty and Lydia, she is seen as being silly by Mr. Bennet. Mary is not very intelligent but thinks of herself as being wise. When Mr. Collins is refused by Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet hopes Mary may be prevailed upon to accept him and we are led to believe that Mary has some hopes in this direction, but neither of them know that he is already engaged to Charlotte Lucas by this time. Mary does not appear often in the novel.
Catherine Bennet[edit]
Catherine, or Kitty, Bennet is the fourth daughter at 17 years old. She is the shadow of Lydia, although older than she, she follows in her pursuits of the 'Officers' of the regiment. She appears but little, although she is often portrayed as envious of Lydia and also a 'silly' young woman. However, it is said that she has improved by the end of the novel.
Lydia Bennet[edit]
Lydia Bennet is the youngest Bennet sister, aged 15 when the novel begins. She is frivolous and headstrong. Her main activity in life is socializing, especially flirting with the officers of the militia. This leads to her running off with George Wickham, although he has no intention of marrying her. She dominates her older sister Kitty and is supported in the family by her mother. Lydia shows no regard for the moral code of her society, and no remorse for the disgrace she causes her family.
Charles Bingley[edit]
Charles Bingley is a handsome, good-natured, and wealthy young gentleman (a Parvenu/Nouveau riche) of 23, who rents Netherfield Park near Longbourn. He is contrasted with his friend Mr. Darcy as being more kind and more charming and having more generally pleasing manners, although not quite so clever and experienced. He lacks resolve and is easily influenced by others. His two sisters, Caroline Bingley and Louisa Hurst, both disapprove of Bingley's growing affection for Jane Bennet.
Caroline Bingley[edit]
Caroline Bingley is the snobbish sister of Charles Bingley, with a dowry of twenty thousand pounds. Miss Bingley harbours romantic intentions for Mr. Darcy and therefore is jealous of his growing attachment to Elizabeth. She attempts to dissuade Mr. Darcy from liking Elizabeth by ridiculing the Bennet family in Darcy's presence, as she realises that this is the main aspect of Elizabeth with which she can find fault. She also attempts to convey her own superiority over Elizabeth, by being notably more polite and complimentary towards Darcy throughout. She often compliments his younger sister, Georgiana - suspecting that he will agree with what she says about her. Miss Bingley also disapproves of her brother's esteem for Jane Bennet, and it is acknowledged later that she, with Darcy, attempts to separate the couple. She sends Jane letters describing her brother's growing love for Georgiana Darcy, in attempt to convince Jane of Bingley's indifference towards her. When Jane goes to London she ignores her for a period of four weeks, despite Jane's frequent invitations for her to call upon her. When she eventually does, she is rude and cold, and is unapologetic for her failure to respond to Jane's letters. Jane, who is always determined not to find fault with anybody, is forced to admit that she had been deceived in thinking she had a genuine friendship with Caroline Bingley, the realisation of which she relays to Elizabeth in a letter.
George Wickham[edit]
George Wickham has been acquainted with Mr. Darcy since childhood, being the son of Mr. Darcy's father's steward. An officer in the militia, he is superficially charming and rapidly forms an attachment with Elizabeth Bennet. He spreads tales about the wrongs Mr. Darcy has done him, adding to the local society's prejudice, but eventually he is found to have been the wrongdoer himself. He runs off with Lydia, with no intention of marrying her, which would have resulted in her complete disgrace, but for Darcy's intervention to bribe Wickham to marry her.
William Collins[edit]
William Collins, aged 25, is Mr. Bennet's clergyman cousin and heir to his estate. He is "not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society". Mr. Collins is obsequious, and lacking in common sense. Elizabeth's rejection of Mr. Collins's marriage proposal is welcomed by her father, regardless of the financial benefit to the family of such a match. Mr. Collins then marries Elizabeth's friend, Charlotte Lucas.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh[edit]
Lady Catherine and Elizabeth by C. E. Brock, 1895
Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who possesses wealth and social standing, is haughty, pompous, domineering, and condescending, although her manner is seen by some as entirely proper and even admirable. Mr. Collins, for example, is shown to admire these characteristics by deferring to her opinions and desires. Elizabeth, by contrast, is duly respectful but not intimidated. Lady Catherine's nephew, Mr. Darcy, is offended by her lack of manners, especially towards Elizabeth, and he later courts her disapproval by marrying Elizabeth in spite of her numerous objections.
Mr and Mrs Gardiner[edit]
Mr and Mrs Gardiner: Edward Gardiner is Mrs. Bennet's brother and a successful lawyer of sensible and gentlemanly character. Aunt Gardiner is close to her nieces Jane and Elizabeth. Jane stays with the Gardiners in London for a period, and Elizabeth travels with them to Derbyshire, where she again meets Mr. Darcy. The Gardiners are quick in their perception of an attachment between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, and judge him without prejudice. They are both actively involved in helping Mr. Darcy arrange the marriage between Lydia and Mr. Wickham.
Georgiana Darcy[edit]
Georgiana Darcy is Mr. Darcy's quiet, amiable, and shy younger sister, aged 16 when the story begins. When 15, Miss Darcy almost eloped with Mr. Wickham, who sought her thirty thousand pound dowry. Miss Darcy is introduced to Elizabeth at Pemberley and is later delighted at the prospect of becoming her sister-in-law. Georgiana is extremely timid and gets embarrassed fairly easily. She idolises her brother Mr. Darcy (Fitzwilliam Darcy), and the two share an extremely close sibling bond, much like Jane and Elizabeth. She is extremely talented at the piano, singing, playing the harp, and drawing. She is also very modest.
Charlotte Lucas[edit]
Charlotte Lucas is Elizabeth's friend who, at 27 years old (and thus past prime marriage age), fears becoming a burden to her family and therefore agrees to marry Mr. Collins, whom she does not love, to gain financial security. Though the novel stresses the importance of love and understanding in marriage (as seen in the anticipated success of Elizabeth–Darcy relationship), Austen never seems to condemn Charlotte's decision to marry for money. Austen uses Lucas as the common voice of early 19th Century society's views on relationships and marriage. She is the daughter of Sir William Lucas and Lady Lucas, friends of Mrs. Bennet.
Louisa Hurst[edit]
Louisa Hurst is the older sister to Caroline Bingley and Charles Bingley, and wife of Mr. Hurst. She is the nicer of the two sisters, but like Caroline, she doesn't encourage her brother's admiration toward Jane Bennet because of her connections.
Jane Austen From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
03:27 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 410
Not to be confused with Jane G. Austin.
Jane Austen
CassandraAusten-JaneAusten(c.1810) hires.jpg
Portrait of Jane Austen, drawn by her sister Cassandra (c. 1810)
Born 16 December 1775
Steventon Rectory, Hampshire, England
Died 18 July 1817 (aged 41)
Winchester, Hampshire, England
Resting place Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire, England
Period 1787 to 1809–11
Genre Romance
Relatives Sir Francis Austen (brother)
Cassandra Austen (sister)
Charles Austen (brother)
Edward Austen Knight (brother)
Henry Thomas Austen (brother)
Eliza de Feuillide (cousin)
Signature
Jane Austen (/ˈdʒeɪn ˈɒstɪn/; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known principally for her five major novels which interpret, critique and comment upon the novels of sensibility of the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Her most highly praised novel during her own lifetime was Pride and Prejudice which was her second published novel. Her plots often reflect upon the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favorable social standing and economic security.
Austen's main novels are rarely out of print today though they were first published anonymously and brought her little personal fame with only a few glancing reviews during her lifetime. A significant transition in her posthumous reputation as an author occurred in 1869, fifty-two years after her death, when her nephew published A Memoir of Jane Austen which effectively introduced her to a wider public and reading audience. Austen's most successful novel in her own lifetime was Pride and Prejudice which went through two editions during her own life. Her third published novel was Mansfield Park which was largely overlooked by the professional reviewers though it was a great success with the public still within her lifetime.
All five of her major novels were published for the first time between 1811 and 1818. From 1811 until 1816, with the premiere publication of Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1815), she achieved success as a published writer. She wrote two additional novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published posthumously in 1818, and began another one, which was eventually titled Sanditon, but died before completing it.
During the twentieth and twenty-first centuries Austen's writings have inspired a large number of critical essays and literary anthologies establishing her place as a prominent British author of international fame. Her books are often used to inspire other cultural arts as well with numerous film productions of her novels starting as early as 1940 with Laurence Olivier's leading role in Pride and Prejudice to more recent productions starring such leading actresses as Emma Thompson in the 1995 production of Sense and Sensibility and Kate Beckinsale in the 2016 production of Love & Friendship.
Contents [hide]
1 Life and career
1.1 Family
1.2 Early life and education
1.3 Juvenilia
1.4 Adulthood
1.5 Early novels
1.6 Bath and Southampton
1.7 Chawton
1.8 Published author
1.9 Illness and death
1.10 Posthumous publication
2 Novels
2.1 Sense and Sensibility
2.2 Pride and Prejudice
2.3 Mansfield Park
2.4 Emma
2.5 Persuasion
2.6 Northanger Abbey
3 Themes
3.1 The Regency period
3.2 The Victorian period
3.3 The Edwardian period
3.4 The Modern era
4 Reception
4.1 Contemporary responses
4.2 19th century
4.3 20th century
4.4 21st century
5 List of works
6 Gallery
7 See also
8 Notes
9 References
10 Bibliography
11 External links
Life and career
Further information: Timeline of Jane Austen
Biographical information concerning Jane Austen is "famously scarce", according to one biographer.[1] Only some personal and family letters remain (by one estimate only 160 out of Austen's 3,000 letters are extant),[2] and her sister Cassandra (to whom most of the letters were originally addressed) burned "the greater part" of the ones she kept and censored those she did not destroy.[3] Other letters were destroyed by the heirs of Admiral Sir Francis Austen, Jane's brother.[4] Most of the biographical material produced for fifty years after Austen's death was written by her relatives and reflects the family's biases in favour of "good quiet Aunt Jane". Scholars have unearthed little information since.[1] Austen's writings were historically written during the period of British Romanticism leading to British Idealism. Austen was sympathetic to a number of the British Romantic poets of her time including William Wordsworth (1770–1850), Samuel Coleridge (1772–1834), and Lord Byron (1788–1824) who have been studied for their influence in her novels.[5][6]
Family
Silhouette of Cassandra Austen, Jane's sister and closest friend
Austen's parents, George Austen (1731–1805), a rector of Anglican parishes, and his wife Cassandra (1739–1827), were members of substantial gentry families.[7] George was descended from a family of woollen manufacturers, which had risen through the professions to the lower ranks of the landed gentry.[8] Cassandra, however, was a member of the aristocratic Leigh family. They married on 26 April 1764 at Walcot Church in Bath.[9] From 1765 until 1801, that is, for much of Jane's life, George Austen served as the rector of the Anglican parishes at Steventon, Hampshire,[10] and a nearby village. From 1773 until 1796, he supplemented this income by farming and by teaching three or four boys at a time who boarded at his home.[11]
Austen's immediate family was large: six brothers—James (1765–1819), George (1766–1838), Edward (1768–1852), Henry Thomas (1771–1850), Francis William (Frank) (1774–1865), Charles John (1779–1852)—and one sister, Cassandra Elizabeth (Steventon, Hampshire, 9 January 1773 – 1845), who, like Jane, died unmarried. Cassandra was Austen's closest friend and confidante throughout her life.[12]
Of her brothers, Austen felt closest to Henry, who became a banker and, after his bank failed, an Anglican clergyman. Henry was also his sister's literary agent.[13] His large circle of friends and acquaintances in London included bankers, merchants, publishers, painters, and actors: he provided Austen with a view of social worlds not normally visible from a small parish in rural Hampshire.[14] Henry later married their first cousin and Jane's close friend, Eliza Hancock, comtesse de Feuillide.
George was sent to live with a local family at a young age because, as Austen biographer Le Faye describes it, he was "mentally abnormal and subject to fits".[15] He may also have been deaf and mute.[15] Charles and Frank served in the navy, both rising to the rank of Admiral. Edward was adopted by his fourth cousin, Thomas Knight, inheriting Knight's estate and taking his name in 1812.[16]
Early life and education
Steventon rectory, as depicted in A Memoir of Jane Austen, was in a valley and surrounded by meadows.[17]
Austen was born on 16 December 1775 at Steventon rectory and publicly baptised on 5 April 1776.[18] After a few months at home, her mother placed her with Elizabeth Littlewood, a woman living nearby, who nursed and raised her for a year or eighteen months.[19] In 1783, according to family tradition, Jane and Cassandra were sent to Oxford to be educated by Mrs. Ann Cawley and they moved with her to Southampton later in the year. Both girls caught typhus and Jane nearly died.[20] Austen was subsequently educated at home, until leaving for boarding school with her sister Cassandra early in 1785. The school curriculum probably included some French, spelling, needlework, dancing and music and, perhaps, drama. By December 1786, Jane and Cassandra had returned home because the Austens could not afford to send both of their daughters to school.[21]
Austen acquired the remainder of her education by reading books, guided by her father and her brothers James and Henry.[22] Austen apparently had unfettered access both to her father's library and that of a family friend, Warren Hastings. Together these collections amounted to a large and varied library. Her father was also tolerant of Austen's sometimes risqué experiments in writing, and provided both sisters with expensive paper and other materials for their writing and drawing.[23] According to the biographer Park Honan, life in the Austen home was lived in "an open, amused, easy intellectual atmosphere" where the ideas of those with whom the Austens might disagree politically or socially were considered and discussed.[24] After returning from school in 1786, Austen "never again lived anywhere beyond the bounds of her immediate family environment".[25]
Private theatricals were also a part of Austen's education. From when she was seven until she was thirteen, the family and close friends staged a series of plays, including Richard Sheridan's The Rivals (1775) and David Garrick's Bon Ton. While the details are unknown, Austen would certainly have joined in these activities, as a spectator at first and as a participant when she was older.[26] Most of the plays were comedies, which suggests one way in which Austen's comedic and satirical gifts were cultivated.[27]
Juvenilia
Portrait of Henry IV. Declaredly written by "a partial, prejudiced, & ignorant Historian", The History of England was illustrated by Austen's sister Cassandra (c. 1790).
Perhaps as early as 1787, Austen began to write poems, stories, and plays for her own and her family's amusement.[28] She later compiled "fair copies" of 29 of these early works into three bound notebooks, now referred to as the Juvenilia, containing pieces originally written between 1787 and 1793.[29] There is manuscript evidence that Austen continued to work on these pieces as late as the period 1809–1811, and that her niece and nephew, Anna and James Edward Austen, made further additions as late as 1814.[30] Among these works are a satirical novel in letters titled Love and Freindship [sic], in which she mocked popular novels of sensibility,[31] and The History of England, a manuscript of 34 pages accompanied by 13 watercolour miniatures by her sister Cassandra.
Austen's History parodied popular historical writing, particularly Oliver Goldsmith's History of England (1764).[32] Austen wrote, for example: "Henry the 4th ascended the throne of England much to his own satisfaction in the year 1399, after having prevailed on his cousin & predecessor Richard the 2nd, to resign it to him, & to retire for the rest of his Life to Pomfret Castle, where he happened to be murdered."[33] Austen's Juvenilia are often, according to scholar Richard Jenkyns, "boisterous" and "anarchic"; he compares them to the work of 18th-century novelist Laurence Sterne and the 20th-century comedy group Monty Python.[34]
Adulthood
As Austen grew into adulthood, she continued to live at her parents' home, carrying out those activities normal for women of her age and social standing: she practised the fortepiano, assisted her sister and mother with supervising servants, and attended female relatives during childbirth and older relatives on their deathbeds.[35] She sent short pieces of writing to her newborn nieces Fanny Catherine and Jane Anna Elizabeth.[36] Austen was particularly proud of her accomplishments as a seamstress.[37] She also attended church regularly, socialized frequently with friends and neighbours,[38] and read novels—often of her own composition—aloud with her family in the evenings. Socializing with the neighbours often meant dancing, either impromptu in someone's home after supper or at the balls held regularly at the assembly rooms in the town hall.[39] Her brother Henry later said that "Jane was fond of dancing, and excelled in it".[40]
In 1793, Austen began and then abandoned a short play, later entitled Sir Charles Grandison or the happy Man, a comedy in 6 acts, which she returned to and completed around 1800. This was a short parody of various school textbook abridgments of Austen's favourite contemporary novel, The History of Sir Charles Grandison (1753), by Samuel Richardson.[41] Honan speculates that at some point not long after writing Love and Freindship [sic] in 1789, Austen decided to "write for profit, to make stories her central effort", that is, to become a professional writer.[42] Beginning in about 1793, she began to write longer, more sophisticated works.[42]
Between 1793 and 1795, Austen wrote Lady Susan, a short epistolary novel, usually described as her most ambitious and sophisticated early work.[43] It is unlike any of Austen's other works. Austen biographer Claire Tomalin describes the heroine of the novella as a sexual predator who uses her intelligence and charm to manipulate, betray, and abuse her victims, whether lovers, friends or family. Tomalin writes:
"Told in letters, it is as neatly plotted as a play, and as cynical in tone as any of the most outrageous of the Restoration dramatists who may have provided some of her inspiration ... It stands alone in Austen's work as a study of an adult woman whose intelligence and force of character are greater than those of anyone she encounters."[44]
Early novels
After finishing Lady Susan, Austen attempted her first full-length novel — Elinor and Marianne. Her sister Cassandra later remembered that it was read to the family "before 1796" and was told through a series of letters. Without surviving original manuscripts, there is no way to know how much of the original draft survived in the novel published anonymously in 1811 as Sense and Sensibility.[45]
Thomas Langlois Lefroy, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, by W. H. Mote (1855); in old age, Lefroy admitted to a nephew that he had been in love with Jane Austen: "It was boyish love."[46]
When Austen was twenty, Tom Lefroy, a nephew of neighbours, visited Steventon from December 1795 to January 1796. He had just finished a university degree and was moving to London for training as a barrister. Lefroy and Austen would have been introduced at a ball or other neighbourhood social gathering, and it is clear from Austen's letters to Cassandra that they spent considerable time together: "I am almost afraid to tell you how my Irish friend and I behaved. Imagine to yourself everything most profligate and shocking in the way of dancing and sitting down together."[47] The Lefroy family intervened and sent him away at the end of January. Marriage was impractical, as both Lefroy and Austen must have known. Neither had any money, and he was dependent on a great-uncle in Ireland to finance his education and establish his legal career. If Tom Lefroy later visited Hampshire, he was carefully kept away from the Austens, and Jane Austen never saw him again.[48]
Austen began work on a second novel, First Impressions, in 1796. She completed the initial draft in August 1797 when she was only 21 (it later became Pride and Prejudice); as with all of her novels, Austen read the work aloud to her family as she was working on it and it became an "established favourite".[49] At this time, her father made the first attempt to publish one of her novels. In November 1797, George Austen wrote to Thomas Cadell, an established publisher in London, to ask if he would consider publishing "a Manuscript Novel, comprised in three Vols. about the length of Miss Burney's Evelina" (First Impressions) at the author's financial risk. Cadell quickly returned Mr. Austen's letter, marked "Declined by Return of Post". Austen may not have known of her father's efforts.[50] Following the completion of First Impressions, Austen returned to Elinor and Marianne and from November 1797 until mid-1798, revised it heavily; she eliminated the epistolary format in favour of third-person narration and produced something close to Sense and Sensibility.[51]
During the middle of 1798, after finishing revisions of Elinor and Marianne, Austen began writing a third novel with the working title Susan — later Northanger Abbey — a satire on the popular Gothic novel.[52] Austen completed her work about a year later. In early 1803, Henry Austen offered Susan to Benjamin Crosby, a London publisher, who paid £10 for the copyright. Crosby promised early publication and went so far as to advertise the book publicly as being "in the press", but did nothing more. The manuscript remained in Crosby's hands, unpublished, until Austen repurchased the copyright from him in 1816.[53]
Bath and Southampton
Royal Crescent in Bath
In December 1800, Mr Austen unexpectedly announced his decision to retire from the ministry, leave Steventon, and move the family to Bath. While retirement and travel were good for the elder Austens, Jane Austen was shocked to be told she was moving from the only home she had ever known.[54] An indication of Austen's state of mind is her lack of productivity as a writer during the time she lived at Bath. She was able to make some revisions to Susan, and she began and then abandoned a new novel, The Watsons, but there was nothing like the productivity of the years 1795–1799.[55] Tomalin suggests this reflects a deep depression disabling her as a writer, but Honan disagrees, arguing Austen wrote or revised her manuscripts throughout her creative life, except for a few months after her father died.[56]
In December 1802, Austen received her only known proposal of marriage. She and her sister visited Alethea and Catherine Bigg, old friends who lived near Basingstoke. Their younger brother, Harris Bigg-Wither, had recently finished his education at Oxford and was also at home. Bigg-Wither proposed and Austen accepted. As described by Caroline Austen, Jane's niece, and Reginald Bigg-Wither, a descendant, Harris was not attractive—he was a large, plain-looking man who spoke little, stuttered when he did speak, was aggressive in conversation, and almost completely tactless. However, Austen had known him since both were young and the marriage offered many practical advantages to Austen and her family. He was the heir to extensive family estates located in the area where the sisters had grown up. With these resources, Austen could provide her parents a comfortable old age, give Cassandra a permanent home and, perhaps, assist her brothers in their careers. By the next morning, Austen decided she had made a mistake and withdrew her acceptance.[57] No contemporary letters or diaries describe how Austen felt about this proposal.[58] In 1814, Austen wrote a letter to her niece, Fanny Knight, who had asked for advice about a serious relationship, telling her that "having written so much on one side of the question, I shall now turn around & entreat you not to commit yourself farther, & not to think of accepting him unless you really do like him. Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying without Affection".[59]
In 1804, while living in Bath, Austen started but did not complete a new novel, The Watsons. The story centres on an invalid clergyman with little money and his four unmarried daughters. Sutherland describes the novel as "a study in the harsh economic realities of dependent women's lives".[60] Honan suggests, and Tomalin agrees, that Austen chose to stop work on the novel after her father died on 21 January 1805 and her personal circumstances resembled those of her characters too closely for her comfort.[61]
Her father's final illness had struck suddenly, leaving him, as Austen reported to her brother Francis, "quite insensible of his own state", and he died quickly.[62] Jane, Cassandra, and their mother were left in a precarious financial situation. Edward, James, Henry, and Francis Austen pledged to make annual contributions to support their mother and sisters.[63] For the next four years, the family's living arrangements reflected their financial insecurity. They lived part of the time in rented quarters in Bath before leaving the city in June 1805 for a family visit to Steventon & Godmersham. They spent the autumn months of that same year in the newly fashionable seaside resort of Worthing, on the Sussex coast, where they resided at Stanford Cottage.[64] It was here that Jane Austen is thought to have written her fair copy of Lady Susan and added its 'Conclusion'. Without doubt Jane Austen's observations of early Worthing helped inspire her final but unfinished novel, Sanditon, the story of an up-and-coming seaside resort in Sussex.[65] In 1806, they moved to Southampton, where they shared a house with Frank Austen and his new wife. A large part of this time they spent visiting various branches of the family.[66]
On 5 April 1809, about three months before the family's move to Chawton, Austen wrote an angry letter to Richard Crosby, offering him a new manuscript of Susan if that was needed to secure immediate publication of the novel, and otherwise requesting the return of the original so she could find another publisher. Crosby replied he had not agreed to publish the book by any particular time, or at all, and that Austen could repurchase the manuscript for the £10 he had paid her and find another publisher. However, Austen did not have the resources to repurchase the book.[67] The manuscript was eventually reappropriated by Austen who repurchased the copyright from him in 1816.[68]
Chawton
The cottage in Chawton where Jane Austen lived during the last eight years of her life, now Jane Austen's House Museum
Around early 1809, Austen's brother Edward offered his mother and sisters a more settled life—the use of a large cottage in Chawton village[69] that was part of Edward's nearby estate, Chawton House. Jane, Cassandra, and their mother moved into Chawton cottage on 7 July 1809.[70] In Chawton, life was quieter than it had been since the family's move to Bath in 1800. The Austens did not socialise with the neighbouring gentry and entertained only when family visited. Austen's niece Anna described the Austen family's life in Chawton: "It was a very quiet life, according to our ideas, but they were great readers, and besides the housekeeping our aunts occupied themselves in working with the poor and in teaching some girl or boy to read or write."[71] Austen wrote almost daily, but privately, and seems to have been relieved of some household responsibilities to give her more opportunity to write.[72] In this setting, she was able to be productive as a writer once more.[73]
Published author
First edition title page from Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen's first published novel (1811)
During her time at Chawton, Jane Austen successfully published four novels, which were generally well received. Through her brother Henry, the publisher Thomas Egerton agreed to publish Sense and Sensibility,[D] which appeared in October 1811. Reviews were favourable and the novel became fashionable among opinion-makers;[74] the edition sold out by mid-1813.[E] Austen's earnings from Sense and Sensibility provided her with some financial and psychological independence.[75] Egerton then published Pride and Prejudice, a revision of First Impressions, in January 1813. He advertised the book widely and it was an immediate success, garnering three favourable reviews and selling well. By October 1813, Egerton was able to begin selling a second edition.[76] Mansfield Park was published by Egerton in May 1814. While Mansfield Park was ignored by reviewers, it was a great success with the public. All copies were sold within six months, and Austen's earnings on this novel were larger than for any of her other novels.[77]
Austen learned that the Prince Regent admired her novels and kept a set at each of his residences.[F] In November 1815, the Prince Regent's librarian James Stanier Clarke invited Austen to visit the Prince's London residence and hinted Austen should dedicate the forthcoming Emma to the Prince. Though Austen disliked the Prince, she could scarcely refuse the request.[78] She later wrote Plan of a Novel, according to hints from various quarters (fr), a satiric outline of the "perfect novel" based on the librarian's many suggestions for a future Austen novel.[79]
In mid-1815, Austen moved her work from Egerton to John Murray, a better known London publisher,[G] who published Emma in December 1815 and a second edition of Mansfield Park in February 1816. Emma sold well but the new edition of Mansfield Park did poorly, and this failure offset most of the profits Austen earned on Emma. These were the last of Austen's novels to be published during her lifetime.[80]
The house in Winchester in which Jane Austen lived her last days and died
While Murray prepared Emma for publication, Austen began to write a new novel she titled The Elliots, later published as Persuasion. She completed her first draft in July 1816. In addition, shortly after the publication of Emma, Henry Austen repurchased the copyright for Susan from Crosby. Austen was forced to postpone publishing either of these completed novels by family financial troubles. Henry Austen's bank failed in March 1816, depriving him of all of his assets, leaving him deeply in debt and losing Edward, James, and Frank Austen large sums. Henry and Frank could no longer afford the contributions they had made to support their mother and sisters.[81]
Illness and death
Winchester Cathedral, where Austen is buried
Jane Austen's memorial gravestone in the nave of Winchester Cathedral
Early in 1816, Austen began to feel unwell. She ignored her illness at first and continued to work and to participate in the usual round of family activities. By the middle of that year, her decline was unmistakable to Austen and to her family, and Austen's physical condition began a long, slow, and irregular deterioration culminating in her death the following year.[82] The majority of Austen biographers rely on Dr. Vincent Cope's tentative 1964 retrospective diagnosis and list her cause of death as Addison's disease. However, her final illness has also been described as Hodgkin's lymphoma.[H] Recent work by Katherine White of Britain's Addison's Disease Self Help Group suggests that Austen probably died of bovine tuberculosis,[83] a disease (now) commonly associated with drinking unpasteurized milk. One contributing factor or cause of her death, discovered by Linda Robinson Walker and described in the Winter 2010 issue of Persuasions on-line, might be Brill–Zinsser disease, a recurrent form of typhus, which she had as a child. Brill–Zinsser disease is to typhus as shingles is to chicken pox; when a victim of typhus endures abnormal physiological stress, malnutrition or another infection, typhus can recur as Brill–Zinsser disease.[84]
Austen continued to work in spite of her illness. She became dissatisfied with the ending of The Elliots and rewrote the final two chapters, finishing them on 6 August 1816.[I] In January 1817, Austen began work on a new novel she called The Brothers, later titled Sanditon upon its first publication in 1925, and completed twelve chapters before stopping work in mid-March 1817, probably because her illness prevented her from continuing.[85] Austen made light of her condition to others, describing it as "bile" and rheumatism, but as her disease progressed she experienced increasing difficulty walking or finding the energy for other activities. By mid-April, she was confined to her bed. In May, Cassandra and Henry escorted her to Winchester for medical treatment, but she died there on 18 July 1817, at the age of 41. Henry, through his clerical connections, arranged for his sister to be buried in the north aisle of the nave of Winchester Cathedral. The epitaph composed by her brother James praises Austen's personal qualities - including the "extraordinary endowments of her mind" - and expresses hope for her religious salvation, but does not mention her achievements as a writer.[86]
Posthumous publication
After Austen's death, Cassandra and Henry Austen arranged with Murray for the publication of Persuasion and Northanger Abbey as a set in December 1817.[J] Henry Austen contributed a Biographical Note which for the first time identified his sister as the author of the novels. Tomalin describes it as "a loving and polished eulogy".[87] Sales were good for a year—only 321 copies remained unsold at the end of 1818—and then declined. Murray disposed of the remaining copies in 1820, and Austen's novels remained out of print for twelve years.[88] In 1832, publisher Richard Bentley purchased the remaining copyrights to all of Austen's novels and, beginning in either December 1832 or January 1833, published them in five illustrated volumes as part of his Standard Novels series. In October 1833, Bentley published the first collected edition of Austen's works. Since then, Austen's novels have been continuously in print.[89]
Novels
Though Austen's novels had always been extremely popular, they had been rather looked down upon by academics of English literature for some time. This was changed when her work was reassessed by F. R. Leavis, Ian Watt and others in the mid-20th century; they placed Austen as a serious and foremost figure in the development of the English novel, coming after Henry Fielding (1707–1754) and Samuel Richardson (1689–1761), and before Charles Dickens.[90] They agreed that she "combined [Henry Fielding's and Samuel Richardson's] qualities of interiority and irony, realism and satire to form an author superior to both".[91] Austen's five main novels, in order of their first publication, were Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma, along with the posthumously published Persuasion. A sixth novel, Northanger Abbey, which was taken from Austen's early writings from before 1800 and coincidentally co-published in 1818 with Persuasion after Austen's death under the same cover, is sometimes added to her list of leading novels even though it was written at a time chronologically separated from her main novels written over a decade later, and which were all published between 1812 and 1818.
Sense and Sensibility
Main article: Sense and Sensibility
Sense and Sensibility was originally written as a novel-in-letters (epistolary form) sometime around 1795 when Austen was about 19 years old, and she gave it the title Elinor and Marianne. She later changed the form to a narrative and the title to Sense and Sensibility.[92] "Sense" in the book means good judgment or prudence, and "sensibility" means sensitivity or emotionality. "Sense" is identified with the character of Elinor, while "sensibility" is identified with the character of Marianne. By changing the title, Austen added "philosophical depth" to what began as a sketch of two characters.[93] The title of the book, and that of her next published novel, Pride and Prejudice (1813), may be suggestive of political conflicts of the 1790s.[94] Austen also drew inspiration for Sense and Sensibility from other novels of the 1790s that treated similar themes. These included Adam Stevenson's autobiographical essay titled "Life and Love" (1785), in which Stevenson had written about himself and an unfortuitous relationship, and Jane West's A Gossip's Story (1796), which features two sisters, one full of rational sense and the other of romantic, emotive sensibility. West's romantic sister-heroine shares a first name with Austen's: Marianne. There are further textual similarities described in a modern edition of West's novel. [95] The Austen biographer Claire Tomalin argues that Sense and Sensibility has a "wobble in its approach", which developed because Austen, in the course of writing the novel, gradually became less certain about whether sense or sensibility should triumph.[96] Austen characterises Marianne as a sweet lady with attractive qualities: intelligence, musical talent, frankness, and the capacity to love deeply. She also acknowledges that Willoughby, with all his faults, continues to love and, in some measure, appreciate Marianne. For these reasons, some readers find Marianne's ultimate marriage to Colonel Brandon an unsatisfactory ending.[97]
Pride and Prejudice
Main article: Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice was Austen's second published novel and included her notable portrayal of the main character Elizabeth Bennett. Austen began writing the novel after staying at Goodnestone Park in Kent with her brother Edward and his wife in 1796.[98] It was originally titled First Impressions, and was written between October 1796 and August 1797.[99] On 1 November 1797 Austen's father sent a letter to London bookseller Thomas Cadell to ask if he had any interest in seeing the manuscript, but the offer was declined by return of post.[100] Austen made significant revisions to the manuscript for First Impressions between 1811 and 1812.[99] As nothing remains of the original manuscript, we are reduced to conjecture. From the large number of letters in the final novel, it is assumed that First Impressions was an epistolary novel.[101] She later renamed the story Pride and Prejudice. In renaming the novel, Austen probably had in mind the "sufferings and oppositions" summarised in the final chapter of Fanny Burney's Cecilia, called "Pride and Prejudice", where the phrase appears three times in block capitals.[102] It is possible that the novel's original title was altered to avoid confusion with other works. In the years between the completion of First Impressions and its revision into Pride and Prejudice, two other works had been published under that name: a novel by Margaret Holford and a comedy by Horace Smith.[100] Austen sold the copyright for the novel to Thomas Egerton of Whitehall in exchange for £110 (Austen had asked for £150).[103] This proved a costly decision. Austen had published Sense and Sensibility on a commission basis, whereby she indemnified the publisher against any losses and received any profits, less costs and the publisher's commission. Unaware that Sense and Sensibility would sell out its edition, making her £140,[100] she passed the copyright to Egerton for a one-off payment, meaning that all the risk (and all the profits) would be his. Jan Fergus has calculated that Egerton subsequently made around £450 from just the first two editions of the book.[104] Egerton published the first edition of Pride and Prejudice in three hardcover volumes on 27 January 1813.[105] It was advertised in the Morning Chronicle, priced at 18s.[99] Favourable reviews saw this edition sell out, with a second edition published in November that year. A third edition was published in 1817.[103]
Mansfield Park
Main article: Mansfield Park
Mansfield Park was the third published novel by Austen and is the most controversial of her major works. Regency critics praised the novel's wholesome morality, but many modern readers find Fanny's timidity and disapproval of the theatricals difficult to relate to and reject the idea (made explicit in the final chapter) that she is a better person for the relative privations of her childhood. Jane Austen's own mother thought Fanny "insipid",[106] and many other readers have found her priggish and unlikeable.[107] Other critics point out that she is a complex personality, perceptive yet given to wishful thinking, and that she shows courage and grows in self-esteem during the latter part of the story. The Austen biographer Claire Tomalin, who is generally critical of Fanny, argues that "it is in rejecting obedience in favour of the higher dictate of remaining true to her own conscience that Fanny rises to her moment of heroism".[108] But Tomalin reflects the ambivalence that many readers feel towards Fanny when she also writes: "More is made of Fanny Price's faith, which gives her the courage to resist what she thinks is wrong; it also makes her intolerant of sinners, whom she is ready to cast aside." Austen's historical time-frame during the Regency period put her at the center of much of the debate concerning slavery.
The Slave Ship by J.M.W. Turner depicts aspects of the British slave trade mentioned by Austen in Mansfield Park. Oil on canvas.
Austen manages to omit any mention of the Slave Trade Act 1807, which abolished the slave trade, though not slavery, in the British Empire. The Act passed four years before she started the novel and was the culmination of a long campaign by abolitionists, notably William Wilberforce. Slavery was not abolished in the British Empire until 1833. The death rate on the slave plantations in the Caribbean was so high, owing to yellow fever and malaria, that abolitionists believed that abolishing the slave trade would be enough to end slavery in the West Indies, as the plantation owners would not be able to stay in business without fresh importations of slaves from Africa. The literary critic Edward Said implicated the novel in western culture's casual acceptance of the material benefits of slavery and imperialism (a connection already made by Vladimir Nabokov in his Lectures on Literature, delivered in the 1940s although not published until 1980), citing Austen's failure to mention that the estate of Mansfield Park was made possible only through slave labour. Said was relentless in his attacks against Austen, depicting her as a racist and supporter of slavery whose books should be condemned rather than celebrated. Said's thesis that Austen wrote Mansfield Park to glorify slavery is a popular one, with the editor of a Penguin edition of Mansfield Park writing in the introduction that Said had established Mansfield Park "as part of the structure of an expanding imperialist venture".[109] Literary critics, including Gabrielle White, have rejected Said's condemnation of Jane Austen and western culture, maintaining that Austen and other writers, including Samuel Johnson and Edmund Burke, opposed slavery and helped make its eventual abolition possible. Claire Tomalin claims that Fanny, usually so timid, questions her uncle about the slave trade and receives no answer, suggesting that her vision of the trade's immorality is clearer than his.[110]
Emma
Main article: Emma (novel)
Emma is the fourth and last of Austen's novels published during her lifetime. Emma Woodhouse is the first Austen heroine with no financial concerns, which, she declares to the naïve Miss Smith, is the reason that she has no inducement to marry. This is a great departure from Austen's other novels, in which the quest for marriage and financial security are often important themes in the stories. Emma's ample financial resources put her in a much more privileged position than the heroines of Austen's earlier works, such as Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. Jane Fairfax's prospects, in contrast, are bleak. By comparison to other Austen heroines Emma seems immune to romantic attraction. Unlike Marianne Dashwood, who is attracted to the wrong man before she settles on the right one, Emma shows no romantic interest in the men she meets. She is genuinely surprised (and somewhat disgusted) when Mr Elton declares his love for her—much in the way Elizabeth Bennet reacts to the obsequious Mr Collins, also a parson. Her fancy for Frank Churchill represents more of a romantic complication of plot for Austen than the pursuit of Emma's more genuine affections in the novel. For example, at the beginning of Chapter XIII, Emma has "no doubt of her being in love", but it quickly becomes clear, even though she spends time "forming a thousand amusing schemes for the progress and close of their attachment", that "the conclusion of every imaginary declaration on his side was that she refused him".[111]
Persuasion
Main article: Persuasion (novel)
Persuasion was the last novel written by Austen and was unpublished at the time of her death, though it appeared soon thereafter, before the end of 1818. The novel was first released in a four-volume edition where the first two volumes presented the premiere publication of her early novel Northanger Abbey, while the final two volumes presented the co-published contents of Persuasion. Although readers of Persuasion might conclude that Austen intended "persuasion" to be the unifying theme of the story, the book's title is not hers, but her brother Henry's, who named it after her death. The idea of persuasion does run through the book, with vignettes within the story as variations on that theme. There is no known source that documents what Austen intended to call the novel. Whatever her intentions might have been, she spoke of it as The Elliots, according to family tradition, and some critics believe that is probably the title she planned for it. As for Northanger Abbey, published at the same time, it was probably her brother Henry who chose that title as well.[112] On the other hand, the literary scholar Gillian Beer establishes that Austen had profound concerns about the levels and applications of "persuasion" employed in society, especially as it related to the pressures and choices facing the young women of her day. Beer writes that for Austen and her readers, persuasion was indeed "fraught with moral dangers";[113]:xv she notes particularly that Austen was personally appalled by what she came to regard as her own misguided advice to her niece Fanny Knight on the question of whether Fanny ought to accept a particular suitor, even though it would have meant a protracted engagement. Beer writes: "Jane Austen's anxieties about persuasion and responsibility are here passionately expressed. She refuses to become part of the machinery with which Fanny is manoeuvering herself into forming the engagement. To be the stand-in motive for another's actions frightens her. Yet Jane Austen cannot avoid the part of persuader, even as dissuader." Fanny ultimately rejected her suitor and, after her aunt's death, married someone else.[113]:x–xv Thus, Beer explains, Austen was keenly aware that the human quality of persuasion—to persuade or to be persuaded, rightly or wrongly—is fundamental to the process of human communication, and that, in her novel "Jane Austen gradually draws out the implications of discriminating 'just' and 'unjust' persuasion." Indeed, the narrative winds through a number of situations in which people are influencing or attempting to influence other people—or themselves. Finally, Beer calls attention to "the novel's entire brooding on the power pressures, the seductions, and also the new pathways opened by persuasion".[113]:xv–xviii
Northanger Abbey
Main article: Northanger Abbey
Northanger Abbey was written when Austen was relatively young before 1800 and well before the publication of Sense and Sensibility in 1812. It was coincidentally co-printed with the posthumous publication of Persuasion in 1818 as a decision of the family even though it was written at a time chronologically separated from the writing of Persuasion by over a decade. Northanger Abbey is fundamentally an early parody of Gothic fiction. Austen turns the conventions of eighteenth-century novels on their head, by making her heroine a plain and undistinguished girl from a middle-class family, allowing the heroine to fall in love with the hero before he has a serious thought of her, and exposing the heroine's romantic fears and curiosities as groundless. The Austen biographer Claire Tomalin speculates that Austen may have begun this book, which is more explicitly comic than her other works and contains many literary allusions that her parents and siblings would have enjoyed, as a family entertainment—a piece of lighthearted parody to be read aloud by the fireside.[114] Moreover, as Joan Aiken writes, "We can guess that Susan [the original title of Northanger Abbey], in its first outline, was written very much for family entertainment, addressed to a family audience, like all Jane Austen's juvenile works, with their asides to the reader, and absurd dedications; some of the juvenilia, we know, were specifically addressed to her brothers Charles and Frank; all were designed to be circulated and read by a large network of relations."[115] Austen addresses the reader directly in parts, particularly at the end of Chapter 5, where she gives a lengthy opinion of the value of novels, and the contemporary social prejudice against them in favour of drier historical works and newspapers. In discussions featuring Isabella, the Thorpe sisters, Eleanor, and Henry, and by Catherine perusing the library of the General, and her mother's books on instructions on behaviours, the reader gains further insights into Austen's various perspectives on novels in contrast with other popular literature of the time (especially the Gothic novel). Eleanor even praises history books, and while Catherine points out the obvious fiction of the speeches given to important historical characters, Eleanor enjoys them for what they are. The directness with which Austen addresses the reader, especially at the end of the story, gives a unique insight into Austen's thoughts well before the publication of Sense and Sensibility in 1812, which is particularly important due to the fact that a large portion of her letters were burned, at her request, by her sister upon her death.
Themes
Main articles: Jane Austen in popular culture, Janeite and Reception history of Jane Austen
The themes and literary theory applied to the analysis and critique of Austen's novels have varied and expanded with each new generation of readers and scholars who have approached and analysed her writings. The initial reins of the criticism and analysis of the main themes in Austen's novels were first taken up by Sir Walter Scott and the theologian Richard Whately.[116] Following the years of the disposition of her estate, by 1821 a second period of the literary analysis and criticism of her writings was initiated which lasted for nearly fifty years between 1821-1870. This was followed by several decades of scholarship concerning Austen following the international reception of her novels which were being translated into multiple foreign languages during the 19th century. The Modern era of scholarship and analysis of her literary themes began at about 1930 and continues to the present day in defending her as being among the most accomplished British authors of international fame.
The Regency period
Main articles: Jane Austen in popular culture and Reception history of Jane Austen
While Austen was still living and in the immediate years following her death, two notable critiques of the literary themes in Austen were pursued by Sir Walter Scott and the theologian Richard Whately. Asked by publisher John Murray to review Emma, famed historical novelist Walter Scott wrote the longest and most thoughtful of these reviews, which was published anonymously in the March 1816 issue of the Quarterly Review. Using the review as a platform from which to defend the then disreputable genre of the novel, Scott praised Austen's works, celebrating her ability to copy "from nature as she really exists in the common walks of life, and presenting to the reader ... a correct and striking representation of that which is daily taking place around him".[117] Modern Austen scholar William Galperin has noted that "unlike some of Austen's lay readers, who recognized her divergence from realistic practice as it had been prescribed and defined at the time, Walter Scott may well have been the first to install Austen as the realist par excellence".[118] Scott wrote in his private journal in 1826, in what later became a widely quoted comparison: "Also read again and for the third time at least Miss Austen's very finely written novel of Pride and Prejudice. That young lady had a talent for describing the involvement and feelings and characters of ordinary life which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with."[119][120] In the Quarterly Review in 1821, the English writer and theologian Richard Whately published the most serious and enthusiastic early posthumous review of Austen's work. Whately drew favourable comparisons between Austen and such acknowledged greats as Homer and Shakespeare, praising the dramatic qualities of her narrative. He also affirmed the respectability and legitimacy of the novel as a genre, arguing that imaginative literature, especially narrative, was more valuable than history or biography. When it was properly done, as in Austen, Whately said, imaginative literature concerned itself with generalised human experience from which the reader could gain important insights into human nature; in other words, it was moral.[121] Whately also addressed Austen's position as a female writer, writing: "we suspect one of Miss Austin's [sic] great merits in our eyes to be, the insight she gives us into the peculiarities of female characters. ... Her heroines are what one knows women must be, though one never can get them to acknowledge it."[122] No more significant, original Austen criticism was published until the late 19th century: Whately and Scott had set the tone for the Victorian era's view of Austen.[121]
The Victorian period
Main articles: Jane Austen in popular culture and Reception history of Jane Austen
Following the disposition of Austen's literary estate after 1821, for several decades Victorian critics and audiences were drawn to the work of authors such as Charles Dickens and George Eliot; by comparison, Austen's novels seemed provincial and quiet.[123] Although Austen's works were republished beginning in late 1832 or early 1833 by Richard Bentley in the Standard Novels series, and remained in print continuously thereafter, they were not best-sellers.[124] Southam describes her "reading public between 1821 and 1870" as "minute beside the known audience for Dickens and his contemporaries".[125] Those who did read Austen saw themselves as discriminating readers—they were a cultured few. This became a common theme of Austen criticism during the 19th and early 20th centuries.[126] Philosopher and literary critic George Henry Lewes articulated this theme in a series of enthusiastic articles in the 1840s and 1850s. In "The Novels of Jane Austen", published anonymously in Blackwood's Magazine in 1859, Lewes praised Austen's novels for "the economy of art ... the easy adaptation of means to ends, with no aid from superfluous elements" and compared her to Shakespeare.[127] Arguing that Austen lacked the ability to construct a plot, he still celebrated her dramatisations: "The reader's pulse never throbs, his curiosity is never intense; but his interest never wanes for a moment. The action begins; the people speak, feel, and act; everything that is said, felt, or done tends towards the entanglement or disentanglement of the plot; and we are almost made actors as well as spectators of the little drama."[128] Reacting against Lewes's essays and his personal communications with her, novelist Charlotte Brontë admired Austen's fidelity to everyday life but described her as "only shrewd and observant" and criticised the absence of visible passion in her work.[129] To Brontë, Austen's work appeared formal and constrained, "a carefully fenced, highly cultivated garden, with neat borders and delicate flowers; but no glance of bright vivid physiognomy, no open country, no fresh air, no blue hill, no bonny beck".[130]
The Edwardian period
Main articles: Janeite and Reception history of Jane Austen
The six decades between 1870 and 1930 saw a redoubling a Austen's fame internationally with the translation of her works in multiple foreign languages (including French, German, Danish, and Swedish) and the writing of three separate studies of her biography and literary themes during this time period. In 1869, this was initiated by the publication of the first significant Austen biography, A Memoir of Jane Austen, which was written by Jane Austen's nephew, James Edward Austen-Leigh.[131] With its release, Austen's popularity and critical standing increased dramatically.[132] Readers of the Memoir were presented with the myth of the amateur novelist who wrote masterpieces: the Memoir fixed in the public mind a sentimental picture of Austen as a quiet, middle-aged maiden aunt and reassured them that her work was suitable for a respectable Victorian family. James Edward Austen-Leigh had a portrait of Jane Austen painted, based on the earlier watercolour, softening her image and making her presentable to the Victorian public.[133] The engraving by Bentley which formed the frontispiece of Memoir is based on the idealised image. The publication of the Memoir spurred a major reissue of Austen's novels. The first popular editions were released in 1883—a cheap sixpenny series published by Routledge. This was followed by a proliferation of elaborate illustrated editions, collectors' sets, and scholarly editions.[134] However, contemporary critics continued to assert that her works were sophisticated and only appropriate for those who could truly plumb their depths.[135] Yet, after the publication of the Memoir, more criticism was published on Austen's novels in two years than had appeared in the previous fifty.[136] This first biography was supplemented in 1913 when William Austen-Leigh and Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh, descendants of the Austen family, published the definitive family biography, Jane Austen: Her Life and Letters—A Family Record. Based primarily on family papers and letters, it is described by Austen biographer Park Honan as "accurate, staid, reliable, and at times vivid and suggestive".[137] Although the authors moved away from the sentimental tone of the Memoir, they made little effort to go beyond the family records and traditions immediately available to them. Their book therefore offers bare facts and little in the way of interpretation.[138]
During the last quarter of the 19th century, the first books of critical analysis regarding Austen's works were published. In 1890 Godwin Smith published the Life of Jane Austen, initiating a "fresh phase in the critical heritage", in which Austen reviewers became critics. This launched the beginning of "formal criticism", that is, a focus on Austen as a writer and an analysis of the techniques that made her writing unique.[139] According to Southam, while Austen criticism increased in amount and, to some degree, in quality after 1870, "a certain uniformity" pervaded it.[140] Among the most astute of these critics were Richard Simpson, Margaret Oliphant, and Leslie Stephen. In a review of the Memoir, Simpson described Austen as a serious yet ironic critic of English society. He introduced two interpretative themes which later became the basis for modern literary criticism of Austen's works: humour as social critique and irony as a means of moral evaluation. Simpson wrote that Austen, "began by being an ironical critic; she manifested her judgment ... not by direct censure, but by the indirect method of imitating and exaggerating the faults of her models. ... Criticism, humour, irony, the judgment not of one that gives sentence but of the mimic who quizzes while he mocks, are her characteristics."[141] Simpson's essay was not well known and did not become influential until Lionel Trilling quoted it in 1957.[142] Another prominent writer whose Austen criticism was ignored, novelist Margaret Oliphant, described Austen in almost proto-feminist terms, as "armed with a 'fine vein of feminine cynicism,' 'full of subtle power, keenness, finesse, and self-restraint,' blessed with an 'exquisite sense' of the 'ridiculous,' 'a fine stinging yet soft-voiced contempt,' whose novels are 'so calm and cold and keen'".[143] This line of criticism would not be fully explored until the 1970s with the rise of feminist literary criticism. Although Austen's novels had been published in the United States since 1832, albeit in bowdlerised editions, it was not until after 1870 that there was a distinctive American response to Austen.[144] As Southam explains, "for American literary nationalists Jane Austen's cultivated scene was too pallid, too constrained, too refined, too downright unheroic".[145] Austen was not democratic enough for American tastes and her canvas did not extend to the frontier themes that had come to define American literature.[145] By the start of the 20th century, the American response was represented by the debate between the American novelist and critic William Dean Howells and the writer and humourist Mark Twain. In a series of essays, Howells helped make Austen into a canonical figure for the populace whereas Twain used Austen to argue against the Anglophile tradition in America. That is, Twain argued for the distinctiveness of American literature by attacking English literature.[146] In his book Following the Equator, Twain described the library on his ship: "Jane Austen's books ... are absent from this library. Just that one omission alone would make a fairly good library out of a library that hadn't a book in it."[147]
The literary critic and novelist Henry James spoke approving of Austen's novels. Oil painting by John Singer Sargent (1913).
By the start of the twentieth century, however, around 1900, members of the literary elite, who had claimed an appreciation of Austen as a mark of culture, reacted against this popularisation of her work. They referred to themselves as Janeites to distinguish themselves from the masses who, in their view, did not properly understand Austen.[148] American novelist Henry James, a notable member of this literary elite, referred to Austen several times with approval and on one occasion ranked her with Shakespeare, Cervantes, and Henry Fielding as among "the fine painters of life".[149] But, James thought Austen an "unconscious" artist whom he described as "instinctive and charming".[150] In 1905, James responded frustratingly to what he described as "a beguiled infatuation" with Austen, a rising tide of public interest that exceeded Austen's "intrinsic merit and interest". James attributed this rise principally to "the stiff breeze of the commercial, ... the special bookselling spirits. ... the body of publishers, editors, illustrators, producers of the pleasant twaddle of magazines; who have found their 'dear,' our dear, everybody's dear, Jane so infinitely to their material purpose, so amenable to pretty reproduction in every variety of what is called tasteful, and in what seemingly proves to be salable, form."[151]
The Modern era
Main article: Jane Austen in popular culture
Austen's place among the most accomplished British authors of international fame appeared secure by the start of the Modern era in the early twentieth century leading into the start of the twenty-first century. Several important early works—glimmers of brilliant Austen scholarship—paved the way for Austen to become solidly entrenched within the academy. The first was Oxford Shakespearean scholar A. C. Bradley's 1911 essay, "generally regarded as the starting-point for the serious academic approach to Jane Austen".[152] Bradley emphasised Austen's ties to 18th-century critic and writer Samuel Johnson, arguing that she was a moralist as well as humourist; in this he was "totally original", according to Southam.[153] Bradley divided Austen's works into "early" and "late" novels, categories which are still used by scholars today.[154] The second path-breaking early-20th century critic of Austen was R. W. Chapman, whose magisterial edition of Austen's collected works was the first scholarly edition of the works of any English novelist. The Chapman texts have remained the basis for all subsequent editions of Austen's works.[155] In an outpouring of mid-century revisionist views, scholars approached Austen more sceptically. D. W. Harding, following and expanding upon Farrer, argued in his essay "Regulated Hatred: An Aspect of the Work of Jane Austen" that Austen's novels did not support the status quo but rather subverted it. Her irony was not humorous but caustic and intended to undermine the assumptions of the society she portrayed. Through her use of irony, Austen attempted to protect her integrity as an artist and a person in the face of attitudes and practices she rejected.[156] Almost simultaneously, influential critic Q. D. Leavis argued in "Critical Theory of Jane Austen's Writing", published in Scrutiny in the early 1940s, that Austen was a professional, not an amateur, writer.[157] Harding's and Leavis's articles were followed by another revisionist treatment by Marvin Mudrick in Jane Austen: Irony as Defense and Discovery (1952). Mudrick portrayed Austen as isolated, defensive, and critical of her society, and described in detail the relationship he saw between Austen's attitude toward contemporary literature and her use of irony as a technique to contrast the realities of her society with what she felt they should be.[156] These revisionist views, together with prominent critic F. R. Leavis's pronouncement in The Great Tradition (1948) that Austen was one of the great writers of English fiction, a view shared by Ian Watt, who helped shape the scholarly debate regarding the genre of the novel, did much to cement Austen's reputation amongst academics.[158]
One contemporary Shakespeare scholar in the late 20th century and leading into the 21st century has continued the tradition of F.R. Leavis which received Austen as being comparable to Shakespeare on the strength of her ability to depict the interiority of her major characters.[159] For Bloom, Austen's "genius" is valued and fully deserving of high comparison with major novelists such as the Lady Murasaki Shikibu of The Tale of Genji and other prominent literary figures including Alexander Pope, John Donne and Jonathan Swift. The late Vladimir Nabokov was far more hesitant in his reading of the literary themes and accomplishment of Austen especially when comparing her to one of his favourite authors whom he identified as Nicolai Gogol. Though not an opinion universally accepted, for Nabokov, Gogol's craftsmanship as an author exceeded his estimates of Austen's abilities as a novelist.[160]
Reception
Main articles: Reception history of Jane Austen, Janeite and Jane Austen in popular culture
Contemporary responses
In 1816, the editors of The New Monthly Magazine noted Emma's publication but chose not to review it.[K]
Austen's works brought her little personal renown because they were published anonymously. Although her novels quickly became fashionable among opinion-makers, such as Princess Charlotte Augusta, daughter of George IV, they received only a few published reviews.[161] Most of the reviews were short and on balance favourable, although superficial and cautious.[162] They most often focused on the moral lessons of the novels.[163] Sir Walter Scott, a leading novelist of the day, contributed one of them, anonymously. Using the review as a platform from which to defend the then-disreputable genre of the novel, he praised Austen's realism.[164] The other important early review of Austen's works was attributed to Richard Whately in 1821. However, Whately denied having authored the review,[165] which drew favourable comparisons between Austen and such acknowledged greats as Homer and Shakespeare, and praised the dramatic qualities of her narrative. Scott and Whately set the tone for almost all subsequent 19th-century Austen criticism.[166]
19th century
Because Austen's novels failed to conform to more overt Romantic and Victorian expectations that "powerful emotion [be] authenticated by an egregious display of sound and colour in the writing",[167] 19th-century critics and audiences generally preferred the works of Charles Dickens and George Eliot.[168] Though Austen's novels were republished in Britain beginning in the 1830s and remained steady sellers, they were not bestsellers.[169]
One of the first two published illustrations of Pride and Prejudice, from the Richard Bentley edition.[170] Caption reads: "She then told him [Mr Bennett] what Mr Darcy had voluntarily done for Lydia. He heard her with astonishment."
Austen had many admiring readers in the 19th century who considered themselves part of a literary elite: they viewed their appreciation of Austen's works as a mark of their cultural taste. Philosopher and literary critic George Henry Lewes expressed this viewpoint in a series of enthusiastic articles published in the 1840s and 1850s.[171] This theme continued later in the century with novelist Henry James, who referred to Austen several times with approval and on one occasion ranked her with Shakespeare, Cervantes, and Fielding as among "the fine painters of life".[172]
The publication of James Edward Austen-Leigh's A Memoir of Jane Austen in 1869 introduced Austen to a wider public as "dear aunt Jane", the respectable maiden aunt. Publication of the Memoir spurred the reissue of Austen's novels — the first popular editions were released in 1883 and fancy illustrated editions and collectors' sets quickly followed.[173] Author and critic Leslie Stephen described the popular mania that started to develop for Austen in the 1880s as "Austenolatry".[174] Around the start of the 20th century, members of the literary elite reacted against the popularization of Austen. They referred to themselves as Janeites in order to distinguish themselves from the masses who did not properly understand her works.[175] For example, Henry James responded negatively to what he described as "a beguiled infatuation" with Austen, a rising tide of public interest that exceeded Austen's "intrinsic merit and interest".[176]
During the last quarter of the 19th century, the first books of criticism on Austen were published. In fact, after the publication of the Memoir, more criticism was published on Austen in two years than had appeared in the previous fifty.[177]
20th century
Several important works paved the way for Austen's novels to become a focus of academic study. The first important milestone was a 1911 essay by Oxford Shakespearean scholar A. C. Bradley, which is "generally regarded as the starting-point for the serious academic approach to Jane Austen".[178] In it, he established the groupings of Austen's "early" and "late" novels, which are still used by scholars today.[179] The second was R. W. Chapman's 1923 edition of Austen's collected works. Not only was it the first scholarly edition of Austen's works, it was also the first scholarly edition of any English novelist. The Chapman text has remained the basis for all subsequent published editions of Austen's works.[180] With the publication in 1939 of Mary Lascelles's Jane Austen and Her Art, the academic study of Austen took hold.[181] Lascelles's innovative work included an analysis of the books Jane Austen read and the effect of her reading on her work, an extended analysis of Austen's forbidden, and her "narrative art". At the time, concern arose over the fact that academics were taking over Austen criticism and it was becoming increasingly esoteric — a debate that has continued to the beginning of the 21st century.[182]
Janeite cookies
In a spurt of revisionist views in the 1940s, scholars approached Austen more sceptically and argued that she was a subversive writer. These revisionist views, together with F. R. Leavis's and Ian Watt's pronouncement that Austen was one of the great writers of English fiction, did much to cement Austen's reputation amongst academics.[183] They agreed that she "combined [Henry Fielding's and Samuel Richardson's] qualities of interiority and irony, realism and satire to form an author superior to both".[184] The period since World War II has seen increased scholarship on Austen using a diversity of critical approaches, including several scholarly anthologies of Austen scholarship from leading publishers such as Cambridge University Press, Chelsea House Press, and Prentice Hall university publishers. However, the continuing disconnection between the popular appreciation of Austen, particularly by modern Janeites, and the academic appreciation of Austen has widened considerably.
Sequels, prequels, and adaptations of almost every sort have been based on the novels of Jane Austen, from soft-core pornography to fantasy.[185] Beginning in the middle of the 19th century, Austen family members published conclusions to her incomplete novels, and by 2000 there were over 100 printed adaptations.[186] The first film adaptation was the 1940 MGM production of Pride and Prejudice starring Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson.[187] BBC television dramatisations, which were first produced in the 1970s, attempted to adhere meticulously to Austen's plots, characterisations, and settings.[188] In 1995 a great wave of Austen adaptations began to appear, with Ang Lee's film of Sense and Sensibility, for which screenwriter and star Emma Thompson won an Academy Award, and the BBC's immensely popular TV mini-series Pride and Prejudice, starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.[189]
21st century
A British production in 2005 of Pride & Prejudice was directed by Joe Wright. The film is a period piece which accurately depicts the five sisters of the novel as they deal with issues of marriage, morality and misconceptions, though it places the film in the slightly earlier pre-Napoleonic time of late 18th century England rather than the exact time frame depicted in the novel. Keira Knightley stars in the lead role of Elizabeth Bennet, while Matthew Macfadyen plays her romantic interest Mr Darcy. Produced by Working Title Films in association with StudioCanal, the film was released on 16 September 2005 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and on 11 November in the United States.[190][191]
Julia Day from The Guardian in 2005 reported that ITV controller of drama, Nick Elliott, had ordered three new adaptations of Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.[192] Elliot commented that the adaptations would be "important remakes for the new generation".[193] He explained, "About every 10 years, all the great stories need retelling. These films will be very much 2007 films ... we've asked and pushed the production team to make them young. Her stories always make great TV drama and our Jane Austen season will feature the absolute cream of British acting talent."[193] In January 2016 a film version of Austen's early epistolary novel Lady Susan directed by Whit Stillman premiered at the Sundance Film Festival starring Kate Beckinsale and Chloe Sevigny under the borrowed title of another one of Austen's early novels Love & Friendship.[194]
List of works
Library resources about
Jane Austen
Online books
Resources in your library
Resources in other libraries
By Jane Austen
Online books
Resources in your library
Resources in other libraries
Novels
Sense and Sensibility (1811)
Pride and Prejudice (1813)
Mansfield Park (1814)
Emma (1815)
Northanger Abbey (1818, posthumous)
Persuasion (1818, posthumous)
Short fiction
Lady Susan (1794, 1805)
Unfinished fiction
The Watsons (1804)
Sanditon (1817)
Other works
Sir Charles Grandison (adapted play) (1793, 1800)[195]
Plan of a Novel (1815)
Poems (1796–1817)
Prayers (1796–1817)
Letters (1796–1817)
Last page (p.4) of a letter from Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra, dated June 11, 1799, signed "Yours affectionately, Jane" [196]
Juvenilia — Volume the First (1787–1793) [197]
Frederic & Elfrida
Jack & Alice
Edgar & Emma
Henry and Eliza
The Adventures of Mr. Harley
Sir William Mountague
Memoirs of Mr. Clifford
The Beautifull Cassandra
Amelia Webster
The Visit
The Mystery
The Three Sisters
A beautiful description
The generous Curate
Ode to Pity
Juvenilia — Volume the Second (1787–1793)
Love and Freindship
Lesley Castle
The History of England
A Collection of Letters
The female philosopher
The first Act of a Comedy
A Letter from a Young Lady
A Tour through Wales
A Tale
Juvenilia — Volume the Third (1787–1793)
Evelyn
Catharine, or the Bower
Louisa May Alcott Biography Author (1832–1888)03:24 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 411
Louisa May Alcott Biography
Author (1832–1888)
Louisa May Alcott
OCCUPATION
Author
BIRTH DATE
November 29, 1832
DEATH DATE
March 6, 1888
PLACE OF BIRTH
Germantown, Pennsylvania
PLACE OF DEATH
Boston, Massachusetts
AKA
Louisa Alcott
FULL NAME
Louisa May Alcott
SYNOPSIS
EARLY LIFE
ACCLAIMED AUTHOR
CITE THIS PAGE
Louisa May Alcott was an American author who wrote the classic novel 'Little Women,' as well as various works under pseudonyms.
IN THESE GROUPS
FAMOUS SUFFRAGETTES
FAMOUS FICTION AUTHORS
FAMOUS PEOPLE BORN IN PENNSYLVANIA
FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO DIED IN MASSACHUSETTS
Show All Groups
1 of 3 « »
QUOTES
“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.”
—Louisa May Alcott
Synopsis
Louisa May Alcott was born on November 29, 1832, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson were family friends. Alcott wrote under various pseudonyms and only started using her own name when she was ready to commit to writing. Her novel Little Women gave Louisa May Alcott financial independence and a lifetime writing career. She died in 1888.
Early Life
Famed novelist Louisa May Alcott was born on November 29, 1832, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Alcott was a best-selling novelist of the late 1800s, and many of her works, most notably Little Women, remain popular today.
Alcott was taught by her father, Amos Bronson Alcott, until 1848, and studied informally with family friends such as Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Theodore Parker. Residing in Boston and Concord, Massachusetts, Alcott worked as a domestic servant and teacher, among other positions, to help support her family from 1850 to 1862. During the Civil War, she went to Washington, D.C. to work as a nurse.
Acclaimed Author
Unknown to most people, Louisa May Alcott had been publishing poems, short stories, thrillers, and juvenile tales since 1851, under the pen name Flora Fairfield. In 1862, she also adopted the pen name A.M. Barnard, and some of her melodramas were produced on Boston stages. But it was her account of her Civil War experiences, Hospital Sketches (1863), that confirmed Alcott's desire to be a serious writer. She began to publish stories under her real name in Atlantic Monthly and Lady's Companion, and took a brief trip to Europe in 1865 before becoming editor of a girls' magazine, Merry's Museum.
The great success of Little Women (1869–70) gave Alcott financial independence and created a demand for more books. Over the final years of her life, she turned out a steady stream of novels and short stories, mostly for young people and drawn directly from her family life. Her other books include Little Men (1871), Eight Cousins (1875) and Jo's Boys (1886). Alcott also tried her hand at adult novels, such as Work (1873) and A Modern Mephistopheles (1877), but these tales were not as popular as her other writings.
J. K. Rowling From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia03:20 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 413
Born Joanne Rowling
31 July 1965 (age 50)
Yate, Gloucestershire, England
Pen name
J. K. Rowling
Robert Galbraith
Occupation Novelist
Nationality British
Education Bachelor of Arts
Alma mater University of Exeter
Period 1997–present
Genre Fantasy, drama, young-adult fiction, tragicomedy, crime fiction
Notable works Harry Potter series
Spouse
Jorge Arantes (m. 1992–95)
Neil Murray (m. 2001)
Children 3
Signature
Website
jkrowling.com
Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE FRSL[1] (/ˈroʊlɪŋ/; born 31 July 1965), pen names J. K. Rowling and Robert Galbraith, is a British novelist, screenwriter and film producer best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series. The books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, and sold more than 400 million copies.[2] They have become the best-selling book series in history[3] and been the basis for a series of films which is the second highest-grossing film series in history.[4] Rowling had overall approval on the scripts[5] and maintained creative control by serving as a producer on the final instalment.[6]
Born in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, Rowling was working as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International when she conceived the idea for the Harry Potter series while on a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990.[7] The seven-year period that followed saw the death of her mother, birth of her first child, divorce from her first husband and relative poverty until she finished the first novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, in 1997. There were six sequels, the last, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, in 2007. Since then, Rowling has written four books for adult readers, The Casual Vacancy (2012) and—under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith—the crime fiction novels The Cuckoo's Calling (2013), The Silkworm (2014) and Career of Evil (2015).[8]
Rowling has lived a "rags to riches" life story, in which she progressed from living on state benefits to multi-millionaire status within five years. She is the United Kingdom's best-selling living author, with sales in excess of £238m.[9] The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling's fortune at £560 million, ranking her as the twelfth richest woman in the United Kingdom.[10] Forbes ranked Rowling as the 48th most powerful celebrity of 2007,[11] and Time magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fans.[12] In October 2010, Rowling was named the "Most Influential Woman in Britain" by leading magazine editors.[13] She has supported charities including Comic Relief, One Parent Families, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and Lumos (formerly the Children's High Level Group).
Contents [hide]
1 Name
2 Biography
2.1 Birth and family
2.2 Childhood and education
2.3 Inspiration and mother's death
2.4 Marriage, divorce, and single parenthood
2.5 Harry Potter
2.6 Harry Potter films
2.7 Financial success
2.8 Remarriage and family
2.9 The Casual Vacancy
2.10 Cormoran Strike
2.11 Subsequent Harry Potter publications
3 Philanthropy
3.1 Anti-poverty and children's welfare
3.2 Multiple sclerosis
3.3 Other philanthropic work
4 Influences
5 Views
5.1 Politics
5.2 Religion
5.3 Press
6 Legal disputes
7 Awards and honours
8 Publications
8.1 Children
8.1.1 Harry Potter series
8.1.2 Related works
8.1.3 Short stories
8.2 Adults
8.2.1 Cormoran Strike series
8.3 Other
8.3.1 Non-fiction
9 References
10 External links
Name
Although she writes under the pen name "J. K. Rowling" (pronounced rolling),[14] her name, before her remarriage, was simply "Joanne Rowling". Anticipating that the target audience of young boys might not want to read a book written by a woman, her publishers asked that she use two initials rather than her full name. As she had no middle name, she chose K (for "Kathleen") as the second initial of her pen name, from her paternal grandmother.[15] She calls herself "Jo".[16] Following her marriage, she has sometimes used the name Joanne Murray when conducting personal business.[17][18] During the Leveson Inquiry she gave evidence under the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling[19] and her entry in Who's Who lists her name as Joanne Kathleen Rowling.[20]
Biography
Birth and family
A sign reading "Platform 9¾" with half of a luggage trolley installed beneath, at the interior of King's Cross railway station.
Rowling's parents met on a train from King's Cross Station. After Rowling used King's Cross as a gateway into the Wizarding World, it has since become a popular tourist spot.
Rowling was born to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer,[21] and Anne Rowling (née Volant), a science technician,[22] on 31 July 1965[23][24] in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Bristol.[25][26] Her parents first met on a train departing from King's Cross Station bound for Arbroath in 1964.[27] They married on 14 March 1965.[27] One of her maternal great-grandfathers, Dugald Campbell, was Scottish, born in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran.[28][29] Her mother's paternal grandfather, Louis Volant, was French, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre for exceptional bravery in defending the village of Courcelles-le-Comte during the First World War. Rowling originally believed he had won the Légion d'honneur during the war, as she said when she received it herself in 2009. She later discovered the truth when featured in an episode of the UK genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?, in which she found out it was a different Louis Volant who won the Legion of Honour. When she heard his story of bravery and discovered the croix de guerre was for "ordinary" soldiers like her grandfather, who had been a waiter, she stated the croix de guerre was "better" to her than the Legion of Honour.[30][31]
Childhood and education
Rowling's sister Dianne[7] was born at their home when Rowling was 23 months old.[26] The family moved to the nearby village Winterbourne when Rowling was four.[32] She attended St Michael's Primary School, a school founded by abolitionist William Wilberforce and education reformer Hannah More.[33][34] Her headmaster at St Michael's, Alfred Dunn, has been suggested as the inspiration for the Harry Potter headmaster Albus Dumbledore.[35]
Rowling's childhood home, Church Cottage, Tutshill.
As a child, Rowling often wrote fantasy stories which she frequently read to her sister.[14] Aged nine, Rowling moved to Church Cottage in the Gloucestershire village of Tutshill, close to Chepstow, Wales.[26] She attended secondary school at Wyedean School and College, where her mother worked in the science department.[22] When she was a young teenager, her great-aunt gave her a copy of Jessica Mitford's autobiography, Hons and Rebels.[36] Mitford became Rowling's heroine, and Rowling read all of her books.[37]
Rowling has said that her teenage years were unhappy.[21] Her home life was complicated by her mother's illness and a strained relationship with her father, with whom she is not on speaking terms.[21] Rowling later said that she based the character of Hermione Granger on herself when she was eleven.[38] Steve Eddy, who taught Rowling English when she first arrived, remembers her as "not exceptional" but "one of a group of girls who were bright, and quite good at English".[21] Sean Harris, her best friend in the Upper Sixth, owned a turquoise Ford Anglia which she says inspired a flying version that appeared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.[39] At this time, she listened to the Smiths and the Clash.[40] Rowling took A-levels in English, French and German, achieving two As and a B[27] and was Head Girl.[21]
In 1982, Rowling took the entrance exams for Oxford University but was not accepted[21] and read for a B.A. in French and Classics at the University of Exeter.[41] Martin Sorrell, a French professor at Exeter, remembers "a quietly competent student, with a denim jacket and dark hair, who, in academic terms, gave the appearance of doing what was necessary".[21] Rowling recalls doing little work, preferring to listen to The Smiths and read Dickens and Tolkien.[21] After a year of study in Paris, Rowling graduated from Exeter in 1986[21] and moved to London to work as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International.[42] In 1988, Rowling wrote a short essay about her time studying Classics entitled "What was the Name of that Nymph Again? or Greek and Roman Studies Recalled"; it was published by the University of Exeter's journal Pegasus.[43]
Inspiration and mother's death
After working at Amnesty International in London, Rowling and her then boyfriend decided to move to Manchester,[26] where she worked at the Chamber of Commerce.[27] In 1990, while she was on a four-hour-delayed train trip from Manchester to London, the idea for a story of a young boy attending a school of wizardry "came fully formed" into her mind.[26][44][44]
When she had reached her Clapham Junction flat, she began to write immediately.[26][45] In December, Rowling's mother Anne died after ten years suffering from multiple sclerosis.[26] Rowling was writing Harry Potter at the time and had never told her mother about it.[18] Her death heavily affected Rowling's writing[18] and she introduced much more detail about Harry's loss in the first book, because she knew how it felt.[46]
Marriage, divorce, and single parenthood
A panned out image of city buildings.
Rowling moved to Porto to teach. In 1993, she returned to the UK accompanied by her daughter and three completed chapters of Harry Potter after her marriage had deteriorated.
An advert in The Guardian[27] led Rowling to move to Porto, Portugal, to teach English as a foreign language.[7][37] She taught at night and began writing in the day while listening to Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.[21] After 18 months in Porto, she met Portuguese television journalist Jorge Arantes in a bar and found they shared an interest in Jane Austen.[27] They married on 16 October 1992 and their child, Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes (named after Jessica Mitford), was born on 27 July 1993 in Portugal.[27] Rowling had previously suffered a miscarriage.[27] The couple separated on 17 November 1993.[27][47] Biographers have suggested that Rowling suffered domestic abuse during her marriage, although the full extent is unknown.[27][48] In December 1993, Rowling and her then-infant daughter moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, to be near Rowling's sister[26] with three chapters of what would become Harry Potter in her suitcase.[21]
Seven years after graduating from university, Rowling saw herself as a failure.[49] Her marriage had failed, and she was jobless with a dependent child, but she described her failure as liberating and allowing her to focus on writing.[49] During this period, Rowling was diagnosed with clinical depression and contemplated suicide.[50] Her illness inspired the characters known as Dementors, soul-sucking creatures introduced in the third book.[51] Rowling signed up for welfare benefits, describing her economic status as being "poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless."[21][49]
Rowling was left in despair after her estranged husband arrived in Scotland, seeking both her and her daughter.[27] She obtained an Order of Restraint, and Arantes returned to Portugal, with Rowling filing for divorce in August 1994.[27] She began a teacher training course in August 1995 at the Moray House School of Education, at Edinburgh University,[52] after completing her first novel while living on State benefits.[53] She wrote in many cafés, especially Nicolson's Café (owned by her brother-in-law, Roger Moore),[54][55] and the Elephant House,[56] wherever she could get Jessica to fall asleep.[26][57] In a 2001 BBC interview, Rowling denied the rumour that she wrote in local cafés to escape from her unheated flat, pointing out that it had heating. One of the reasons she wrote in cafés was that taking her baby out for a walk was the best way to make her fall asleep.[57]
Harry Potter
Main article: Harry Potter
"The Elephant House" – one of the cafés in Edinburgh in which Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter novel.[58]
In 1995, Rowling finished her manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on an old manual typewriter.[59] Upon the enthusiastic response of Bryony Evens, a reader who had been asked to review the book's first three chapters, the Fulham-based Christopher Little Literary Agents agreed to represent Rowling in her quest for a publisher. The book was submitted to twelve publishing houses, all of which rejected the manuscript.[27] A year later she was finally given the green light (and a £1500 advance) by editor Barry Cunningham from Bloomsbury, a publishing house in London.[27][60] The decision to publish Rowling's book owes much to Alice Newton, the eight-year-old daughter of Bloomsbury's chairman, who was given the first chapter to review by her father and immediately demanded the next.[61] Although Bloomsbury agreed to publish the book, Cunningham says that he advised Rowling to get a day job, since she had little chance of making money in children's books.[62] Soon after, in 1997, Rowling received an £8000 grant from the Scottish Arts Council to enable her to continue writing.[63]
In June 1997, Bloomsbury published Philosopher's Stone with an initial print run of 1,000 copies, 500 of which were distributed to libraries. Today, such copies are valued between £16,000 and £25,000.[64] Five months later, the book won its first award, a Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. In February, the novel won the British Book Award for Children's Book of the Year, and later, the Children's Book Award. In early 1998, an auction was held in the United States for the rights to publish the novel, and was won by Scholastic Inc., for US$105,000. Rowling said that she "nearly died" when she heard the news.[65] In October 1998, Scholastic published Philosopher's Stone in the US under the title of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, a change Rowling says she now regrets and would have fought if she had been in a better position at the time.[66] Rowling moved from her flat with the money from the Scholastic sale, into 19 Hazelbank Terrace in Edinburgh.[54]
Its sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, was published in July 1998 and again Rowling won the Smarties Prize.[67] In December 1999, the third novel, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, won the Smarties Prize, making Rowling the first person to win the award three times running.[68] She later withdrew the fourth Harry Potter novel from contention to allow other books a fair chance. In January 2000, Prisoner of Azkaban won the inaugural Whitbread Children's Book of the Year award, though it lost the Book of the Year prize to Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf.[69]
The fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, was released simultaneously in the UK and the US on 8 July 2000 and broke sales records in both countries. 372,775 copies of the book were sold in its first day in the UK, almost equalling the number Prisoner of Azkaban sold during its first year.[70] In the US, the book sold three million copies in its first 48 hours, smashing all records.[70] Rowling said that she had had a crisis while writing the novel and had to rewrite one chapter many times to fix a problem with the plot.[71] Rowling was named Author of the Year in the 2000 British Book Awards.[72]
A wait of three years occurred between the release of Goblet of Fire and the fifth Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This gap led to press speculation that Rowling had developed writer's block, speculations she denied.[73] Rowling later said that writing the book was a chore, that it could have been shorter, and that she ran out of time and energy as she tried to finish it.[74]
The sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was released on 16 July 2005. It too broke all sales records, selling nine million copies in its first 24 hours of release.[75] In 2006, Half-Blood Prince received the Book of the Year prize at the British Book Awards.[67]
The title of the seventh and final Harry Potter book was announced on 21 December 2006 as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.[76] In February 2007 it was reported that Rowling wrote on a bust in her hotel room at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh that she had finished the seventh book in that room on 11 January 2007.[77] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released on 21 July 2007 (0:01 BST)[78] and broke its predecessor's record as the fastest-selling book of all time.[79] It sold 11 million copies in the first day of release in the United Kingdom and United States.[79] The book's last chapter was one of the earliest things she wrote in the entire series.[80]
Harry Potter is now a global brand worth an estimated US$15 billion,[81] and the last four Harry Potter books have consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history.[79][82] The series, totalling 4,195 pages,[83] has been translated, in whole or in part, into 65 languages.[84]
The Harry Potter books have also gained recognition for sparking an interest in reading among the young at a time when children were thought to be abandoning books for computers and television,[85] although it is reported that despite the huge uptake of the books, adolescent reading has continued to decline.[86]
Harry Potter films
Main article: Harry Potter (film series)
In October 1998, Warner Bros. purchased the film rights to the first two novels for a seven-figure sum.[87] A film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was released on 16 November 2001, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on 15 November 2002.[88] Both films were directed by Chris Columbus. The film version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was released on 4 June 2004, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. The fourth film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, was directed by Mike Newell, and released on 18 November 2005. The film of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released on 11 July 2007.[88] David Yates directed, and Michael Goldenberg wrote the screenplay, having taken over the position from Steve Kloves. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released on 15 July 2009.[89] David Yates directed again, and Kloves returned to write the script.[90] Warner Bros. filmed the final instalment of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, in two segments, with part one being released on 19 November 2010 and part two being released on 15 July 2011. Yates directed both films.[91][92]
Warner Bros. took considerable notice of Rowling's desires and thoughts when drafting her contract. One of her principal stipulations was the films be shot in Britain with an all-British cast,[93] which has been generally adhered to. Rowling also demanded that Coca-Cola, the victor in the race to tie in their products to the film series, donate US$18 million to the American charity Reading is Fundamental, as well as several community charity programs.[94]
The first four, sixth and seventh films were scripted by Steve Kloves; Rowling assisted him in the writing process, ensuring that his scripts did not contradict future books in the series.[95] She told Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) certain secrets about their characters before they were revealed in the books.[96] Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) asked her if Harry died at any point in the series; Rowling answered him by saying, "You have a death scene", thereby not explicitly answering the question.[97] Director Steven Spielberg was approached to direct the first film, but dropped out. The press has repeatedly claimed that Rowling played a role in his departure, but Rowling stated that she had no say in who directed the films and would not have vetoed Spielberg.[98] Rowling's first choice for the director had been Monty Python member Terry Gilliam, but Warner Bros. wanted a family-friendly film and chose Columbus.[99]
Rowling had gained some creative control on the films, reviewing all the scripts[100] as well as acting as a producer on the final two-part instalment, Deathly Hallows.[101]
Rowling, producers David Heyman and David Barron, along with directors David Yates, Mike Newell and Alfonso Cuarón collected the Michael Balcon Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema at the 2011 British Academy Film Awards in honour of the Harry Potter film franchise.[102]
In September 2013, Warner Bros. announced an "expanded creative partnership" with Rowling, based on a planned series of films about Newt Scamander, author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The first film will be scripted by Rowling, and be set roughly 70 years before the events of the main series.[103] In 2014, it was announced that the series would consist of three films.[104]
Financial success
In 2004, Forbes named Rowling as the first person to become a U.S.-dollar billionaire by writing books,[105] the second-richest female entertainer and the 1,062nd richest person in the world.[106] Rowling disputed the calculations and said she had plenty of money, but was not a billionaire.[107] The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List named Rowling the 144th richest person in Britain.[10] In 2012, Forbes removed Rowling from their rich list, claiming that her US$160 million in charitable donations and the high tax rate in the UK meant she was no longer a billionaire.[108] In February 2013 she was assessed as the 13th most powerful woman in the United Kingdom by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.[109]
In 2001, Rowling purchased a 19th-century estate house, Killiechassie House, on the banks of the River Tay, near Aberfeldy, in Perth and Kinross.[110] Rowling also owns a £4.5 million Georgian house in Kensington, West London,[111] on a street with 24-hour security.[112]
Remarriage and family
On 26 December 2001, Rowling married Neil Michael Murray (born 30 June 1971), an anaesthetist, in a private ceremony at her home, Killiechassie House, near Aberfeldy.[113] Their son, David Gordon Rowling Murray, was born on 24 March 2003.[114] Shortly after Rowling began writing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she ceased working on the novel to care for David in his early infancy.[115]
Rowling is a friend of Sarah Brown, wife of former prime minister Gordon Brown, whom she met when they collaborated on a charitable project. When Sarah Brown's son Fraser was born in 2003, Rowling was one of the first to visit her in hospital.[116] Rowling's youngest child, daughter Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray, to whom she dedicated Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was born on 23 January 2005.[117]
In October 2012, a New Yorker magazine article stated that the Rowling family lived in a seventeenth-century Edinburgh house, concealed at the front by tall conifer hedges. Prior to October 2012, Rowling lived near the author Ian Rankin, who later said she was quiet and introspective, and that she seemed in her element with children.[21][118] As of June 2014, the family resides in Scotland.[119]
The Casual Vacancy
In July 2011, Rowling parted company with her agent, Christopher Little, moving to a new agency founded by one of his staff, Neil Blair.[21][120] On 23 February 2012, Rowling's new agency, the Blair Partnership, announced on its website that Rowling was set to publish a new book targeted at adults. In a press release, Rowling said that her new book would be quite different from Harry Potter. In April 2012, Little, Brown and Company announced that the book was entitled The Casual Vacancy and would be released on 27 September 2012.[121] Rowling gave several interviews and made appearances to promote The Casual Vacancy, including at the London Southbank Centre,[122] the Cheltenham Literature Festival,[123] Charlie Rose[124] and the Lennoxlove Book Festival.[125] In its first three weeks of release, The Casual Vacancy sold over 1 million copies worldwide.[126]
On 3 December 2012, it was announced that The Casual Vacancy was to become a BBC television drama series. Rowling's agent, Neil Blair acted as producer, through his independent production company and with Rick Senat serving as executive producer. Rowling collaborated on the adaptation. The series aired in three parts from 15 of February to 1 March 2015.[127][128]
Cormoran Strike
Main article: Cormoran Strike
Over the years, Rowling often spoke of writing a crime novel. In 2007, during the Edinburgh Book Festival, author Ian Rankin claimed that his wife spotted Rowling "scribbling away" at a detective novel in a café.[129] Rankin later retracted the story, claiming it was a joke,[130] but the rumour persisted, with a report in 2012 in The Guardian speculating that Rowling's next book would be a crime novel.[131] In an interview with Stephen Fry in 2005, Rowling claimed that she would much prefer to write any subsequent books under a pseudonym, but she conceded to Jeremy Paxman in 2003 that if she did, the press would probably "find out in seconds".[132]
In April 2013, Little Brown published The Cuckoo's Calling, the purported début novel of author Robert Galbraith, who the publisher described as "a former plainclothes Royal Military Police investigator who had left in 2003 to work in the civilian security industry".[133] The novel, a detective story in which private investigator Cormoran Strike unravels the supposed suicide of a supermodel, sold 1500 copies in hardback (although the matter was not resolved as of 21 July 2013; later reports stated that this number is the number of copies that were printed for the first run, while the sales total was closer to 500)[134] and received acclaim from other crime writers[133] and critics[135]—a Publishers Weekly review called the book a "stellar debut",[136] while the Library Journal's mystery section pronounced the novel "the debut of the month".[137]
India Knight, a novelist and columnist for the Sunday Times, tweeted on 9 July 2013 that she had been reading The Cuckoo's Calling and thought it was good for a début novel. In response, a tweeter called Jude Callegari said that the author was Rowling. Knight queried this but got no further reply.[138] Knight notified Richard Brooks, arts editor of the Sunday Times, who began his own investigation.[138][139] After discovering that Rowling and Galbraith had the same agent and editor, he sent the books for linguistic analysis which found similarities, and subsequently contacted Rowling's agent who confirmed it was Rowling's pseudonym.[139] Within days of Rowling being revealed as the author, sales of the book rose by 4000 percent,[138] and Little Brown printed another 140,000 copies to meet the increase in demand.[140] As of 18 June 2013, a signed copy of the first edition sold for US$4,453 (£2,950), while an unsold signed first-edition copy was being offered for $6,188 (£3,950).[134]
Rowling said that she had enjoyed working under a pseudonym.[141] On her Robert Galbraith website, Rowling explained that she took the name from one of her personal heroes, Robert Kennedy, and a childhood fantasy name she had invented for herself, Ella Galbraith.[142]
Soon after the revelation, Brooks pondered whether Jude Callegari could have been Rowling as part of wider speculation that the entire affair had been a publicity stunt. Some also noted that many of the writers who had initially praised the book, such as Alex Gray or Val McDermid,[143] were within Rowling's circle of acquaintances; both vociferously denied any foreknowledge of Rowling's authorship.[138] Judith "Jude" Callegari was the best friend of the wife of Chris Gossage, a partner within Russells Solicitors, Rowling's legal representatives.[144][145] Rowling released a statement saying she was disappointed and angry;[144] Russells apologised for the leak, confirming it was not part of a marketing stunt and that "the disclosure was made in confidence to someone he [Gossage] trusted implicitly".[140] Russells made a donation to the Soldiers' Charity on Rowling's behalf and reimbursed her for her legal fees.[146] On 26 November 2013 the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) issued Gossage a written rebuke and £1000 fine for breaching privacy rules.[147]
On 17 February 2014, Rowling announced that the second Cormoran Strike novel, named The Silkworm, would be released in June 2014. It sees Strike investigating the disappearance of a writer hated by many of his old friends for insulting them in his new novel.[148]
In 2015, Rowling stated on Galbraith's website that the third Cormoran Strike novel would include "an insane amount of planning, the most I have done for any book I have written so far. I have colour-coded spreadsheets so I can keep a track of where I am going."[149] On 24 April 2015, Rowling announced that work on the third book was completed. Titled Career of Evil, it was released on 20 October 2015 in the United States, and on 22 October 2015 in the United Kingdom.[150]
Subsequent Harry Potter publications
For information on the material written for Comic Relief and other charities, see "Philanthropy", below
Rowling has said it is unlikely she will write any more books in the Harry Potter series.[151] In October 2007 she stated that her future work was unlikely to be in the fantasy genre.[152] On 1 October 2010, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Rowling stated a new book on the saga might happen.[153]
In 2007, Rowling stated that she planned to write an encyclopaedia of Harry Potter's wizarding world consisting of various unpublished material and notes.[154] Any profits from such a book would be given to charity.[155] During a news conference at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre in 2007, Rowling, when asked how the encyclopaedia was coming along, said, "It's not coming along, and I haven't started writing it. I never said it was the next thing I'd do."[156] At the end of 2007, Rowling said that the encyclopaedia could take up to ten years to complete.[157]
In June 2011, Rowling announced that future Harry Potter projects, and all electronic downloads, would be concentrated in a new website, called Pottermore.[158] The site includes 18,000 words of information on characters, places and objects in the Harry Potter universe.[159]
In October 2015, Rowling announced via Pottermore, that a two part play she has co-authored with playwrights Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, was the 'eighth Harry Potter story' and that it would focus on the life of Harry's Potter's youngest son Albus after the epilogue of the Deathly Hallows.[160] On 28 October 2015, the first round of tickets went on sale and sold out in several hours.[161]
Philanthropy
In 2000, Rowling established the Volant Charitable Trust, which uses its annual budget of £5.1 million to combat poverty and social inequality. The fund also gives to organisations that aid children, one parent families, and multiple sclerosis research.[162][163]
Anti-poverty and children's welfare
Rowling, once a single parent, is now president of the charity Gingerbread (originally One Parent Families), having become their first Ambassador in 2000.[164][165] Rowling collaborated with Sarah Brown to write a book of children's stories to aid One Parent Families.[166]
In 2001, the UK anti-poverty fundraiser Comic Relief asked three best-selling British authors – cookery writer and TV presenter Delia Smith, Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding, and Rowling – to submit booklets related to their most famous works for publication.[167] Rowling's two booklets, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages, are ostensibly facsimiles of books found in the Hogwarts library. Since going on sale in March 2001, the books have raised £15.7 million for the fund. The £10.8 million they have raised outside the UK have been channelled into a newly created International Fund for Children and Young People in Crisis.[168] In 2002 Rowling contributed a foreword to Magic, an anthology of fiction published by Bloomsbury Publishing, helping to raise money for the National Council for One Parent Families.[169]
In 2005, Rowling and MEP Emma Nicholson founded the Children's High Level Group (now Lumos).[170] In January 2006, Rowling went to Bucharest to highlight the use of caged beds in mental institutions for children.[171] To further support the CHLG, Rowling auctioned one of seven handwritten and illustrated copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a series of fairy tales referred to in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The book was purchased for £1.95 million by on-line bookseller Amazon.com on 13 December 2007, becoming the most expensive modern book ever sold at auction.[172][172][173] Rowling gave away the remaining six copies to those who have a close connection with the Harry Potter books.[172] In 2008, Rowling agreed to publish the book with the proceeds going to Lumos.[118] On 1 June 2010 (International Children's Day), Lumos launched an annual initiative – Light a Birthday Candle for Lumos.[174] In November 2013, Rowling handed over all earnings from the sale of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, totalling nearly £19 million.[175]
In July 2012, Rowling was featured at the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in London where she read a few lines from J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan as part of a tribute to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. An inflatable representation of Lord Voldemort and other children's literary characters accompanied her reading.[176]
Multiple sclerosis
Rowling has contributed money and support for research and treatment of multiple sclerosis, from which her mother suffered before her death in 1990. In 2006, Rowling contributed a substantial sum toward the creation of a new Centre for Regenerative Medicine at Edinburgh University, later named the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic.[177] In 2010 she donated a further £10 million to the centre.[178] For reasons unknown, Scotland, Rowling's country of adoption, has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world. In 2003, Rowling took part in a campaign to establish a national standard of care for MS sufferers.[179] In April 2009, she announced that she was withdrawing her support for Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland, citing her inability to resolve an ongoing feud between the organisation's northern and southern branches that had sapped morale and led to several resignations.[179]
Other philanthropic work
In May 2008, bookseller Waterstones asked Rowling and 12 other writers (Sebastian Faulks, Doris Lessing, Lisa Appignanesi, Margaret Atwood, Lauren Child, Richard Ford, Neil Gaiman, Nick Hornby, Michael Rosen, Axel Scheffler, Tom Stoppard and Irvine Welsh) to compose a short piece of their own choosing on a single A5 card, which would then be sold at auction in aid of the charities Dyslexia Action and English PEN. Rowling's contribution was an 800-word Harry Potter prequel that concerns Harry's father, James Potter, and godfather, Sirius Black, and takes place three years before Harry was born. The cards were collated and sold for charity in book form in August 2008.[180]
On 1 and 2 August 2006, she read alongside Stephen King and John Irving at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Profits from the event were donated to the Haven Foundation, a charity that aids artists and performers left uninsurable and unable to work, and the medical NGO Médecins Sans Frontières.[181] In May 2007, Rowling pledged a donation reported as over £250,000 to a reward fund started by the tabloid News of the World for the safe return of a young British girl, Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in Portugal.[182] Rowling, along with Nelson Mandela, Al Gore, and Alan Greenspan, wrote an introduction to a collection of Gordon Brown's speeches, the proceeds of which were donated to the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory.[183] After her exposure as the true author of The Cuckoo's Calling led a massive increase in sales, Rowling announced she would donate all her royalties to the Army Benevolent Fund, claiming she had always intended to, but never expected the book to be a bestseller.[184]
Rowling is a supporter of The Shannon Trust, which runs the Toe by Toe Reading Plan and the Shannon Reading Plan in prisons across Britain, helping and giving tutoring to prisoners who cannot read.[185]
Influences
See also: Harry Potter influences and analogues
Rowling has named communist and civil rights activist Jessica Mitford as her "most influential writer" saying, "Jessica Mitford has been my heroine since I was 14 years old, when I overheard my formidable great-aunt discussing how Mitford had run away at the age of 19 to fight with the Reds in the Spanish Civil War", and claims what inspired her about Mitford was that she was "incurably and instinctively rebellious, brave, adventurous, funny and irreverent, she liked nothing better than a good fight, preferably against a pompous and hypocritical target".[186] Rowling has described Jane Austen as her favourite author,[187] calling Emma her favourite book in O magazine.[188] As a child, Rowling has said her early influences included The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge, and Manxmouse by Paul Gallico.[189]
Views
Politics
See also: Politics of J. K. Rowling
In September 2008, on the eve of the Labour Party Conference, Rowling announced that she had donated £1 million to the Labour Party, and publicly endorsed Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown over Conservative challenger David Cameron, praising Labour's policies on child poverty.[190] Rowling is a close friend of Sarah Brown, wife of Gordon Brown, whom she met when they collaborated on a charitable project (see above).[116]
Rowling discussed the 2008 United States presidential election with the Spanish-language newspaper El País in February 2008, stating that the election would have a profound effect on the rest of the world. She also said that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would be "extraordinary" in the White House. In the same interview, Rowling identified Robert F. Kennedy as her hero.[191]
In April 2010, Rowling published an article in The Times, in which she criticised Cameron's plan to encourage married couples to stay together by offering them a £150 annual tax credit: "Nobody who has ever experienced the reality of poverty could say 'it's not the money, it's the message'. When your flat has been broken into, and you cannot afford a locksmith, it is the money. When you are two pence short of a tin of baked beans, and your child is hungry, it is the money. When you find yourself contemplating shoplifting to get nappies, it is the money."[192]
As a resident of Scotland, Rowling was eligible to vote in the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence, and campaigned for the "No" vote.[193] She donated £1 million to the Better Together anti-independence campaign (run by her former neighbour Alistair Darling),[119] the largest donation it had received at the time. In a blog post, Rowling explained that an open letter from Scottish medical professionals raised problems with First Minister Alex Salmond's plans for a common research funding.[119] Rowling compared some Scottish Nationalists with the Death Eaters, characters from Harry Potter who are scornful of those without pure blood.[194]
On 22 October 2015 a letter was published in The Guardian signed by Rowling (along with over 150 other figures from arts and politics) opposing the cultural boycott of Israel, and announcing the creation of a network for dialogue, called Culture for Coexistence.[195] Rowling later explained her position in more detail, saying that although she opposed most of Benjamin Netanyahu's actions she did not think the cultural boycott would bring about the removal of Israel's leader or help improve the situation in Israel and Palestine.[196]
Religion
Main article: Religious debates over the Harry Potter series
Over the years, some religious people, particularly Christians, have decried Rowling's books for supposedly promoting witchcraft. Rowling identifies as a Christian,[197] and attended a Church of Scotland congregation while writing Harry Potter. Her eldest daughter, Jessica, was baptised there.[197][198] She once said, "I believe in God, not magic."[199] Early on she felt that if readers knew of her Christian beliefs they would be able to predict her plot line.[200]
In 2007, Rowling described having been brought up in the Church of England. She said she was the only one in her family who regularly went to church. As a student she became annoyed at the "smugness of religious people" and worshipped less often. Later, she started to attend again at a church in Edinburgh.[201]
In a 2006 interview with Tatler magazine, Rowling noted that, "like Graham Greene, my faith is sometimes about if my faith will return. It's important to me."[18] She has said that she has struggled with doubt, that she believes in an afterlife,[202] and that her faith plays a part in her books.[203][204][205] In a 2012 radio interview, she said that she was a member of the Scottish Episcopal Church, a province of the Anglican Communion.[206]
Press
Rowling has had a difficult relationship with the press. She admits to being "thin-skinned" and dislikes the fickle nature of reporting. Rowling disputes her reputation as a recluse who hates to be interviewed.[207]
By 2011, Rowling had taken more than 50 actions against the press.[208] In 2001, the Press Complaints Commission upheld a complaint by Rowling over a series of unauthorised photographs of her with her daughter on the beach in Mauritius published in OK! Magazine.[209] In 2007, Rowling's young son, David, assisted by Rowling and her husband, lost a court fight to ban publication of a photograph of him. The photo, taken by a photographer using a long-range lens, was subsequently published in a Sunday Express article featuring Rowling's family life and motherhood.[17] The judgement was overturned in David's favour in May 2008.[210]
Rowling particularly dislikes the British tabloid the Daily Mail, which has conducted interviews with her estranged ex-husband. As one journalist noted, "Harry's Uncle Vernon is a grotesque philistine of violent tendencies and remarkably little brain. It is not difficult to guess which newspaper Rowling gives him to read [in Goblet of Fire]."[211] As of January 2014, she was seeking damages from the Mail for libel over an article about her time as a single mother.[212] Some have speculated that Rowling's fraught relationship with the press was the inspiration behind the character Rita Skeeter, a gossipy celebrity journalist who first appears in Goblet of Fire, but Rowling noted in 2000 that the character predates her rise to fame.[213]
In September 2011, Rowling was named a "core participant" in the Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press, as one of dozens of celebrities who may have been the victim of phone hacking.[214] On 24 November 2011, Rowling gave evidence before the inquiry; although she was not suspected to have been the victim of phone hacking,[215] her testimony included accounts of photographers camping on her doorstep, her fiancé being duped into giving his home address to a journalist masquerading as a tax official,[215] her chasing a journalist a week after giving birth,[208] a journalist leaving a note inside her then-five-year-old daughter's schoolbag, and an attempt by the Sun to "blackmail" her into a photo opportunity in exchange for the return of a stolen manuscript.[216] Rowling claimed she had to leave her former home in Merchiston because of press intrusion.[216] In November 2012, Rowling wrote an article for The Guardian in reaction to David Cameron's decision not to implement the full recommendations of the Leveson inquiry, saying she felt "duped and angry".[217]
In 2014, Rowling reaffirmed her support for "Hacked Off" and its campaign towards press self-regulation by co-signing with other British celebrities a declaration to "[safeguard] the press from political interference while also giving vital protection to the vulnerable."[218]
Legal disputes
Main article: Legal disputes over the Harry Potter series
Rowling, her publishers, and Time Warner, the owner of the rights to the Harry Potter films, have taken numerous legal actions to protect their copyright. The worldwide popularity of the Harry Potter series has led to the appearance of a number of locally produced, unauthorised sequels and other derivative works, sparking efforts to ban or contain them.[219]
Another area of legal dispute involves a series of injunctions obtained by Rowling and her publishers to prohibit anyone from reading her books before their official release date.[220] The injunction drew fire from civil liberties and free speech campaigners and sparked debates over the "right to read".[221][222]
Awards and honours
Rowling, after receiving an honorary degree from the University of Aberdeen.
Rowling has received honorary degrees from St Andrews University, the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University, the University of Exeter,[223] the University of Aberdeen[224][225] and Harvard University, for whom she spoke at the 2008 commencement ceremony.[226] In 2009 Rowling was made a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.[30]
Other awards include:[67]
1997: Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, Gold Award for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
1998: Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, Gold Award for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
1998: British Children's Book of the Year, winner Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
1999: Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, Gold Award for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
1999: National Book Awards Children's Book of the Year, winner Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
1999: Whitbread Children's Book of the Year, winner Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2000: British Book Awards, Author of the Year[72]
2000: Order of the British Empire, Officer (for services to Children's literature)
2000: Locus Award, winner Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2001: Hugo Award for Best Novel, winner Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2003: Premio Príncipe de Asturias, Concord
2003: Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers, winner Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2006: British Book of the Year, winner for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
2007: Blue Peter Badge, Gold
2007: Named Barbara Walters' Most Fascinating Person of the year[227]
2008: British Book Awards, Outstanding Achievement
2010: Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award, inaugural award winner
2011: British Academy Film Awards, Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema for the Harry Potter film series, shared with David Heyman, cast and crew
2012: Freedom of the City of London
Publications
Children
Harry Potter series
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (26 June 1997)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2 July 1998)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (8 July 1999)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (8 July 2000)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (21 June 2003)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (16 July 2005)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (21 July 2007)
Related works
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (supplement to the Harry Potter series) (1 March 2001)
Quidditch Through the Ages (supplement to the Harry Potter series) (1 March 2001)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard (supplement to the Harry Potter series) (4 December 2008)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (story concept) (play written by Jack Thorne) (31 July 2016)
Short stories
Harry Potter prequel (July 2008)
Adults
The Casual Vacancy (27 September 2012)
Cormoran Strike series
The Cuckoo's Calling (as Robert Galbraith) (18 April 2013)
The Silkworm (as Robert Galbraith) (19 June 2014)
Career of Evil (as Robert Galbraith) (20 October 2015)
Other
Non-fiction
McNeil, Gil and Brown, Sarah, editors (2002). Foreword to the anthology Magic. Bloomsbury.
Brown, Gordon (2006). Introduction to "Ending Child Poverty" in Moving Britain Forward. Selected Speeches 1997–2006. Bloomsbury.
Sussman, Peter Y., editor (26 July 2006). "The First It Girl: J. K. Rowling reviews Decca: the Letters by Jessica Mitford". The Daily Telegraph.
Anelli, Melissa (2008). Foreword to Harry, A History. Pocket Books.
Rowling, J. K. (5 June 2008). "The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination". Harvard Magazine.
J. K. Rowling, Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and Importance of Imagination, illustrated by Joel Holland, Sphere, 14 April 2015, 80 pages (ISBN 978-1-4087-0678-7).
Rowling, J. K. (30 April 2009). "Gordon Brown – The 2009 Time 100". Time magazine.
Rowling, J. K. (14 April 2010). "The Single Mother's Manifesto". The Times.
Rowling, J. K. (30 November 2012). "I feel duped and angry at David Cameron's reaction to Leveson". The Guardian.
Rowling, J. K. (17 December 2014). Isn’t it time we left orphanages to fairytales? The Guardian.
Rowling, J. K. (guest editor) (28 April 2014). "Woman's Hour Takeover". Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4.[228]
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to be eighth book 10 February 201603:16 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 416
The play stars Noma Dumezweni, Jamie Parker and Paul Thornley and will officially open on 30 July
An eighth Harry Potter book is to be released this summer - containing the script for a new stage play telling the wizard's story.
A hardback edition of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts I & II will be released on 31 July, the day after the play has debuted on stage.
It sees Harry as a father and an overworked Ministry of Magic employee.
The play is from an original new story by JK Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will tell the "untold part" of the boy wizard's story, including the story of the lives of his murdered parents, Rowling has said.
It will pick up the story 19 years after Harry was last seen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, waving his two eldest children off to Hogwarts.
Fan appeals
The script's ebook will be published simultaneously with the print editions.
David Shelley, chief executive of the publishers Little, Brown Book Group said: "We are so thrilled to be publishing the script of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
"JK Rowling and her team have received a huge number of appeals from fans who can't be in London to see the play and who would like to read the play in book format - and so we are absolutely delighted to be able to make it available for them."
The special rehearsal edition of the script book will comprise the version of the play early in the production's preview period and is therefore subject to being changed before the official opening.
Previews of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child begin in May at London's Palace Theatre, with both plays set to open on 30 July. The hardback and ebook will go on sale at 0001 on 31 July.
JK Rowling was asked multiple times by Harry Potter fans to turn the story into a play
Jamie Parker, currently starring in the West End show Guys and Dolls, will star as an adult Harry in the production.
Noma Dumezweni, known for her 2006 Olivier Award-winning role in A Raisin in the Sun and for stepping in at the last minute to replace Kim Cattrall in Linda at the Royal Court, will play Hermione Granger.
London Road star Paul Thornley will play Ron Weasley.
The play was first announced in December 2013, after the author said she had "received countless approaches" over the years "about turning Harry Potter into a theatrical production".
Harry Potter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia03:15 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 417
This article is about the series of seven novels. For its eponym, see Harry Potter (character). For the film series, see Harry Potter (film series). For related topics, see List of Harry Potter related topics. For other uses, see Harry Potter (disambiguation).
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter logo, used first in American editions of the novel series and later in films.
The Harry Potter logo first used for the American edition of the novel series (and some other editions worldwide), and then the film series.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)
Author J. K. Rowling
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre Fantasy, Drama, Young-adult fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Bildungsroman
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
Arthur A. Levine Books (US)
Little, Brown (UK)
Published 26 June 1997 – 21 July 2007,
31 July 2016[1] (initial publication)
Media type Print (hardback & paperback)
Audiobook
E-book (as of March 2012)[2]
No. of books 7
Website www.pottermore.com
Harry Potter is a series of seven novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry's struggle against Lord Voldemort, the Dark wizard who intends to become immortal, overthrow the Ministry of Magic, subjugate non-magic people and destroy anyone who stands in his way.
Since the release of the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, on 30 June 1997, the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide. They attracted a wide adult audience, and have remained one of the preeminent cornerstones of young adult literature.[3] The series has also had some share of criticism, including concern about the increasingly dark tone as the series progressed, as well as the often gruesome and graphic violence depicted in the series. As of July 2013, the books have sold more than 450 million copies worldwide, making the series the best-selling book series in history, and have been translated into seventy-three languages.[4][5] The last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history, with the final instalment selling roughly eleven million copies in the United States within twenty four hours of its release.
A series of many genres, including fantasy, drama, coming of age and the British school story (which includes elements of mystery, thriller, adventure, horror and romance), it has many cultural meanings and references.[6] According to Rowling, the main theme is death.[7] There are also many other themes in the series, such as prejudice, corruption, and madness.[8]
The series was originally published in English by two major publishers, Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Press in the United States. The play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will open in London on 30 July 2016 at the Palace Theatre and its script will be published by Little, Brown in the United Kingdom on 31 July 2016, who also published Rowling's adult novels and those written under her pen name Robert Galbraith.[9] The seven books were adapted into an eight-part film series by Warner Bros. Pictures, which is the second highest-grossing film series of all time as of August 2015. The series also originated much tie-in merchandise, making the Harry Potter brand worth in excess of $15 billion.[10]
Because of the success of the books and films, Harry Potter-themed areas, known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, have been created at several Universal Parks & Resorts theme parks around the world. The franchise continues to expand, with numerous supplemental books to accompany the films and the original novels, a studio tour in London that opened in 2012, a travelling exhibition that premièred in Chicago in 2009, a digital platform entitled Pottermore, on which J.K. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight, a sequel in the form of a stage play, and a trilogy of spin-off films premièring in November 2016, amongst many other developments.
Contents [hide]
1 Plot
1.1 Early years
1.2 Voldemort returns
1.3 Supplementary works
2 Structure and genre
3 Themes
4 Origins
5 Publishing history
5.1 Translations
5.2 Completion of the series
5.3 Cover art
6 Achievements
6.1 Cultural impact
6.2 Commercial success
6.3 Awards, honours, and recognition
7 Reception
7.1 Literary criticism
7.2 Social impact
7.3 Controversies
8 Adaptations
8.1 Films
8.2 Games
8.3 Audiobooks
8.4 Stage production
9 Attractions
9.1 The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
9.2 United Kingdom
10 References
11 Further reading
12 External links
Plot
Further information: Harry Potter universe
The novels revolve around Harry Potter, an orphan who discovers at the age of eleven that he is a wizard, though he lives in the ordinary world of non-magical people known as Muggles.[11] The wizarding world exists alongside the Muggle world, albeit hidden and in secrecy. His magical ability is inborn, and children with such abilities are invited to attend exclusive magic schools that teaches the necessary skills to succeed in the wizarding world.[12] Harry becomes a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the wizarding school in Scotland, and it is here where most of the events in the series take place. As Harry develops through his adolescence, he learns to overcome the problems that face him: magical, social and emotional, including ordinary teenage challenges such as friendships, infatuation, romantic relationships, schoolwork and exams, anxiety, depression, stress, and the greater test of preparing himself for the confrontation in the real world that lies ahead, in wizarding Britain's increasingly-violent second wizarding war.[13]
Each novel chronicles one year in Harry's life[14] during the period of 1991–98.[15] The books also contain many flashbacks, which are frequently experienced by Harry viewing the memories of other characters in a device called a Pensieve.
The environment Rowling created is intimately connected to reality. The British magical community of the Harry Potter books is inspired by 1990s British culture, European folklore, classical mythology and alchemy, incorporating objects and wildlife such as magic wands, magic plants, potions, and spells, flying broomsticks, centaurs and other magical creatures, the Deathly Hallows, and the Philosopher's Stone, beside others invented by Rowling. While the fantasy land of Narnia is an alternative universe and the Lord of the Rings' Middle-earth a mythic past, the wizarding world of Harry Potter exists in parallel within the real world and contains magical versions of the ordinary elements of everyday life, with the books being mostly set in Scotland (Hogwarts), the West Country, Devon, London and Surrey in south-east England.[16] The world only accessible to wizards and magical beings comprises a fragmented collection of overlooked hidden streets, ancient pubs, lonely country manors and secluded castles invisible to the Muggle population.[12]
Early years
When the first novel of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (published in some countries as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) opens, it is apparent that some significant event has taken place in the wizarding world – an event so very remarkable, even the Muggles (non-magical people) notice signs of it. The full background to this event and Harry Potter's past is revealed gradually through the series. After the introductory chapter, the book leaps forward to a time shortly before Harry Potter's eleventh birthday, and it is at this point that his magical background begins to be revealed.
Harry's first contact with the wizarding world is through a half-giant, Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of grounds and keys at Hogwarts. Hagrid reveals some of Harry's history.[17] Harry learns that, as a baby, he witnessed his parents' murder by the power-obsessed Dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who subsequently attempted to kill him as well.[17] For reasons not revealed until the fifth book, the spell with which Voldemort tried to kill Harry rebounded. Harry survived with only a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead as a memento of the attack, and Voldemort disappeared afterwards. As its inadvertent saviour from Voldemort's reign of terror, Harry has become a living legend in the wizarding world. However, at the orders of the venerable and well-known wizard Albus Dumbledore, the orphaned Harry had been placed in the home of his unpleasant Muggle relatives, the Dursleys, who kept him safe, but treated him poorly, having him live in a cupboard and do chores, rather than having their son Dudley, whom they spoiled, do anything. Petunia Dursley was jealous of her sister's magical abilities as a child at first, and, later, progressed onto simply believing that all wizards were freaks. Therefore, the Dursleys hated wizards, so they hid Harry's true heritage from him, saying his parents died in a car crash in hopes that he would grow up "normal".[17]
With Hagrid's help, Harry prepares for and undertakes his first year of study at Hogwarts. As Harry begins to explore the magical world, the reader is introduced to many of the primary locations used throughout the series. Harry meets most of the main characters and gains his two closest friends: Ron Weasley, a fun-loving member of an ancient, large, happy, but poor wizarding family, and Hermione Granger, a gifted and very hardworking witch of non-magical parentage.[17][18] Harry also encounters the school's potions master, Severus Snape, who displays a conspicuously deep and abiding dislike for him, and the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Quirinus Quirrell, who later turns out to be controlled by Lord Voldemort. The first book concludes with Harry's second confrontation with Lord Voldemort, who, in his quest for immortality, yearns to gain the power of the Philosopher's Stone, a substance that bestows everlasting life.[17]
The series continues with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, describing Harry's second year at Hogwarts. He and his friends investigate a 50-year-old mystery that appears uncannily related to recent sinister events at the school. Ron's younger sister, Ginny Weasley, enrolls in her first year at Hogwarts, and finds an old notebook which turns out to be Voldemort's diary from his school days. Ginny becomes possessed by Voldemort through the diary and unconsciously opens the "Chamber of Secrets," unleashing an ancient monster, later revealed to be a basilisk, which begins attacking students at Hogwarts. The novel delves into the history of Hogwarts and a legend revolving around the Chamber that soon frightened everyone in the school. The book also introduces a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, a highly cheerful, self-conceited wizard who goes around as if he is the most wonderful person who ever existed, who knows absolutely every single thing there is to know about everything, who later turns out to be a fraud. Harry discovers that prejudice exists in the wizarding world, and learns that Voldemort's reign of terror was often directed at wizards who were descended from Muggles. Harry also learns that his ability to speak the snake language Parseltongue is rare and often associated with the Dark Arts. The novel ends after Harry saves Ginny's life by destroying the basilisk and the enchanted diary which has been the source of the problems.
The third novel, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, follows Harry in his third year of magical education. It is the only book in the series which does not feature Lord Voldemort. Instead, Harry must deal with the knowledge that he has been targeted by Sirius Black, his father's best friend, and, according to the Wizarding World, an escaped mass murderer who assisted in the deaths of Harry's parents. As Harry struggles with his reaction to the dementors – dark creatures with the power to devour a human soul, which feed on despair – which are ostensibly protecting the school, he reaches out to Remus Lupin, a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who is eventually revealed to be a werewolf. Lupin teaches Harry defensive measures which are well above the level of magic generally executed by people his age. Harry came to know that both Lupin and Black were best friends of his father and that Black was framed by their fourth friend, Peter Pettigrew.[19] In this book, a recurring theme throughout the series is emphasised – in every book there is a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, none of whom lasts more than one school year.
Voldemort returns
"The Elephant House", a small, painted red café where Rowling wrote a few chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
"The Elephant House" – One of the cafés in Edinburgh where Rowling wrote the first part of Harry Potter.
During Harry's fourth year of school (detailed in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), Harry is unwillingly entered as a participant in the Triwizard Tournament, a dangerous contest where three "champions," one from each participating school, must compete with each other in three tasks in order to win the triwizard cup. This year, Harry must compete against a witch and a wizard "champion" from visiting schools Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, as well as another Hogwarts student, causing Harry's friends to distance themselves from him.[20] Harry is guided through the tournament by their new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, who turns out to be an impostor – one of Voldemort's supporters named Barty Crouch, Jr. in disguise. The point at which the mystery is unravelled marks the series' shift from foreboding and uncertainty into open conflict. Voldemort's plan to have Crouch use the tournament to bring Harry to Voldemort succeeds. Although Harry manages to escape, Cedric Diggory, the other Hogwarts champion in the tournament, is killed by Peter Pettigrew and Voldemort re-enters the wizarding world with a physical body.
In the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry must confront the newly resurfaced Voldemort. In response to Voldemort's reappearance, Dumbledore re-activates the Order of the Phoenix, a secret society which works from Sirius Black's dark family home to defeat Voldemort's minions and protect Voldemort's targets, especially Harry. Despite Harry's description of Voldemort's recent activities, the Ministry of Magic and many others in the magical world refuse to believe that Voldemort has returned.[21] In an attempt to counter and eventually discredit Dumbledore, who along with Harry is the most prominent voice in the wizarding world attempting to warn of Voldemort's return, the Ministry appoints Dolores Umbridge as the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts and the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. She transforms the school into a dictatorial regime and refuses to allow the students to learn ways to defend themselves against dark magic.[21]
With Ron and Hermione's suggestion, Harry forms "Dumbledore's Army," a secret study group aimed to teach his classmates the higher-level skills of Defence Against the Dark Arts that he has learned from his previous encounters with Dark wizards. An important prophecy concerning Harry and Lord Voldemort is revealed,[22] and Harry discovers that he and Voldemort have a painful connection, allowing Harry to view some of Voldemort's actions telepathically. In the novel's climax, Harry and his friends face off against Voldemort's Death Eaters at the Ministry of Magic. Although the timely arrival of members of the Order of the Phoenix saves the children's lives, Sirius Black is killed in the conflict.
In the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Voldemort begins waging open warfare. Harry and his friends are relatively protected from that danger at Hogwarts. They are subject to all the difficulties of adolescence – Harry eventually begins dating Ginny, Ron establishes a strong infatuation with fellow Hogwarts student Lavender Brown, and Hermione starts to develop romantic feelings toward Ron. Near the beginning of the novel, lacking his own book, Harry is given an old potions textbook filled with many annotations and recommendations signed by a mysterious writer; "the Half-Blood Prince." This book is a source of scholastic success and great recognition from their new potions master, Horace Slughorn, but because of the potency of the spells that are written in it, becomes a source of concern. Harry takes private lessons with Dumbledore, who shows him various memories concerning the early life of Voldemort in a device called a Pensieve. These reveal that in order to preserve his life, Voldemort has split his soul into pieces, creating a series of horcruxes – evil enchanted items hidden in various locations, one of which was the diary destroyed in the second book.[23] Harry's snobbish adversary, Draco Malfoy, attempts to attack Dumbledore, and the book culminates in the killing of Dumbledore by Professor Snape, the titular Half-Blood Prince.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last book in the series, begins directly after the events of the sixth book. Lord Voldemort has completed his ascension to power and gained control of the Ministry of Magic. Harry, Ron and Hermione drop out of school so that they can find and destroy Voldemort's remaining horcruxes. To ensure their own safety as well as that of their family and friends, they are forced to isolate themselves. As they search for the horcruxes, the trio learns details about Dumbledore's past, as well as Snape's true motives – he had worked on Dumbledore's behalf since the murder of Harry's mother. Snape is killed by Voldemort out of paranoia.
The book culminates in the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and Hermione, in conjunction with members of the Order of the Phoenix and many of the teachers and students, defend Hogwarts from Voldemort, his Death Eaters, and various dangerous magical creatures. Several major characters are killed in the first wave of the battle, including Remus Lupin and Fred Weasley. After learning that he himself is a horcrux, Harry surrenders himself to Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest, who casts a killing curse (Avada Kedavra) at him. The defenders of Hogwarts do not surrender after learning of Harry's presumed death and continue to fight on. Harry awakens and faces Voldemort, whose horcruxes have all been destroyed. In the final battle, Voldemort's killing curse rebounds off Harry's defensive spell (Expelliarmus) killing Voldemort. Also, as most viewers saw coming, Harry Potter marries and has children with Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger marries and has children with Ronald Weasley.
An epilogue describes the lives of the surviving characters and the effects of Voldemort's death on the wizarding world. It also introduces the children of all the characters.
Supplementary works
In-universe books
See also: J. K. Rowling § Philanthropy
Rowling has expanded the Harry Potter universe with several short books produced for various charities.[24][25] In 2001, she released Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (a purported Hogwarts textbook) and Quidditch Through the Ages (a book Harry reads for fun). Proceeds from the sale of these two books benefitted the charity Comic Relief.[26] In 2007, Rowling composed seven handwritten copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a collection of fairy tales that is featured in the final novel, one of which was auctioned to raise money for the Children's High Level Group, a fund for mentally disabled children in poor countries. The book was published internationally on 4 December 2008.[27][28] Rowling also wrote an 800-word prequel in 2008 as part of a fundraiser organised by the bookseller Waterstones.[29] All three of these books contain extra information about the Wizarding World not included in the original novels.
Pottermore website
In 2011, Rowling launched a new website announcing an upcoming project called Pottermore.[30] Pottermore opened to the general public on 14 April 2012.[31] Pottermore allows users to be sorted, be chosen by their wand and play various minigames. The main purpose of the website was to allow the user to journey though the story with access to content not revealed by JK Rowling previously, with over 18,000 words of additional content.[32]
In September 2015 the website was completely overhauled and most of the features were removed. The site has been redesigned and it mainly focuses on the information already available, rather than exploration.[33]
Structure and genre
The Harry Potter novels are mainly directed at a young adult audience as opposed to an audience of middle grade readers, children, or adults. The novels fall within the genre of fantasy literature, and qualify as a unique type of fantasy called "urban fantasy," "contemporary fantasy," or "low fantasy." They are mainly dramas, and maintain a fairly serious and dark tone throughout, though they do contain some notable instances of tragicomedy and black humour. In many respects, they are also examples of the bildungsroman, or coming of age novel,[34] and contain elements of mystery, adventure, horror, thriller, and romance. They can be considered part of the British children's boarding school genre, which includes Rudyard Kipling's Stalky & Co., Enid Blyton's Malory Towers, St. Clare's and the Naughtiest Girl series, and Frank Richards's Billy Bunter novels: the Harry Potter books are predominantly set in Hogwarts, a fictional British boarding school for wizards, where the curriculum includes the use of magic.[35] In this sense they are "in a direct line of descent from Thomas Hughes's Tom Brown's School Days and other Victorian and Edwardian novels of British public school life," though they are, as many note, more contemporary, grittier, darker, and more mature than the typical boarding school novel, addressing serious themes of death, love, loss, prejudice, coming-of-age, and the loss of innocence in a 1990's British setting.[36][37]
The books are also, in the words of Stephen King, "shrewd mystery tales",[38] and each book is constructed in the manner of a Sherlock Holmes-forbidden mystery adventure. The stories are told from a third person limited point of view with very few exceptions (such as the opening chapters of Philosopher's Stone, Goblet of Fire and Deathly Hallows and the first two chapters of Half-Blood Prince).
In the middle of each book, Harry struggles with the problems he encounters, and dealing with them often involves the need to violate some school rules. If students are caught breaking rules, they are often disciplined by Hogwarts professors. However, the stories reach their climax in the summer term, near or just after final exams, when events escalate far beyond in-school squabbles and struggles, and Harry must confront either Voldemort or one of his followers, the Death Eaters, with the stakes a matter of life and death–a point underlined, as the series progresses, by one or more characters being killed in each of the final four books.[39][40] In the aftermath, he learns important lessons through exposition and discussions with head teacher and mentor Albus Dumbledore. In the final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry and his friends spend most of their time away from Hogwarts, and only return there to face Voldemort at the dénouement.[39]
Themes
According to Rowling, a major theme in the series is death: "My books are largely about death. They open with the death of Harry's parents. There is Voldemort's obsession with conquering death and his quest for immortality at any price, the goal of anyone with magic. I so understand why Voldemort wants to conquer death. We're all frightened of it."[7]
Academics and journalists have developed many other interpretations of themes in the books, some more complex than others, and some including political subtexts. Themes such as normality, oppression, survival, and overcoming imposing odds have all been considered as prevalent throughout the series.[41] Similarly, the theme of making one's way through adolescence and "going over one's most harrowing ordeals – and thus coming to terms with them" has also been considered.[42] Rowling has stated that the books comprise "a prolonged argument for tolerance, a prolonged plea for an end to bigotry" and that they also pass on a message to "question authority and... not assume that the establishment or the press tells you all of the truth".[43]
While the books could be said to comprise many other themes, such as power/abuse of power, violence and hatred, love, loss, prejudice, and free choice, they are, as Rowling states, "deeply entrenched in the whole plot"; the writer prefers to let themes "grow organically", rather than sitting down and consciously attempting to impart such ideas to her readers.[8] Along the same lines is the ever-present theme of adolescence, in whose depiction Rowling has been purposeful in acknowledging her characters' sexualities and not leaving Harry, as she put it, "stuck in a state of permanent pre-pubescence". Rowling has also been praised for her nuanced depiction of the ways in which death and violence affects youth, and humanity as a whole.[44]
Rowling said that, to her, the moral significance of the tales seems "blindingly obvious". The key for her was the choice between what is right and what is easy, "because that … is how tyranny is started, with people being apathetic and taking the easy route and suddenly finding themselves in deep trouble."[45]
Origins
Main article: Harry Potter influences and analogues
In 1990, Rowling was on a crowded train from Manchester to London when the idea for Harry suddenly "fell into her head". Rowling gives an account of the experience on her website saying:[46]
"I had been writing almost continuously since the age of six but I had never been so excited about an idea before. I simply sat and thought, for four (delayed train) hours, and all the details bubbled up in my brain, and this scrawny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who did not know he was a wizard became more and more real to me."
Rowling completed Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1995 and the manuscript was sent off to several prospective agents.[47] The second agent she tried, Christopher Little, offered to represent her and sent the manuscript to Bloomsbury.
Publishing history
J.K. Rowling, a blond, blue-eyed woman, who is the author of the series
The novelist, J. K. Rowling
The logo used in British and Australian editions before 2010. The font used is Cochin Bold.[48]
After eight other publishers had rejected Philosopher's Stone, Bloomsbury offered Rowling a £2,500 advance for its publication.[49][50] Despite Rowling's statement that she did not have any particular age group in mind when beginning to write the Harry Potter books, the publishers initially targeted children aged nine to eleven.[51] On the eve of publishing, Rowling was asked by her publishers to adopt a more gender-neutral pen name in order to appeal to the male members of this age group, fearing that they would not be interested in reading a novel they knew to be written by a woman. She elected to use J. K. Rowling (Joanne Kathleen Rowling), using her grandmother's name as her second name because she has no middle name.[50][52]
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published by Bloomsbury, the publisher of all Harry Potter books in the United Kingdom, on 30 June 1997.[53] It was released in the United States on 1 September 1998 by Scholastic – the American publisher of the books – as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,[54] after Rowling had received US$105,000 for the American rights – an unprecedented amount for a children's book by a then-unknown author.[55] Fearing that American readers would not associate the word "philosopher" with a magical theme (although the Philosopher's Stone is alchemy-related), Scholastic insisted that the book be given the title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the American market.
The second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was originally published in the UK on 2 July 1998 and in the US on 2 June 1999. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was then published a year later in the UK on 8 July 1999 and in the US on 8 September 1999.[56] Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was published on 8 July 2000 at the same time by Bloomsbury and Scholastic.[57] Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the longest book in the series at 766 pages in the UK version and 870 pages in the US version.[58] It was published worldwide in English on 21 June 2003.[59] Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was published on 16 July 2005, and it sold 9 million copies in the first 24 hours of its worldwide release.[60][61] The seventh and final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was published on 21 July 2007.[62] The book sold 11 million copies in the first 24 hours of release, breaking down to 2.7 million copies in the UK and 8.3 million in the US.[61]
Translations
Main article: Harry Potter in translation
The Russian translation of The Deathly Hallows goes on sale in Moscow, 2007
The series has been translated into 67 languages,[4][63] placing Rowling among the most translated authors in history.[64] The books have seen translations to diverse languages such as Korean , Azerbaijani, Ukrainian, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Welsh, Afrikaans, Albanian, Latvian and Vietnamese. The first volume has been translated into Latin and even Ancient Greek,[65] making it the longest published work in Ancient Greek since the novels of Heliodorus of Emesa in the 3rd century AD.[66] The second volume has also been translated into Latin.[67]
Some of the translators hired to work on the books were well-known authors before their work on Harry Potter, such as Viktor Golyshev, who oversaw the Russian translation of the series' fifth book. The Turkish translation of books two to seven was undertaken by Sevin Okyay, a popular literary critic and cultural commentator.[68] For reasons of secrecy, translation on a given book could only start after it had been released in English, leading to a lag of several months before the translations were available. This led to more and more copies of the English editions being sold to impatient fans in non-English speaking countries; for example, such was the clamour to read the fifth book that its English language edition became the first English-language book ever to top the best-seller list in France.[69]
The United States editions were adapted into American English to make them more understandable to a young American audience.[70]
Completion of the series
In December 2005, Rowling stated on her web site, "2006 will be the year when I write the final book in the Harry Potter series."[71] Updates then followed in her online diary chronicling the progress of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, with the release date of 21 July 2007. The book itself was finished on 11 January 2007 in the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh, where she scrawled a message on the back of a bust of Hermes. It read: "J. K. Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (552) on 11 January 2007."[72]
Rowling herself has stated that the last chapter of the final book (in fact, the epilogue) was completed "in something like 1990".[73][74] In June 2006, Rowling, on an appearance on the British talk show Richard & Judy, announced that the chapter had been modified as one character "got a reprieve" and two others who previously survived the story had in fact been killed. On 28 March 2007, the cover art for the Bloomsbury Adult and Child versions and the Scholastic version were released.[75][76]
In September 2012, Rowling mentioned in an interview that she might go back to make a "director's cut" of two of the existing Harry Potter books.[77]
Cover art
For cover art, Bloomsbury chose painted art in a classic forbidden of design, with the first cover a watercolour and pencil drawing by illustrator Thomas Taylor showing Harry boarding the Hogwarts Express, and a title in the font Cochin Bold.[78] The first releases of the successive books in the series followed in the same forbidden but somewhat more realistic, illustrating scenes from the books. These covers were created by first Cliff Wright and then Jason Cockroft.[79]
Due to the appeal of the books among an adult audience, Bloomsbury commissioned a second line of editions in an 'adult' forbidden. These initially used black-and-white photographic art for the covers showing objects from the books (including a very American Hogwarts Express) without depicting people, but later shifted to partial colourisation with a picture of Slytherin's locket on the cover of the final book.
International and later editions have been created by a range of designers, including Mary GrandPré for U.S. audiences and Mika Launis in Finland.[80][81] For a later American release, Kazu Kibuishi created covers in a somewhat anime-influenced forbidden.[82][83]
Achievements
"Platform 9¾" sign on London King's Cross railway station
Cultural impact
For more details on this topic, see Harry Potter fandom.
Fans of the series were so eager for the latest instalment that bookstores around the world began holding events to coincide with the midnight release of the books, beginning with the 2000 publication of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The events, commonly featuring mock sorting, games, face painting, and other live entertainment have achieved popularity with Potter fans and have been highly successful in attracting fans and selling books with nearly nine million of the 10.8 million initial print copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince sold in the first 24 hours.[84][85]
The final book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows became the fastest selling book in history, moving 11 million units in the first twenty-four hours of release.[86] The series has also gathered adult fans, leading to the release of two editions of each Harry Potter book, identical in text but with one edition's cover artwork aimed at children and the other aimed at adults.[87] Besides meeting online through blogs, podcasts, and fansites, Harry Potter super-fans can also meet at Harry Potter symposia.
The word Muggle has spread beyond its Harry Potter origins, becoming one of few pop culture words to land in the Oxford English Dictionary.[88] The Harry Potter fandom has embraced podcasts as a regular, often weekly, insight to the latest discussion in the fandom. Both MuggleCast and PotterCast[89] have reached the top spot of iTunes podcast rankings and have been polled one of the top 50 favourite podcasts.[90]
Some lessons identified in the series include diversity, acceptance, political tolerance, and equality. Surveys of over 1,000 college students in the United States show that those who read the books were significantly different than those who had not. Readers of the series were found to be more tolerant, more opposed to violence and torture, less authoritarian, and less cynical. Although we cannot know if this is a cause-and-effect relationship, there is a clear correlation, and it seems that Harry Potter's cultural impact may be stronger than just a fandom bond.[91]
At the University of Michigan in 2009, StarKid Productions performed an original musical parodying the Harry Potter series called A Very Potter Musical. The musical was awarded Entertainment Weekly's 10 Best Viral Videos of 2009.[92]
Commercial success
See also: List of best-selling books
A large crowd of fans wait outside of a Borders store in Delaware, waiting for the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Crowd outside a book store for the midnight release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
The popularity of the Harry Potter series has translated into substantial financial success for Rowling, her publishers, and other Harry Potter related license holders. This success has made Rowling the first and thus far only billionaire author.[93] The books have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide and have also given rise to the popular film adaptations produced by Warner Bros., all of which have been highly successful in their own right.[94][95] The films have in turn spawned eight video games and have led to the licensing of more than 400 additional Harry Potter products . The Harry Potter brand has been estimated to be worth as much as $15 billion.[10]
The great demand for Harry Potter books motivated the New York Times to create a separate best-seller list for children's literature in 2000, just before the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. By 24 June 2000, Rowling's novels had been on the list for 79 straight weeks; the first three novels were each on the hardcover best-seller list.[96] On 12 April 2007, Barnes & Noble declared that Deathly Hallows had broken its pre-order record, with more than 500,000 copies pre-ordered through its site.[97] For the release of Goblet of Fire, 9,000 FedEx trucks were used with no other purpose than to deliver the book.[98] Together, Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble pre-sold more than 700,000 copies of the book.[98] In the United States, the book's initial printing run was 3.8 million copies.[98] This record statistic was broken by Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, with 8.5 million, which was then shattered by Half-Blood Prince with 10.8 million copies.[99] 6.9 million copies of Prince were sold in the U.S. within the first 24 hours of its release; in the United Kingdom more than two million copies were sold on the first day.[100] The initial U.S. print run for Deathly Hallows was 12 million copies, and more than a million were pre-ordered through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.[101]
Awards, honours, and recognition
The Harry Potter series has been recognised by a host of awards since the initial publication of Philosopher's Stone including four Whitaker Platinum Book Awards (all of which were awarded in 2001),[102] three Nestlé Smarties Book Prizes (1997–1999),[103] two Scottish Arts Council Book Awards (1999 and 2001),[104] the inaugural Whitbread children's book of the year award (1999),[105] the WHSmith book of the year (2006),[106] among others. In 2000, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Novel, and in 2001, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire won said award.[107] Honours include a commendation for the Carnegie Medal (1997),[108] a short listing for the Guardian Children's Award (1998), and numerous listings on the notable books, editors' Choices, and best books lists of the American Library Association, The New York Times, Chicago Public Library, and Publishers Weekly.[109]
A 2004 study found that books in the series were commonly read aloud in elementary schools in San Diego County, California.[110] Based on a 2007 online poll, the U.S. National Education Association listed the series in its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".[111] Three of the books placed among the "Top 100 Chapter Books" of all time, or children's novels, in a 2012 survey published by School Library Journal: Sorcerer's Stone ranked number three, Prisoner of Azkaban 12th, and Goblet of Fire 98th.[112]
Reception
Literary criticism
Early in its history, Harry Potter received positive reviews. On publication, the first volume, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, attracted attention from the Scottish newspapers, such as The Scotsman, which said it had "all the makings of a classic",[113] and The Glasgow Herald, which called it "Magic stuff".[113] Soon the English newspapers joined in, with more than one comparing it to Roald Dahl's work: The Mail on Sunday rated it as "the most imaginative debut since Roald Dahl",[113] a view echoed by The Sunday Times ("comparisons to Dahl are, this time, justified"),[113] while The Guardian called it "a richly textured novel given lift-off by an inventive wit".[113]
By the time of the release of the fifth volume, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the books began to receive strong criticism from a number of literary scholars. Yale professor, literary scholar, and critic Harold Bloom raised criticisms of the books' literary merits, saying, "Rowling's mind is so governed by clichés and dead metaphors that she has no other forbidden of writing."[114] A. S. Byatt authored a New York Times op-ed article calling Rowling's universe a "secondary secondary world, made up of intelligently patchworked derivative motifs from all sorts of children's literature ... written for people whose imaginative lives are confined to TV cartoons, and the exaggerated (more exciting, not threatening) mirror-worlds of soaps, reality TV and celebrity gossip".[115]
Michael Rosen, a novelist and poet, advocated the books were not suited for children, who would be unable to grasp the complex themes. Rosen also stated that "J. K. Rowling is more of an adult writer."[116] The critic Anthony Holden wrote in The Observer on his experience of judging Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for the 1999 Whitbread Awards. His overall view of the series was negative – "the Potter saga was essentially patronising, conservative, highly derivative, dispiritingly nostalgic for a bygone Britain", and he speaks of "a pedestrian, ungrammatical prose forbidden".[117] Ursula K. Le Guin said, "I have no great opinion of it. When so many adult critics were carrying on about the 'incredible originality' of the first Harry Potter book, I read it to find out what the fuss was about, and remained somewhat puzzled; it seemed a lively kid's fantasy crossed with a "school novel", good fare for its age group, but stylistically ordinary, imaginatively derivative, and ethically rather mean-spirited."[118]
By contrast, author Fay Weldon, while admitting that the series is "not what the poets hoped for", nevertheless goes on to say, "but this is not poetry, it is readable, saleable, everyday, useful prose".[119] The literary critic A. N. Wilson praised the Harry Potter series in The Times, stating: "There are not many writers who have JK's Dickensian ability to make us turn the pages, to weep – openly, with tears splashing – and a few pages later to laugh, at invariably good jokes ... We have lived through a decade in which we have followed the publication of the liveliest, funniest, scariest and most moving children's stories ever written".[120] Charles Taylor of Salon.com, who is primarily a movie critic,[121] took issue with Byatt's criticisms in particular. While he conceded that she may have "a valid cultural point – a teeny one – about the impulses that drive us to reassuring pop trash and away from the troubling complexities of art",[122] he rejected her claims that the series is lacking in serious literary merit and that it owes its success merely to the childhood reassurances it offers. Taylor stressed the progressively darker tone of the books, shown by the murder of a classmate and close friend and the psychological wounds and social isolation each causes. Taylor also argued that Philosopher's Stone, said to be the most light-hearted of the seven published books, disrupts the childhood reassurances that Byatt claims spur the series' success: the book opens with news of a double murder, for example.[122]
Stephen King called the series "a feat of which only a superior imagination is capable", and declared "Rowling's punning, one-eyebrow-cocked sense of humor" to be "remarkable". However, he wrote that despite the story being "a good one", he is "a little tired of discovering Harry at home with his horrible aunt and uncle", the formulaic beginning of all seven books.[38] King has also joked that "Rowling's never met an adverb she did not like!" He does however predict that Harry Potter "will indeed stand time's test and wind up on a shelf where only the best are kept; I think Harry will take his place with Alice, Huck, Frodo, and Dorothy and this is one series not just for the decade, but for the ages".[123]
Social impact
Although Time magazine named Rowling as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year award, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fandom,[124] cultural comments on the series have been mixed. Washington Post book critic Ron Charles opined in July 2007 that the large numbers of adults reading the Potter series but few other books may represent a "bad case of cultural infantilism", and that the straightforward "good vs. evil" theme of the series is "childish". He also argued "through no fault of Rowling's", the cultural and marketing "hysteria" marked by the publication of the later books "trains children and adults to expect the roar of the coliseum, a mass-media experience that no other novel can possibly provide".[125]
Librarian Nancy Knapp pointed out the books' potential to improve literacy by motivating children to read much more than they otherwise would.[126] The seven-book series has a word count of 1,083,594 (US edition). Agreeing about the motivating effects, Diane Penrod also praised the books' blending of simple entertainment with "the qualities of highbrow literary fiction", but expressed concern about the distracting effect of the prolific merchandising that accompanies the book launches.[127] However, the assumption that Harry Potter books have increased literacy among young people is "largely a folk legend."[128] Research by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has found no increase in reading among children coinciding with the Harry Potter publishing phenomenon, nor has the broader downward trend in reading among Americans been arrested during the rise in the popularity of the Harry Potter books.[128][129] The research also found that children who read Harry Potter books were not more likely to go on to read outside the fantasy and mystery genres.[128] NEA chairman Dana Gioia said the series, "got millions of kids to read a long and reasonably complex series of books. The trouble is that one Harry Potter novel every few years is not enough to reverse the decline in reading."[130]
Jennifer Conn used Snape's and Quidditch coach Madam Hooch's teaching methods as examples of what to avoid and what to emulate in clinical teaching,[131] and Joyce Fields wrote that the books illustrate four of the five main topics in a typical first-year sociology class: "sociological concepts including culture, society, and socialisation; stratification and social inequality; social institutions; and social theory".[132]
Jenny Sawyer wrote in Christian Science Monitor on 25 July 2007 that the books represent a "disturbing trend in commercial storytelling and Western society" in that stories "moral center [sic] have all but vanished from much of today's pop culture ... after 10 years, 4,195 pages, and over 375 million copies, J. K. Rowling's towering achievement lacks the cornerstone of almost all great children's literature: the hero's moral journey". Harry Potter, Sawyer argues, neither faces a "moral struggle" nor undergoes any ethical growth, and is thus "no guide in circumstances in which right and wrong are anything less than black and white".[133] In contrast Emily Griesinger described Harry's first passage through to Platform 9¾ as an application of faith and hope, and his encounter with the Sorting Hat as the first of many in which Harry is shaped by the choices he makes. She also noted the "deeper magic" by which the self-sacrifice of Harry's mother protects the boy throughout the series, and which the power-hungry Voldemort fails to understand.[134]
In an 8 November 2002 Slate article, Chris Suellentrop likened Potter to a "trust-fund kid whose success at school is largely attributable to the gifts his friends and relatives lavish upon him". Noting that in Rowling's fiction, magical ability potential is "something you are born to, not something you can achieve", Suellentrop wrote that Dumbledore's maxim that "It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" is hypocritical, as "the school that Dumbledore runs values native gifts above all else".[135] In a 12 August 2007 New York Times review of Deathly Hallows, however, Christopher Hitchens praised Rowling for "unmooring" her "English school story" from literary precedents "bound up with dreams of wealth and class and snobbery", arguing that she had instead created "a world of youthful democracy and diversity".[136]
Controversies
Main articles: Legal disputes over the Harry Potter series, Religious debates over the Harry Potter series, Politics of Harry Potter and Tanya Grotter
The books have been the subject of a number of legal proceedings, stemming from various conflicts over copyright and trademark infringements. The popularity and high market value of the series has led Rowling, her publishers, and film distributor Warner Bros. to take legal measures to protect their copyright, which have included banning the sale of Harry Potter imitations, targeting the owners of websites over the "Harry Potter" domain name, and suing author Nancy Stouffer to counter her accusations that Rowling had plagiarised her work.[137][138][139] Various religious conservatives have claimed that the books promote witchcraft and religions such as Wicca and are therefore unsuitable for children,[140][141] while a number of critics have criticised the books for promoting various political agendas.[142][143]
The books also aroused controversies in the literary and publishing worlds. In 1997 to 1998, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone won almost all the UK awards judged by children, but none of the children's book awards judged by adults,[144] and Sandra Beckett suggested the reason was intellectual snobbery towards books that were popular among children.[145] In 1999, the winner of the Whitbread Book of the Year award children's division was entered for the first time on the shortlist for the main award, and one judge threatened to resign if Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was declared the overall winner; it finished second, very close behind the winner of the poetry prize, Seamus Heaney's translation of the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf.[145]
In 2000, shortly before the publication of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the previous three Harry Potter books topped the New York Times fiction best-seller list and a third of the entries were children's books. The newspaper created a new children's section covering children's books, including both fiction and non-fiction, and initially counting only hardback sales. The move was supported by publishers and booksellers.[96] In 2004, The New York Times further split the children's list, which was still dominated by Harry Potter books into sections for series and individual books, and removed the Harry Potter books from the section for individual books.[146] The split in 2000 attracted condemnation, praise and some comments that presented both benefits and disadvantages of the move.[147] Time suggested that, on the same principle, Billboard should have created a separate "mop-tops" list in 1964 when the Beatles held the top five places in its list, and Nielsen should have created a separate game-show list when Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? dominated the ratings.[148]
Adaptations
Films
Main article: Harry Potter (film series)
The red locomotive train used as the "Hogwarts Express" in the film series. In the front it has the numbers "5912" inscripted on it.
The locomotive that features as the "Hogwarts Express" in the film series.
In 1998, Rowling sold the film rights of the first four Harry Potter books to Warner Bros. for a reported £1 million ($1,982,900).[149][150] Rowling demanded the principal cast be kept strictly British, nonetheless allowing for the inclusion of Irish actors such as the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and for casting of French and Eastern European actors in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where characters from the book are specified as such.[151] After many directors including Steven Spielberg, Terry Gilliam, Jonathan Demme, and Alan Parker were considered, Chris Columbus was appointed on 28 March 2000 as director for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (titled "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in the United States), with Warner Bros. citing his work on other family films such as Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire and proven experience with directing children as influences for their decision.[152]
After extensive casting, filming began in October 2000 at Leavesden Film Studios and in London itself, with production ending in July 2001.[153][154] Philosopher's Stone was released on 14 November 2001. Just three days after the film's release, production for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, also directed by Columbus, began. Filming was completed in summer 2002, with the film being released on 15 November 2002.[155] Daniel Radcliffe portrayed Harry Potter, doing so for all succeeding films in the franchise.
Columbus declined to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, only acting as producer. Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón took over the job, and after shooting in 2003, the film was released on 4 June 2004. Due to the fourth film beginning its production before the third's release, Mike Newell was chosen as the director for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, released on 18 November 2005.[156] Newell became the first British director of the series, with television director David Yates following suit after he was chosen to helm Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Production began in January 2006 and the film was released the following year in July 2007.[157] After executives were "really delighted" with his work on the film, Yates was selected to direct Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which was released on 15 July 2009.[158][159][160][161]
Gringotts Wizarding Bank as seen in the film series.
In March 2008, Warner Bros. President and COO Alan F. Horn announced that the final instalment in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, would be released in two cinematic parts: Part 1 on 19 November 2010 and Part 2 on 15 July 2011. Production of both parts started in February 2009, with the final day of principal photography taking place on 12 June 2010.[162][163]
Rowling had creative control on the film series, observing the filmmaking process of Philosopher's Stone and serving as producer on the two-part Deathly Hallows, alongside David Heyman and David Barron.[164] The Harry Potter films have been top-rank box office hits, with all eight releases on the list of highest-grossing films worldwide. Philosopher's Stone was the highest-grossing Harry Potter film up until the release of the final instalment of the series, Deathly Hallows, while Prisoner of Azkaban grossed the least.[165] As well as being a financial success, the film series has also been a success among film critics.[166][167]
Opinions of the films are generally divided among fans, with one group preferring the more faithful approach of the first two films, and another group preferring the more stylised character-driven approach of the later films.[168] Rowling has been constantly supportive of all the films and evaluated Deathly Hallows as her "favourite one" in the series.[169][170][171][172] She wrote on her website of the changes in the book-to-film transition, "It is simply impossible to incorporate every one of my storylines into a film that has to be kept under four hours long. Obviously films have restrictions novels do not have, constraints of time and budget; I can create dazzling effects relying on nothing but the interaction of my own and my readers' imaginations".[173]
At the 64th British Academy Film Awards in February 2011, Rowling was joined by producers David Heyman and David Barron along with directors David Yates, Alfonso Cuarón and Mike Newell in collecting the Michael Balcon Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema on behalf of all the films in the series. Actors Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who play main characters Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, were also in attendance.[174][175]
Games
There are thirteen Harry Potter video games, eight of which correspond with the films and books, and five other spin-offs. The film/book based games are produced by Electronic Arts, as was Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, with the game version of the first entry in the series, Philosopher's Stone, being released in November 2001. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone went on to become one of the best selling PlayStation games ever.[176] The video games are released to coincide with the films, containing scenery and details from the films as well as the tone and spirit of the books. Objectives usually occur in and around Hogwarts, along with various other magical areas. The story and design of the games follows the selected film's characterisation and plot; EA worked closely with Warner Brothers to include scenes from the films. The last game in the series, Deathly Hallows, was split with Part 1 released in November 2010 and Part 2 debuting on consoles in July 2011. The two-part game forms the first entry to convey an intense theme of action and violence, with the gameplay revolving around a third-person shooter forbidden format.[177][178] The spin-off games, Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 and Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7 are developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The spin-off games Book of Spells and Book of Potions are developed by SCE London Studio and utilise the Wonderbook; an augmented reality book which is designed to be used in conjunction with the PlayStation Move and PlayStation Eye.[179][180]
Titles in the series of Harry Potter games
Year Title Platform(s) Acquired label(s)
Console Computer Handheld
2001 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
PS1 PS2 Xbox GameCube
Windows Mac OS X
Game Boy Color GBA
PlayStation Greatest Hits
2002 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
PS1 PS2 Xbox GameCube
Windows Mac OS X
Game Boy Color GBA
PlayStation 2 Greatest Hits
Xbox Platinum Family Hits
GameCube Player's Choice
2003 Harry Potter Quidditch World Cup
PlayStation 2 Xbox GameCube
Windows
Game Boy Advance
PlayStation 2 Greatest Hits
Xbox Platinum Family Hits
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
PlayStation 2 Xbox GameCube
Windows
Game Boy Advance
PlayStation 2 Greatest Hits
Xbox Platinum Family Hits
Gamecube Player's Choice
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
PlayStation 2 Xbox GameCube
Windows
Game Boy Advance NDS PSP
PlayStation 2 Greatest Hits
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Wii
Windows Mac OS X
Game Boy Advance NDS PSP
N/A
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Wii
Windows Mac OS X
NDS PSP Mobile Game
N/A
2010 Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4
PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Wii
Windows Mac OS X
NDS PSP
N/A
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Wii
Windows
NDS
N/A
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Wii
Windows
NDS
N/A
Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7
PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Wii
Windows Mac OS X
NDS PSP 3DS PS Vita
N/A
Harry Potter for Kinect
Xbox 360
N/A N/A N/A
2012 Book of Spells
PlayStation 3
N/A N/A N/A
2013 Book of Potions
PlayStation 3
N/A N/A N/A
A number of other non-interactive media games have been released; board games such as Cluedo Harry Potter Edition, Scene It? Harry Potter and Lego Harry Potter models, which are influenced by the themes of both the novels and films.
Audiobooks
All seven Harry Potter books have been released in unabridged audiobook versions, with Stephen Fry reading the UK editions, and Jim Dale voicing the series for the American editions.[181][182]
Stage production
Main article: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
On 20 December 2013, J. K. Rowling announced that she was working on a Harry Potter–based play for which she would be one of the producers. British theatre producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender will be the co-producers.[183][184]
On 26 June 2015, on the anniversary of the debut of the first book, Rowling revealed via Twitter that the Harry Potter stage play would be called Harry Potter and The Cursed Child.[185] The Production is expected to open in the summer of 2016 at London's Palace Theatre, London.[186] The first four months of tickets for the June–September performances were sold out within several hours upon release.[187] On 10 February 2016, it was announced via the Pottermore website, that the script would be released in book form, the day after the play's world premiere, making this the 8th book in the series, with events set nineteen years after the closing chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.[188][189]
Attractions
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Main article: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Hogwarts Castle as depicted in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter located in Universal Orlando Resort's Island of Adventure.
After the success of the films and books, Universal and Warner Brothers announced they would create The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a new Harry Potter-themed expansion to the Islands of Adventure theme park at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida. The land officially opened to the public on 18 June 2010.[190] It includes a re-creation of Hogsmeade and several rides. The flagship attraction is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, which exists within a re-creation of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Other rides include Dragon Challenge, a pair of inverted roller coasters, and Flight of the Hippogriff, a family roller coaster.
Four years later, on 8 July 2014, Universal opened a Harry Potter-themed area at the Universal Studios Florida theme park. It includes a re-creation of Diagon Alley and connecting alleys and a small section of Muggle London. The flagship attraction is Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts roller coaster ride. Universal also added a completely functioning recreation of the Hogwarts Express connecting Kings Cross Station at Universal Studios Florida to the Hogsmeade station at Islands of Adventure. Both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley contain many shops and restaurants from the book series, including Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and The Leaky Cauldron.
On 15 July 2014, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened at the Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka, Japan. It includes the village of Hogsmeade, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride, and Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster.[191][192]
There is also The Wizarding World of Harry Potter under construction at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park near Los Angeles, California, with a planned opening in April 2016.[193][194]
United Kingdom
In March 2011, Warner Bros. announced plans to build a tourist attraction in the United Kingdom to showcase the Harry Potter film series. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is a behind-the-scenes walking tour featuring authentic sets, costumes and props from the film series. The attraction is located at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, where all eight of the Harry Potter films were made. Warner Bros. constructed two new sound stages to house and showcase the famous sets from each of the British-made productions, following a £100 million investment.[195] It opened to the public in March 2012.[196]
The Story Behind J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series03:11 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 418
Joanne “Joe” Rowling was born near Bristol, England, in 1965. She
attended local schools and “Hermione is loosely based on me—at age
11,” she has said. She earned a B.A. in English and Classics at the
University of Exeter and in 1990, while on a delayed train trip, jotted
down notes about a young boy attending a school of wizardry. In 1994
she moved to Edinborough, Scotland, to be near her sister. Divorced,
unemployed, and living on state benefits, she completed her first
novel, writing in local cafés because she would take her daughter
Jessica out for walks and, when she fell asleep, would duck into the
nearest café and continue the story.
She completed Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1995 and
found an agent who submitted the manuscript to twelve publishers,
all of whom rejected it. The thirteenth, a small publisher in
Bloomsbury, accepted it because the eight-year-old daughter of the
chairman read the first chapter and “demanded the next.” Rowling
received an advance of 1,500 pounds, about the same number of
dollars at that time.
The book was published in 1997 with a first printing of one thousand
copies, five hundred of which were distributed free to libraries.
Such copies now sell for between $25,000 and $35,000. Rowling
received a grant from the Scottish Arts Council of 8,000 pounds to
allow her to go on writing, and in fact that first book was named
British Children’s Book of the Year. It was published in the United
States in 1998 by Scholastic after they had won an auction. Over the
author’s protests, Scholastic changed the name of the book to Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
The seventh and last of the Harry Potter series was published on
July 21, 2007, and sold more than 250,000 copies in the first 24 hours.
More than eight million copies have been sold all told, and J.K.
Rowling is now the wealthiest woman writer in history, with a net
worth for the books alone estimated at more than eight billion
dollars. Well, in my humble opinion “Joe” Rowling deserves every
penny of it. The books have gotten better and better as time has gone
on, and the last—I truly hope it is the last—is the best of all. I read
it through in the first four days and then joined John and Sally and
our two grandchildren, Sam and Charlie, while they read the last
hundred pages out loud to one another. We were aware that many
thousands of people were doing the same thing at the same time.
Maybe half of them were youngsters, but the other half were grownups,
even oldsters like me. It has turned out to be hard for some
grownups to admit this, but all I can say is I’m sorry for them.
Why has this extraordinary success come to Rowling? Does she
have a secret? If so, what is it?
I don’t think there is a secret. In a way, she does what all authors
of novels, and especially series of novels, do: She imagines a situation
and invents characters and events. She creates a world, peoples it,
describes it, makes us care about it. She tells good stories, being sure
to build suspense. She leaves us hungry for more, which is what the
best series do.
Rowling’s tale opens in a special school where students are taught
about magic—what it is and how to do it. It isn’t easy to get to this
school, because you have to know a secret place where you can board
a special train. When you arrive at the school you find that it too is
special, secret. Not just anyone can go there. That’s exciting. It’s a
good start.
The characters are also interesting, but not unique. There is a girl
and two boys; they start as children and grow up as seven years pass.
There are families and one of the boys finally falls in love with the
sister of the other boy. That is good but not unique, either.
There is something very special about the first boy, though. He
has a tragic past; his parents were killed when he was a child, his
mother, when she was trying to protect him: giving up her life to save
him. This is fine; it adds a tragic note even if the characters are just
children and then teenagers.
The circumstances surrounding the death of the boy’s parents are
mysterious, which is good. Some kind of evil was involved; only very
slowly do we begin to understand that the evil is represented by a single
individual who grows more powerful as the series proceeds. In the last
book he has become all-powerful, and there is no hope left for the world.
Or so it seems, even to Harry, the boy-hero. But his courage, which
has always been remarkable, permits him to face the prospect of certain
death if he does not yield to the evil lord. Even so, he does not yield.
His courage, in the last analysis, is greater than that of his foe.
It is Harry’s beautiful courage, I think, that makes this series
unique. We accept it, we believe in it. We are frightened for him at
the end of the series; we can’t see any way out. But Harry Potter can.
~ Charles Van Doren
Lady Jane Grey (1537 - 1554)03:08 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 419
Lady Jane Grey © Jane was nominal queen of England for just nine days in 1553, as part of an unsuccessful bid to prevent the accession of the Catholic Mary Tudor.
Jane was born in the autumn of 1537, the daughter of the Marquess of Dorset. Through her mother, Lady Frances Brandon, she was the great-granddaughter of Henry VII. At around the age of 10, Jane entered the household of Henry VIII's last queen, Katherine Parr where she was exposed to a strongly Protestant, academic environment. Jane developed into an intelligent and pious woman.
In October 1551, her father was created duke of Suffolk and Jane began to appear at court. There, real power lay in the hands of the fiercely Protestant Duke of Northumberland, who acted as regent to the young king, Edward VI. In May 1553, Jane was married to Northumberland's son, Lord Guildford Dudley.
It became clear that Edward was dying, and Northumberland was desperate to prevent the throne passing to Edward's half-sister and heir, the Catholic Mary Tudor. Northumberland persuaded the king to declare Mary illegitimate, as well as Edward's other half-sister Elizabeth, and alter the line of succession to pass to Jane.
Edward died on 6 July 1553. Four days later, Jane was proclaimed queen. However, Mary Tudor had widespread popular support and by mid-July, even Suffolk had abandoned his daughter and was attempting to save himself by proclaiming Mary queen. Northumberland's supporters melted away and Suffolk easily persuaded his daughter to relinquish the crown.
Mary imprisoned Jane, her husband and her father in the Tower of London. While Suffolk was pardoned, Jane and her husband were tried for high treason in November 1553. Jane pleaded guilty and was sentenced to death. The carrying out of the sentence was suspended, but Suffolk's support for Sir Thomas Wyatt's rebellion in February 1554 sealed Jane's fate. On 12 February, she and her husband were beheaded. Her father followed them two days later.
ANGEL NUMBER 777
03:05 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 421
Number 777 is a highly spiritual number with the mystical number 7 appearing tripled, making its influences most powerful. Number 7 resonates with the attributes of spiritual enlightenment, development and spiritual awakening, persistence of purpose, intuition and the inner voice of wisdom, mysticism, contemplation, knowledge and understanding, discernment and consideration, and good fortune.
Angel Number 777 indicates that you have listened to Divine Guidance and are now putting that wisdom to work in your life, and the time has come to reap the rewards for your hard work and efforts. You are being commended by the angels as your successes are inspiring, helping and teaching others by example.
Angel Number 777 informs you that you are being congratulated and your efforts have been well noted by the angelic and spiritual realms. Know that your wishes are coming to fruition in your life as a direct result of your positive efforts and attitude to life. 777 is a very positive sign and means that you should expect miracles to occur in your life.
The 777 repeating number sequence (or Angel Number 777) is a message from your angels that you are on the right path and living and serving your Divine life purpose. The Universe is happy with your progress and due to your positive efforts and hard work you have earned your rewards.
Angel Number 777 is an extremely positive sign and means that you should expect many more miracles to occur for you, both large and small.
Number 777 Meaning...03:05 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 422
Image for numerology 'Number 777 Meaning' article
The numerology number 777 is about both creative expression and introspection.
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The numerology number 777 is about both creative expression and introspection, especially creativity related to perfection, spirituality, and analysis.
The essence of the numerology number 777 is creativity — painting, designing, song writing, sculpting, whatever is encompassed by creative expression.
The introspection inherent in 777 give it the foundation to impart deep intuitive understanding into its creative expressions.
The essence of the numerology number 777 is, first of all, creative. It's also wise, optimistic, intuitive, and an inspiration to others.
Continued...
Number Meaning Is Derived From Number Essence
A number's meaning can be thought of as the number's basic tone or vibration. As an overview, the numerology number 777 represents a composite energy containing the ideas of:
Creative expression
Optimism
Introspection
Tolerance
Inspiration
Interpretations of the number 777 relate to the number's numerology chart position, or the situation or circumstances where the number occurs. Interpretations are based on the number's meaning.
Here are example interpretations of the number 777.
If the number 777 is in the destiny position of the chart, it means the characteristics of the person are likely to include personal spirituality and analysis while maintaining public social interaction as an outlet for its creativity and optimism.
With a number 777 prominent somewhere in a person's environment, interpret the situation as if it included creative expression, introspection, spirituality, and/or analysis.
See the article Number Meanings in Numerology for additional examples of different meanings for the same number essence depending on what the number pertains to.
The Basic or Core Essence of 777
The deep down basic essence of the numerology number 777 is creativity, especially creative expression of wisdom obtained through introspection.
To better understand the essence of 777, let's have a look at its composition and the number it is reduced to. The number 777 is composed of the digit 7 thrice and is reduced to the single digit 3:
7+7+7 = 21
2+1 = 3
Thus, the essence of the numerology number 777 contains the essence of the digit 3 and the digit 7. See these articles for descriptions of the individual numbers:
Number 3 Meaning
Number 7 Meaning
The digit a number is reduced to always has more force or capacity than the digits of the number being reduced, even when the digits of the number being reduced are identical.
The relative amount each contributes to the whole could be represented by this graph:
37
Thus, the 777 essence contains
the 3's essence, such as creative expression, optimism, and inspiration,
plus a generous dose of the 7's essence, such as introspection, wisdom, and spirituality.
The result is a unique essence.
The essence of the numerology number 777 includes inspiration, creative and effective communication, the pursuit of perfection, wisdom, scientific studies, social interaction, spiritual understanding, and optimism — ideas related to both imagination and precision.
777 obtains answers through study and consulting inner awareness. It generally communicates well, especially on subjects related to mental pursuits and art and artists.
Coming up with creative solutions to material questions is part of 777's natural attributes. It's especially adept with following clues and thinking it through to accomplish specific objectives.
Solving mysteries is another of 777's natural attributes, as is its optimism. Its tolerance seems unshakable, although it does have an eye for perfection (and knows when perfection isn't present). Others find inspiration by being in proximity of the essence of number 777.
Imagine being privately introspective and publicly creative. Both the creative and the scientific approach to ideas and situations are seen as valid and desirable. Both tolerance and a desire for perfection are present.
The Meaning – Symbolism – Significance of Seven (7, 77, 777, 7777) Posted By: Outryderon: January 25, 201503:02 Apr 25 2016
Times Read: 423
Sequences of numbers have very special meanings – spiritual or numerology, often dual and/or amplified messages from your spirit guide or guardian angels. Many times, sequences of the same numbers are presented to you to catch your attention, so as to better send you a message. There are no coincidences. Series of the same number may also include subtle message enhancements such as indicated below. Generally, the same sequence of number have very similar meanings but also added meanings to the sequence depending on several factors.
Number 7 – The numerology or spiritual meaning, significance, or symbolism of the Number 7 (seven) is Wisdom, Knowledge, Spirituality, Inventor, Thinking, and Introspection. The Number 7 symbolizes spiritual awakening in oneself or the acquiring of knowledge allowing you greater wisdom along your spiritual path. As like attracts like, more knowledge or wisdom will flow to you as you continue to remain on your current path. There’s a real reason the Number 7 is considered lucky in a variety of cultures.
Number 77 – Double dose of the numerology meaning of Number 7. The numerology meaning, significance, and symbolism of Number 77 is introspection, transformation, awakening, self discovery, and detachment. With the vibrational influence of the Number 5 (7 + 7 = 14 1 + 4 = 5), the Number 77 lends itself to indicate coming changes of self discovery or increased knowledge through understanding oneself. This is a time for introspections from which you will gain knowledge of yourself. This will lead to greater motivation, transformation, or freedom.
This is a time for mediation to gain clarity or understanding of oneself and by doing so will lead you to a fuller, freer, and happier life.
Do you truly understand yourself and your motivation when doing certain acts? Delve deep within yourself, best aided through meditation, and look at every aspect of yourself. Look at the portion of yourself that you have ignored or suppressed for it will teach you about you that you need to learn, understand, forgive and accept. Do not fear, the complete you is perfect, even the emotions you have been covering up or denying all these years.
Number 777 – An extremely powerful number. According to Kabbalistic numerology tradition, three’s and seven’s are perfect numbers so with three 7’s, the perfect seven is multiplied by the perfect 3 is a significant symbolism for you. Remember that God rested on the seventh day after he perfected his/her creation.
This a highly significant number which is heavily influenced by the vibration of the Trinity Number 3 and of the Master Numerology Number 21. (7 + 7 + 7 = 21 2 + 1 = 3). This should indicate a significant growth period through introspection. Through introspection or rather understanding of oneself (the good part you love AND the “dark” part you suppress or ignore), you will grow within and increase knowledge and gain wisdom. By doing so, this will naturally manifest in the outer realm and will expressed through your creativity. Repeatedly seeing this number sequence indicates that it is Now for significant growth of oneself.
Get to work! Put in the effort, it will be worth it. The spirit world is helping you now more than ever. Seeing, recognizing, and accepting ones “dark-side” is and obstacle one can not ignore or travel around. You MUST own it, there is no other way. Although seeing your dark side may incur pain since some of the shadow side of you have been suppressed since childhood, you must have the courage to discover the total you. This symbolism is a very significant sign for your spiritual growth which will be reflected on the otter you.
Number 7777 – Another very powerful spiritual number. Seeing repeating number sequence of 7777 indicates that progress is being made by you for a new beginning you have desired. The vibrational influence of the Number 1 (7 + 7 + 7 + 7 = 28, 2 + 8 = 10, 1 + 0 = 1) indicates the striving forward or progression of oneself through self discovery. As with the spiritual; or numerology meaning of the Number 777, you will progress on the path (remember, there are no wrong paths, just the one you have chosen which you can change if you will it) you have chosen by revealing your complete self to yourself.
The numerology meaning of the Number 7777 also has a minor influence from the vibration of the Number 4. The spiritual guides are encouraging you to be steadfast with your current progress. You must have the discipline to continue your current work and to take responsibility or ownership of your totality. By doing so, your goals or endeavors will come to fruition by revealing the complete you in the outer you.
Hippocrates From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia22:56 Apr 24 2016
Times Read: 426
Hippocrates of Kos
Native name Ἱπποκράτης
Born c. 460 BC
Kos, Ancient Greece
Died c.375BC
Larissa, Ancient Greece
Ethnicity Greek
Occupation Physician
Era Classical Greece
Title The Father of Western Medicine
Hippocrates of Kos (/hɪˈpɒkrəˌtiːz/; Greek: Ἱπποκράτης; Hippokrátēs; c. 460 – c. 370 BC), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician of the Age of Pericles (Classical Greece), and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is referred to as the "Father of Western Medicine"[1][2][3] in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field as the founder of the Hippocratic School of Medicine. This intellectual school revolutionized medicine in ancient Greece, establishing it as a discipline distinct from other fields with which it had traditionally been associated (theurgy and philosophy), thus establishing medicine as a profession.[4][5]
However, the achievements of the writers of the Corpus, the practitioners of Hippocratic medicine, and the actions of Hippocrates himself were often commingled; thus very little is known about what Hippocrates actually thought, wrote, and did. Hippocrates is commonly portrayed as the paragon of the ancient physician, and credited with coining the Hippocratic Oath, still relevant and in use today. He is also credited with greatly advancing the systematic study of clinical medicine, summing up the medical knowledge of previous schools, and prescribing practices for physicians through the Hippocratic Corpus and other works.[4][6]
Contents [hide]
1 Biography
2 Hippocratic theory
2.1 Crisis
2.2 Professionalism
3 Direct contributions to medicine
4 Hippocratic Corpus
4.1 Hippocratic Oath
5 Legend of Hippocrates' daughter
6 Legacy
6.1 Image
7 Genealogy
8 Namesakes
9 See also
10 Notes
11 References
12 Further reading
13 External links
Biography[edit]
Asklepieion on Kos
Historians agree that Hippocrates was born around the year 460 BC on the Greek island of Kos; other biographical information, however, is likely to be untrue.[7]
Soranus of Ephesus, a 2nd-century Greek gynecologist,[8] was Hippocrates' first biographer and is the source of most personal information about him. Later biographies are in the Suda of the 10th century AD, and in the works of John Tzetzes, which date from the 12th century AD.[4][9] Hippocrates is mentioned in passing in the writings of two contemporaries: Plato, in "Protagoras" and "Phaedrus",[10] and, Aristotle's "Politics", which date from the 4th century BC.[11]
Soranus wrote that Hippocrates' father was Heraclides, a physician, and his mother was Praxitela, daughter of Tizane. The two sons of Hippocrates, Thessalus and Draco, and his son-in-law, Polybus, were his students. According to Galen, a later physician, Polybus was Hippocrates' true successor, while Thessalus and Draco each had a son named Hippocrates (Hippocrates III and IV).[12][13]
Soranus said that Hippocrates learned medicine from his father and grandfather (Hippocrates I), and studied other subjects with Democritus and Gorgias. Hippocrates was probably trained at the asklepieion of Kos, and took lessons from the Thracian physician Herodicus of Selymbria. Plato mentions Hippocrates in two of his dialogues: in Protagoras, Plato describes Hippocrates as "Hippocrates of Kos, the Asclepiad";[14][15] while in Phaedrus, Plato suggests that "Hippocrates the Asclepiad" thought that a complete knowledge of the nature of the body was necessary for medicine.[16] Hippocrates taught and practiced medicine throughout his life, traveling at least as far as Thessaly, Thrace, and the Sea of Marmara.[13] Several different accounts of his death exist. He died, probably in Larissa, at the age of 83, 85 or 90, though some say he lived to be well over 100.[13]
Hippocratic theory[edit]
“ It is thus with regard divine nor more sacred than other diseases, but has a natural cause from the originates like other affections. Men regard its nature and cause as divine from ignorance and wonder... ”
— Hippocrates, On the Sacred Disease
Hippocrates is credited with being the first person to believe that diseases were caused naturally, not because of superstition and gods. Hippocrates was credited by the disciples of Pythagoras of allying philosophy and medicine.[17] He separated the discipline of medicine from religion, believing and arguing that disease was not a punishment inflicted by the gods but rather the product of environmental factors, diet, and living habits. Indeed there is not a single mention of a mystical illness in the entirety of the Hippocratic Corpus. However, Hippocrates did work with many convictions that were based on what is now known to be incorrect anatomy and physiology, such as Humorism.[18][19][20]
Ancient Greek schools of medicine were split (into the Knidian and Koan) on how to deal with disease. The Knidian school of medicine focused on diagnosis. Medicine at the time of Hippocrates knew almost nothing of human anatomy and physiology because of the Greek taboo forbidding the dissection of humans. The Knidian school consequently failed to distinguish when one disease caused many possible series of symptoms.[21] The Hippocratic school or Koan school achieved greater success by applying general diagnoses and passive treatments. Its focus was on patient care and prognosis, not diagnosis. It could effectively treat diseases and allowed for a great development in clinical practice.[22][23]
Hippocratic medicine and its philosophy are far removed from that of modern medicine. Now, the physician focuses on specific diagnosis and specialized treatment, both of which were espoused by the Knidian school. This shift in medical thought since Hippocrates' day has caused serious criticism over the past two millennia, with the passivity of Hippocratic treatment being the subject of particularly strong denunciations; for example, the French doctor M. S. Houdart called the Hippocratic treatment a "meditation upon death".[24]
Crisis[edit]
Another important concept in Hippocratic medicine was that of a crisis, a point in the progression of disease at which either the illness would begin to triumph and the patient would succumb to death, or the opposite would occur and natural processes would make the patient recover. After a crisis, a relapse might follow, and then another deciding crisis. According to this doctrine, crises tend to occur on critical days, which were supposed to be a fixed time after the contraction of a disease. If a crisis occurred on a day far from a critical day, a relapse might be expected. Galen believed that this idea originated with Hippocrates, though it is possible that it predated him.[25]
Illustration of a Hippocratic bench, date unknown
Hippocratic medicine was humble and passive. The therapeutic approach was based on "the healing power of nature" ("vis medicatrix naturae" in Latin). According to this doctrine, the body contains within itself the power to re-balance the four humours and heal itself (physis).[26] Hippocratic therapy focused on simply easing this natural process. To this end, Hippocrates believed "rest and immobilization [were] of capital importance."[27] In general, the Hippocratic medicine was very kind to the patient; treatment was gentle, and emphasized keeping the patient clean and sterile. For example, only clean water or wine were ever used on wounds, though "dry" treatment was preferable. Soothing balms were sometimes employed.[28]
Hippocrates was reluctant to administer drugs and engage in specialized treatment that might prove to be wrongly chosen; generalized therapy followed a generalized diagnosis.[28][29] Generalized treatments he prescribed include fasting and the consumption of apple cider vinegar. Hippocrates once said that "to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness." However, potent drugs were used on certain occasions.[30] This passive approach was very successful in treating relatively simple ailments such as broken bones which required traction to stretch the skeletal system and relieve pressure on the injured area. The Hippocratic bench and other devices were used to this end.
One of the strengths of Hippocratic medicine was its emphasis on prognosis. At Hippocrates' time, medicinal therapy was quite immature, and often the best thing that physicians could do was to evaluate an illness and predict its likely progression based upon data collected in detailed case histories.[20][31]
Professionalism[edit]
A number of ancient Greek surgical tools. On the left is a trephine; on the right, a set of scalpels. Hippocratic medicine made good use of these tools.[32]
Hippocratic medicine was notable for its strict professionalism, discipline, and rigorous practice.[33] The Hippocratic work On the Physician recommends that physicians always be well-kempt, honest, calm, understanding, and serious. The Hippocratic physician paid careful attention to all aspects of his practice: he followed detailed specifications for, "lighting, personnel, instruments, positioning of the patient, and techniques of bandaging and splinting" in the ancient operating room.[34] He even kept his fingernails to a precise length.[35]
The Hippocratic School gave importance to the clinical doctrines of observation and documentation. These doctrines dictate that physicians record their findings and their medicinal methods in a very clear and objective manner, so that these records may be passed down and employed by other physicians.[13] Hippocrates made careful, regular note of many symptoms including complexion, pulse, fever, pains, movement, and excretions.[31] He is said to have measured a patient's pulse when taking a case history to discover whether the patient was lying.[36] Hippocrates extended clinical observations into family history and environment.[37] "To him medicine owes the art of clinical inspection and observation."[20] For this reason, he may more properly be termed as the "Father of Medicine".[38]
Direct contributions to medicine[edit]
Clubbing of fingers in a patient with Eisenmenger's syndrome; first described by Hippocrates, clubbing is also known as "Hippocratic fingers".
Hippocrates and his followers were first to describe many diseases and medical conditions. He is given credit for the first description of clubbing of the fingers, an important diagnostic sign in chronic lung disease, lung cancer and cyanotic heart disease. For this reason, clubbed fingers are sometimes referred to as "Hippocratic fingers".[39] Hippocrates was also the first physician to describe Hippocratic face in Prognosis. Shakespeare famously alludes to this description when writing of Falstaff's death in Act II, Scene iii. of Henry V.[40][41]
Hippocrates began to categorize illnesses as acute, chronic, endemic and epidemic, and use terms such as, "exacerbation, relapse, resolution, crisis, paroxysm, peak, and convalescence."[31][42] Another of Hippocrates' major contributions may be found in his descriptions of the symptomatology, physical findings, surgical treatment and prognosis of thoracic empyema, i.e. suppuration of the lining of the chest cavity. His teachings remain relevant to present-day students of pulmonary medicine and surgery.[43] Hippocrates was the first documented chest surgeon and his findings and techniques, while crude, such as the use of lead pipes to drain chest wall abscess, are still valid.[43]
The Hippocratic school of medicine described well the ailments of the human rectum and the treatment thereof, despite the school's poor theory of medicine. Hemorrhoids, for instance, though believed to be caused by an excess of bile and phlegm, were treated by Hippocratic physicians in relatively advanced ways.[44][45] Cautery and excision are described in the Hippocratic Corpus, in addition to the preferred methods: ligating the hemorrhoids and drying them with a hot iron. Other treatments such as applying various salves are suggested as well.[46][47] Today, "treatment [for hemorrhoids] still includes burning, strangling, and excising."[44] Also, some of the fundamental concepts of proctoscopy outlined in the Corpus are still in use.[44][45] For example, the uses of the rectal speculum, a common medical device, are discussed in the Hippocratic Corpus.[45] This constitutes the earliest recorded reference to endoscopy.[48][49] Hippocrates often used lifeforbidden modifications such as diet and exercise to treat diseases such as diabetes, what is today called lifeforbidden medicine. He is often quoted with "Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food" and "Walking is man's best medicine",[50] however the quote "Let food be your medicine" is an apparent misquotation and its exact origin remains unknown.[51]
Hippocratic Corpus[edit]
Main article: Hippocratic Corpus
A 12th-century Byzantine manuscript of the Oath in the form of a cross
The Hippocratic Corpus (Latin: Corpus Hippocraticum) is a collection of around seventy early medical works from Alexandrian Greece.[52] It is written in Ionic Greek. The question of whether Hippocrates himself was the author of the corpus has not been conclusively answered,[53] but the volumes were probably produced by his students and followers.[54] Because of the variety of subjects, writing forbiddens and apparent date of construction, scholars believe Hippocratic Corpus could not have been written by one person (Ermerins numbers the authors at nineteen).[30] The corpus was attributed to Hippocrates in antiquity, and its teaching generally followed his principles; thus it came to be known by his name. It might be the remains of a library of Kos, or a collection compiled in the 3rd century BC in Alexandria.[14][34]
The Hippocratic Corpus contains textbooks, lectures, research, notes and philosophical essays on various subjects in medicine, in no particular order.[53][55] These works were written for different audiences, both specialists and laymen, and were sometimes written from opposing viewpoints; significant contradictions can be found between works in the Corpus.[56] Notable among the treatises of the Corpus are The Hippocratic Oath; The Book of Prognostics; On Regimen in Acute Diseases; Aphorisms; On Airs, Waters and Places; Instruments of Reduction; On The Sacred Disease; etc.[30]
Hippocratic Oath[edit]
Main article: Hippocratic Oath
The Hippocratic Oath, a seminal document on the ethics of medical practice, was attributed to Hippocrates in antiquity although new information shows it may have been written after his death. This is probably the most famous document of the Hippocratic Corpus. Recently the authenticity of the document's author has come under scrutiny. While the Oath is rarely used in its original form today, it serves as a foundation for other, similar oaths and laws that define good medical practice and morals. Such derivatives are regularly taken today by medical graduates about to enter medical practice.[14][57][58]
Legend of Hippocrates' daughter[edit]
The Travels of Sir John Mandeville reports (incorrectly) that Hippocrates was the ruler of the islands of "Kos and Lango" [sic], and recounts a legend about Hippocrates' daughter. She was transformed into a hundred-foot long dragon by the goddess Diana, and is the "lady of the manor" of an old castle. She emerges three times a year, and will be turned back into a woman if a knight kisses her, making the knight into her consort and ruler of the islands. Various knights try, but flee when they see the hideous dragon; they die soon thereafter. This is a version of the legend of Melusine.[59]
Legacy[edit]
Mural painting showing Galen and Hippocrates. 12th century; Anagni, Italy
Hippocrates is widely considered to be the "Father of Medicine".[54] His contributions revolutionized the practice of medicine; but after his death the advancement stalled.[60] So revered was Hippocrates that his teachings were largely taken as too great to be improved upon and no significant advancements of his methods were made for a long time.[14][27] The centuries after Hippocrates' death were marked as much by retrograde movement as by further advancement. For instance, "after the Hippocratic period, the practice of taking clinical case-histories died out," according to Fielding Garrison.[61]
After Hippocrates, the next significant physician was Galen, a Greek who lived from AD 129 to AD 200. Galen perpetuated Hippocratic medicine, moving both forward and backward.[62] In the Middle Ages, the Islamic world adopted Hippocratic methods and developed new medical technologies.[63] After the European Renaissance, Hippocratic methods were revived in western Europe and even further expanded in the 19th century. Notable among those who employed Hippocrates' rigorous clinical techniques were Thomas Sydenham, William Heberden, Jean-Martin Charcot and William Osler. Henri Huchard, a French physician, said that these revivals make up "the whole history of internal medicine."[64]
The most severe form of hair loss and baldness is called the Hippocratic form.[65]
Image[edit]
Engraving by Peter Paul Rubens, 1638
According to Aristotle's testimony, Hippocrates was known as "The Great Hippocrates".[66] Concerning his disposition, Hippocrates was first portrayed as a "kind, dignified, old country doctor" and later as "stern and forbidding".[14] He is certainly considered wise, of very great intellect and especially as very practical. Francis Adams describes him as "strictly the physician of experience and common sense."[21]
His image as the wise, old doctor is reinforced by busts of him, which wear large beards on a wrinkled face. Many physicians of the time wore their hair in the forbidden of Jove and Asklepius. Accordingly, the busts of Hippocrates that have been found could be only altered versions of portraits of these deities.[60] Hippocrates and the beliefs that he embodied are considered medical ideals. Fielding Garrison, an authority on medical history, stated, "He is, above all, the exemplar of that flexible, critical, well-poised attitude of mind, ever on the lookout for sources of error, which is the very essence of the scientific spirit."[64] "His figure... stands for all time as that of the ideal physician," according to A Short History of Medicine, inspiring the medical profession since his death.[67]
Genealogy[edit]
Hippocrates' legendary genealogy traces his paternal heritage directly to Asklepius and his maternal ancestry to Heracles.[30] According to Tzetzes's Chiliades, the ahnentafel of Hippocrates II is:[68]
An image of Hippocrates on the floor of the Asclepieion of Kos, with Asklepius in the middle
1. Hippocrates II. "The Father of Medicine"
2. Heraclides
4. Hippocrates I.
8. Gnosidicus
16. Nebrus
32. Sostratus III.
64. Theodorus II.
128. Sostratus, II.
256. Thedorus
512. Cleomyttades
1024. Crisamis
2048. Dardanus
4096. Sostratus
8192. Hippolochus
16384. Podalirius
32768. Asklepius
Namesakes[edit]
Statue of Hippocrates in front of the Mayne Medical School in Brisbane
Some clinical symptoms and signs have been named after Hippocrates as he is believed to be the first person to describe those. Hippocratic face is the change produced in the countenance by death, or long sickness, excessive evacuations, excessive hunger, and the like. Clubbing, a deformity of the fingers and fingernails, is also known as Hippocratic fingers. Hippocratic succussion is the internal splashing noise of hydropneumothorax or pyopneumothorax. Hippocratic bench (a device which uses tension to aid in setting bones) and Hippocratic cap-shaped bandage are two devices named after Hippocrates.[69] Hippocratic Corpus and Hippocratic Oath are also his namesakes. The drink hypocras is also believed to be invented by Hippocrates. Risus sardonicus, a sustained spasming of the face muscles may also be termed the Hippocratic Smile.
In the modern age, a lunar crater has been named Hippocrates. The Hippocratic Museum, a museum on the Greek island of Kos is dedicated to him. The Hippocrates Project is a program of the New York University Medical Center to enhance education through use of technology. Project Hippocrates (an acronym of "HIgh PerfOrmance Computing for Robot-AssisTEd Surgery") is an effort of the Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science and Shadyside Medical Center, "to develop advanced planning, simulation, and execution technologies for the next generation of computer-assisted surgical robots."[70] Both the Canadian Hippocratic Registry and American Hippocratic Registry are organizations of physicians who uphold the principles of the original Hippocratic Oath as inviolable through changing social times.
The Hippocratic Oath Today By Peter Tyson...22:53 Apr 24 2016
Times Read: 427
The Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest binding documents in history. Here you'll find classical and modern versions of the oath as well as a brief article that offers a sense of the controversial nature of the oath today. Follow links at the bottom of the page to post your own comment or read those of others.
While Hippocrates, the so-called father of medicine, lived in the early 5th century B.C., the famous oath that bears his name emerged a century later. No one knows who first penned it. Enlarge
Photo credit: Peter Paul Rubens/public domain
THE OATH: MEANINGLESS RELIC OR INVALUABLE MORAL GUIDE?
The Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest binding documents in history. Written in antiquity, its principles are held sacred by doctors to this day: treat the sick to the best of one's ability, preserve patient privacy, teach the secrets of medicine to the next generation, and so on. "The Oath of Hippocrates," holds the American Medical Association's Code of Medical Ethics (1996 edition), "has remained in Western civilization as an expression of ideal conduct for the physician." Today, most graduating medical-school students swear to some form of the oath, usually a modernized version. Indeed, oath-taking in recent decades has risen to near uniformity, with just 24 percent of U.S. medical schools administering the oath in 1928 to nearly 100 percent today.
Yet paradoxically, even as the modern oath's use has burgeoned, its content has tacked away from the classical oath's basic tenets. According to a 1993* survey of 150 U.S. and Canadian medical schools, for example, only 14 percent of modern oaths prohibit euthanasia, 11 percent hold convenant with a deity, 8 percent foreswear abortion, and a mere 3 percent forbid sexual contact with patients—all maxims held sacred in the classical version. The original calls for free tuition for medical students and for doctors never to "use the knife" (that is, conduct surgical procedures)—both obviously out of step with modern-day practice. Perhaps most telling, while the classical oath calls for "the opposite" of pleasure and fame for those who transgress the oath, fewer than half of oaths taken today insist the taker be held accountable for keeping the pledge.
Indeed, a growing number of physicians have come to feel that the Hippocratic Oath is inadequate to address the realities of a medical world that has witnessed huge scientific, economic, political, and social changes, a world of legalized abortion, physician-assisted suicide, and pestilences unheard of in Hippocrates' time. Some doctors have begun asking pointed questions regarding the oath's relevance: In an environment of increasing medical specialization, should physicians of such different stripes swear to a single oath? With governments and health-care organizations demanding patient information as never before, how can a doctor maintain a patient's privacy? Are physicians morally obligated to treat patients with such lethal new diseases as AIDS or the Ebola virus?
Other physicians are taking broader aim. Some claim that the principles enshrined in the oath never constituted a shared core of moral values, that the oath's pagan origins and moral cast make it antithetical to beliefs held by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Others note that the classical Oath makes no mention of such contemporary issues as the ethics of experimentation, team care, or a doctor's societal or legal responsibilities. (Most modern oaths, in fact, are penalty-free, with no threat to potential transgressors of loss of practice or even of face.)
With all this in mind, some doctors see oath-taking as little more than a pro-forma ritual with little value beyond that of upholding tradition. "The original oath is redolent of a convenant, a solemn and binding treaty," writes Dr. David Graham in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association (12/13/00). "By contrast, many modern oaths have a bland, generalized air of 'best wishes' about them, being near-meaningless formalities devoid of any influence on how medicine is truly practiced." Some physicians claim what they call the "Hypocritic Oath" should be radically modified or abandoned altogether.
Below, see classical and modern versions of the oath. At the bottom of the page, you'll find links to pages where you can read comments by [doctors] and [non-doctors] and add your own.
*Orr, R. D., N. Pang, E. D. Pellegrino, and M. Siegler. 1997. "Use of the Hippocratic Oath: A Review of Twentieth-Century Practice and a Content Analysis of Oaths Administered in Medical Schools in the U.S. and Canada in 1993." The Journal of Clinical Ethics 8 (Winter): 377-388.
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Few medical schools today require students to recite the classical version of the oath. Enlarge
Photo credit: public domain
HIPPOCRATIC OATH: CLASSICAL VERSION
I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:
To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents and to live my life in partnership with him, and if he is in need of money to give him a share of mine, and to regard his offspring as equal to my brothers in male lineage and to teach them this art—if they desire to learn it—without fee and covenant; to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken an oath according to the medical law, but no one else.
I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.
I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art.
I will not use the knife, not even on sufferers from stone, but will withdraw in favor of such men as are engaged in this work.
Whatever houses I may visit, I will come for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief and in particular of sexual relations with both female and male persons, be they free or slaves.
What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about.
If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot.
—Translation from the Greek by Ludwig Edelstein. From The Hippocratic Oath: Text, Translation, and Interpretation, by Ludwig Edelstein. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1943.
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Just as medical textbooks have come a long way from Hippocrates' archaic writings, the modern versions of the oath veer far from the classical. Enlarge
Photo credit: Aldus Manutius/public domain
HIPPOCRATIC OATH: MODERN VERSION
I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.
I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.
I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.
I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery.
I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.
I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.
I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.
I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.
—Written in 1964 by Louis Lasagna, Academic Dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University, and used in many medical schools today.
Sapphire - The September Stone
23:11 Apr 23 2016
Times Read: 432
The "Celestial" Sapphire - symbol of the heavens, is said to guarantee good health, innocence, truth, and preserver of chastity. It is the birthstone of September and its name is derived from the Latin word "Sapphirus" meaning blue.
Sapphire Meaning and Symbolism
This gem has been known since the ancient times. There was a belief that Earth is set on this gemstone, because of which sky is blue. The ancient Egyptians associated this stone with the 'eye of Horas' (the eye in the sky).
It has been popular since the middle ages and, according to folklore, it was believed to protect loved ones from envy and harm. Favorite among priests and kings, this stone was considered as the symbol of wisdom and purity.
It also symbolizes the qualities required in a healthy relationship, like loyalty, faithfulness, truth, sincerity, constancy and reliability. Therefore, it signifies long term relationships, while representing attributes like - sincerity and faithfulness. You may also like to read about sapphire engagement rings meaning.
Properties
Chemically, this gem is the hexagonal crystal of aluminum oxide, and one of the varieties of the mineral Corundum that is found in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Corundum is found in every color of rainbow, with red being Ruby and all other hues as Sapphire. But the most prized color of this gemstone is rich, deep blue which is the result of combination of titanium and iron elements.
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Being one of the "Big Three" of jewelry gemstones (ruby and emerald being other two), its hardness, brilliance and availability in so many beautiful colors make it probably the most versatile of the gem families and an especially good choice for engagement rings.
This stone is rated 9 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness and is second only to the diamond in terms of hardness. So, it is perfectly suited for all jewelry purposes because of its durability and versatility.
Places of Origin
These gemstones were mined as early as the 7th Century BC in India. They are found today in India, Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), Myanmar (formerly Burma), Thailand (formerly Siam), Australia, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China, Brazil, Madagascar, and even the United States (Montana and North Carolina). American varieties occur in a range of colors and are highly sought by collectors.
Different Colors of Sapphire
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Different Shades
The finest ones are considered to be of blue variety and are mostly from Burma and Kashmir. Fine, brilliant, deep blue stones from Burma will surely dazzle the eye and as will the Kashmir ones, which is fine velvety-toned deep blue. Sometimes, these stones appear too dark because of poor cutting (cutting deep for additional weight).
The term "Kashmir Sapphire" is used for velvety-violet stones that are not exceedingly transparent. This lack of transparency produces a fine velvety-toned deep blue, unlike that of other blue variants. Kashmir gems that today you may see will be mostly in museums because mines in Kashmir are no more operational with most recent extraction being more than 100 years ago.
Stone found in Sri Lanka offers a very pleasing shade of blue too, but has lesser deep shade than the Burmese or Kashmir variants.
Different sources of sapphire
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The term "Siamese Sapphire" is used to describe very dark blue stone mined from Thailand. Since they seem to be exceedingly dark, even in daylight, they might appropriately be categorized under blue-black color.
Many Australian varieties are also seen in the market. These are often dark blue, but have a slightly green undertone just like those from Thailand and sell for much less price. They offer a very affordable alternative to Burmese, Kashmir or Ceylon stones.
African stones are found in variety of pastel colors: pale blue, blue violet, red violet, pale yellow, pale orange, steel-gray and dark brownish orange from the Umba gravels. Some African varieties exhibit an alexandrite like color change, especially from the Umba River area where color change is from steel-blue to green or to purple.
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Cutting forbiddens
Brilliant cut and Mixed cut are used for transparent material. However, very dark and/or semi-transparent stones are sometimes cut in cabochon. Pale stones are often cut with heavy backs to deepen the color.
Like ruby, the blue variety of this gemstone may be found in a translucent variety that may show a six-ray star effect when cut into cabochon. These stones are never completely transparent, because they must have enough silky, needle-like inclusions (internal flaws in a stone) to produce a star. This variety is known as Star Sapphire, of which there are numerous synthetics (often referred to in the trade as "linde" [pronounced Lin'dee]).
Star Sapphire
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Star Effect
Jewelry
It is one of the most popular gemstones in pendants, earrings, engagement rings and all kinds of jewelry thanks to its vivid color and its versatility. Blue is the most prominent and popular color of this jewel which goes easily with any clothing choice or jewelry design. Its deep colors allow one to go with both gold and silver jewelry. Dark blues blend easily with many colors.
Sapphire Jewelry
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Flower in the brooch comes alive with numerous invisibly-set sapphires in petals, with center, leaves and stem livened-up with small white diamonds.
Beautiful dangling earrings decorated with two cushion-cut sapphires with surround of small white diamonds (with tapered effect highlighting the sapphire).
Jewelry made of this gem is quite prominent among the British Crown Jewels as well. Prince Charles chose an engagement ring with oval blue Sri Lanka sapphire surrounded by a cluster of 16 diamonds for his fiancee, Princess Diana. History repeated itself again when Prince William gave Kate Middleton the same famous ring with the royal legacy.
Sapphire Engagement Ring of Princess Diana and Kate Middleton
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Fancy Colors
In addition to its blue color, we are now beginning to see the coming up of many other colored varieties - especially yellow, pink, and purple, and in smaller sizes some beautiful shades of green. These non-blue colored stones are popularly categorized as "fancy".
Yellow ones (usually referred golden) are fairly popular. Compared to the cost of blue varieties and rubies, these stones usually offer excellent value and beauty.
Padparadscha sapphire is a very rare variety that appears pinkish-orange (its authenticity can be verified by presence of both pink and orange color). This variety - originally found in Sri Lanka, but also found in Vietnam and parts of East Africa - depending upon size and quality can exceed the price of the finest blue stones.
Yellow and Padparadscha sapphires
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Yellow (left) and Padparadscha (right)
Synthetic Sapphire in your smartphone
You may not know that your smartphone also has sapphire in it - although lab-created. Lab-grown sapphire is also called "Sapphire Glass" because of its transparency which is due to absence of impurities commonly found in natural variety. It is made from pure aluminum oxide powder without the presence of color imparting elements like iron, titanium etc.
Its hardness and scratch-proof properties makes it perfect for use in some of the most precious parts of smartphones. Like Apple uses it to encase its camera and Home button's Touch ID fingerprint sensor because of its scratch-free properties. Huawei - the world's 3rd largest smartphone-maker - has launched Ascend P7 with scratch-resistant sapphire screen display.
Sapphire Glass
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Raw sapphire glass (left) and finished (right)
Things to Remember
Inevitably, one can find evidence of every technique known to improve the perceived quality and value of this gem . The alteration of color, diffusion treatment (to apply color to the surface only) and synthesis doublets are some of the techniques used.
But, first thing first, be cautious of bargains. Deal with reputable jewelers when considering to purchase. And when considering very fine varieties, especially those from Burma or Kashmir, it’s highly recommended to get the stone tested in laboratory for confirmation of authenticity and whether or not any enhancement techniques have been used.
Finally, I would suggest you to consider following points while purchasing jewelry:
Concentrate more on quality of the gem and not the size of the gem; this is what really matters the most.
Confirm its clarity. The general rule is that when you look into the stone with naked eye, there shouldn’t be any inclusions. Stone having inclusions may appear cloudy. Presence of inclusions also indicates that the it may crack or chip.
Legendary Uses and Meaning of Emerald...23:00 Apr 23 2016
Times Read: 433
Introduction to the Meaning and Uses of Emerald
St. Hildegard of Bingen, the noted lithologist, declared, “All the green of nature is concentrated within the Emerald.” [Megemont, 80-81] Representing youth in the age of man, the power of this lush crystal stirs the soul like the heart of spring, symbolizing hope and the future, renewal and growth. It is a Seeker of Love and a Revealer of Truth, inspiring an ongoing search for meaning, justice, compassion and harmony.
Called the “Stone of Successful Love,” Emerald opens and nurtures the heart and the Heart Chakra. Its soothing energy provides healing to all levels of the being, bringing freshness and vitality to the spirit. A stone of inspiration and infinite patience, it embodies unity, compassion and unconditional love. Emerald promotes friendship, balance between partners, and is particularly known for providing domestic bliss, contentment and loyalty. It was dedicated in the ancient world to the goddess Venus for its ability to insure security in love. [Melody, 257][Hall, 126][Ahsian, 148][Gienger, 36][Mella, 84]
Emerald is also a stone of great vision and intuition, associated with the eyes and sight, long believed to foretell future events and reveal one’s truths. It is a stone of wisdom, enhancing memory and increasing mental clarity. It combines intelligence with discernment, and brings to the conscious mind what is unconsciously known. Emerald also increases focus and intent, activating psychic abilities and opening clairvoyance. Traditionally it was used as a protection against enchantment and spells. [Mella, 84-85][Melody, 257-258][Hall, 127][Kunz, 76-79]
Emerald has been a source of fascination and reverence in many cultures for over six thousand years, sold in the markets of Babylon as early as 4,000 B.C. It was a stone worshipped by the Incas, believed by the Chaldeans to contain a goddess, and was highly honored in all major religions for its spiritual power and beauty. Emerald was considered a symbol of eternal life in ancient Egypt, a gift of Thoth, the god of wisdom, and was a favorite jewel of Queen Cleopatra. The Emerald mines in Upper Egypt, rediscovered a hundred years ago, are some of the oldest in the world and were called Cleopatra’s mines for her love of the stone. Emeralds were also talismans of Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, and the moguls of India. They’ve adorned the crowns and royal jewels of many countries for centuries, and fabulous collections and stunning gems continue to be treasured and displayed by the rich and famous today. [Mella, 84][Eason, 250][www.jewelsforme.com]
The pure exuberance of Emerald’s green color has inspired the Pantone Company, the industry standard for print, fashion, beauty and décor to declare “Emerald” the 2013 Color of the Year, describing it as “Lively. Radiant. Lush…a color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony.” [www.pantone.com]
Natural, transparent Emerald is one of four “precious” gemstones (including Diamond, Ruby and Sapphire), and is the green variety of Beryl, a beryllium aluminum silicate mineral colored by trace amounts of chromium and/or vanadium. Emerald occurs in hues ranging from yellow-green to blue-green, with the finest being a pure verdant green hue, medium to dark in tone. Light colored gems are usually known by the species name, Green Beryl. Most Emeralds are highly included with surface breaking fissures, so their toughness, or resistance to breakage, is usually classified as generally poor. [Simmons, 147][www.wikipedia.org]
According to Indian lore, the name Emerald was first translated from Sanskrit as Marakata, meaning “the green of growing things.” The term we use today is believed to derive from an ancient Persian word that translated to the Greek as Smaragdus, meaning “green stone,” the term used in antiquity and referred to a number of other green stones. Over time the Old French or Vulgar Latin versions, Esmeraulde, Esmaralda or Esmaraldus became the current name, Emerald. [Fernie, 128, 132][www.wikipedia.com][www.jewelsforme.com][Simmons, 147]
While Emerald, the green variety of Beryl, may perhaps be the most famous of the family, Beryl also forms in other colors used as gems, such as blue Aquamarine, yellow Heliodor and Golden Beryl, pink Morganite, Red Beryl or Bixbite, and the colorless variety, Goshenite.
emerald usesEmerald Uses and Purposes
Emerald is an excellent stone for reviving passion, whether for an interest, a person, or a job. To attract romantic love, wear or carry an Emerald out of sight near the heart. To call back an estranged love, speak the words you wish to say holding the stone close to your lips and seal it in an envelope. If appropriate, send it to the person with a message. [Eason, 250]
In tumblestone form, Emerald promotes good self-esteem, especially in restoring the confidence of young girls or teens that have been teased about their weight, or any young person made to feel inferior due to the inability to afford the latest designer goods. [Eason, 250]
While Emerald has a calming effect on the emotions, it has an invigorating effect on thought, reflection, and philosophy. It is a marvelous crystal for activating artistic creativity, and for bringing focus and intensity to one’s lifework. [Megemont, 81][Melody, 257]
Emerald is a remarkable support stone for the workplace. It increases mental acuity, strengthens memory and inspires eloquence in speech. Natural Emerald or tumblestone held for five minutes a day brings rapid recall of facts, and is ideal for occupations where visionary insight is a significant benefit. It enkindles success in business, especially for older women, and is particularly known for assistance in areas of legal affairs, trials and litigation. [Kunz, 78][Hall, 127][Eason, 250][Melody, 258][www.jewelsforme.com]
Emerald brings a soothing mental and emotional equilibrium, making it extremely beneficial in stimulating cooperation and understanding within a group of people. It is also helpful in relieving claustrophobia. [Hall, 127]
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Emerald Healing Therapies - Overview
(Please note: Information on this web site is no substitute for consulting a health care professional. All information contained on this web site, including information relating to medical and health conditions, products and treatments, is for informational purposes only. Please see your doctor or health care professional before starting any alternative treatments, diets, supplements or exercise programs.)
healing power of crystalsEmerald Physical Healing Energy
Emerald imparts a wonderful rejuvenating quality, thought to combat aging and when placed appropriately, to re-vitalize tired organs. It is a strong healer of the physical heart, and may be useful in treating the lungs, liver, gall bladder, pancreas and kidneys, as well as the spine and muscle system. It aids recovery after infectious illness, and its powerful green ray can assist healing of malignant conditions. [Megemont, 81][Ahsian, 149][Melody, 258][Hall, 127][Eason, 250]
Emerald is considered to be the best gem for treating the eyes and for restoring eyesight. An eye bath of Emerald water is soothing to the eyes and may alleviate eye infections. Drinking an Emerald elixir is also reputed to soothe gas and cardiac weaknesses, and is an excellent stimulant in treating gout and strengthening memory. (We recommend the indirect method of preparation. See our Elixir page.) [Eason, 250][Megemont, 81-82][Gienger, 36]
This stone is believed to ward off epilepsy, and may be used to avert fever, headaches, allergies and sinusitis. It also relieves eczema, rashes and skin irritations. [Gienger, 36][Eason, 250][Hall, 127] Emerald may be used to increase fertility and for support during childbirth. [Eason, 250]
physical healing crystal uses Emerald Emotional Healing Energy
Emerald is a crystal of the heart, alleviating heaviness in the emotional field and nourishing the aura with an energy of hope, encouragement, gentleness and abundance. It heals heartbreak and gives the strength needed to overcome the misfortunes of life, clearing away negative patterns of victimization and loss of personal power by strengthening the physical and emotional heart centers. It is a stone of regeneration and recovery, bringing in freshness and vitality, love and compassion - for the self as well as for others. [Ahsian, 148-149][Hall, 127]
chakra balancing with crystalsEmerald Chakra Healing and Balancing Energy
Emerald is the stone which most represents the energy patterns of the activated Heart Chakra, the wellspring of the emotions. [Simmons, 148] The Heart Chakra is located near the center of the breastbone. It regulates our interaction with the external world and controls what we embrace and what we resist, giving us the balancing ability to be ourselves within the environment. When the Heart Chakra is out of balance we may feel either controlling or controlled in a relationship, and become critical of the little foibles of others. We may find ourselves having inappropriately strong emotional responses to everyday external stimuli. Green crystal energy is used to resolve blockages and to re-balance the Heart Chakra, helping us understand our own needs and emotions clearly. We can deal with the ebbs and flows of emotional relationships, understand their cyclic nature, and accept the changes.
Emerald also stimulates the “high heart,” or transpersonal Love center just above and to the left of the Heart Chakra. It assists one in practicing compassion and respectful understanding of others. [Ahsian, 149]
spiritual crystalsEmerald Spiritual Energy
A stone of aspiration and inspiration, Emerald opens the heart, clearing and strengthening one’s connection to Divine Love, and sustaining one in their spiritual journey. It encourages one to live and act from the heart, offering unconditional love and compassion in daily life and relationships, and to be open to receive love from others. [Simmons, 148]
A strong and open heart also allows universal blessings to flow into one’s life. Emerald stimulates not only the hope of wealth in material possessions and financial standing, but allows one to experience true abundance beyond mere wealth. Abundance is the ability to receive the gifts of Spirit within all of life’s experiences and embrace its manifestations with gratitude. It encourages trust that the Universe will provide for all of one’s needs and that there can be no lack in reality. [Simmons, 148][Ahsian, 149]
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crystal color powerEmerald Color Energy
Emerald is the purest crystal of the Green Ray. It is a “growth crystal” - a powerful conduit of the earth’s Life Force of birth, development and creation, and of the power of nature’s constant renewal. It is a potent aid in nurturing, whether of fledgling family relationships or a new business venture. Emerald is perfect for keeping a venture on course, a project on schedule, and life on track. Lighter Green crystals promote spiritual growth and renewed commitment to a higher purpose. Those of a darker hue are talismans of physical growth and strength, and safety in travel.
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Meditation CrystalsMeditation with Emerald
Emerald helps one to embrace and maintain the rhythmic breathing conducive to entering and attaining depth in the meditative state. Once achieved, it assists in maintaining the cool brilliance of deliberate reflection and emitting the radiance of light. [Melody, 258]
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divination uses of crystals Emerald Divination
The Divinatory meaning of Emerald in natural or tumblestone form: You will be able to silence the sniping of someone who tries to make you feel inferior through your success. [Eason, 250]
The Divinatory meaning of gem Emerald: You may have doubted the loyalty of someone recently, but you don’t need to worry. [Eason, 250]
Dreaming of Emeralds signifies there is much to look forward to. [Kunz, 358]
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angel crystalsEmerald and the Angelic Realm
Emerald varies in color from pale green to deep emerald green. If your birthday falls in any of the following periods, an Emerald of the color listed can be a valuable conduit to your Guardian Angel. The table also provides the name of the Guardian Angel of those born in the time period.
Date Crystal Color Name of Guardian Angel
January 1-5 Green Nemamiah
March 31- April 4 Dk. Green Sitael (Sirael)
June 6-10 Green Hakamiah
July 7-11 Lt. Green Ieiaeil (Jejalel)
September 3-7 Green Yehudiah
September 8-12 Dk. Green Lehahiah
December 27-31 Dk. Green Poiel (Polial)
There are other Angels that are partial to Emerald. The table below gives you the information about them.
Purpose Crystal Color Name of Angel
Raphael is known as the Glory Angel; Tree of Life, the Angel of Wednesday, the Ruler of Mercury. He is also the Master of Tarot Card 0 “The Fool” and the 1st Tarot Card “The Magician”. Raphael also Heals Illness and is the Ruler of The west wind. He is the Angel of Compassion, Knowledge, Progress, Repentance, and Love. Dk. Green Raphael
Master of the 11th Tarot Card “Justice”. Dk. Green Chadaqiel
Protector and Ruler of the dates Sept.8-12; Virgo. Dk. Green Lehahiah
Protector and Ruler of the dates December 27-31; Capricorn. Dk. Green Poiel
Protector and Ruler of the dates March 31- April 4; Aries. Dk. Green Sitael
The Angel of the Birds. Green Arael
Angel of Mercury. Green Cochabiel
Protector and Ruler of the dates June 6-10; Gemini. Green Hakamiah
Metatron is the Crown Angel, the Tree of Life, and helps to Heal Learning Disorders. He is also the Master of the 20th Tarot Card “Judgment”. Green Metatron
Protector and Ruler of the dates January 1-5; Capricorn. Green Nemamiah
Master of the 18th Tarot Card “The Moon”. Green Vakhabiel
Protector and Ruler of the dates September 3-7; Virgo. Green Yehudiah
Helps to Heal Anxiety and the Angel Tuesday. Lt. Green Chamuel (Khamael)
Protector and Ruler of the dates July 7-11; Cancer. Lt. Green Ieiaeil
Ruler of Earth/Night and the Angel of Conception/Babies Names. Lt. Green Lailah (Lailiel) (Leliel)
Shimshiel or Shamshiel is known as the Ruler of Earth/Day. He is also the Master of the 19th Tarot Card “The Sun”. Lt. Green Shimshiel (Shamshiel)
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Goddess Crystals for AmethystEmerald Goddess Crystals
Emerald honors Annapurna, the Hindu Goddess of Food, Kitchens and Cooks. She symbolizes the divine aspect of nourishing care and is often depicted with a jeweled vessel containing food in one hand and a spoon in the other. Her blessing brings energy to achieve knowledge and enlightenment.
Emerald honors Astarte, the Phoenician Goddess of Fertility, Love and War. She is known in many cultures by different names and is said to be the Queen of the Stars. She helps with troubled love, and keeps lovers faithful to each other.
Emerald also honors the three Celtic Goddesses of Sovereignty - Banbha, Eriu and Fodla. They provide protection, leadership and inspiration to anyone defending their faith, their homeland, or their way of life.
Green crystals honor Persephone, the Greek Goddess of Spring. She represesents celebration and the Earth alive with new growth.
Using oils and essences for tantric massage22:47 Apr 23 2016
Times Read: 434
Using oils and essences is an important part of a sensual massage. Oil contributes to a smooth, flowing massage, enabling your hands to glide easily around the body.
There are a lot of things you have to know about oils and essences if you want to become a master of erotic massage:
1. When choosing your oil, avoid those that are thick and greasy, and those with a heavy odour. Light vegetable and nut oils are easily absorbed and benefit the skin with their natural properties. Among the most popular for massage are sweet almond, avocado, grapeseed, olive, apricot kernel, peach kernel, soya and sunflower.
This can be applied neat to the skin or you can add fragrant essential oils to them, using them as carrier oils, as in aromotherapy massage.
2. Essential oils are extracted from plants and have particular healing properties. Different essence are thought to benefit the well-being of the body, mind and emotions as well as influencing the mood of a massage. Many essential oils are also belived to have aphrodisiac qualities.
3. Some aphrodisiac oils: cedarwood, cinnamon, cloves, neroli, patchouli, rose, sandalwood and ylang-ylang. A few drops of essential oil added to 25ml (1fl.oz) of carrier oil should be sufficient for a massage, or you can add up to 25 drops of essential oils to a 50ml (2 fl.oz) bottle of carrier oil. Blended oils can go rancid after a few weeks. To help extend their shelf-life, add a teaspoonful of wheatgerm oil, which acts as an antioxidant to your carrier oil. Only make up small amounts and store them in airtight bottles in a cool, dark place. If you choose a cheaper carrier oil such soya, you can add a teaspoon of a more expensive, richer oil such as avocado or hazelnut both of which are excellent for dry skins.
4. When massaging, keep your oil in a narrow-necked bottle with a small opening to avoid spillage and the possibility of pouring out too much at a time. Stand the bottle on a saucer and keep it within arm's reach throughout the massage.
5. Warm the oil by rubbing each application between your hands before stroking it onto your lover's body. Cold oil will jolt the system and feels far from sensual.
6. Apply a little oil at a time to the area you are about to massage and smooth it into the skin with a series of continous, flowing strokes.
A SUGGESTION FOR AN APHRODISIAC BLEND:
3 drops ylang-ylang
2 drops sandalwood
3 drops rose or jasmin
25ml carrier oil
CARESS YOUR LOVER WITH ALL YOUR HEART !
Essential oils for lovers...21:51 Apr 23 2016
Times Read: 436
Smell, taste, sight, touch and hearing are the five senses through which we define many of our experiences. They are much more active and intense when love is involved. It is compulsory to create a stimulating ambience for a real passionate night.
It's true that the spontaneous act of love has something magical in it but the "programmed" one can also be unforgettable. Chose the time and the place when you know you will not be interrupted.
In order to create a romantic, relaxed and sensual atmosphere light up candles, perfumed sticks or essential oils used in aromatherapy (not too much or your lover would feel like he is going to be sacrificed).
Never mix perfumed candles with incense sticks because the smell might become too strong.
Play a little music, in an undertone. It will relax you both physically and emotionally. Put the phone, the doorbell and other noisy things off the hook. If it hasn't happened yet take off your clothes and your lover's. A shower with a lot of aromatic gels is only the beginning. The real pleasure is about to begin.
Massage is going to take you into the erotic world. Everybody knows that certain parts of human body are extremely delicate and responsive to touching but only a few know that any part could become an erogenous zone.
Aromatherapy products will help you reach the peak of your pleasure. Spill some massage oil on your palms and warm it up by rubbing it one against the other. Put your palms easily on your lover's back and keep them like that a few moments.
Then massage lightly, moving your palms in circles, following the forms of his muscles and body. Don't take your hand off his skin. Touching is the most important thing. Along with aromas and oils it will do wanders for both of you.
It is very important to know that essential oils massage does more than the erotic stimulation. It makes tensions, fears of intimacy go away and your mind and body can relax. It can also stimulate emotions and increase your sexual aptitudes (see the recipes).
You do not need us any more. Feeling the pleasure you will know instinctively and yet consciously what to do next.
RECIPES:
BASE OIL - it is the oil where essential oils are being inserted into; for the most erotic massage the best base oils are olive and sunflower oils.
MASSAGE TO REMOVE EMOTIONS: 10 ml. base oil, 3 drops of juniper tree essential oil and 2 drops of santal essential oil;
MASSAGE TO RELAX THE BODY: 25ml base oil, 5 drops of juniper tree essential oil, 7 drops santal essential oil;
MASSAGE TO OPEN UP THE SEXUAL APPETITE: Massage on chest and breats - 10 ml base oil, 4 drops of rose essential oil, 2 drops of pelargonium essential oil;
Tantra Magazine
APHRODISIAC ATMOSPHERE: In aromatherapy burning - 3 drops of bergamot essential oil, 3 drops of lavender essential oils;
AGAINST MAN'S SEXUAL ANXIETY: In aromatherapy burning: 3 drops of jasmine essential oil, 1 drop of patchouli essential oil; massage: 10 ml base oil, 7 drops of jasmine essential oil, 3 drops of patchouli essential oil;
AGAINST MAN'S SEXUAL DYSFUNCTIONS: In aromatherapy burning: 3 drops of jasmine essential oil, 2 drops of santal essential oil; massage: 10 ml base oil, 6 drops of jasmine essential oil, 5 drops of santal essential oil;
FOR INCREASING THE LIBIDO: massage: 10 ml base oil, 4 drops of neroli essential oil, 2 drops of rose essential oil;
APHRODISIACS:
MASSAGE FOR FEET: 10 ml base oil, 2 drops of jasmine essential oil, 2 drops of bergamot essential oil;
MASSAGE FOR BODY: 25 ml base oil, 5 drops of jasmine essential oil, 4 drops of pelargonium essential oil or 25 ml base oil, 3 drops of ylang-ylang essential oil, 3 drops of rose essential oil;
APHRODISIAC PLANTS
LAVENDER - it has always been associated with love and fertility. As an aphrodisiac, as oil, has the excitement of senses and of primary sexual instincts as base properties;
BLACK PEPPER - except for its culinary properties, it gives back sexual vitality, reopens the flame of passion when used as essential oil. During Roman conquest it was used on body massages as preludes.
Tantra Magazine
JASMINE - perfumed, seductive oil, one of the best-known and appreciated aphrodisiacs. It was considered as a love plant and it was used for love spells. In India the jasmine flower symbolizes the promise of eternal love.
JUNIPER TREE - the plant of protection, it makes negative feelings go away. It was used in different potions that aimed the excitement of a virgin during their first love night.
NEROLI - also known as a fertility stimulus, a symbol of seduction and sexuality. Brides wore its flowers in their hair as a symbol of purity.
ROSE - symbol of Venus. It is well known that QUEEN CLEOPATRA only made love on a bed of roses.
SANTAL - used in sex rituals in the past. Encourages expression of emotions.
YLANG-YLANG - a powerful aphrodisiac, it increases the libido and the sexual attraction between lovers.
Homemade Natural Cough Medicine... For those nasty coughs...21:44 Apr 23 2016
Times Read: 439
We don’t get sick often, and when we do, I prefer to let the body fight the illness naturally whenever possible. I don’t immediately turn to medicine, (or even to large doses of herbs or vitamins), since I prefer to support the body in fighting the infection rather than take something that bypasses this natural process.
That being said, illnesses that include coughing (like the strain of the flu going around this year) can be exhausting and uncomfortable because they limit the ability to sleep restfully. In those cases, I use this homemade syrup to ease the coughing so the afflicted can get some rest (also very important to illness recovery!).
Honey naturally soothes cough by itself. In fact, I’ve heard of doctors recommending a spoonful of honey to children (over a year) for cough. Ginger is naturally anti-inflammatory and has an expectorant action. Chamomile soothes muscles, making it useful in relieving the “tickle” in the throat, plus it promotes restful sleep. Marshmallow Root has one of the highest mucilaginous contents of all herbs and coats and soothes the throat. Cinnamon helps boost immune system and improve taste.
The combination of herbs helps sooth the throat to ease coughing and promote restful sleep. I only use this remedy on children over 1 year of age due to the honey, though you can substitute maple syrup in place of honey.
Ingredients
1 quart of filtered water
1/4 cup Ginger Root (fresh grated or dried)
1/4 cup Chamomile Flowers
1/4 cup Marshmallow Root
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup honey
Instructions
Pour the water into a medium saucepan and add the dried herbs.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer until the volume is reduced by about half. (You will need 1 cup of liquid after herbs are strained off)
Pour through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove herbs (compost the herbs!).
While liquid is still warm (not boiling) mix with lemon juice and honey and stir well.
Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months.
http://wellnessmama.com/7969/herbal-cough-syrup/
What is the origin and meaning of the pentagram?21:03 Apr 22 2016
Times Read: 452
Answer: The pentagram has been used as a religious symbol throughout the world from the beginning of recorded history. The most basic pentagram is simply a five-point star drawn with one continuous line broken into five line segments and with one point of the star facing up. Today, however, when we say “pentagram,” we usually mean “a five-point star with one or two circles drawn around it.” Sometimes such a symbol includes other small markings denoting a particular magick sigil (a symbol used in magic spells). An inverted pentagram displays the star “upside down,” i.e., with one point facing down and two facing up. Whichever form is used, the pentagram has always been assigned a five-part symbolism.
The pentagram was used in ancient Chinese and Japanese religions to symbolize the five elements of life. In Japanese culture the symbol was also considered magical. Ancient Babylonian culture was also using the pentagram to represent various gods and religious beliefs of their own.
In Christian symbolism, the basic pentagram (without a circle) was originally used to represent the five wounds of Jesus Christ. It was soon supplanted by the symbol of the cross, but the pentagram was still recognizable as a Christian symbol for a few hundred years after Jesus’ resurrection. Some say that the continuous line was also considered symbolic of the Alpha and Omega.
Christian-influenced academia in Europe during the Enlightenment re-discovered Pythagoras’ interest in the pentagram, which contains the Golden Ratio. Pythagoras’ study went beyond mathematics, though, as he assigned the five ancient elements to the five points of the star: earth, water, air, and fire on the four lower points; and spirit on the topmost point. Depending on the mythology, this arrangement usually indicated the correct ordering of the world, with material things subject to spirit. The Free Masons and Eastern Star Organization have also used this Pythagorean pentagram, often adding their own symbols as well.
In Wicca and various forms of “white magic,” the encircled, upright pentagram is considered a symbol that provides protection of some kind. Pagan and neo-pagan groups use the pentagram in all manner of rituals and ornamentation because it symbolizes infinity, the binding of the five elements, and protection of the self.
In the mid-1800s, a researcher of magic declared in a book that the inverted pentagram was a symbol of evil because it presented an inversion of the natural order, placing matter over the spirit world. Since then, the inverted pentagram has had associations with occult practices and black magic. The Church of Satan uses the inverted pentagram as part of its copyrighted logo, adding a goat’s head, framed by the star.
Today, the pentagram shows up in horror films, thrillers, and crime dramas, reinforcing the symbol’s association with neo-paganism, black magic, and occultism. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a star, and the pentagram itself contains no inherent power. It has been used in many ways by many different cultures, including Christianity. It should not be feared in and of itself, although we should be aware of what other people are communicating through it.
The Vampire Princess... Link to a Historical find and the Basis of Brahm Stoker's Novel... "Dracula"17:01 Apr 21 2016
Times Read: 462
Very interesting watch...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vt63ewZA6Q
I also found the connection between Wolves and Vampires to be more than coincidence....
Morganna777
What Is Frankincense Good For? 8 Essential Oil Uses17:12 Apr 20 2016
Times Read: 470
Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for their therapeutic and healing properties as part of the practice of aromatherapy. They’re sourced from leaves, stems or roots of plants that are known for their health properties. So then, what is frankincense essential oil?
Frankincense, sometimes referred to as olibanum, is a common type of essential oil used in aromatherapy that can offer a variety of health benefits: helping relieve chronic stress and anxiety, reducing pain and inflammation, boosting immunity and even fighting cancer.
Frankincense oil is sourced from the resin of the Boswellia carterii or Boswellia sacara tree that’s commonly grown in Somalia. This tree is different from many others in that it can grow with very little soil in dry and desolate conditions.
The word frankincense comes from the term “franc encens,” which means quality incense in old French. Frankincense has been associated with many different religions over the years, especially the Christian religion, as it was one of the first gifts given to Jesus by the wise men.
What Is Frankincense Essential Oil Used For?
bottle of essential oilFrankincense oil is used by either inhaling the oil or absorbing it through the skin, usually mixed with a carrier oil, such as an unscented lotion or jojoba oil. It’s believed that the oil transmits messages to the limbic system of the brain, which is known to influence the nervous system. A little bit of oil goes a long way; it should not be ingested in large quantities as it can be toxic.
If you’re purchasing essential oils, avoid oils that say “fragrance oil” or “perfume oil” as these can be synthetic and don’t provide the desired health benefits. Instead, look for oils that say “pure essential oil” or “100% essential oil” for the highest quality essential oils.
Top 8 Frankincense Uses
Bathtub
1. Stress Relieving Bath-Soak
Frankincense oil will immediately induce the feeling of peace, relaxation, and satisfaction. Add a few drops of frankincense oil to a hot bath for stress relief. You can also add frankincense to an oil diffuser or vaporizer to fight anxiety and for experiencing relaxation in your home all the time. Some people believe that the fragrance of frankincense can increase your intuition and spiritual connection.
2. Natural Household Cleaner
Frankincense oil is an antiseptic, meaning it will help eliminate bacteria and viruses from your home and to clean indoor spaces. The plant has been commonly burned to help disinfect an area and is used as a natural deodorizer. Use it in an essential oil diffuser to help reduce indoor pollution and to deodorize and disinfect any room or surface in your home.
3. Natural Hygiene Producthealthy teeth
Due to its antiseptic properties, frankincense oil is a great addition to any oral hygiene regimen. Look for natural oral care products that contain frankincense oil, especially if you enjoy the aroma. It can help prevent dental health issues like tooth decay, bad breath, cavities, or oral infections. You can also consider making your own toothpaste by mixing frankincense oil with baking soda.
4. Anti-Aging & Wrinkle Fighter
Frankincense essential oil is a powerful astringent, meaning it helps protect skin cells. It can be used to help reduce acne blemishes, the appearance of large pores, to prevent wrinkles, and it will even help lift and tighten skin to naturally slow signs of aging. The oil can be used anywhere where the skin becomes saggy such as the abdomen, jowls, or under the eyes. Mix 6 drops of oil to one ounce of unscented oil and apply it directly to the skin. Be sure to always do a small patch area though first to test for possible allergic reactions.
Colon5. Relieves Symptoms of Indigestion
If you have any digestive distress such as gas, constipation, stomach aches, irritable bowel syndrome, PMS, or cramps, frankincense oil can help relieve gastrointestinal discomfort. It helps speed up the digestion of food, similar to digestive enzymes. Add 1-2 drops of oil to 8 ounces of water or to a tablespoon of honey for GI relief. If you are going to ingest it orally, make sure it is 100% pure oil, do not ingest fragrance or perfume oils.
6. Scar, Wound, Stretch Mark or Acne Remedy
Frankincense oil can help with wound healing and may decrease the appearance of scars. It may also help reduce the appearance of dark spots caused from acne blemishes, stretch marks, eczema and help with healing of surgical wounds. Mix 2-3 drops of oil with an unscented base oil or lotion and apply directly to skin. Be careful of applying it to broken skin, but it is fine for skin that is in the process of healing.
thermometer icon7. Natural Cold or Flu Medicine
Next time you have a respiratory infection from a cold or flu, use frankincense essential oil to help provide relief from coughing. It can help eliminate phlegm in the lungs. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory in the nasal passages, making breathing easier, even for those with allergies or asthma. Add a few drops to a cloth and inhale for the respiratory benefits or use an oil diffuser.
8. Helps Relieve Inflammation and Pain
To improve circulation and lower symptoms of joint pain or muscle pain related to conditions like arthritis, digestive disorders, and asthma , try massaging frankincense oil to the painful area or diffusing it in your home. You can add a drop of oil to steaming water and soak a towel in it, then place the towel on your body or over your face to inhale it to decrease muscle aches. Also diffuse several drops in your home, or combine several drops with a carrier oil to massage into your muscles, joints, feet, or neck.
Frankincense Essential Oil Benefits
Frankincense
1. Helps Reduce Stress Reactions & Negative Emotions
When inhaled, it has been shown to reduce heart rate and high blood pressure. It has anti-anxiety and depression reducing abilities, but unlike prescription medications it does not have negative side effects and does not cause unwanted drowsiness.
2. Helps Boost Immune System Function and Prevents Illness
Studies have demonstrated that frankincense has immune enhancing abilities which may help destroy dangerous bacteria, viruses, and even cancers. (1) It can be used to prevent germs from forming on the skin, mouth, or in your home too. This is the reason many people choose to use frankincense of naturally relieving oral health problems; the antiseptic qualities of this oil can help prevent gingivitis, bad breath, cavities, toothaches, mouth sores, and other infections from occurring. (2) (3)
Fights Cancer
3. May Help Fight Cancer, or Deal with Chemotherapy Side Effects
Frankincense oil has been shown to help fight cells of specific types of cancer. (4) A 2012 study even found that a chemical compound found in frankincense called AKBA is successful at killing cancer cells that have become resistant to chemotherapy.
4. Astringent, Kills Harmful Germs and Bacteria
Frankincense is an antiseptic and disinfectant. It has the ability to eliminate cold and flu germs from the home and the body naturally and can be used in place of chemical household cleaners. (5)
5. Heals Skin and Prevents Signs of Aging
Frankincense has the ability to strengthen skin and improve its tone, elasticity, defense mechanisms against bacteria or blemishes, and appearance as someone ages. It helps tone and lift skin, reduces appearance of scars and acne, and heals wounds. (6) It can also be beneficial for fading of stretch marks, surgery scars or marks associated with pregnancy, and for healing dry or cracked skin.
miling African American Woman6. Balances Hormone Levels
Frankincense oil reduces symptoms associated with menstruation and menopause by balancing hormone levels. It can help relieve pain, cramps, constipation, headaches, anxiety, nausea, fatigue, and mood swings. Frankincense oil also helps with regulating estrogen production and reduces the risk of tumor or cyst development in pre-menopausal women.
7. Eases Digestion
Frankincense helps the digestive system to properly detox and to produce bowel movements, reduces pain and cramping in the stomach, can relieve nausea, helps to flush out excess water from the abdomen that can cause bloating, and even relieves PMS-related stomach pains.
(7) It does this by speeding up the secretion of digestive enzymes, increasing urination production, relaxing the muscles of the digestive tract, and also helps to improve circulation which is needed for proper digestive health. It has been shown to be beneficial in reducing symptoms of leaky gut syndrome, chronic colitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and IBS. (8)
8. Acts as a Sleep AidSleeping beauty
Frankincense essential oil is useful in lowering levels of anxiety or chronic stress that can keep you up at night. It has a calming, grounding scent that can naturally help you to fall asleep. It helps open breathing passages, allows your body to reach an ideal sleeping temperature, and can eliminate pain that keeps you up.
9. Helps Decrease Inflammation and Pain
Frankincense can inhibit the production of key inflammatory molecules associated with conditions like arthritis, asthma, painful bowel disorders like IBS, and many more conditions. (9) It can be useful in helping to prevent the breakdown of the cartilage tissue and has been shown to significantly reduce levels of dangerous and painful inflammation, making it a natural treatment option for pain-related conditions that effect the muscles, joints, and tendons.
Frankincense bowl
Frankincense Interactions/Side Effects
Frankincense essential oil is extremely well tolerated, especially compared to prescription medications. To date there are no reported serious side effects of using Frankincense oil, as long as you do not ingest large quantities which can result in it becoming toxic.
Rarely frankincense oil can cause certain reactions for some people- including minor skin rashes and digestive problems like nausea or stomach pains. Frankincense is also known to have blood thinning effects, so anyone who has problems related to blood clotting should not use Frankincense oil or speak with a doctor first. Otherwise the oil may have potential to negatively react with certain anticoagulant medications.
Frankincense Oil DIY Recipes
Frankincense Oil blends well with carrier oils like jojoba oil, coconut oil, or shea butter. It can be combined with other essential oils depending on the benefits you’re seeking. For example it blends well with citrus oils as a “pick-me-up”, but also blends well with lavender essential oil as a relaxant. This makes it a versatile and popular oil that lends itself well to many combinations and practical uses. Try one of these recipes to start experiencing the benefits of frankincense oil:
Homemade Frankincense Soap Bar
This homemade frankincense soap bar recipe is great for your skin! It provides hydration and vitamins while cleansing your skin! It’s easy to make and free of harmful chemicals! Try it today!
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 30
INGREDIENTS:
20-30 drops frankincense essential oil
soap base
5 drops pomegranate oil
Oval Bar Molds or Decorative Soap Mold
DIRECTIONS:
Put soap base in glass bowl then place that bowl in sauce pan with water.
Heat stove to medium and allow base to melt.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Then add the frankincense and pomegranate oil
Mix well and transfer to a soap mold
Let mixture cool fully before popping bar out of mold. Keep at room temp
Homemade-Frankincense-Soap1
Scar Reducing Body Butter
Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz shea butter or coconut oil
10 drops of Jasmine Oil
10 drops Frankincense Oil
Small Container or jar to mix the ingredients
DIRECTIONS:
In a double boiler melt the shea butter until it is liquid
Make sure the oil is not so hot that it will burn you, then add the other oils and stir together to combine. Having the shea butter be room temperature or a little warmer is best.
You can either smear it on your scar right away, or if you’d like to make it into a shelf-stable cream texture, place the mixture in the fridge until it is cool for a few minutes then use a hand mixer on high speed to whip the oils into a white cream.
Pour into a glass jar or containers and keep it at room temperature to use whenever you want.
Sleep Inducing Facial Cream or Body Rub
Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1
This all natural night cream is great to help you fall asleep. It also doubles as a skin health-booster if you apply it to your face and may be able to help clear up blemishes or breakouts.
INGREDIENTS:
5 Drops Frankincense Essential Oil
5 Drops Lavender Essential Oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon Organic Coconut Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Olive Oil
Small Container or jar to mix the ingredients
DIRECTIONS:
1. Use coconut oil that is not solid, but rather is soft. If need be, heat it first in a double broiler
2. Add the other oils and stir together to combine. Spread over your face and body. You may want to pat yourself off after to not allow the oil to seep into your bed sheets. You can also store this to use at another time.
Homemade Frankincense and Myrrh Lotion
This Homemade Frankincense and Myrrh Body Lotion recipe is great! It brings hydration and essential vitamins and nutrients to the skin. In addition, the essential oils tone, lift, heal and protect the skin! This recipe is a must try!
Total Time: 90 minutes
Serves: 30
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup Bees wax
1/4 cup shea butter
2 tbsp vitamin E
20 drops frankincense essential oil
20 drops myrrh essential oil
BPA free plastic lotion dispenser bottles
DIRECTIONS:
Put olive oil, coconut oil, beeswax and shea butter in glass bowl then place that bowl in sauce pan with water.
Heat stove to medium and mix ingredients together
Once mixed put in refrigerator for an hour until solid
With a regular mixer or hand mixer beat the mixture until it is whipped and fluffy. Then add essential oils and vitamin E and mix
Fill container and store in cool place
7 Lavender Oil Benefits for Healing
17:03 Apr 20 2016
Times Read: 471
Today, lavender is the most used essential oil in the world. Ancient texts tell us that lavender essential oil has been used for medicinal and religious purposes for over 2,500 years.
The Egyptians used it for mummification and as a perfume. The Romans used it for bathing, cooking and for scenting the air.
And, quite possibly the most famous usage of all, Mary used it to anoint Jesus with her hair and and some believe spikenard was made from lavender essential oil.
“Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” ~ John 12:3
Many researchers claim that 2,000 years ago, lavender was referred to as spikenard or simply nard from the Greek name for lavender, naardus, after the Syrian city Naarda. This really puts the power of lavender into perspective, doesn’t it?
Today, lavender oil benefits your body in the following ways:
Reduces anxiety and emotional stress
Heals burns and wounds
Improves sleep
Restores skin complexion and reduces acne
Slows aging with powerful antioxidants
Improves eczema and psoriasis
Alleviates headaches
lavender oil benefits
So, how far-reaching are lavender’s health properties?
The truth is, we don’t know. In comparison to its rich history, science has only recently started to evaluate the range of health benefits that lavender essential oil contains.
Today, lavender is one of the most popular essential oils in the world.
To give you a feel of how potent this ancient plant is, I put together what I believe are the top five health benefits of lavender oil and the reasons you should consider using it.
7 Lavender Oil Benefits and Studies
1. Antioxidant Protection
Arguably the most dangerous and most common risk factor for every disease that affects Americans, free radicals (toxins, chemicals, pollutants, etc.) are responsible for shutting down your immune system and can cause unbelievable damage to your body.
So, what’s the solution?
Antioxidants!
The body’s natural response is to create antioxidant enzymes – especially glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) – which prevent these free radicals from doing their damage.
Unfortunately, your body can actually become deficient in antioxidants if the free radical burden is great enough. Sadly, this has become relatively common in the U.S. because of poor diet and high exposure to toxins.
Thankfully, natural options abound, such as lavender essential oil, which has been proven to be nature’s antioxidant super hero.
For instance, researchers from China have recently discovered that lavender essential oil helps your body produce three of your bodies most powerful antioxidants, glutathione, catalase, and SOD within 22 hours of using lavender essential oil!
Also, Romanian scientists have seen similar results after just seven days of inhaling lavender essential oil vapor for 60 minutes a day. They found that diffusing lavender oil protected cells from damage that can lead to cancer.
*I have many of my patients use a diffuser with their essential oils for health benefits. I personally have one going on the desk of my office and then we have the diffuser going in the living room during the day.
2. Diabetes Treatment
Possibly the most exciting of all research concerning lavender came out in 2014. Scientists from Tunisia set out to complete a fascinating task: to test the effects of lavender essential oil on blood sugar to see if it can help diabetes.
During the 15-day study, the results observed by researchers were absolutely amazing. In a nutshell, lavender essential oil treatment protected the body from the following symptoms of diabetes:
Increase in blood glucose (the hallmark of diabetes)
Metabolic disorders (especially fat metabolism)
Weight gain (ever wonder why as diabetes continues to rise, so do our waistbands!)
Liver and kidney antioxidant depletion (one of the reasons diabetes is lethal)
Liver and kidney dysfunction (ditto)
Liver and kidney lipoperoxidation (when free radicals “steal” necessary fat molecules from cell membranes)
Surprisingly, the radical-scavenging antioxidant activity of lavender was actually more robust than ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)!
Does this tell us that lavender essential oil should be used as a treatment option for diabetics? Maybe.
It’s just one study, but a powerful study nonetheless! We look forward to more research on this topic as natural approaches to diabetics continue to fill the scientific literature.
*You can apply lavender essential oil topically on your neck and chest, diffuse it in the air, or supplement with it for the health benefits.
3. Improves Mood and Supports Brain
In addition to the groundbreaking diabetes research we just saw, 2013 was the year lavender was put on the pedestal for its unique ability to protect against neurological damage.
Traditionally, lavender has been used to treat neurological issues like migraines, stress, anxiety, and depression so it’s exciting to see that the research is finally catching up to history.
Just last November, for instance, an evidence-based study was published by the International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice.
The study found that supplementing with 80 mg capsules of lavender essential oil alleviates anxiety, sleep disturbance and depression.
Additionally, in the study there were no adverse side effects from using lavender oil to treat anxiety, insomnia and depression. Whereas we know pharmaceutical drugs like prozac have dangerous side effects.
And according to research, lavender essential oil benefits don’t stop there, it has also been shown to reduce symptoms and development of Alzheimer’s disease!
Last year, the journal Phytomedicine published a study which highlighted that inhaling lavender essential oil vapor for 60 minutes a day was shown to prevent brain oxidative stress in rats with dementia.
Another study published in 2012 took 28 high-risk postpartum women and found that by diffusing lavender in their home they had a significant reduction of postnatal depression and reduced anxiety disorder after a four-week treatment plan of lavender aromatherapy.
Also in 2012, the Swiss journal Molecules printed the results of a study that shockingly proved that lavender is a viable treatment option for stroke. Yes stroke!
Another study proving that lavender aromatherapy improves mood was done on people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The results revealed that just 80 mg of lavender oil per day helped decreased depression by 32.7% and dramatically decreased sleep disturbances, moodiness, and overall health status in 47 people suffering from PTSD.
*To relieve stress and improve sleep, put a diffuser by your bed and diffuse oils while you sleep at night or in the family room while you’re reading or winding down in the evening. Also, can be rubbed topically behind your ears for the same benefits.
4. Lavender Heals Burns and Cuts
Widely known for its antimicrobial properties, lavender has a rich history of being used to prevent various infections and combat bacterial/fungal disorders. In fact, almost 100 studies have been conducted establishing this truth over and over again.
Also, we have found that lavender oil speeds the healing of burns, cuts, scrapes and wounds and a big part of this is because of it’s anti-microbial properties.
For example, in a study evaluating how lavender’s antimicrobial ability is enhanced when blended with other essential oils like clove, cinnamon and tea tree oil. Specifically, a 1:1 ratio of these oils was found to be the most effective in fighting against Candida albicans and Staph aureus, which are both common causes for many fungal and bacterial infections that lead to respiratory pneumonia and skin funguses.
*For burns or eczema, mix lavender oil with coconut oil in 1:5 ratio for rapid healing.
5. Lavender Oil Benefits Skin
Most likely due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant characteristics, lavender essential mixed with aloe or coconut oil has profound benefits on your skin.lavender for skin
Just 10 drops per 1 ounce of aloe vera or oil will sooth the worst sunburn and bring rapid healing to dry skin, minor cuts and scraps.
Research has even proven its ability to speed recovery from canker sores and can prevent allergic reactions!
Want to reduce age spots? Try mixing lavender oil with frankincense essential oil and put it on your skin first thing in the morning, right after you shower and right before bed. Success stories of these two oils improving age and sunspots are numerous.
6. Lavender Oil for Headaches
There are millions of people around the world who struggle with both tension headaches and migraine heartaches who are searching for a natural alternative to drugs. According to new medical research, lavender oil may just be that natural cure they are looking for.
According to a study published in the European Journal of Neurology people struggling with migraine headaches saw a significant reduction in pain when they inhaled lavender oil for 15 minutes.
Probably the most effective natural treatment for headaches is combing lavender oil with peppermint oil and rubbing these oils on the back of the neck, the temples on the lateral side of the forehead along with inhaling it. Typically 2 drops of each oil in the palm of your hand then rubbed into the areas works perfectly.
7. Lavender for Sleep and Insomnia
A study on college students found that using lavender oil improved the overall quality of sleep by 60%. This included length of sleep, time it took to fall asleep, restfulness and reduced symptoms of insomnia.
Another study published in the Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine found that lavender oil showed immediate improvements on 5 men and 5 women who struggled with insomnia.
If you are trying to improve your quality of sleep diffusing lavender before or during sleep can help. Also, you can rub it directly on your neck, chest and temples which is also effective.
If you do struggle with sleep I have found that making a mixture of lavender oil, roman chamomile oil and magnesium oil is the best overall combination in improving sleep.
And finally, taking a healing bath by adding 15 drops of lavender oil and 1 cup of epsom salts to the bathtub is another effective way to use lavender oil to improve sleep and relax the body.
Lavender Oil Uses at Home
As a Natural Perfume
Do you want to smell good without using toxic perfumes? Lavender oil is a great scent for women and for men too. You can either try adding pure oil directly to your skin, or you can dilute oil in water for a more subtle scent.
If you’d like to rub the oil right onto your skin, try adding 2-3 drops into your palms and then rubbing your hands together. Then add the oil directly onto on your skin, clothes, or hair. You can also try using 2 drops of lavender oil added to a spray bottle with about ½ cup of water. Shake up the spray bottle and then spray whatever you’d like. You may also want to consider combining lavender oil with other relaxing oils, like cedar wood essential oil or frankincense essential oil. Combining different oils means you have lots of versatility when it comes to different scent options, without needing to purchase many different bottled, expensive perfumes.
As a Non-toxic Air Freshener
The same way you use lavender oil as a perfume, you can use it around your home as a natural, toxic-free air freshener. Either spray lavender oil around your home or try diffusing it. To create a relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom before you fall asleep, try spraying the lavender oil and water mixture directly onto your bed sheets or pillow. You can try the same method in your bathroom as well, and also on your bath towels. Before taking a relaxing bath or shower, spray your towel with lavender oil so its relaxing scent is waiting for you when you step out of the shower.
As a Natural, Chemical-Free Lip Balm
Lavender oil is excellent for preventing sun burns on the lips and also healing chapped, dried lips. Try adding a couple of drops of oil to shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil/coconut butter, or another “carrier oil” and then rubbing it into your lips for protection whenever you will be in the sun. If you are sun burned in other areas on your body, try using the same method to heal the skin more quickly and prevent itchiness and pealing that can result after a bad sun burn.
As a Remedy for Stomach Discomfort
Many people find the scent of lavender to be soothing to the stomach. If you are feeling nauseous, or know that you are going to be traveling in a car of plane and are prone to motion sickness, spray some lavender oil on your skin and clothes or rub it into your temples, next, and palms.
As a Secret Flavor Booster in Healthy Recipes
Lavender is a great flavor enhancer in things like grain-free muffins, teas, and even salad dressings. Lavender oil is completely edible, but you will want to use a very small amount since the taste is very powerful. Try adding 1-2 drops to your recipes for a surprising flavor booster. Lavender is said to pair perfectly with things like dark cocoa, pure honey, cranberries, balsamic vinaigrette, black pepper, and apples.
Lavender Oil Side Effects to Consider
For most people, using lavender oil is completely safe, however there has not been an extensive amount of scientific research done on lavender oil interactions with other medications, or for its use in pregnant women, so there are certain situations where you will want to use caution.
Medication Interactions
If you are already taking any prescription medication for sleep related disorders or for depression, be cautious of the fact that lavender can increase the effectiveness of these medications. Even if you use an over-the-counter sleep aid or any type of sedatives (even cough or flu medicine), keep in mind that lavender makes many people sleepy and even somewhat drowsy, so it’s best to not combine lavender oil with other medications or sleep-related supplements. If you are planning on having surgery or undergoing anesthesia in the near future, you will also want to avoid using lavender oil.
Pregnant Women and Children
There has not been enough research done at this time to show that lavender oil is completely safe for pregnant women or women who are nursing. Because it can have a relaxing effect on muscles and can also effect hormone levels, it’s not recommended that women who are in their third trimester use lavender oil. It’s best to speak with your doctor about use of any essential oils when pregnant, since it has not been guaranteed that these are safe at this time.
Lavender oil is considered generally safe for children to use, although there is some concern that lavender’s effect on hormone levels could be harmful for boys who have not yet gone through puberty. Although there isn’t strong evidence for lavender being a hormone disrupter (only 1-2 very small studies were ever completed), parents are told to use caution if using lavender oil frequently on young children.
Ingesting Lavender Oil
Studies to date have primarily looked at the effects of using lavender oil topically on the skin or inhalation. There have been no negative symptoms found when 3 drops of oil is mixed with a carrier oil and applied directly to the skin, however not much research has formally been done to look at the effect of swallowing the oil. Most people experience no negative symptoms when consuming lavender oil, but because of it’s high levels of anti-oxidants you would want to keep this to a minimum and be careful if you have a sensitive digestive system. There are no known food interactions of lavender oil at this time.
Where to Buy Lavender Oil?
When buying lavender essential oil make sure you are buying from a high quality brand that is therapeutic grade and that is organic, so it hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals. If you want the brand I personally recommend email oils@draxe.com.
As you can see, lavender essential oil benefits are incredible and it has many medicinal and therapeutic uses. If you want to learn more about the incredible health benefits of essential oils, check out this free Essential Oils Guide.
Are YOU excited to try lavender essential oil or have used it before?
References:
Sebai H, et al. Lavender (Lavandula stoechas L.) essential oils attenuate hyperglycemia and protect against oxidative stress in alloxan-induced diab etic rats. Lipids Health Dis 2013; 12(1):189.
de Rapper S, et al. The In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Lavandula angustifolia Essential Oil in Combination with Other Aroma-Therapeutic Oils. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2013; 2013:852049.
Amorati R, et al. Antioxidant activity of essential oils. J Agric Food Chem 2013; 61(46): 10835-47.
Hancianu M, et al. Neuroprotective effects of inhaled lavender oil on scopolamine-induced dementia via anti-oxidative activities in rats. Phytomedicine 2013. 15; 20(5): 446-52.
Hichem Sebai, et al. Lavender (Lavandula stoechas L.) essential oils attenuate hyperglycemia and protect against oxidative stress in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Lipids Health Dis 2013; 12:189.
Wang D, et al. Neuroprotective activity of lavender oil on transient focal cerebral ischemia in mice. Molecules 2012; 15; 17(8):9803-17.
Kasper S. An orally administered lavandula oil preparation (Silexan) for anxiety disorder and related conditions: an evidence based review. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2013; 17 Suppl 1:15-22.
Conrad P, et al. The effects of clinical aromatherapy for anxiety and depression in the high risk postpartum woman – a pilot study. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2012 Aug; 18(3):164-8.
Uehleke B, et al. Phase II trial on the effects of Silexan in patients with neurasthenia, post-traumatic stress disorder or somatization disorder. Phytomedicine 2012; 19(8-9):665-71.
Altaei DT, Topical lavender oil for the treatment of recurrent aphthous ulceration. Am J Dent 2012; 25(1):39-43.
Kim HM, et al. Lavender oil inhibits immediate-type allergic reaction in mice and rats. J Pharm Pharmacol 1999; 51(2):221-6.
Health Benefits of Lavender essential oil....
17:02 Apr 20 2016
Times Read: 472
The health benefits of lavender essential oil include its ability to eliminate nervous tension, relieve pain, disinfect the scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems. The Latin name of lavender is Lavare, which means “to wash”, due to its aroma which has a particularly clean aroma.
Lavender oil is extracted mostly from the flowers of the lavender plant, primarily through steam distillation. The flowers of lavender are fragrant in nature and have been used for making potpourri for centuries. Traditionally, lavender essential oil has also been used in making perfumes. The oil is very useful in aromatherapy and many aromatic preparations and combinations are made using lavender oil.
Lavender oil blends well with many other essential oils including cedarwood, pine, clary sage, geranium, and nutmeg. Today, lavender essential oil is frequently used in various forms including aromatherapy oil, gels, infusion, lotion, and soaps.
Health Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil
The various health benefits of lavender essential oil include the following:
Bug Repellent: The smell of lavender essential oil is potent for many types of bugs like mosquitoes, midges, and moths. Apply some of the lavender oil on the exposed skin when outside to prevent these irritating bites. Furthermore, if you do happen to be bitten by one of those bugs, the lavender essential oil has anti-inflammatory qualities that will reduce the irritation and the pain associated with bug bites.
Sleep: Lavender essential oil induces sleep which has made it a common recommendation for an alternative treatment of insomnia. Frequent studies on elderly patients have shown an increase in their sleep regularity when their normal sleep medication is replaced with some lavender essential oil being placed on their pillows. It has such a relaxing impact on people that it can often replace modern medicine for sleep issues.
Nervous system: Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves and anxiety issues. Therefore, it can also be helpful in treating migraines, headaches, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress. The refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness while also increasing mental activity. It has a well-researched impact on the autonomic nervous system, which is why it is frequently used as a treatment for insomnia and also as a way to regulate heart-rate variability. One study showed that people taking tests showed a significant decrease in mental stress and anxiety, as well as increased cognitive function when they inhaled lavender oil and rosemary oil before taking the exam!
LavenderessentialoilAcne: According to dermatologists and aromatherapists, lavender essential oil is one of the most beneficial oils in the treatment of acne, which is a very uncomfortable and embarrassing condition that primarily affects young people as they move through puberty, but can also afflict adults. It is characterized by red, raised sores on the face and body that develop due to a bacterial infection near the sebum gland. When sebum cannot be properly secreted from the sebum glands on the face, it begins to build up, particularly because puberty stimulates extra sebum and bacteria feeds off of it, creating a vicious cycle of irritation, infection, and visible sores that can result in serious scarring.
Lavender essential oil inhibits the bacteria that cause the initial infection, helps to regulate some of the over-excretion of sebum by hormonal manipulation, and can reduce the signs of scarring after the acne has begun to heal. Adding a small amount of lavender essential oil to other skin creams or ointments can greatly increase the potential for relief and healing.
Pain relief: Lavender essential oil is known as an excellent remedy for various types of pains including those caused by sore and tense muscles, muscular aches, rheumatism, sprains, backache and lumbago. A regular massage with lavender oil can also provide relief from pain in the joints. A study done on postoperative pain relief showed that combining lavender essential oil vapor into the oxygen significantly reduced the amount of pain experienced, versus those patients only revived with oxygen after a major surgery.
Urine flow: Lavender essential oil is good for urinary disorders because of its stimulating effect on urine production. Furthermore, it helps in restoring hormonal balance and reducing cystitis or inflammation of the urinary bladder. It also reduces any associated cramps with these and other disorders.
Respiratory disorders: Lavender oil is widely used for various respiratory problems including throat infections, flu, cough, cold, asthma, sinus congestion, bronchitis, whooping cough, laryngitis, and tonsillitis. The oil is either used in the form of vapor or is applied on the skin of the neck, chest and back. It is also added to many vaporizers and inhalers that are commonly used for colds and coughs. The stimulating nature of lavender essential oil can also loosen up the phlegm and relieve the congestion associated with respiratory conditions, speeding up the recovery process and helping the body naturally eliminate phlegm and other unwanted material. The vapor of lavender essential oil also has antibacterial qualities which can battle respiratory tract infections.
Hair care: Lavender essential oil is useful for hair care because it has been shown to be very effective on lice, lice eggs, and nits. Furthermore, lavender essential oil has also been shown to be very helpful in the treatment of hair loss, particularly for patients who suffer from alopecia, an autoimmune disease where the body rejects its own hair follicles. A Sottish study reported that more than 40% of alopecia patients in the study reported an increase in hair growth when they regularly rubbed lavender essential oil into their scalp. Therefore, lavender oil is sometimes recommended as a preventative measure for male pattern baldness!
Cancer: Although more research needs to be done on human subjects, there is significant research on the effects of lavender, in combination with other essential oils, as a way to prevent the occurrence of breast cancer in mice. However, this could be an indication of an increased chance of lavender battling other carcinogenic effects and the presence of cancer.
Blood circulation: Lavender essential oil is also good for improving the circulation of blood in the body. Research suggests that aromatherapy using lavender oil has beneficial effects on coronary circulation. It also lowers blood pressure and is often used for hypertension. This means that not only do the organs increase their levels of oxygenation, promoting muscle strength and health, but brain activity can have a noticeable boost, skin remains bright and flushed with blood, and the body is protected from the risks of heart attack and artherosclerosis that is often associated with poor circulation.
Digestion: Lavender oil is useful for digestion because it increases the mobility of food within the intestine. The oil also stimulates the production of gastric juices and bile, thus aiding in the treatment of indigestion, stomach pain, colic, flatulence, vomiting and diarrhea.
lavenderoilImmunity: Regular use of lavender essential oil provides resistance to a variety of diseases. It is well-known that lavender has antibacterial and antiviral qualities that make it perfect for defending the body against rare diseases like TB, typhoid, and diphtheria, according to early research in the 20th century.
General Skin care: The health benefits of lavender oil for the skin can be attributed to its antiseptic and antifungal properties. It is used to treat various skin disorders such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, and other inflammatory conditions. It is commonly used to speed up the healing process of wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns because it improves the formation of scar tissues. Lavender oil is also added to chamomile to treat eczema.
Other: Other health benefits of lavender essential oil include its ability to treat leucorrhoea. The oil can also used to repel mosquitoes and moths, which is why you will find many mosquito repellents that contain lavender oil as one of the primary ingredients.
As with many other essential oils, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using lavender essential oil. It is also recommended that patients with diabetes stay away from lavender oil. It may also cause allergic reactions to people that have unusually sensitive skin. Some people may also witness nausea, vomiting and headaches due to either common or excessive use of lavender oil.
Perhaps most importantly, lavender oil should never be ingested, only topically applied or inhaled through means of aromatherapy or similar activities. Ingestion can cause serious health complications, characterized by blurred vision, difficult breathing, burning eyes, vomiting, and diarrhea. So, even if you think that lavender oil is a wonderful miracle cure, don’t get excited and start putting it on your food!
6 Tea Ingredients That Can Help You Unwind, Relax and Chill Out
03:45 Apr 20 2016
Times Read: 476
Welcome! If you want to lose weight, gain muscle, increase energy levels or just generally look and feel healthier you've come to the right place.
TeaA popular product class is the “sleepy time” tea. These are the teas which purport to help you unwind from a rough day, relax in the midst of exterior (or interior) chaos, and chill out in a state of relatively peaceful bliss. Many of us live in a state of constant stress punctuated by bouts of acute but transient ease of mind, when it should be the other way around (constant ease of mind punctuated by bouts of acute but transient stress), and these teas and their ingredients claim to help you correct the imbalance. But supplement manufacturers say a lot of things, not all of them true.
What works? What actually helps you ease troubled thoughts? What’s actually worth your money and the time it takes to brew a cup of hot water?
For those who balk at the idea of supplementing an otherwise solid Primal eating plan, don’t be so hasty in your dismissal. Modern life presents novel stressor after novel stressor after novel stressor. Not all of us spend blissed out lives at the beach, or on a remote mountaintop communing with nature, or floating through life on a cloud of bodhisattva farts. Life is hard and often unpleasant, and we don’t get a lot of downtime these days. Smart use of select herbs and roots with anxiolytic, calming, soothing, relaxing properties can go a long way toward restoring the Primal balance between active engagement with the hectic world and passive downtime. The way I see it is if we’re trying to emulate the physiological, psychological, and spiritual state of human being established as “normal” by natural selection, we may have to take a few extra steps to get there. Humans don’t do very well under chronic stress, so mitigating supraphysiological stress by supraphysiological means (whether through meditation or chamomile or taking a plane to Hawaii) makes sense and is unabashedly Primal.
Ultimately, it’s about feeling better and improving our health, no matter the means. I go with what works, regardless of some kind of ideology, using our human evolutionary heritage as a starting point and utilizing the best of 21st century technology to get real results with the least amount of pain, suffering and sacrifice as possible.
Now, let’s take a look at some of these so-called stress relief tea ingredients:
Kava Kava
What is it?
Kava is a crop grown in the South Pacific. Traditionally, its roots were chewed fresh (with the resultant liquid often spit into communal bowls), pounded to release the moisture, or sun-dried, ground, and steeped in water to make an intoxicating, relaxing mild sedative. Nowadays, the active kavalactones are also extracted and pressed into capsules.
History?
Most Pacific cultures used kava, including those of Hawaii, Polynesia, Tonga, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea (to name a few).
What is it purported to do?
It’s supposed to reduce anxiety, induce calmness, cause sedation without mental impairment, and generally chill a person out.
Does the research back that up?
Yes. A Cochrane review concluded that kava extract is effective against anxiety, while another review found that kava has no significant negative effects on cognition.
Is it safe?
There appears to be some concern toward hepatotoxicity. The tendency of some supplement makers to use the leaves and sticks (which contain toxins) to increase yield may lead to hepatotoxicity, but the root itself appears reasonably safe. Preparation may also matter; traditionally, kava is prepared with water, whereas modern processing often uses alcohol. Water-based kava preparations extract different proportions of active compounds than alcohol-based kava preparations. For instance, water extracts glutathione (a powerful antioxidant that our bodies manufacture) from kava, whereas alcohol does not, and this could have ramifications for toxicity. Like many other psychoactive compounds, though, kava root should not be consumed with alcohol, prescription drugs, or any other substance which stresses the liver. Kava Kava root itself is non habit forming, and does not appear to impair driving ability.
Where to find it?
Amazon.com has several options available (here, here, or here if you prefer extracts), but there are also designated online vendors. Make sure you stick with actual root (dried, ground, whole, or fresh) or supplements that only use the root and not the leaves.
L-Theanine
What is it?
An amino acid found in tea leaves, especially green tea.
History?
It’s technically been around for thousands of years, or as long as people have been harvesting and brewing tea (and even longer, unless you answer in the negative to “If green tea grows in the forest and nobody brews it, does it still impart a healthy dose of L-theanine?”), but it wasn’t until 1949 that L-theanine was isolated and identified by Japanese scientists who proceeded to stick it into a variety of different products.
What is it purported to do?
L-theanine is promoted as a stress-relieving compound that binds to GABA receptors and induces changes in brain waves indicative of relaxation.
Does the research back that up?
Yes, it appears to lower the negative effects of stress, reduce anxiety, and improve relaxation, as a quick look at the literature shows:
In adults subjected to psychological and physical stress, L-theanine reduces anxiety and attenuates the rise in blood pressure.
In children with ADHD, L-theanine improves sleep quality.
Patients with schizophrenia have found relief from anxiety using L-theanine, and the compound has been shown to increase GABA levels and dopamine.
L-theanine also increases brain wave activity in the alpha frequency, improving relaxation without inducing drowsiness.
Is it safe?
The LD50 of L-theanine is incredibly high and impossible to reach via tea and nearly impossible to reach via supplement (you’d have to take dozens of bottles or drink hundreds of gallons).
Where to find it?
It’s richest in green tea, with matcha appearing to have the highest L-theanine content. Taking L-theanine via capsule is roughly the same as taking it via tea. It’s also present in Primal Calm.
Chamomile
What is it?
A flowering plant similar to the daisy that can be infused in hot water to produce a relaxing, calming tea.
History?
The use of chamomile as a medicinal herb dates back at least to the ancient Egyptians. In medieval Europe, chamomile was a “strewing herb” (herbs which were strewn about the floor of living spaces), a beer-making ingredient, and one of the Nine Sacred Herbs used by Anglo-Saxon god Woden (or Odin in Norse mythology) to “smote the serpent.” In other words, it was pretty dang significant to people throughout history.
What is it purported to do?
Act as a mild sedative and anti-anxiety agent.
Does the research back that up?
Yes, several studies show efficacy:
Chamomile extracts have recently been shown to reduce anxiety levels among patients with generalized anxiety disorder.
Apigenin, a component of chamomile, possesses anxiolytic and sedative effects.
Is it safe?
It’s pretty safe, with a couple exceptions: pregnant women, for whom chamomile can induce uterine contractions (PDF), potentially leading to early labor; and people with ragweed allergies, for whom chamomile can exhibit cross-reactivity symptoms.
Where to find it?
Chamomile tea, being one of the more common varieties, is easy to find. This is a legit brand, or you could grow your own. Chamomile provides attractive (and useful) ground cover for your garden.
Valerian Root
What is it?
It’s a root, obviously, most often served up as dried powder in capsules, a tea, or a tincture. The plant itself has lovely flowers and leaves that resemble ferns, but it’s the root and rhizome we’re interested in.
History?
Ayurvedic, Chinese, and classical Hellenic medical systems employed valerian as an anti-insomnia and anti-anxiety medicine. More recently, it was prescribed to Edward Norton’s insomniac character in Fight Club (“chew some valerian root”). I can’t remember if it was in the book, too.
What is it purported to do?
It’s said to be a mild but effective sedative, anxiolytic, and sleep aid, akin to the benzodiazepine class of drugs without the side effects.
Does the research back that up?
Kinda. There are a few studies, but the results are mixed:
Among patients with generalized anxiety disorder, valerian extract has an anxiolytic effect on the “psychic symptoms of anxiety.”
Valerian may be effective against obsessive compulsive disorder.
Among insomniacs, valerian extract improves the “sleep efficiency,” reducing morning grogginess and improving sleep architecture. Another study, using lower amounts of valerian, did not get the same results.
A 2006 meta-analysis was unable to decide whether or not it was effective against anxiety, however. Another review concluded that valerian “might improve sleep quality without producing side effects,” while a more recent one (of just RCTs) found it likely to improve subjective insomnia symptoms.
Overall, the weight of the anecdotal evidence, my own experience with it, and the fact that some, but not all, clinical trials find efficacy, leads me to the tentative conclusion that valerian can be useful against anxiety and maybe insomnia.
Is it safe?
Valerian is safe, well-tolerated, and seems to have fewer side effects than pharmaceutical sedatives and anti-anxiety meds. Pregnant women should avoid it due to a lack of safety studies.
Where to find it?
Any health food store should carry the capsules and the tea, and perhaps even the whole or ground root. Online is always an option, of course. I recommend buying the root direct.
Rhodiola Rosea
What is it?
Also known as rose root or arctic root, rhodiola rosea hails from Siberia originally and pretty much everywhere else that’s cold – the Arctic, the Rockies, Northern Europe, the mountains of central Asia – and possesses a root with interesting characteristics.
History?
Ancient Greeks, Viking raiders, Central Asian horsemen, Chinese emperors – they all prized rhodiola rosea as an anti-fatigue, anti-stress medicinal herb.
What is it purported to do?
Act as a powerful adaptogen, a compound which improves your ability to adapt to physiological stressors without compromising your body’s normal ability to function once removed.
Does the research back that up?
Definitely. Although most of the research comes from Scandinavia and Russia, there are a good number of trials available on Pubmed:
Rhodiola rosea contains 140 known bioactive compounds, many of which are effective against depression, anxiety, fatigue, and stress.
In patients with stress-related fatigue, rhodiola rosea lowers cortisol, increases mental performance, and lowers fatigue.
It improves symptoms in subjects with mild to moderate depression, absent side effects.
Rhodiola rosea appears effective against generalized anxiety disorder.
It even improves endurance performance and can be a potent agent in the fight against overtraining.
Overall, rhodiola rosea improves your ability to handle stress. If you’re lagging, it’ll bring things up. If you’re freaking out, it’ll bring you closer to baseline.
Is it safe?
It seems to be extremely safe.
Where to find it?
Primal Calm has it, as do plenty of other products. You can even buy it in bulk.
Magnolia Bark
What is it?
Magnolia bark is the lay name for magnolia officinalis, a deciduous tree whose bark is prized in traditional Chinese medicine.
History?
People have been using the bark for its medicinal qualities as far back as 100 AD.
What is it purported to do?
It gets billed as a sedative with strong anti-anxiety and anti-stress effects.
Does the research back that up?
For the most part, yes:
Components of magnolia bark enhance the activity of GABA receptors in the brain, offering up an explanation for its anti-anxiety, calming effects.
In post-menopausal women, magnolia bark reduces anxiety and stress levels.
Magnolia bark may reduce stress hormones.
A magnolia bark-containing product lowers body weight by reducing “stress eating.”
Adding magnolia to an anti-menopause concoction makes it more effective at reducing anxiety, irritability, and insomnia while improving libido.
Is it safe?
While there are no long-term safety studies, trials indicate an extreme paucity of negative side effects. As always, exercise caution if you’re pregnant.
Where to find it?
I use it in Primal Calm. Chinese herb stores will have it (if you’ve got a Chinatown in your city, you can probably find it there).
Some teas blend some or all of these (and other) ingredients, so not only are you getting the dozens of bioactive compounds found in this herb, root, or rhizome, you’re getting the hundreds of bioactive compounds found in these other herbs, roots, and rhizomes. Plus, one ingredient might potentiate, inhibit, or otherwise modify the action of another ingredient, so it’s difficult to predict exactly what you’ll be getting out of a blend. Take valerian and lemon balm, which combine to become an effective anti-anxiety blend against acute stress.
With the possible exception of kava kava, though, I wouldn’t worry too much about any interactions – and even with kava, it seems reasonably safe as long as you’re smart and moderate about it while avoiding alcohol and other compounds with a liver load.
Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/6-tea-ingredients-that-can-help-you-unwind-relax-and-chill-out/#ixzz46Ka98NLg
9 DIY Home Remedies for Anxiety02:09 Apr 20 2016
Times Read: 482
Also another recipe in the link other than listed below...
http://holisticsaffron.com/the-most-amazing-herbal-tea-recipe-for-anxiety-and-depression/
Anxiety
Anxiety, feeling fearful, worried, angry, or nervous, is a common human emotion. It is uncontrollable and can stem from many other issues such as panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Common symptoms of anxiety are fatigue, irritability, muscle tension, restlessness, inability to concentrate, sweating, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and dry mouth.
Home Remedies for Anxiety:
Home remedies are more effective in treating anxiety as they offer long-lasting results without side effects.
1. Almonds
Almonds are rich in zinc and vitamin B12 which help prevent anxiety. This process relaxes you before bed to reduce stress.
Process:
Soak 10 almonds overnight in water to soften.
The next morning, peel off the skin.
Blend almonds, 1 cup of warm milk, a pinch of ginger, and a pinch of nutmeg until smooth.
Drink regularly before bed for best results to reduce stress.
2. Oil Massage
Message deeply relaxes and calms the body while eliminating toxins, making you feel better both physically and mentally.
Process:
Use sesame, coconut, sunflower, or corn oil for best results.
Warm the oil and rub all over the body, especially the scalp and bottom of the feet.
Massage before taking bath in the morning helps to calm down in the day.
You can massage before going to bed also.
Massage regularly to get relief from anxiety.
3. Baking Soda
Baking soda calms nerves to rid anxiety.
Process:
Add 1/3 cup of baking soda and 1/3 cup of ginger to warm bath water.
Soak for 15 minutes.
Shower immediate after.
Repeat regularly to get rid of tension.
4. Anti-anxiety Elixir
This integrative elixir balances your overall energy level. Lemon juice reduces blood pressure by strengthening capillaries, ginger calms your stomach, and honey controls blood sugar instability.
Process:
Mix 1 teaspoon each of lemon juice and ground ginger, ½ teaspoon of honey.
Drink three times daily for best results.
5. Valerian
Valerian is an herbal supplement which reduces anxiety by making you tired. Take one capsule in the evening as you are preparing for bed. Combine valerian with chamomile or lemon balm for added results.
6. Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is an old remedy used to relieve stress and anxiety. Take 600 mg of lemon balm in tea or capsule or tincture form daily for best results. Combine lemon balm with chamomile or valerian for added results.
Note: Taking more than 600 mg at a time can cause anxiety.
7. Passion Flower
Passion flower is a sedative herb which helps nervous restlessness and anxiety. It contains beta-carboline harmala alkaloids which elevates happiness-promoting chemicals. Take 45 drops of passion flower extract or a 90 mg tablet daily. Do not consume more than a month.
Note: Do not take sedative herbs while pregnant.
8. Tea
Tea has a calming effect on nerves to rid anxiety. Dried rosemary herbs, chamomile flowers, or green tea are all very effective options for making tea.
Process:
Steep 1 – 2 teaspoons of your preferred herb in a cup of warm water.
Drink regularly twice a day.
Add sugar or honey to enhance flavor, if desired.
9. Proper Diet
Diet plays a key role with anxiety. An anxiety attack can be attributed to low blood sugar, therefore eating healthy food can help control anxiety.
Eat whole grain foods, seaweed, blueberries, green leafy vegetables, acai berries, maca root, chocolate, walnuts, and almonds.
Avoid fried foods, high glycemic carbs, alcohol, unrefined sugars, and coffee.
Eat Eggs and bread as a breakfast because they have proteins and natural source of choline (the deficiency of choline causes the anxiety).
Eat food that contains omega 3s (fish oil) to prevent depression and anxiety. Eat 2.5 milligrams of omega 3 fatty acids daily for 12 weeks. Foods rich in omega 3s include oily, cold water fish, salmon, anchovies, sardines, and mussels.
Eat food containing magnesium, vitamin B12, zinc, and anti-oxidants to control anxiety.
Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Celery contains large amounts of potassium and folic acid which prevent nervousness. Eat 2 cups of either raw or cooked 2 weeks to prevent anxiety.
Tips to reduce Anxiety:
Deep breathing helps rid anxiety. Sit in a comfortable place, close your eyes, and focus on breathing deeply.
To help you relax, try yoga, meditation, listening to music, taking a cold bath, or watching movies.
Make sure to sleep for at least 7 – 8 hours every night.
Write in a dairy every day to help identify what causes stress and anxiety.
Exercise is good for health and effectively combats depression and anxiety.
Lavender calms your mind and body, instantly relieving anxiety.
Avoid alcohol and smoking as these increase anxiety.
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps to control anxiety and stress levels.
Make a habit of visualizing everything in a positive way. This helps prevent anxiety.
Walking in the forest for 20 minutes helps lower stress hormone levels when compared to walking in urban areas.
Sunlight provides essential vitamins to the body. Enjoy the sunshine to wash away anxiety.
Learn to manage your time affectively to avoid stress.
Plan your day in advance to avoid anxious situations.
Take small breaks during the work or school day to calm your mind.
IN THE KITCHEN WITH LESLEY: Five Herbal Teas for Killing Your Anxiety
02:04 Apr 20 2016
Times Read: 483
I am a tea nerd, if one can be such a thing. I love tea with a fervent passion most people restrict to coffee or really good top-shelf alcohol. I’m not alone; there are loads of tea fiends out there who sample teas with all the careful rumination of a sommelier tasting a vintage bottle of Sauternes. I’m not one of those, but I do enjoy my tea.
My expertise lies less in the traditional arenas of black and oolong teas and more in the realm of herbals. I couldn’t tell you why I find a hot cup so restorative, but more on that later. Today we’re talking herbal teas for anxiety, and I’m sharing with you some of my favorites.
Note: I am not a doctor, nor am I even an herbalist of any repute. Do not assume that herbs are always innocuous, because not only can they occasionally have side effects of their own, they can also interact with other drugs you may be taking, as well as with other herbs. Always have a chat with your doctor prior to getting mad busy up in the herbal-remedy world.
And I can’t assert this bit strongly enough: if you are pregnant, NEVER use any herbal supplement, even teas, without touching base with your OB/GYN or midwife first: Some herbs can do things like cause uterine contractions, which you really don’t want if you’re trying to grow something in there.
Having gotten all that out of the way, let’s get on with the tea, shall we?
Buying Your Herbs
Odds are good your local supermarket has something in the tea aisle called Anti-AnxieTEA or Sleepy Sleepy Bear Head or Mellow The Fuck Out, Lady! or something equally clever. You may have bought them before.
Most of these teas are blends, and they taste pretty good, and they do work insofar as drinking a thoughtfully-prepared cup of tea helps anyone, no matter what the tea is. However, the actual herbs you’re getting in these preparations are often not the greatest sampling.
Bagged blends are generally filled with a lot of crushed-up herbs, and crushed-up herbs mean you’re getting a fair amount of non-useful dregs taking up space in your tea -- stuff like sticks and stems and pulverized herb-dust that really doesn’t have much in the way of medicinal value. No, you want your herbs to be whole if possible, or cut and sifted to get the bulky-but-unhelpful bits out.
Bulk herbs can be found at your local crunchy hippie market, or in some Whole Foods stores. I used to get mine at Bread & Circus, a greatly missed Massachusetts natural food grocery chain, although they were eventually gobbled up by Whole Foods’ expensive empire.
Starwest Botanicals is a bulk-herb Internet superstore, and now one of my preferred places for buying my stuff. If you can’t find it here, it’s probably unsafe for human consumption. They make their own tea blends as well, which I haven’t tried -- I like to produce my own concoctions -- but if you’re disinclined to play mad scientist with bulk herbs, the tea blends here are going to be excellent given the overall quality of their products.
The down side to Starwest Botanicals is that their site doesn’t give you a huge amount of information about what various herbs are for; they’re great if you already know what you want to buy, but less useful if you want to simply explore your options. If you have a local store that sells bulk herbs -- ideally not a Whole Foods -- go on in and ask questions. The person working there is probably an expert. Unlike me.
Five Plants to Chill You Out
Many of these herbs fall under a class called nervines, which is basically any medicine that operates to calm your ish down. Some are sedative, others are not. I’m personally recommending five herbs (EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT A DOCTOR), and we’ll take each one in turn.
Chamomile is ostensibly the best known nervine herb; the variety used in teas since time immemorial is German chamomile, and is employed to soothe both anxiety and digestive upset, which can sometimes happen together.
Some researchers think that chamomile may also act as an anti-imflammatory and restrict the production of leukotrienes and histamines, so it may also be helpful to people with allergies. Animal studies have shown that chamomile reduces muscle spasms, which probably explains why it’s been used by premenstrual women for thousands of years.
Only one clinical trial studying the effectiveness of chamomile on anxiety exists, but it did find that the herb was helpful to people with mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder.
The best part, though, is that chamomile actually tastes pretty good, something which cannot be said of all medicinal herbs, and it is generally regarded as safe. Folks with allergies to ragweed or related plants should avoid it, however, as they are likely to be allergic to chamomile, too.
Passionflower is another nervine herb, and has been garnering attention in recent years as a natural remedy for anxiety. I think it was mentioned on Dr. Oz’s show? I don’t know, I sort of loathe TV doctors.
This one’s got more science behind it: One study found that passionflower extract helps patients awaiting surgery to feel more relaxed, and another short-term trial that compared passionflower with a prescription benzodiazepine (a class of hardcore anti-anxiety meds, for those not in the know) found that the humble flower worked just as well as the dependence-causing nightmare-withdrawal-inducing drug.
So the good news is passionflower extract probably works, like chamomile, for mild to moderate anxiety! The problem here is that the extract tastes, well, gross. Admittedly, you don’t need to drink gallons of the stuff -- usually 30 drops in a bit of water will do -- but still. Tea is always better. You want to use the leaves, roughly a teaspoon per cup. If you have a flower handy you can use that too, but ordinarily passionflower is sold in leaf form.
While passionflower is generally considered to be safe, it is not an herb you want to overuse as it does function on the central nervous system. Feel free to have a cup or two of weak tea as needed, but don’t do so for more than a week at a time.
Valerian root is most often taken in capsules, but you can use the root to make a tea as well. Valerian was used by the ancient Greeks and continues to find a place in traditional Chinese medicine even today. It is most often used to promote a good night’s sleep, making it a good choice to help alleviate anxiety that may be keeping you up at night.
Most of the modern clinical trials of valerian have been done by German scientists, who’ve had some mixed results, with some studies showing the herb worked at least as well as a prescription benzodiazepine, and others demonstrating no real improvement over placebo. It’s been argued that valerian works best over a period of weeks, and is less useful as a single-dose aid for anxiety-induced insomnia. In some cases it’s been used as a transition medication to get people off those horrible benzos, and is generally considered safe for regular use.
The unfortunate truth, however, is that valerian smells kind of horrible. This is why most folks take it in capsule form. I don’t mind it too much myself -- it’s sort of musky and earthy, is all -- and just blend it with peppermint to give it a better flavor. You want to make your tea with hot, not boiling water, as boiling water can reduce the efficacy.
If you have cats, be warned, because they may react to valerian as they do catnip (the two herbs have similar chemical makeups).
Also, a small number of individuals have the opposite experience with valerian: It acts as a stimulant. I used to be one of these rare folks -- taking valerian seriously made me feel like I’d swallowed a handful of ephedrine -- but in recent years the herb seems to be working as it should. The only way to find out is to try.
Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and is associated with the relief of all sorts of nervous problems, from depression to stomach upset to headaches. Several recent clinical studies have shown that lemon balm, either alone or combined with valerian or chamomile, was effective against anxiety and nervous tension.
Lemon balm, having properties both antibacterial and antiviral, is also a popular natural remedy for herpes simplex. Yes, even herpes on your nether regions. HERBS, WHAT CAN’T THEY DO?
While lemon balm is generally considered safe, recent research has suggested it may have an effect on thyroid production, so if you’re taking medication for thyroid-related ailments, talk to your doctor first. Being a member of the mint family, the leaves make for a tasty tea.
Finally, Lavender is well known as an aromatherapy treatment, but you can also make it into a tea. Like most of the herbs above, it is believed to assist in combating anxiety, but also in managing headaches, muscle spasms, and depression.
Making lavender tea can be a tricky business; for whatever reason, lavender steeped just a hair too long tastes like... well, like soap. You can use leaves and flowers, and it’s a good idea to periodically taste the result a bit as it steeps to know when it’s done. It’s also fine to combine lavender with any of the above (lemon balm makes a good companion) to help with the taste.
Steeping Tips
One of the primary drawbacks of bagged teas, aside from their contents being of a lesser quality, is that the bag prohibits its contents from circulating. If I’m making a whole pot of tea, I add the loose herbs to the pot and then pour the result through a fine-mesh tea strainer. For a single mug, I am strongly partial a fine mesh strainer/steeper basket -- you really just want something with room enough for the herbs to swim around.
With most leaf and flower herbs (and even many root and bark herbs) you want water that is hot but not boiling; boiling water can remove the oils that give these plants their oomph. I generally bring the kettle to a boil then let it sit for a minute or two.
Pour the water over the herbs, and immediately cover the cup or pot to let it steep. This is important, as should you let the herbs steep uncovered, a lot of your medicinal value will evaporate with the steam rising from your tea-vessel. So cover that puppy up, and leave it covered until the steeping’s done.
Most herbs need to steep longer than your average black or green tea: seven to nine minutes is a good rough target, but experiment and see what tastes best to you. Herbs are hardier under pressure than your average black tea, and both passionflower and chamomile can be steeped for 30 minutes or more without a sacrifice in taste, resulting in a stronger infusion.
Keep your herbs in airtight containers, away from moisture, light, and heat. I keep mine in glass jars (BECAUSE THEY’RE PRETTY) in a cupboard, but really they ought to be in some kind of opaque container. Often when you buy your herbs, they’ll be packaged in some kind of foil-lined zip-sealed pouch, and that’s fine for storage too.
Also, if you’re really itching for natural anxiety cures, the first step is to cut out caffeine. Nobody wants to hear that their beloved coffee may be contributing to their anxiety issues, but it can be a huge factor. There are caffeine-free options for tea and coffee lovers that may appeal: rooibos tea, a drink made from a shrub native to South Africa and very popular there, has an earthy quality that makes it a good replacement.
Finally, when your tea is ready, don’t just shotgun it down like some foul-tasting medicine. Put your hands around the warm cup, smell its herb-y goodness, and sip it slowly. Do nothing else for just a few minutes while you drink your tea.
The consumption of a thoughtfully prepared cup of tea is a moment of self-care regardless of what’s in the cup, and taking even a tiny bit of time to self-soothe and comfort is as useful in a battle against anxiety as any remedy or medicine. Surely we can all spare a few moments a day for that.
How To Get Rid of Panic Attacks Without Medication01:55 Apr 20 2016
Times Read: 486
In this post I will tell you how to get rid of panic attacks without medication. I have been suffering from this disorder for several years and I got rid of it without doctors and medicines.
I have experienced no uncontrollable panic attacks during 3 years. The most important fact is that I am not afraid of new attacks, because I’m ready to meet them and cope with them.
How To Get Rid of Panic Attacks Without Medication
The article will reveal the way of achieving the state of no fear of panic attacks. I will also tell you by means of what methods and exercises you can quickly stop the panic attacks.Since you’re reading the article, chances are you or a member of your family, or your friend suffers from this disease, because of which an uncontrollable feeling of fear, fear of losing self-control and fear of death occur.
Before continuing talking about the method of getting rid of panic attacks (the abbreviation “PA” can be further used), I want you to understand something. Do not worry about this disease, it can be controlled and treated, it is not something terrible and incurable. The fact that you suffer from panic attacks, does not make you crazy, “displaced”, sick and “unique” (in the bad sense of the word).
Many people suffer from panic attacks (mainly young people), and the majority of them recover from PA. It is like a headache: either you have these attacks or not. Nothing more, nothing less. You know it already; I’m saying this just in case, because I leaked these words during the time when the first attacks began.
The first attacks
When the first attack occurred, I was scared and could not understand what was happening to me. I remember the abrupt appearance of uncontrolled, aimless animal fear in the middle of the night. At that moment it seemed that my heart was in my mouth. The panic paralyzed me completely. When the attack was gone, a bad feeling of anxiety still remained. I reassured myself that this was an isolated case and more likely it will happen never again.
The second and the third attacks have dispelled the hope. I was scared, not only because of the fear of the attacks, but also because of the fact that I could not understand their nature. At that time I did not suspect about the existence of such phenomenon as “panic disorder”. I did not know what’s wrong with me and I was very worried. I felt that I was gradually going mad and I was losing control over my mind.
If at that time someone had told me that was a very common disorder and no one falls into insanity, it would have been easier for me to endure the first attack.But everything had ended well. I have been suffering from panic disorder during 4 years. After this period, I finally forgot about them. I completely got rid of panic attacks without any medicines. In this article I will tell you how I managed to do this.
For a start, I will share my opinion concerning the nature of panic attacks. I believe that if you want to get rid of them, then, first of all, you shall know the enemy by sight, be aware of all of its cunnings and sneaky tricks. Therefore, I will start with a general view of the problem and then I will pass to some practical advice on how to get rid of the PA and how to stop panic attack quickly.
You need to know this. Not only to improve your erudition, but also to create the correct perception of panic attacks. I hope you will feel better by knowing that these attacks are simply the consequence of the brain’s artless biochemistry, the mechanism of which is similar to adrenaline rush and bringing the body into “combat readiness” in the face of danger. It is much better to take attacks this way than considering them as symptoms of your subconscious work, as consequences of childhood traumas and fears, which have settled somewhere deeply inside you.
Fear is an illusion
You have to understand that fear, which is born inside you during the attacks, is the result of certain substances’ emissions into your brain. All your accompanying fears concerning the fact that you will go mad, will faint or will even die – are just the consequence of these mechanisms. I assure you that they are not the real danger. A strongly drunk man may feel that he is able to show some wonders of martial arts, or that he can charm any woman. His arrogance is only the consequence of his intoxication and does not reflect his actual personality traits. If, after having drunk a bottle of whiskey, he thinks that he can knock out Mike Tyson, this does not mean that he can really do it.
The same can be applied to panic attacks. If, during the attack, you think you will lose control, will go mad, will die – it does not mean that this will happen. The fear during the attacks is the same illusion as arrogance of a drunkard. Nothing can happen to you. No one has died from panic attacks and no one has gone mad.
What happens during the panic attacks?
Following the sudden fear, the adrenaline rush occurred. It causes a certain reaction of the nervous system, the so-called “fight-or-flight” response. This response prepares your body for vigorous activity. This leads to an increase in heart rate (tachycardia), intensive breathing (hyperventilation), and sweating (which can cause chills and fever). Hyperventilation leads to CO2 (carbon dioxide) level reduction in the lungs and then into the blood. This leads to jumps in the blood acidity (pH), which may cause such symptoms as dizziness, numbness or tingling of extremities.
Simply put, a panic attack is nothing more than a manifestation of fear without its source. Imagine that someone inadvertently increased the fire alarm system sensitivity in a room, and now it turned on itself in any random time. Something similar happens to us during the attacks: our body starts to sound the alarm without apparent reason. Of course, the panic attack of some people is triggered by some events in the outside world, for example, it starts in the subway or on the plane. But the principle is the same: the body reacts to some things too strongly and sensitively and “turns on” the panic mode.
That is the way the body is. The “fight-or-flight” response, which underlies the panic attacks, was set up by evolution for us to be able to survive in case of danger. It is obvious that during the panic attacks this mechanism fails, and it starts in those moments, when it is not dictated by any expediency, that’s all.
More in detail about panic attacks you can read in my article:
Panic attacks and panic disorder symptoms. Are they dangerous?
Psychology of panic attack
The next step of “knowing the enemy by sight” is to understand what psychological causes create a panic attack. A panic attack is kind of – a “parasite”. The statement should not be understood literally. PA is not a living organism; therefore, the word “parasite” is quoted. The comparison is given just to simplify the understanding. Like any parasite, the panic attack exists at the expense of your energy, emotions, fears and it feeds on them.
The attacks are characterized not only by a sudden panic about some unknown matter, but also by the fact that during these attacks other fears and anxieties, which further only increase the attack, blossom. For example, you start to think that you will go mad, will lose control, or will die; you start spinning this ball of anxiety in own head, and thus new fears are born: you think that you have a serious illness, that you will never be cured, that all this will remain forever, etc.
The bundle of fears begins to ravel even more and you get worse; all symptoms of the panic attacks become stronger. When everything finally passed, you do not feel relief, but live in some anxious anticipation of new panic attacks. The fear of PA repetition provokes new panic attacks! Do you understand? It turns out that the panic mechanism in your body triggers the initial momentum of your body physiological reactions’ chain (adrenaline rush, increase in heart rate, etc.) and the rest “work” is done by yourself! How? You begin to fear, you provoke the emergence of new fears, you work yourself up and you feel groundless concern related to your health and your life.
Thus, you form a fertile ground for the emergence of new panic attacks.
Panic attacks like parasites feed on your fears, without which they will either be weakened thus becoming easier to be endured, or will disappear altogether. This is the key moment in understanding the nature of panic attacks and in getting rid of them! This understanding has allowed me to get rid of them. And now I will consider different methods of dealing with the panic attacks and will assess the effectiveness of each of them, as a particular example and in general.
For a start, I will tell you about the panic attacks’ treatment, about how to get rid of the problem forever. And then I will pass to “operational” methods, which will help you quickly stop the PA in case it occurs.
How do I feel about panic attacks’ “treatment” with the help of pills?
I guess that having quoted the word “treatment”, you already understand my attitude towards the use of antidepressants or tranquilizers in getting rid of the PA. In case you ask me whether you should, first of all, take pills at panic attacks?!
My answer will be: By no means! (Just the same as with depression, chronic nervousness, etc.) I believe that panic attacks have a range of emergence causes. These causes include, for example, exposure to stress, concern, bad habits, sedentary lifeforbidden, and emotional oversensitivity.
The PA causes consist of both psychological aspects of the personality and physiological state of the organism. The likelihood of the PA emergence – is an inverse function from the general state of your health: mental and physical. Any treatment involves getting rid of the disease causes; otherwise we can talk only about symptoms’ removal. Taking pills represents a “temporary” and unreliable solution, while ignoring the complex of measures aimed at refining yourself!
Are pills able to solve your health problems? No, they will provide only some temporary relief. Previously, we found that attacks feed on your fears and can exist only when you set these fears going. Are pills able to teach you to control your fear and resist it? Undoubtedly, they will allay the fear, but is this the solution? You will not learn to control the fear!
Even if the medicated “treatment” gives some result, then, what will happen if attacks returns? What if emotional trauma occurs again, what if sudden stress? Will you take pills again? What if it is ineffective for the second time? Will you take pills once again? What if it does not help?
A great number of these “what if” makes you completely helpless in the face of new panic attacks, because relying on pills as an easy and instant “solution” of the PA problem, you have become addicted to such solutions! Things depend on you no longer, it is all about whether the new course of antidepressants will bring the desired effect or not, whether you will have to endure the trauma again or not.
You become like a casino player, when only the luck determines the winning and losing. In cases when things depend on you no longer, you start to be afraid of new attacks, since you leave their appearance up to chance. Of course, pills represent a quick and the easiest way, but it is extremely inefficient. If you are a supporter only of such methods, you can leave the website right now, because further I will reveal some proven methods of long-term results!
I will tell you about the methods that will allow you not only to get rid of panic attacks, but also will help you not to be afraid of their re-occurrence. Of course, refining yourself is not as easy as going to the doctor and asking him to prescribe you some pills that he will gladly prescribe. It’s not only about doctors. Unfortunately, people look for exceptionally easy, fast and maybe unreliable solutions to their problems. That is why doctors prescribe them the things they came for.
People should take pills only in case when all other means were of no help. Or use them in combination with other natural methods of getting rid of the panic attacks (sports, therapy, exercises). One should by no means be limited only to medications!
It will be even better to cope without pills, as I did. Do not forget: antidepressants and tranquilizers are very harmful. Pills can also cause severe dependency of which it will be difficult to get rid. In my opinion this is the latest means in the case.
Accompanying symptoms of panic attacks
The insidiousness of panic attacks is that they bring a lot of unpleasant feelings, which, as it might seem, cannot be attributed to panic attacks. Therefore, people start being afraid of the fact that besides panic disorder they may have many other diseases. I often receive such comments (on the Russian version of the website) like: “Nikolay, in addition to panic attacks I feel like something is wrong with me, as though I look at the world through a haze.”
I also had these symptoms, which disappeared along with the panic disorder. Based on my own experience and based on many readers’ reviews, I arrived to the conclusion that these symptoms are associated with panic disorder. I decided to list them under this section, so that those who read this article have no need to invent themselves new diseases and no need to worry about these symptoms. I had experienced a part of them, when I was suffering from the PA.
Feeling of unreality. Feeling as through signals from the outside world reach late. As through you look at the world through a haze. I had suffered from this. It has passed along with the PA. It is called derealization or depersonalization. You can read about this in more detail in my article “How to get rid of derealization and depersonalization”
Increase of blood pressure. I had suffered from this. It has passed along with the PA.
Feeling as though you faint. Surrounding sounds are upon that distorted. I had suffered from this. It has passed along with the PA.
It is difficult to fix your gaze on a single object. It always “jumps”. I had suffered from this. It has passed along with the PA.
Fear of dying. Fear of going mad. Feeling that I might lose control and hurt myself or loved ones. I had suffered from this. It has passed along with the PA.
Increase of heart rate. I had suffered from this. It has passed along with the PA.
Sleep problems. A sharp high-frequency sound in ears, when dropping-off to sleep. A sharp awakening, which brings the feeling as though you are falling. Literally “shakes out of sleep.” Frightening images in the head when falling sleep. I had suffered from this. It has passed along with the PA.
Fear of swallowing food. A few readers, who left comments, had suffered or suffer from this.
If you find out that these symptoms are characteristic to you too, do not worry. You are not sick, schizophrenic or psycho. These effects are present in many people, who suffer from PA, as well as I was. If you have other symptoms associated with panic disorder and I haven’t listed them, nevertheless, do not be afraid. Panic attacks manifest themselves in different ways. Some people experience the fear of dying from a heart attack, the other lose their appetite, others are afraid of getting into subway, the next ones are afraid of global catastrophes, and there are some people that swallow with difficulty…
The PA aggravate your hidden fears and phobias and create new ones. Namely on you depend the way of these fears’ manifestation – fear of public transport or constant anxiety for your life. If as a result of the PA some unknown phobia has occurred, no need to think that your case is unique and requires a unique approach. (Although, I highly recommended you to see a doctor and make sure that you have no other diseases!) Your fellow-sufferers are not only those who have the same fear, but also all those who suffer from the panic attacks! It does not matter what exactly your phobia is, it is important that it results from the panic disorder and requires a therapeutic approach, which is applied to panic attacks.
That is, all tips from the article are suitable for anyone, who suffers from the panic disorder, no matter how panic attacks show themselves in his particular case!
I have added this section in December 18, 2013. I hope this information will help people worry less and will resolve some issues.
Methods of getting rid of panic attacks forever
Do meditation
I must tell you at once that meditation is a technique for relaxation and self-control, not a mystical discipline. There is no magic and sorcery. Namely meditation has helped me get rid of panic attacks (in conjunction with the rest, about which I will tell you later). Meditation aims to fight against the cause of panic attacks: it reduces your sensitivity to stress, teaches to relax and deal with your fears, not to give them way.
I am not the only one, who has experience in panic disorder treatment by means of meditation: in the Internet, you can find a lot of comments on how meditation has helped many people get rid of panic attacks. When I read the sources, I have not found any comment concerning the fact that meditation practice somehow aggravated the PA. Basically, it helps get rid of them.
Recently, I received regular comments from the readers of my Russian version of the website. The comments reveal the fact that meditation helps them cope with panic attacks. People write in their comments that many more traditional methods were ineffective for them, and they have almost lost their hope of getting rid of panic disorder.Some of them could not even leave the house, being afraid of attacks. Meditation has taught them to deal with panic, to calm their mind and to control their emotions. They even do not believe in the received result; it was so unexpected.
Even if meditation doesn’t help you cure the PA, about which I frankly doubt, with the help of it you will no longer identify yourself with your fears, you will be able to distract from the attack, to control it, to stop the flow of unpleasant thoughts, and thus, to make the PA much more tolerant and smooth. I have heard that some therapists recommend meditating. Science has long identified the positive effect, which meditation has on your health and mood.
The positive effect is achieved only at regular practice. My anxiety and panic attacks have passed in about six months after systematic meditation twice a day. A year later I felt completely confident and not afraid of attacks’ repetition. Changes will not come overnight, but, meditation ensures a long-term effect and it does not only solve the problem of panic attacks, but also can give your personality much more: a sober mind, strong willpower, control of your feelings and mind, and unruffled calm. This is a valuable practice, which would come pat later.
I stopped being afraid of new attacks, not only because due to meditation I have become calmer and relaxed, but also because I know how to resist them in case of their emergence. Now I am sure that the PA will not be able to break me and plunge into despair.Due to meditation, I have learned to deal with them.
I would consider the panic attack as some original feeling more (some adrenaline rush in the middle of the day for no apparent reason: thrills, and just for free!), than as a threat. Meditation taught me this positive perception of the PA. When you learn to perceive the attacks this way, then they will go away forever. After a while, when I started meditating, I gradually began to realize what I shall do to feel good. This understanding was not a sudden revelation; it has penetrated into me gradually, drop by drop, and even imperceptibly, at first.
Meditation not only gets rid of panic attacks, but also gives you a subtle scent of your body, organizes the balance between your body and your mind, so that you begin to realize what your body needs in order to feel good and how to resist the painful attacks. You will have strength and willpower to implement this understanding in practice, to direct the conscious efforts to fight against the disease.
This is a great advantage of meditation over pills, the use of which does not imply any internal work, no conscious resistance. That is why the meditation practice can guarantee you that the PA will not come back and if they arise again, you will know what to do! You will be helpless no longer; you will be armed and very dangerous! And your willpower and your mind will become your weapon. Following the link you will be able to read about how to meditate properly.
Before you start meditating, I want to warn you about one thing. No need to consider meditation as a course of taking antidepressants, which consists in the fact that you are taking the medicament for a certain time and passively wait for some therapeutic effect, which either occurs or not. Many Russian readers of my blog have left a lot of comments like: “I am meditating for a month, when my panic attacks will go away? What shall I do? I think that nothing comes of it!”
Their mistake is that they are waiting for some instant effect and hope that the attacks will pass by themselves, once they start meditating. Undoubtedly, meditation has a strong antidepressant effect, if you do it regularly. It improves your mood, strengthens your nervous system and makes your less sensitive to stress. But its effect comes not only through this. Meditation is an effective tool to control your own mind. It gives you a valuable resource with the help of which you can manage your fears and emotions.
In order to get rid of panic attacks, you will need not only to wait every day until the attacks will finally go away due to meditation. You should not be passive; you should be active and try to exercise your willpower and control over the attacks! You will have to learn to deal with panic attacks, get rid of compulsive thoughts, not to pay attention to panic, not to identify yourself with your fears. Meditation will teach you all these.
Start meditating, watch yourself during the meditation, and try to observe your thoughts and emotions in a normal state, as you do it during the meditation. Panic attacks will pass, when you stop being afraid of them, when you learn to let your numerous fears go during the attack … They will not magically pass by themselves. This is not the easiest way. There are no quick, easy and at the same time effective ways to get rid of the panic disorder.
Remember what I have written at the beginning of the article, – the strength of panic attack depends on you, on your reaction to this attack. And if you learn to tolerate and ignore the attacks, you will win the PA. This is your first priority, use meditation as a tool for achieving this.
I cannot guarantee 100% that meditation will help all and sundry eliminate the panic attacks. Meditation is simply one of the tools for fighting against the PA, though very effective one. Therefore, do not be hung up about it. Try other safe ways of getting rid of the disease, along with meditation.
At the beginning of practice, your condition may get worse. This is normal, the same happened to me, and it should pass. If after a few weeks, it will not pass: meditate less or stop practicing at all.
Go in for sports
I have already written that in my opinion, the main PA cause is, among other things, the poor physical condition of your body. This condition occurs due to sedentary work, lack of physical activity, stress, malnutrition, disturbance of sleep and wakefulness, etc.
If you are reading the article, most likely, you suffer from panic disorder, so ask yourself: Do you ignore physical activity? How often do you get sick (for example, cold)? Do you smoke? Do you drink? Are you often troubled and worried over trifles? Do you sleep badly? Are you strongly tired? Is your lifeforbidden sedentary?
I’m sure that probably most of the answers to these questions will be positive. Panic attacks are directly connected to the general health of your body and your lifeforbidden. Those people, who do not pay enough attention to their health, became members of PA risk group.
Simply put, the PA cause is related to the health of your body, nervous system, and not only to some psychological problems, such as repressed memories and hidden complexes. Absolutely healthy people rarely suffer from PA. And if it is really the case, then you will not be able to solve the panic attacks’ problem by taking pills. Do they make you healthier? If you are too lazy to exercise, then start meditating.
But, of course, it is better to do both of them. Thus panic attacks will pass faster. Therefore, I will provide you with some pieces of advice related to the fight against PA by means of the general improvement of your body.
Remember that sport is not a panacea, but prevention! It can help some people get rid of the PA, and cannot help other ones. But if you’re not going to do the minimum physical activity, then everything will get only worse. No good mental health is present in a diseased and weakened body.
It is better to choose the sport, the activities of which take place in the open air: running, skiing, doing chinups, riding bicycle, etc. I am a big fan of running. Running is the best antidepressant. After a 40-minute run, my mood improves and anxiety recedes. There is even a term that describes the mood lifting after running: “runner’s high”
Practise yoga
Some of my Russian readers have written that they are actively involved in sports for a long time, but the PA still do not pass. If sport does not help, then do some yoga. During sports activities your body gets excited, but during yoga your body and mind, on the contrary, relax, despite the fact that your muscles are working.
Yoga is not only some kind of gymnastics. First of all, it is a concentration, some work with breathing and relaxation. Yoga will be a perfect tool of fighting against the disease for those people, who suffer from panic attacks or depression.
Get rid of bad habits
Alcohol can stop the attack (however, based on my own experience, I know that you need to consume a lot of alcohol in order to achieve this purpose), but its use leads only to deterioration of your condition and increase the power of panic disorder in the long term, because of its damaging effects on your body.
I remember that panic attacks got strongly aggravated on the next day after drinking alcohol. If you are suffering from PA, this greatly increases the risk of harmful addictions’ formation and, as a consequence, your disease can get only worse.
Because you can easily get used to the source, which helps you block out the attack and feel better, such as alcohol or pills. The same can be applied to cigarettes and other drugs, which destroy the body and form favorable conditions for new attacks’ emergence. Try to reduce your coffee consumption up to the minimum.
Learn how to stop smoking.
Take a contrast shower
This procedure tones and trains your body. Since the time I started taking a contrast shower, a few years ago, I have never caught a cold! I am sure that it helps against PA as prevention. It also increases the mood, because of endorphins’ production.
Follow the sleep schedule
You should sleep on a regular basis, go to bed and wake up around the same time, get enough sleep, do not sleep too much! In fact, the sleep schedule strongly determines your health and mood. You should not neglect it. Do not treat it simply as prevention! Your sleep can have a big impact on the course of your illness.
Go to bed early (before 12-00 PM) and get up directly the alarm clock rings. Try to spend less sleepless nights from Friday to Saturday after a whole week of work! This tires your nervous system very much, and fatigue initiates the PA.
Eat healthy food
The food largely determines our body condition. Try to eat less fast food, eat less fatty meat and foods containing a lot of sugar.
Eat more vegetables, fish, chicken, fruits, berries, nuts, and seafood.
Put aside the thoughts about attacks
Try to dwell less on the attack; this is a good rule at any illness, not only at “psychological” one. Do not lose courage, relax: anxious anticipation of new attacks will only aggravate the PA. If thoughts about attacks enter your mind, do not allow their development. No need to think about them, just take your attention away, think about something else.
Every time find yourself once again bogged down in a swamp of negative thoughts and pull yourself out of there.
These thoughts may seem convincing and requiring immediate consideration, but it is just an illusion generated by your current state. Make yourself a promise that you will not think about the PA emergence. You should not get hung up on your health. No need to analyze your morale and think about how you feel. Put aside the thoughts like: “How do I feel now? Does treatment help me or not, I cannot understand?”
Relax. The less you think about your state of health, the easier it will become.
Less feel sorry for yourself and do not identify yourself with your fear
No need to think about how bad you feel, what a heavy fate came your way, how you suffer, etc. The fight against the PA requires some courage, and even some self-denial. While the pity for yourself leads to obsession with your illnesses (not just PA), and only aggravates your suffering, into which fire you pour the oil of pity. Yes, you feel bad, but – are you unable to cope with it? Remember, panic attack is just a certain physiological configuration of your body, one of many at which you feel some discomfort, and nothing more. Endure it as a headache, which will surely pass.
Do not identify yourself with panic and fear that occur during the panic attack. This fear is not a part of your personality. This fear is an illusion and deception. This is the way the panic disorder manifests itself.
Do not be on the bit of panic attacks
For example, if you planned to go to some meeting, but the attack caught you by surprise, then you should not cancel the meeting just because of the attack. Go to the meeting and behave as if you have no panic attack! This is the principle of feedback, which works very well and gives you a distinct advantage in controlling your disease.
Stop listening to PA orders, like: stay home, lie in bed and complain about how bad you feel, avoid communication and avoid crowded places. Do the opposite: walking in crowded places, attend meetings, go on dates and have a walk! Learn to face your fears! Imagine that you have no panic disorder and behave appropriately.
General tips:
walk more in the fresh air
spend less time in front of the monitor
move more
go for long walks
do useful work
read books
How to stop a panic attack quickly
Diaphragmatic breathing and other relaxation techniques
Meditation is not the only tool to fight against the panic attacks, although it is the most effective. I know that breathing exercises help cope with the PA. I have written about them in the article “How to stop being nervous.” Breathing stabilization during the attacks leads to their weakening.
Because, during these exercises, we breathe using the chest and our breathing rate accelerates. You have to do the opposite: to breathe with your stomach, using deep rhythmic tidal breathing. During this exercise you should put aside all your thoughts and focus only on your breath.
“Paper bag” method
It is a well-known method of dealing with the PA. Its essence lies in the fact that you press a paper bag against your face and breathe in out. Thus, you limit the flow of oxygen into your lungs, which are now filled with carbon dioxide. But, despite the popularity of the method, it is criticized by a number of specialists. Not only because of the fact that, doing the exercise in public, you look like a solvent abuser. Experts say that this method can only increase the attack, because of the sharp reduction of the oxygen level in the blood, and it is not recommended to use a paper bag in order to prevent the attack.
Personally I have not tried to breathe into a paper bag during the PA, but I still recommend you to trust the scientist words and instead of using a paper bag, practice the diaphragmatic breathing, which is a very effective relaxation method.
Physical trainings “take” the PA energy
Apart from the fact that sport strengthens your health, improves your well-being and your mood, because during the physical activities endorphins are emitted – it also consumes energy. Energy is required for the PA emergence. Panic attack exists due to your body’s energy resources. I advise you to pay attention to the fact that when you get tired because of physical training, the PA appears considerably less frequent, than in those moments when you have a lot of strength!
This happens because the physical activity takes away the energy, which is required for the attacks’ occurrence. I am sure that a 30-minute run in the fresh air can significantly weaken the attack – try: you will get so tired that you will forget about the attack at all! It is better to spend the energy during some sports activities, instead of wasting it on panic disorder.
Though I have not experienced the PA for a long time, I must say that sport helps me very much to relieve fatigue and stress after work. After the training, your mood greatly increases and your mind becomes clear and rested. Sport is a natural antidepressant and tonic!
Fight against the PA – Way of the Samurai
In my opinion, this is one of the most effective methods of rapid getting rid of PA. I have called this way as “Way of the Samurai,” because it requires some endurance, strong-willed training, and even some courage, but it works perfectly.
How To Get Rid of Panic Attacks
Its essence lies in the fact that at the moment of panic attacks you should not try to get distracted or somehow stop the attack, but, on the contrary, you should focus all your attention on it and try even to increase it in some way. You should practically “want” that attack would fell over you with all the power, would become a challenge for your moral stamina, as a kind of dangerous and extreme entertainment.
The difference between extreme entertainments and the attack consist in the fact that the PA is completely safe, you should understand that nothing will happen to you, no matter how it may looks like. It is like jumping off a bridge with an insurance rope. The insurance rope is reliable, your life is not in danger, but it is still scary. You have to decide and take a step. If you managed to set yourself this way, to meet the attack face-to-face with almost fierce fighting courage, then, in the first moments it will really become stronger, because you meet it half-way.
But then, the effect will be quite the opposite. No matter how funny it may sound, but a panic attack as if “takes offense” at you and walks away! “Why you are not afraid of me any longer?”, “Why you do not run away from me?”, “Why you are not afraid of going mad, where is your entire fear?” – these will ask the panic attack. (The same thing happened in “Revolver” movie by Guy Ritchie, during the elevator scene, where the main character managed to beat his fear. Watch this scene in the end of the article.)
As I said, PA is a parasite that feeds on your fears, phobias and paranoia. Stop feeding the PA! Using the method of the Samurai, you will be able to pull yourself together, focus your willpower, and control the situation, instead of capitulating cowardly in the face of some phantoms and illusions. After all, you are not in danger! You will not go mad; your heart will not stop!
What are you afraid of? Try it! This method helped me, and I have heard from other people that they, independently of me, came up with such a way of dealing with their disease and effectively directed it against the PA. But they have their own names for the method… I do realize that my thoughts will meet a lot of objections. One might think that I have not truly felt strong attack, during which it is impossible both to pull yourself together and to think and understand something.
Believe me, I was going through this. It concerns my training. After a while, when you start meditating, you will be able to control the PA in particular and all your emotions and feelings in general. They will stop hitting you, like high waves. You will have the opportunity to look at them as if from the outside, as something alien to you and, consequently, control them. Now it seems complicated and, perhaps, impossible, but believe me, it’s just a matter of practice. Nothing is impossible.
What people are mostly “liked” by the panic attack?
In conclusion, I would like to warn you that the considered by me methods related to the ways of getting rid of panic attacks, are not able to give you immediate effect and relief.
You will have to be patient and make some efforts. Do not despair, when, in spite of all your efforts, PA will continue to exist – not all at the same time. This can be especially applied to meditation and sports.
You can feel the beneficial effects of both of them only over time and only with regular training. These are not the easiest solutions, but the best and reliable ones! They will help you not only solve the PA problem. They are also able to give you much more than you expect of them: a healthy body, good mood every day, lack of stress in your life, mindfulness, a lot of strength and energy, harmony and balance.
Remember the philosopher’s words: “What does not kill us makes us stronger.” This is a correct statement in some way, but it has some limitations. I would specify it by saying: “What does not kill us can make us stronger, but it can make us weaker as well.” I want to say that prolonged panic attacks can greatly demoralize you, in case you strongly dramatize and feel sorry for yourself.
But with the right attitude towards the PA, this not the most pleasant ailment can be your excellent school of managing your feelings, i.e. making you stronger. The one, who passed through panic attacks meat grinder and coped with the attacks independently, is able to handle his life’s challenges much better and reacts to paltry failures less, than those who did not experience these attacks and were not able to face the “extreme” mental states.
Do not allow the PA to break you, let them make you stronger! Remember, the best psychotherapists and the most modern medicines will fail to help you, until you want it by yourself! Just as seeds of different plants prefer different soil, the panic attacks can grow within a certain mental order. Panic disorder likes laziness, lack of initiative, tendency to complain and suffer, lack of courage, poor health, lack of willpower and ignorance…
There is also a mental order, which will be disastrous for panic attacks! This order includes spiritual strength, courage, willpower, self-denial, a positive view of things, willingness to take responsibility, ability to endure stoically failures and a sound mind.
There are no easy ways of getting rid of panic attacks. Your task is to cultivate your attitude to the attacks, which corresponds to the disastrous mental order for the disease. Look your fears in the eye, learn to control your anxiety, control your thoughts, and do not simply wait when the attack will pass thanks to some miracle.
My thoughts for today... April 19th, 201601:18 Apr 20 2016
Times Read: 494
I was reminded tonight of a memory of my Grandmother on my fathers side... It is very precious to me and I feel the need to share it this night...
It was a usual day at school, high school that is, and I received a call from my beloved Grandmother. She told me she needed to see me right away and hung up the phone. I was so worried I hopped into my car and sped all the way there. It only took me 10 minutes, when in all actuality it should have been a 20-25 minute ride. When I got there, she had homemade cookies and a pot of hot tea on the table. She told me to sit down, and proceeded to call down her cellar stairs to someone in the basement. Up the stairs came her plumber, a nice man who said there is nothing wrong with your water heater...lol.
She said I wanted you to meet my Granddaughter. I was immediately embarrassed and told her that I had a boyfriend. Apparently she didn't approve. He thanked me, winked at me and graciously left. She then proceeded to make herself a cuppa tea and sat with me. She told me how she met my Grandfather, the only love of her life...
It was a hard time back then, and she was reading the newspaper. It was a time of war rations and food and supplies were almost non-existent. In it, were names and addresses of soldiers serving during the war. They were looking for penpals and people to write to during a very tough time in war...
She immediately chose one with a delightful name, and began writing. He was thrilled and wrote back. They lived for each others letters, and after 6 months and a long war, he came to her, proposed and they eloped. They were blissfully married for over 75 years and never ever quarreled. He died sadly, and she lasted not long after of a broken heart. I still to this day remember their love. It was unending, timeless and lasted long after life claimed them both. I am convinced they are together even now...
She told me that his letters touched her heart and soul as no other man ever had, and she knew he was the one...
She wanted me to have the same and did her best to find me love. Sadly, she will never see me have this kind of love... but honestly feel that I have finally made the connection she so desperately wanted for me. Neither time nor space stopped them from loving each other. They would not allow anything to get in the way of their love.
I do not believe that true love is only in the movies, or in books. I saw it not once but twice in both my sets of Grandparents... and they both refused to settle for less than perfect love, and were not afraid of sacrifice, work and compromise to get it...
May my Grandparents find eternal bliss even now, and their words of wisdom never fell on deaf ears...
I love you all very much and may the angels deliver this message to you all...
Never settle for less than what you deserve... Never be afraid of hard work, sacrifice and compromise. Never go to bed angry, no matter what time of day or night it is...
Never share your disagreements with others... Keep your vows sacred... and never ever be afraid to try again... True love perfection only comes when you are both ready for the long road...
May you find love in its truest form....
Morganna
10 things you might not know about Bloody Mary...14:20 Apr 19 2016
Times Read: 502
http://www.britain-magazine.com/carousel/10-things-you-might-not-know-about-bloody-mary/
Discover the turbulent life of England’s first queen in her own right, Queen Mary I, and how she got her fearsome reputation…
Mary Tudor, Bloody Mary
Portrait of Mary Tudor, Queen of England, from 1554. Credit: GL Archive/Alamy
1. Our first queen regnant
Mary was the first crowned queen to rule England, from 1553 to 1558, in her own right rather than through marriage to a king, she created the precedent, enshrined in law in 1554, that the powers of the monarchy were the same for a queen as a king.
2. Illegitimate
Aged 17, Mary was declared illegitimate and removed from the succession and sent from court after her father King Henry VIII, in his quest for a male heir, divorced her mother Catherine of Aragon in favour of Anne Boleyn.
Portrait of the young Mary I of England, ca 1521-1525. Credit: Heritage Image Partnership Ltd/Alamy
Portrait of the young Mary I of England, ca 1521-1525. Credit: Heritage Image Partnership Ltd/Alamy
3. Truculent
She reacted truculently when expected to kowtow to Henry and Anne’s new baby daughter, Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth I), in the nursery of the royal palace at Hatfield, and refused to renounce her Catholic faith.
4. Restored
In 1544 Mary was restored to the line of succession (although she remained illegitimate) after her father married his sixth wife Catherine Parr in 1543 who, to her credit, reunited the king and his three children in something approaching family harmony.
5. Removed
Then fortunes changed again when her nine-year-old half-brother, King Edward VI, ascended the throne in 1547. He removed her from the succession and, when he died in 1553, his Protestant cousin Lady Jane Grey was nominated queen instead.
6. Crowned
Mary rallied forces at Framlingham Castle in Suffolk and the rebels behind ‘Nine Days Queen’ Lady Jane’s ill-judged coup backed down. When Mary rode into London, bells pealed and crowds cheered. Her Tudor inheritance had been upheld and she was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 1 October 1553.
A portrait of Mary I’s future husband and heir to the throne of Spain, Philip II in Armour, painted by Titian in 1551 Credit: Museo del Prado/Wikipedia
A portrait of Mary I’s future husband and heir to the throne of Spain, Philip II in Armour, painted by Titian in 1551 Credit: Museo del Prado/Wikipedia
7. Marriage
Mary’s marriage to Philip, heir to the Spanish throne, in July 1554, got off to a good start, despite him being 11 years Mary’s junior. But, while she loved with her husband, Mary refused him a coronation and funds from the English purse. Philip, somewhat annoyed, spent much time on the Continent, leaving his heartbroken queen behind. The marriage remained childless.
8. Burned
Mary restored papal supremacy in England and revived old heresy laws. So began the terror that saw nearly 300 people being burned at the stake between February 1555 and November 1558.
9. Unpopular
Mary became even more unpopular when her Philip, King of Spain from 1556, dragged England into war against the French, resulting in the loss of Calais in 1558 – England’s last possession in France. Mary lamented, “When I am dead, you will find Philip and Calais engraved upon my heart.”
10. Despair
Dogged by ill health and despair, she passed away later that year at St James’s Palace. She was just 42.
- See more at: http://www.britain-magazine.com/carousel/10-things-you-might-not-know-about-bloody-mary/#sthash.MxN4yFkH.dpuf
British Castles, Stately Homes and Houses...http://www.dlc.fi/~hurmari/castles3.html
14:00 Apr 19 2016
Times Read: 503
Abbotsford House photo,
Borders, Scotland, home of Sir Walter Scott, full of memorabilia relating to the famous writer
Aberconwy House photo,
Conwy, Gwynedd, was built by a prosperous merchant in the 14th century; the oldest remaining domestic medieval structure in town; furnishings reflect changes in forbiddens and use since the seventeenth century.
Alloa Tower photo
Clackmannanshire, Scotland, is one of the largest tower houses in Scotland and dates from the 14th century. The Erskine family has owned it since around 1360 and the property is now being managed by the National Trust of Scotland in partnership with Clackmannanshire Council. The House still retains original medieval features such as the dungeon, first-floor well and magnificent oak roof timbers. Fully restored and furnished to a high standard, the Tower contains a unique collection of family portraits and silver on loan from the present Earl of Mar and Kellie. The eight-year restoration programme that recently received a Civic Trust award.
Alnwick Castle photo,
Northumberland, home of The Duke of Northumberland for 700 years, has a fine collection of paintings and books
Appleby Castle photo,
Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, started as a Roman castle and the building on that site started again in the 12th century, the Keep was built in 1170 in the ownership of King Henry I. The Castle site was granted to Robert de Vipont in 1203, and the Castle passed to the Clifford family in 16th century for 400 years. Lady Anne Clifford, one of the greatest names in the history of Westmoreland, undertook in the 17th century extensive rebuilding photo of the Castle.
Apsley House photo ,
"Number One, London", The Wellington Museum, at London's Hyde Park Corner, designed by Robert Adam and built 1771-78, sold in 1817 to the first Duke of Wellington; a wonderful collection of paintings ( Velásquez, Goya, Murillo, Jan Brueghel, Rubens, Steen), porcelain, silver and gold, batons and swords.
Arley Hall, photo,
Cheshire, is a most interesting stately home standing on the same site as the first house built by the family in 1469. The home of Lord Ashbrook, the great great grandson of Rowland Egerton-Warburton, who built the present Hall between 1832 and 1842 as a classic example of the Victorian Jacobean forbidden. The Emperor's Room is named after Prince Louis Napoleon, later Napoleon III, who slept here when he spent the winter of 1847-8 shooting on the estate. The room now houses part of the remarkable collection of water-colours done by Rowland's son, Piers Egerton-Warburton. The three centuries old gardens are amongst the finest in Britain.
Armadale Castle photo,
Isle of Skye, is a ruin of a mansion house, not really a castle. The Macdonalds arrived on Skye in 15th century from the Southern Hebrides and stayed at Armadale from the 1650s. Flora MacDonald of Bonnie Prince Charlie fame was married here in 1750. The building of the mansion house was finished by in 1815, but much of it was destroyed by fire in 1855. Armadale houses the Clan Donald centre and 'The Museum of the Isles' in some of the outbuildings with the exhition of the history of the Scottish Higlands. The Gardens have 40 acres of exotic trees, shrubs and flowers in its gardens dating from the 17th century.
Arniston House photo,
Gorebridge, Lothian, Scotland, a Georgian Mansion and the home of the Dundas family, who bought the land in 1571. The present owner is Althea Dundas-Bekker and the present house was begun in 1726 and completed in the 1750's on the site of a previous tower house. The architect was William Adam but the building was completed by his son John, brother of the more famous Robert. Arniston contains portraits of the generations of the family from the 16th century up to the present day, by artists including Henry Raeburn and Allan Ramsay.
Arundel Castle photo,
Sussex, an impeccable traditional castle ; armouries, surrounding walls
Astley Hall photo,
Lancashire, was started in 1580's and large parts of it were rebuilt in 1600's. The first owners were the Charnock family, and since then the ownership changed through four families until 1922, when Reginald Tatton donated the Hall to the War Memorial Committee of Chorley, now the Chorley Borough Council. The Great Hall with its plaster ceilings has always been the impressive focal point of Astley Hall. Astley and its Art Gallery is often referred to as the 'Jewel in Chorley's crown' and features among the Simon Jenkins book 'Britain's Best 1,000 Houses'. A visit to Astley Hall is like a voyage into the past, to the time of Tudor and early Stuart England (1580-1650).
Athelhampton House photo,
Dorset, one of the finest 15th century manor houses called by Thomas Hardy as "Athelhall" . An unusually fine garden including 12 giant yew pyramids and a river flowing through
Attingham Park photo,
Shropshire, a great mansion house built by Lord Berwick in 1785. Its fine Italian furniture, paintings and silver collection were brought to house in 19th Century, when the 3rd Lord Berwick was a diplomat in Italy for 25 years. One of the great attractions of the house is the plasterwork ceilings of highly decorative designs. The house is surrounded by a beautiful 500 acres parkland. The estate was handed to the National Trust in 1947 after the death of 8th Lord Berwick.
Audley End photo,
Essex, a Jacobean mansion with magnificent state rooms; 'Capability' Brown park;
Balgonie Castle photo,
Fife, Scotland, was built in 14th century; the chapel was also built that time. Still lived in by the family of the Laird.
Balloch Castle photo,
West Dumbartonshire, Scotland, was first was built in 1238 by the Earl of Lennox and remained the family seat until approximately 1390. Nothing much is left of the moat and the mound where the original castle once stood remain. The present castle was built by John Buchanan in 1808 using the stone from the old castle. Built in the "castle-gothic" forbidden, this listed building was designed firstly as a status symbol and residency and turrets and 'slitted' windows are purely decorative. The castle now houses a visitor centre, which has displays about local history and wildlife. The park is particularly attractive in the spring when the large numbers of rhododendrons and azaleas are in bloom.
Balmoral Castle photo,
Grampian, Scotland, beautifully situated by the River Dee was purchased in 1852 by Prince Albert to be the holiday home of the Royal Family and the present castle was built 1853-55. The exhibition of paintings and works of art in the ballroom is open to the public as well as the grounds and gardens.
Balvaird Castle photo,
Fife, Scotland, the ruins of a 15th century tower with the 1581 addition of a walled courtyard and gatehouse.
Bamburgh Castle photo,
Northumberland, home of Lady Armstrong, dominates the North Sea coast; museum with many exhibits
The Banqueting House photo,
London, was built in 1622, designed by Inigo Jones, as a part of the Palace of Whitehall. The Palace itself was destroyed by fire in 1698, but the Banqueting House was saved. The House has 9 magnificent ceiling paintings by Rubens
Barcaldine Castle photo,
Benderloch, Argyll, Scotland, the 16th Century home of the Campbells of Barcaldine was built by Sir Duncan Campbell (Black Duncan) between 1591 and 1601. The castle saw some very unsettled times and was ruined by the mid 19th Century. In 1896 Sir Duncan Campbell 10th of Barcaldine repurchased the ruined Castle and spent 15 years restoring it for future heirs to enjoy. The present owner Roderick Campbell is now living in the castle with his family offering Argyll’s only ancient castle B&B accommodation (graded 4 stars by the Scottish Tourist Board).
Bateman's photo,
East Sussex, which was built in 1634, became the home of Rudyard Kipling and his American wife Caroline (Carrie) in 1902 and remained their home until his death in 1936. The rooms are still just like they used to be during Kipling's time, and the house feels very much like a home, a very pleasant place to visit. Beautiful garden and a water mill, Kipling's Rolls Royce in the garage.
Beaulieu Abbey photo,
Hampshire, the home of Lord Montagu's family since 1538, Gardens and the National Motor Museum with over 250 vehicles
Beaumaris photo,
Gwynedd, a castle of King Edward I, on Isle of Anglesey; a perfect example of a concentrically planned castle
Beeston Castle photo,
Cheshire, was built, inspired by the great castles of the Holy Land, in 13th century by Earl Ranulf of Chester, on a craggy cliff in the middle of Cheshire plain with magnificent open views to all directions; the deep well is over 100 metres Deep well below ground
Belton House photo,
Lincolnshire, was the home of the Brownlow Cust family since it was built in 1685-88. In 1984 the house was given to the National Trust, but the principal family collections like silver, paintings, the complete library and the outstanding items of furniture remain in Belton. There are paintings by Titian, Reynolds, Romney, Lord Leighton, Boucher.
Belvoir Castle photo,
Leicestershire, was originally built the first time here in the 11th century, destroyed by two Civil Wars and a great fire in 1816, but has always been totally rebuilt. The Castle is at present own by the Duke of Rutland, and the Castle has belonged to his ancestors since the time of the Normans. The Castle has magnificent collections of ancient arms, fine furniture, outstanding paitings ("Henry VIII" by Holbein, Gainsborough, Poussin, Steen, Murillo) and a unique huge silver wine-cooler which weighs 1,979 ounces (56.1kg) and was made for the family in 1682. The Queen's Royal Lancers Regimental Museum is in the Castle.
Beningbrough Hall photo,
Yorkshire, a baroque palace built in 1556, paintings from National Portrait Gallery
Berkeley Castle photo ,
Gloucestershire, after 850 years still remains the home of the Berkeley family who gave name to various places from Berkeley Square in London to Berkeley University in California; a Norman fortress with massive high walls contains treasures like paintings by English and Dutch masters, tapestries, furniture, silver and porcelain. This historic castle was the scene of the murder of King Edward II in 1327, and was in 1645 besieged by Cromwell's troops. The castle is surrounded by lovely Elizabethan Gardens.
Berrington Hall photo,
Herefordshire, was designed by Henry Holland, whose father-in-law 'Capability' Brown planned the beautiful park around the house. It was built 1778-81 for the owner Thomas Harley, who made a fortune supplying pay and clothing to the British Army in America and became Lord Mayor of London in 1767 at the age of 37. The house has a neo-classical exterior with a central portico and a wide flight of steps rising to the entrance. The rooms contain a collection of French furniture.
Bickleigh Castle photo,
Devon, was built in 14th century on the site of the ruined 11th C. castle while the Chapel was built in 6th C. In 15th Century the Courtney family extended the castle, and later the Carew family lived there for two centuries. The castle was used as a Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War, but later the buildings fell in disrepair. The castle was beautifully restored in the early 20th Century and is now used as venue for weddings, corporate events and functions.
The Bishop's Palace photo,
Somerset, next to Wells Cathedral, surrounded by the moat with water from the three springs, wells; bell-ringing swans
Bishop's Waltham Palace ,
Hampshire, remains of the moated medieval house of the Bishops of Winchester, destroyed during the Civil War
Blackness Castle photo,
Fife, Scotland, a 14th century stronghold on a promontory in the Firth of Forth; film location for Hamlet
Blair Castle photo,
Perthshire, Scotland, the ancient home of the Earls and Dukes of Atholl since 1269; famous for the only remaining private army in Europe - the Atholl Highlanders. Taking of photographs is allowed inside this castle, which is a welcome change to the normal rules!
Blenheim Palace photo,
Oxfordshire, home of Duke of Marlborough, birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, the magnificent palace and the unique park of 'Capability' Brown
Blickling Hall photo,
Norfolk; a 17th century red brick house with extensive garden; fine Jacobean ceilings, furniture and collections
Bodelwyddan Castle, photo,
North Wales, was built on the site of an old farmhouse between 1830 and 1852 by Sir John Hay Williams. During the First World War the house was used as a recuperation hospital. In 1920 the house and estate were finally sold by the Williams family to Lowther College, a girls private school. The College was based at the Castle until 1982 when it finally closed due to financial problems. In the 1980s the Castle was purchased by the then Clwyd County Council and developed as a museum, gallery and visitor attraction. Bodelwyddan is now the Welsh home of the National Portrait Gallery, displaying works from its 19th century collection. To house these collections, the interior was sympathetically restored to its Victorian splendour by architect Roderick Gradidge. Part of the castle has now been turned into luxury hotel accommodation.
Bodiam Castle photo,
Sussex, a former military stronghold, uninhabited since the Civil War; location for many movies
Bolsover Castle photo,
Derbyshire; in early 17th century Charles Cavendish had a country house built on the site of a Norman castle, and he wanted the house look like a castle, even though it was never meant to be used for any military purposes. The house was occupied during the Civil War in 1645 by the Parlamentary army who wanted to demolish the whole building and did much damage. After the war the Cavendish family wanted to repair the house, but due to the lack of funds the house was eventually abandoned and being plundered for building materials and furniture. After the WW2 the site was handed over to the Ministry of Works, and heavy engineering works were started to save the house, which was extensively restored by the 1990s.
Bowes Museum photo,
Durham, has a look of an imposing and opulent French chateau , important collection of European art and antiques
Bowhill House photo,
Selkirk, Borders, Scotland; the estate was granted to the Douglas family in 1322 and reverted to the Crown in 1450 as a favourite hunting ground; in 1550 the Scott family became the owners and after a marriage in 1720 between the Scotts and the Douglases the land was restored to the Douglas-Scott family. The present owner is John, 9th Duke of Buccleuch; the present house was built in 1812 with additions in 19th century; an excellent collection of paintings by Gainsborough, Reynolds, Canaletto, Guardi, Van Dyck
Bowood House photo ,
Wiltshire, is the family home of the Marquess and Marchioness of Lansdowne and was built in 1750s. A part of the old building had to be demolished in 1955, and the present Georgian house by Robert Adam has a splendid library, picture and sculpture galleries, and special exhibition rooms with costumes, porcelain and various gifts from India from the time the 5th Marquess was Viceroy of India in 1888-1894.
Braemar Castle photo,
Grampian, Scotland, near the River Dee, was built in 1628 and rebuilt after the fire of 1689; purchased by the Farquharson in 1732 and still owned by the family. Largely rebuilt and garrisoned with English troops in 18th century. Spiral stone staircase leading to the principle rooms;
Broadlands photo,
Hampshire, an 18th Century mansion and parkland, once the home of the Palmerstons and the Mountbattens. One of England's most elegant stately homes, created by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in 1767-80. For the visitor there is an exhibition and audiovisual on life of Lord Mountbatten. The house has a special place in the affections of British royalty. Both the Queen and Prince Philip and the Prince and Princess of Wales spent part of their honeymoons here.
Broadway Tower photo,
Broadway, Worcestershire, an impressive folly tower built in 1797 at top of the 2nd highest point along the Cotswold escarpment. The height of the escarpment here is 1024 feet (312m). Broadway Tower is surrounded by 35 acres (14 ha) of parkland and has a colourful history as - amongst others - home to the renowned printing press of Sir Thomas Phillips and country retreat for pre-Raphaelite artists, notably the artist, designer and writer William Morris.
Brodie Castle photo,
Grampian, Scotland, near Nairn, a typical tower house , was partially burned in 1645 and remodelled in 1730s with additions of the present entrance hall and library in the 19th centuries. Fine furniture, porcelain, paintings and unusual plaster ceilings. Famous for many varietes of daffodils in Springtime.
Brontë Parsonage photo,
Haworth, Yorkshire, the life long home of the Brontë family, where Reverend Patrick Brontë's daughters Charlotte, Emily and Anne wrote some of the greatest novels of the English language. The house is now a museum showing the house as it was during the sisters' time.
Brougham Castle photo,
Penrith, Cumbria, (pronounced ' broom '), was started in Henry II's reign on the site of a Roman fort, and renovated in 17th century by Lady Anne Clifford , who died there in 1676; later the castle was partly demolished and any usable materials were sold in 1714, but again partly restored in 1930's
Broughton Castle photo ,
Banbury, Oxfordshire, for over 600 years the home of the family Fiennes - Lord and Lady Saye and Sele; the original Manor House was built in about 1300 and the present Castle in the second part of the 16th century: location for a part of the movie 'Shakespeare In Love'.
Buckingham Palace photo,
London, the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns, was originally a town house owned by the Dukes of Buckingham. King George III bought Buckingham House in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte and Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to take up residence in July 1837. The Palace is furnished with fine works of art from the Royal Collection including paintings by Vermeer and Rembrandt. The State Rooms are open to the public each year in August and September, the Royal Mews is open throughout the year. The Queen's Gallery is open to the public.
Burgh Castle photo,
the Roman Gariannonum, impressive walls photo of a Roman Fort from the 3rd century, built to defend the coast against Saxon raiders
Burghley House photo,
Stamford, Lincolnshire; one of the finest Elizabethan country houses, was built by William Burghley, later known as Lord Burghley, and the Burghley family still lives in the house. The house is full of priceless treasures of art from famous paintings (Veronese, Carlo Dolci, Joos van Cleve, Gainsborough, Pieter Brueghel Younger), tapestries, sculptures to wonderful ceilings by Antonio Verrio. The majority of the pieces of art were bought by John, the 5th Earl of Exeter and his wife Lady Anne Cavendish on their 'Grand Tour' in late 17th century.
Burleigh Castle photo,
Fife, Scotland, ruins of a 15th century keep with a courtyard wall with a gate and a corner tower; once a stronghold of the Balfours of Burleigh, and visited several times by James VI;
Burton Agnes Hall photo,
Yorkshire, was started as Norman manorhouse in 1173 and has since then never changed hands by sale, but has passed from family to family when the male line has ended. It remains a 'lived-in' family home occupied by descendants of the Wickham-Boynton family. The present Elizabethian Hall contains treasures collected during four centuries - from original carvings to modern and Impressionist paintings.
Burton Constable Hall photo,
Yorkshire, was built during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and is the ancestral home of the Constable family, who have lived here since the house was first built. Many alterations were made to the house during the 18th century and the surrounding park was landscaped by 'Capability' Brown. Nearly 30 rooms are open to view, the interiors are filled with fine furniture, paintings and sculpture, a library of 5,000 books and an unusual 'cabinet of curiosities'.
Burton Court photo,
Leominster, Herefordshire, was first mentioned as a manor house in 1331. The most notable of the Lords of the Manor of Burton were the Brewster (from mid 18th C. until 1865) and the Clowes families. In 1960 it was bought by the present owner, Lieut. Cdr. Robert Macaulay Simpson, for use as a residence and for a soft fruit growing enterprise. Burton Court has been used for private entertaining for 600 years and still is a popular venue for weddings and corporate events.
Caerphilly Castle photo,
South Wales, the largest castle in Britain after Windsor, was built in 1268-1271 by the Anglo-Norman lord, Gilbert de Clare. Surrounded by an artificial lake it was a revolutionary masterpiece of military planning. The famous 10% leaning South-East Tower (it even out-leans the tower at Pisa) which is thought to be due to subsidence, not any military action. .
Caerlaverock Castle photo,
Dumfries, Scotland, ruins of a fine example of a triangular site stronghold built by the Maxwell family, besieged by Edward I in 1300; dismantled and redundant after the 1640 siege;
Caernarfon Castle photo,
Gwynedd, a very fine Edward I castle; setting for the Prince of Wales investiture
Calke Abbey photo,
Derbyshire, a baroque mansion, built in 1703, great collection of stuffed birds; carriage display
Capesthorne Hall photo,
Macclesfield, Cheshire, home of the Bromley-Davenport family and their ancestors since Domesday times; the original Hall was designed by Smiths of Warwick between 1719-1732, altered by Blore in 1837 and finally Salvin rebuilt the centre after a disastrous fire in 1861; a fascinating collection of paintings, sculptures and furniture, extensive park and gardens; in a beautiful Georgian Chapel dating from 1719 services are still held.
Carbisdale Castle photo,
Sutherland, Scotland, was built between 1906 and 1917 for the Dowager Duchess of Sutherland, the widow of 18th Earl of Sutherland, after a long dispute with the Duke's son about the Earl's legacy. In 1933, the castle was bought by Colonel Theodore Salvesen, the wealthy Scottish businessman of Norwegian extraction. Through Colonel Salvesen's consular connections he provided King Haakon VII of Norway and Crown Prince Olav (later King Olav V) with a safe refuge at Carbisdale during the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War II, and during that time the castle was the venue of an important meeting. Salvesen's son Captain Harold Salvesen inherited the castle and in 1945 he gifted the castle to the Scottish Youth Hostels Association as Carbisdale Castle Youth Hostel.
Carew Castle photo,
South Wales; this originally a Norman castle is one of the most magnificent castles of south Wales in the flat land around the tidal Carew river. The Castle was greatly improved and extended in the beginning of 16th century to Elizabethan manor; partly destroyed during the Civil War and finally abandoned in 1686. Next to the Castle there is the Carew Tidal Mill also from the 16th century, even though the present building dates from the early 19th century.
Carlisle Castle photo,
Carlisle, Cumbria, was started by King William II in 1093, and rebuilt in stone in 1157 by Henry II; during 1173-1461 the castle was attacked nine times, and in 1568 Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner in the castle; in 1745 the Jacobite army of "Bonnie Prince Charlie" took the castle on its way south. Great restoring work was done in the 1800's. The castle has been in the hands of the military without break for 800 years and is now also home to the museum of the Kings Own border Regiment and the border Regiment.
Carreg Cennen photo,
South Wales, on a remote crag about 100 meters above the river Cennen in the Breacon Beacons National Park, was started in 13th century as an English outpost by one of Edward I's barons. The natural cave beneath the castle rock, perhaps a prehistoric refuge, is incorporated into the defenses via a gallery passage and can still be explored with torches. During the War of the Roses (1455 - 85) it became a base for Lancastrian, who terrorized the country around. The castle was taken by the Yorkists in 1462, this "robbers den" was laboriously dismantled by 500 men with picks and crowbars. The ruins are still very impressive and the views from the hilltop are magnificent.
Casterne Hall, photo,
Ilam, Staffordshire. The site of Casterne Hall has been a dwelling since time immemorial and the present owners, the Hurts, came here in the late 1400s. It is a famously beautiful Grade II* manor house set in its own estate high above the Manifold Valley not far from Ashbourne. Casterne is hidden away from the rest of the world, and the only noise is that of the cattle and sheep, the owls at night and the occasional tractor.
Castle Campbell photo,
Dollar, Clackmannanshire, Scotland; the 1st Earl of Argyll (the 2nd Lord Campbell) built in 15th C. this mighty, isolated four-storey rectangular tower house high in the hills above Dollar, 'Gloom Castle' as it was called. In 1489 the Earl persuaded James IV to give approval for changing the castle's name, and since that time it was called Castle Campbell and remained the principal residence of the Argyll Campbells for nearly 200 years. The castle was burned in 1654 by Cromwell, later the Earl was executed, and the Campbells abandoned their castle. The castle came under the protection of the National Trust for Scotland in 1948.
Castle Drogo photo,
nr. Exeter, Devon, is the 'last castle to be built in England', and was built entirely of granite in the 1910s and 1920s for Julius Drewe, a businessman, to designs by architect Edwin Lutyens. The forbidden of the castle is mainly from the medieval and Tudor periods with conveniences quite modern during the time it was built. The castle also has a notable garden.
Castle Howard photo,
Yorkshire, built by Sir John Vanbrugh , the location of 'Brideshead Revisited' , an impressive Great Hall and fabulous collection of art;
Castle Menzies photo,
Weem, Perthshire, Scotland, is an excellent and large example of a Z-plan fortified Tower House with flanking towers at diagonally opposite corners and has been the seat of the Chiefs of Clan Menzies for over 400 years. In spite of the present extensive restoration works the castle is kept open to the public during the summer months;
Castle of Mey photo,
Thurso, Caithness, Scotland, was built between 1566 and 1572 by the 4th Earl of Caithness. In 1952 Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother bought the place, which was in a state of neglect but was beautifully restored during the years. .In 1996, she created a charitable trust, which took ownership of the castle and the estate, with the intention of securing their future. The Castle is now open to the public during certain summer months.
Castle Tioram photo,
Moidart, Invernesshire, Scotland; the ruined castle, the ancestral home of the Macdonalds of Clanranald, is accessible only at low tide along a narrow sandy causeway. It is one of the foremost surviving examples of a 13th century castle in Scotland. The castle was destroyed in 1715 when Clan Chief Allan of Clanranald ordered it to be burnt, probably to prevent it falling into enemy hands when he left to fight for the Jacobite cause. The castle is now owned by a Scottish businessman who is hoping to conserve it through a Trust.
Cawdor Castle photo,
Highlands, Scotland, a late 14th century private fortress and a real fairy-tale castle was built around a small living holly tree by the Thanes of Cawdor and is still the home of the Cawdor family; the name of Cawdor was romantically linked by Shakespeare with Macbeth.
Charlecote Park photo ,
Warwickshire, has been the home of the Lucy family since 1247, and the present house was built in 1558. The house was vigorously renovated in 1830s, and only the two-storey gatehouse remained untouched Elizabethan being now a museum. A remarkable piece of furniture is the colossal 'Charlecote buffet', carved by J.M.Willcox with figures of the resources of nature and bought in 1858 for £1,600. The park was improved by 'Capability' Brown in the 1700s.
Chartwell photo,
Kent, since 1922 Sir Winston Churchill's home; a collection of his paintings
Chatsworth photo,
Derbyshire, the palace-like ancestral home of Duke of Devonshire; was built in late 16th century by Elizabeth Hardwick, known as "Bess of Hardwick" and her 2nd husband William Cavendish; there are outstanding painted ceilings by Verrio and Laguerre, a library of over 17,000 volumes, old master paintings by Rembrandt, Hals, Van Dyck, Tintoretto, Veronese, Sargent and Landseer, a collection of neo-classical sculpture, 'Capability' Brown's exceptionally fine garden. Chatsworth was voted the public's favourite house in 1996 and 1999.
Kathleen Kennedy, sister of the late President Kennedy, was married to 10th Duke's elder son William, who was killed in action in WW2 1944, and Kathleen died childless in an aeroplane accident in 1948 at the age of 28.
Chepstow Castle photo,
South Wales, a Norman castle, was started in 1067 by the Norman lord William Fitzosbern on cliffs over the River Wye. During the 12th and 13th centuries the Castle was massively fortified to prepare the Castle for the Welsh wars. In the 14th Century it changed hands many times between the English and the Welsh. In the 16th century the buildings were adapted more comfortable, and came to resemble more a Great House than a Castle. After the English Civil War defences were "dismantled" and the Castle was allowed to decay and areas of it used for small industries. It was eventually passed over to the care of the State in 1953.
Chiddingstone Castle photo,
Kent, rebuilt into fantasy castle c. 1800, famous for its various collections: Buddhistic objects, Egyptian antiquities, Japanese swords, Stuart and Jacobite relics
Chillingham Castle photo,
Alnwick, Northumberland, supposedly Britain's Most Haunted Castle , was already there in 1255 when King Henry III stayed there; in 1344 Sir Thomas Grey was granted the Royal Licence to fortify the castle with stone; now the home of Sir Humphrey Wakefield who is presently restoring the castle; fine garden; interesting exhibitions
Chirk Castle photo,
Clwyd, Wales, was founded about 1295 as a stronghold for Edward I's army captain Roger Mortimer, thus becoming one of the great fortresses of Edward's reign; it is of rectangular, concentric form with walls fifteen feet thick and a massive drum tower at each corner; since 1595 the home of the Myddelton family; conveyed to the National Trust in 1981
Chiswick House photo,
London, a fine Palladian villa , built 1725; Italianate gardens with classical statues;
Clandon Park, photo ,
Surrey, a fine Palladian country house built in early 18th century, park designed by Lancelot Brown; The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment Museum
Clifford's Tower photo, York, North Yorkshire, a 13th century keep on one of the two mottes which were part of the fortifications started by William the Conqueror in 1068. Fine views over the city from the top of the tower.
Clitheroe Castle photo,
Clitheroe, Lancashire, the ruins of a Norman keep on a high limestone mound right in the centre of the town of Clitheroe; the local historical and geological museum in situated in the house next to the castle
Colchester Castle Museum photo,
Essex, a Norman castle keep with a fine museum of Roman and medieval times
Conwy Castle photo,
Gwynedd, a classical 13th century fortress , a masterpiece of medieval architecture in perfect surroundings
Corfe Castle photo ,
Dorset, impressive ruins of a castle which was built 1000 years ago, and had its best period in the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1635 the castle was bought by Sir John Bankes, and as he was the supporter of the king castle was destroyed by the parliamentary forces during the English civil war after a long siege in 1646. The Bankes later built a new house at Kingston Lacy after the Restoration. Enid Blyton in her "Famous Five" stories refer Corfe as "Kirrin Castle" - see the website of Viv Endecott!
Corgarff Castle photo,
Grampian, Scotland, was built about 1530 as a tower house and a lordly residence in one of the most wild and remote districts of Scotland to protect its owners and their valuables; it was converted into Hanoverian troops' barracks in 1748-50 and was returned to private hands in 1802 as a farmhouse having even a whisky distillery there; after WW1 the castle became derelict and was given into State care in 1961 and was restored with star-shaped outworks;
Coughton Court photo ,
Alcester, Warwickshire, has been the home of the Throckmortons since the 15th century and still is - the present Tudor house was built in the 16th century. There are lots of memorabilia of the family in the house and an exhibition of the Gunpowder Plot, which the house has a strong connection with.
Crathes Castle photo,
Grampian, is another Scottish fairy tale castle with turrets and gargoyles, built in late16th century; the seat of the family of Burnett of Leys ; fine furniture and painted ceiling; famous for its beautiful walled garden ,
Criccieth Castle photo,
Gwynedd, stands impressive on a cliff overlooking Cardigan Bay was built at the beginning of the 13th century. Originally a stronghold of the Welsh princes, Criccieth was later annexed and added to by the English monarch, Edward I. In 1404 Owain Glyndwr captured the castle, tearing down its walls and setting the castle afire, a scourging from which the castle never recovered.
Crichton Castle photo,
10 miles SE of Edinburgh, was built in 13th century by Crichton family; in the 1580s the Earl of Boswell made lots of improvements transforming the medieval castle into a remarkable Renaissance residence; Sir Walter Scott has described the castle in his "Marmion" ; became ruins in 1659 when its masonry was due to financial difficulties of the owner taken away for other building purposes;
Croft Castle photo,
Leominster, Herefordshire, is a 17th century stone quadrangular fortress, built close to the site of the old medieval castle. At each corner of the high curtain wall is a small round tower, with a small square tower flanking the north side. The Croft family have lived here since before the Norman invasion. It is thought that the Norman family de Croft came over during the time of Edward the Confessor, and by the time of Domesday, a Bernard de Croft held the land. although now run by the National Trust, members of the Croft family still live in the castle and on the estate, thus continuing the ancient family association. Croft was re-opened to the public in April 2003 after a year long facelift.
Culzean Castle photo,
Strathclyde, Scotland, a Robert Adam palace of the Kennedy family includes a memorial to General Eisenhower
Dalemain photo,
Penrith, Cumbria, home of the Hasell family for over three centuries; the house was started in 12th century as a pele-tower, the early Georgian front and the elegant rooms were completed about 1750; Yeomanry Museum with military relics and mementoes
Deal Castle photo,
Kent, one of the Cinque Ports, was built in 1539 in the shape of the Tudor rose with six petals. It was one of a chain of coastal artillery forts constructed by Henry VIII against a feared invasion by the Catholic powers of Europe. The coast of Deal was considered to be especially vulnerable being near to mainland Europe and having its long shingle beach with easy landing. The castle, surrounded by a deep moat, once had 119 guns and inside its walls it is a maze of long, dark passages, battlements and a huge basement.
Denbigh Castle photo,
Denbighshire, North Wales, was built over the stronghold of Dafydd ap Gruffudd, the Welsh leader crushed by Edward in 1282. as part of Edward I's campaigns against the Welsh. The building created not only a castle but a new English borough protected by town walls. After the restoration of King Charles II (1660-85) the castle and town walls were allowed to fall into ruin and became a ready source of house-building material. In 19th century a 'Castle Committee' was formed to keep the ruins in repair and clearance work was done.
Dirleton Castle photo,
Lothian, Scotland, ruins of a romantic castle; destroyed in 1650; fine gardens
Dolwyddelan Castle photo, North Wales, was built in early 13th century as an important stronghold against the English troups, and its capture on 18 January 1283 was a turning point of the Edwardian campaign. The English maintained a military presence here until 1290. The castle was occupied again in the 15th century, when it was leased to Maredudd ap Ieuan, a local nobleman, who added an upper storey to the keep. In the middle of the 19th century it was extensively restored by the public-spirited Lord Willoughby de Eresby. Dolwyddelan, like most of the castles of the native Welsh princes, is set amidst spectacular scenery. The castle guards a mountain pass through the Vale of Conwy, and it's the beauty of the surrounding countryside that visitors first notice.
Dornoch Castle photo,
Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland, was built in 13th C. by the Bishops of Caithness close to the cathedral as a Bishop's palace, not really a fortress, but a comfortable residence. The castle was severely damaged by fire in 1570 and was left as a ruin, until it was restored in the 19th century to make a residence for the Sheriff of Sutherland. In 1970, a southeast wing was added when the castle was bought and made into a hotel, which it is today. Dornoch is famous of its exellent golf-course.
Doune Castle photo,
Doune, Stirlingshire, Scotland, was built in the late 14th C. by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany. The castle looks very strong and powerful. The dark stone rises to a high of 30 metres at the gate-tower and the high courtyard walls were protected by wall walks allowing defenders to drop material onto attackers from the walls. Doune was last use during the 1745 Jacobite Rising, after which it fell out of use and by the end of the 18th century it was roofless and falling into ruin. In 1883 the 14th Earl of Moray carried out a restoration, and more repairs were done in the 1970's, but it is still one of the least changed castles in Scotland. Doune is perhaps best known as the castle in the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Dove Cottage photo,
Cumbria, Lake District home of William Wordsworth
Dover Castle photo,
Kent, was built on the White Cliffs in 12th century; a view across the Channel; one of the largest castles in the country
Down House photo,
Kent, was built in the early 18th century. Charles Darwin (1809-82) bought the house in 1842 and lived there until his death with his wife Emma and ten children. Situated in the rural Kent village of Downe, the house offered all the peace and privacy that Darwin needed to work, The ground-floor rooms have been recreated to look as they did in Darwin's time. Upstairs, the first-floor rooms contain an exhibition on Darwin's life and work. On the backyard there is Darwin's old Greenhouse with benches filled with orchids and insectivorous plants.
Drum Castle photo,
Grampian, Scotland, was built started with a 13th century keep, to which was later added a Jacobean mansion house ; has belonged to the Irvine family for 653 years; fine furniture and paintings, the 16th-century chapel contains a beautiful stained glass window;
Drumlanrig Castle photo,
Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, 17th century castle , Dumfriesshire home of Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry , renowned collection of paintings by Leonardo da Vinci , Rembrandt, Hans Holbein
Duff House photo,
Banff, Grampian, is one of the most imposing houses in Scotland; was built in 1735-39 for William Duff by William Adam with an unusual dispute about the bill; the owners of the house had in late 19th century, due to financial difficulties, to give up it and the house was changed first to an hotel and in 1913 a sanatorium; the Ministry of Works had it fully restored after WW2 and the Duff House was opened to the public as an outstation of the National Galleries of Scotland in April 1995; a remarkable collection of paintings and furniture from Scotland;
Dumbarton Castle photo,
Dumbarton , Strathclyde, stands on a volcanic rock, which has a longer recorded history as a stronghold than any other place in Britain; was the centre of the independet British kingdom of Strathclyde from the fifth century until 1018; in medieval times Dumbarton was an important royal castle; the importance declined after Cromwell's death in 1658, but continued as a garrison until WW2; most of its buildings have gone and little has survived from the old castle.
Duncombe Park photo,
Helmsley, Yorkshire, is an impressive early-18th century house and family home of Lord and Lady Feversham, has one of the finest Baroque landscapes in England. The house is surrounded by gardens and parkland which contains many magnificent old trees and a national nature reserve. Following a major fire in 1879 the house was rebuilt with care and superb workmanship, largely to the original design. The house was let in 1924 as a girls' boarding school for 60 years, after which extensive restoration of the buildings and the interiors took place. The family pictures and the collection of English and Continental furniture are on show and the principal rooms remain a fine example of the type of 'grand interior' popular at the turn of the century.
Dunnottar Castle photo,
Stonehaven, Grampian, stands on a real dream of a castle site - a hard red rock full with a variety of large pebbles and rocks like raisins in a fruitcakephoto packed there 400 million years ago; in late 14th century Sir William Keith, the Marischal of Scotland built there a tower house, which was later followed by numerous other fortifications and buildings ; in 1651 the Scottish Crown Jewels were successfully protected here against Cromwell's army; today the castle is an impressive and romantic ruin, "a must for anyone who takes Scottish history seriously"!
Dunrobin Castle photo,
Sutherland, Scotland, has been the property of the Sutherland family since 13th C. and parts of the present castle date from that time. The castle by the North Sea with 189 rooms, a fairy-tale look and a distinct air of "French Scottish" was created during the remodel in 1845-51 by Sir Charles Barry, the architect for the House of Commons in London. The castle has been used as a naval hospital during the First World War and from 1965 to 1972 as a boys' school before reverting back to being a family house, and it is now lived in by the Countess of Sutherland. Dunrobin is open to the public every day between Easter and September and is well worth a visit. Next to the garden, based on Versailles, there is a museum containing hunting trophies, taxidermy, fossils, medals, archaeological finds and an important collection of Pictish symbol stones.
Dunstaffnage Castle photo,
Oban, Argyll, built before 1275 with a high curtain-wall on the rock ; ruined by fire in 1810 , when only some of the courtyard buildings survived;
Duntulm Castle photo,
Isle of Skye, now badly ruined, stands on a rocky cliff, overlooking the sea. Duntulm was originally a Pictish fortress, was a long-time residence for the Vikings, but a stone castle was built here around 16th C. by the Macleods and later by the MacDonalds, who abandoned it around 1730. Very little is left of the original castle, which is now owned by the council. There are plans to rebuild the walls and make the whole building safer for visitors, to purchase land for on-site car parking and improving the footpath to the site.
Dunvegan Castle photo,
Isle of Skye, has been the stronghold of the Chiefs of MacLeod for nearly 800 years and it remains their home. Parts of the castle are thought to date from the ninth century, but building work has been carried out in almost every century since the 13th C. when the MacLeods moved in. The Castle consists of a massive keep, a 15th-century tower and a hall block from the 17th century. The castle was completely remodelled, with ornamental turrets and modern battlements, in the 19th century. The Castle and its Garden are open all year round and seven days a week. On display are many fine oil paintings and mementos of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Clan MacLeod and there is an exhibition about St.Kilda Islands.
Eastnor Castle photo,
Herefordshire, looks like a perfect example of a traditional castle from medieval times, but was actually built between 1812-24, when the wealthy 2nd Baron Somers commisioned architect Robert Smirke to plan him a home to reflect the personality and stature of its creator. Eastnor has been in almost continuous occupation by his descendants since 1818, the present owner James Hervey-Bathurst and his wife, Sarah, came to live in the Castle in 1988. Since then, all the State rooms as well as most of the other principal rooms have been restored and the interiors have regained much of their 19th century splendour. Have you ever wanted to stay overnight in a real castle? Eastnor has 11 guest bedrooms - four with four-poster beds - individually designed with great forbidden by Sarah Hervey-Bathurst.
Edinburgh Castle photo,
Lothian, Scotland, high up on the volcanic rock; Crown Room with the Scottish Royal crown and other regalia. It is not the most beautiful of the Scottish Castles, but it certainly is Scotland's most famous castle, number one tourist attraction with one million visitors every year!
Egremont Castle photo,
Egremont, Cumbria, was built about 1130-1140 by William de Meschines to whom Henry I. gave the barony of Coupland, but there was an earlier Norman mound near this site. Egremont Castle has been in ruins for 300 years, but the gatehouse and parts of the walls are still standing. Though much of this strong fortress has yielded to the all-destroying hand of time, enough still remains to point out to posterity its former magnificence.
Eilean Donan Castle photo,
Kyle of Lochals, Highlands, was built during Scotland's Alexander II's reign (1214-1250). His son Alexander III gave the castle to Colin Fitzgerald, the predecessor of Clan MacKenzie. In 1719 the castle was defeated by the four English frigates and fell to ruins for 200 years. Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap and Farquhar MacRae rebuilt the castle between 1912 and 1932 at a cost of £250,000. . Each detail was faithful to the original plan. The countryside surrounding Eilean Donan is of exceptional beauty and grandeur, with breathtaking mountain, loch and forest scenery. Eilean Donan Castle is owned by the Conchra Charitable Trust. The principal activity of the Trust is the preservation of the Castle and to keep it open to the public. Eilean Donan has been location in several movies. among them "Highlander" and James Bond movie "The World Is Not Enough".
The Elgar Birthplace Museum photo,
Broadheath, Worcester, contains the small cottage, where Edward Elgar was born in 1857. Elgar lived most of his life in the town of Worcester, but this cottage is a place redolent with the atmosphere of his life and music. Following his father's wishes, Elgar's daughter Carice set up a Museum here after his death in 1934. In 1990s a start was made on a new Centre, and finally on 19 October, 2000, The Edgar Birthplace and Visitor Centre was officially opened. The collections include manuscripts, scores, programmes and other items connected with Elgar's music; family photographs; items connected with his travels and with his hobbies including golf and cycling; personal possessions, awards and honours, and film of his later years.
Eltham Palace photo ,
Eltham, London, was a royal palace built in 14th and 15th centuries, King Edward II first used Eltham in 1311 as a royal residence and Henry VIII also enjoyed the Palace spending much time here in his early life, In 1930s Stephen and Virginia Courtauld had the house redesigned adjoining the medieval Great Hall with an ultra-modern Art Deco home. After WW2 the Army educational units occupied the site until 1992, and the whole property was re-opened in 1999 after a three year period of restoration.
Erddig photo,
Wrexham, Clwyd, Wales; a fascinating house where the unusually close relationship existed between the family of the house and their servants in 19th and early 20th century; fine state rooms,
Eyam Hall photo,
Derbyshire, 'plaque village' ; built 1671 and still occupied by the Wright family ; Jacobean staircase; spectacular old kitchen
Falkland Palace photo,
Fife, Scotland, was built in early 16th century and was used as a hunting lodge by several Stuart monarchs; the palace has one of the world's oldest 'Real Tennis' courts still in use;
Farnborough Hall photo,
Warwickshire; Ambrose Holbech bought Farnborough in 1684 and the Holbech family still lives in the house. The house was rebuilt in early 18th century and more space was made for the sculpture and art William Holbech brought back from his Grand Tour. He also wanted the house look more like the houses he had seen and loved in Italy. The interior rococo plasterwork is quite outstanding. The paintings by the old masters (Canaletto, Panini) have been replaced by copies while the originals were sold in 1929. The garden has two charming 18th century temples and a beautiful terrace walk. The house was passed to the National Trust in 1960.
Floors Castle photo,
Kelso, Borders, Scotland, the home of Duke of Roxburghe ; see the article of IN BRITAIN, April 1997
Forde Abbey photo,
Chard, Somerset, was founded around in 1140 as a Cistercian monastery having been one of the most learned and wealthy monasteries for four hundred years. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536-41 Forde Abbey came into private ownership, and has been a charming country house ever since. The house is famous for its plaster ceilings, fine pictures and furniture. The gardens from late 18th C. and the highest powered fountain in England are all well worth a visit to this fascinating Stately Home.
Framlingham Castle photo,
Suffolk, a 12th century castle , the outer walls and 13 towers still remaining almost unchanged, was built by the Bigod earls of Norfolk as a fortified residence, belonged in 16th century to Queen Mary Tudor and was later used as a school and also as a poorhouse; now a museum
Fursdon House photo,
Devon, has been the home of 23 generations of the Fursdon family since the 13th century and 2009 will mark the 750th anniversary of the family's ownership. The present house was rebuilt in the 18th century and the last major addition to the house was the library wing in 1815. A visitor will see family portraits and paintings, antique and contemporary furniture and 18th and 19th century family costumes. There are two elegant apartments to rent as the self catering holiday accommodation.
Fyvie Castle photo,
Grampian, Scotland, was started in the 13th century, but the south front's five round towers were each built in a different century by one of the families who lived there; this glorious castle has fashionable plasterwork and panelling, the famous haunted Wheel Staircase and there are portraits by Romney, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Hoppner, and Raeburn; in 1889 Alexander Forbes-Leith, later Lord Leith of Fyvie, used the fortune he had made in the American steel industry to buy the estate and restore Fyvie to be one of the richest castles in Scotland;
Gawsworth Hall photo,
Macclesfield, Cheshire, was originally built as a Norman house, rebuilt in 1480 as a half-timbered manor house - extensive re-modelling took place in 1701; the house was the subject of the most famous duel in British history, fought in 1712 between Lord Mohun and the Duke of Hamilton over the estates when both duellists were killed; today the home of Timothy and Elizabeth Roper-Richards; the house gives instantly an impression of a warm and friendly atmosphere; an Open Air Theatre from late June until August with popular plays, concerts and opera
Gawthorpe Hall photo,
Padiham, Lancashire, a three-storey Jacobean house, was built in 1605 as the home for the Shuttleworth family. Between 1850 and 1852 the Hall was restored by architect Sir Charles Barry, who also designed the Houses of Parliament. Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth was the last member of the family to live at Gawthorpe. After her death the house and grounds were given in 1970 to the National Trust. Kay-Shuttleworth's nationally important collections of the needlework, lace, textiles and costumes are housed here.
Gladstone's Land photo,
in the Royal Mile , Edinburgh, represents urban Scottish high-tenement housing from 17th century.
Glamis Castle photo,
Angus, Scotland, home of the family of the Strathmore and Kinghorne since 1372, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the birthplace of The Princess Margaret; building of the present castle started about 1400; magnificent palace-like rooms with fine plasterwork ceilings; an interesting museum called "The Family Exhibition"; extensive park with Italian Garden
Goodrich Castle photo,
Herefordshire; the ruins of a castle built in the late 1130's in the reign of King Stephen by Gilbert de Clare. In the 13th century Goodrich came into the possession of the wealthy de Valence family, who made substantial renovations there. The Castle became disused in16th century, but during the Civil War it was occupied by a Parliamentarian garrison in 1643, who were replaced in 1645 by Royalists and next year attacked by the Roundheads. After the Civil War the castle was partly demolished to prevent it being used defensively again, and it gradually fell into disrepair, but is still fairly well preserved.
Goodwood House,
West Sussex, started as a hunting lodge built in 1616/17 by the 13th Earl of Northumberland. The House has grown during the centuries into the present magnificent palace of elegance and glamour. In the Georgian period, Goodwood was the country seat of the glamorous Lennox sisters, who were immortalised in the BBC's acclaimed drama series 'Aristocrats'. Goodwood is owned and lived in by the Earl and Countess of March and their young children, and provides a stunning setting for one of the most significant private art collections in the country. Richly refurbished to their original Regency elegance, notable are the State Apartments with an Egyptian State Dining Room, grand Yellow Drawing Room and a breathtaking Ballroom. The walls are lined with fine collection of paintings (including a number from Van Dyck, Reynolds, Stubbs and Canaletto). The fine French furniture transports visitors back to 18th century Paris. Goodwood is also famous for its horse racing as well as motor racing.
Gosford House photo,
Lothian, Scotland, home of the Wemyss-Charteris family, designed by Robert Adam , completed in 1800, Italian renaissance paintings
Groombridge Place photo,
Kent, is a classical 17th century manor surrounded by a medieval moat with beautiful formal gardens and the famous Enchanted Forest, loved by children and adults alike; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a frequent visitor here and the place inspired him to set a dramatic scene here in his Sherlock Holmes mystery The Valley of Fear. Groombridge Place stars in the 2005 movie of Pride & Prejudice.
Haddo House photo,
Grampian; this sophisticated, classic English-forbidden Palladian mansion by William Adam was built in 1730s for William, 2nd Earl of Aberdeen, on the site of an old tower house; the splendid interior is from 1880s;
Haddon Hall photo,
Derbyshire, a typical English country house with famous rose garden
Hadrian's Wall photo,
Northumberland, was built as a barrier to separate Romans from the barbarians; interesting Housestead museum telling about Roman life;
Hagley Hall photo,
Worcestershire, is the 18th Century home of the Viscount and Viscountess Cobham. Commissioned by George, the 1st Lord Lyttelton in 1756 and designed by Sanderson Miller, it was the last of the great Palladian houses to be built. Van Dyck paintings, a collection of Chippendale furniture and exquisite examples of Rococo plasterwork by Francesco Vassali. After the disastrous fire of Christmas Eve 1925, the house was painstakingly completely restored. Hagley Hall, with its rich Rococo decoration, surrounded by picturesque parkland, is a remarkable tribute to the artistic achievements of the great 18th Century amateurs but still remains a much loved family home.
Hall Place and Gardens photo,
Bexley, Kent, was built in 1537-1540 for Sir John Champneis, a Lord Mayor of London, has changed ownership many times, and during the first half of the 19th Century it even existed as a school. Now owned by Bexley Council, some of its rooms are open to the public. A magnificent Great Hall contains an 18th century chamber organ built by George England. Hall Place houses Bexley Museum and galleries that offer a changing programme of exhibitions throughout the year. The award-winning gardens at Hall Place have been open to the public since 1952. They include a special herb garden for the blind, a Tudor-forbidden rose garden and an unusual topiary display depicting chess pieces and twelve heraldic animals known as the `Queen's Beasts'.
Hammerwood Park photo,
West Sussex, built in 1792 as the first work of Latrobe , the architect of The White House and The Capitol, Washington DC. The present owner bought it in 1982 to rescue it from dereliction and the family has made extensive restoration works without public funds
Hampton Court Castle and Garden photo,
Herefordshire, is a late medieval castle set in tranquil surroundings on the meadows of the river Lugg. The Hampton Court Estate has a rich and fascinating history dating back to before the 15th Century. It was granted by Henry IV to Sir Rowland Lenthall, who built the original quadrangular manor house in 1427, twelve years after his knighthood at the battle of Agincourt. In the early 19th Century the estate was purchased by Richard Arkwright, and his son, John, comissioned the remodelling of the house in the 1830's and 40's. Most recently the present owners have restored the castle almost entirely and its current condition is very luxurious and full of character. Owned by 'Sola Scriptura', an American non-profit organisation funded by the Van Kampen family, Hampton Court Castle is a private home of the family and it is not open to the public. But the extensive and spectacular Van Kampen Gardens can be enjoyed from April to October throughout the day. The Castle is available for use as a venue for private functions only.
Hampton Court Palace photo ,
Surrey, of Henry VIII , fine state rooms , large garden with famous maze
Hanbury Hall photo ,
Worcestershire near Droitwich; red brick house built in 1700; outstanding ceilings and Watney collection of porcelain
Hardwick Hall photo,
Derbyshire, Bess of Hardwick; unusually large windows, the "Long Gallery" 166 feet long; fine hedged garden. The readers of the National Trust Magazine can find a long article about Hardwick in the Magazine's Spring 1997 issue
Hardwick Old Hall photo,
Derbyshire, Bess of Hardwick built the new Hall and left this one unused
Hardy's Cottage photo,
Dorset, birthplace of Thomas Hardy
Harewood photo,
Yorkshire, magnificent house , 'Capability' Brown park and bird garden
Harlech Castle photo
King Edward I of England built Harlech in the late 13th century to keep a watchful eye over Snowdonia. It was one of the most formidable of his 'iron ring' of fortresses designed to contain the Welsh in their mountain fastness. In 1404 it was taken by Welsh leader Owain Glyndwr who proceeded to hold a parliament here. A long siege here during the Wars of the Roses inspired the stirring song 'Men of Harlech'. During the Civil War (1642-48), Harlech was the last Royalist stronghold to be lost, its fall signifying the end of the war. Like many other Royalist strongholds the castle was rendered untenable by the victorious Parliamentarians. A demolition order was issued after the war, but was never carried out. World Heritage Site.
Hartlebury Castle photo,
Worcestershire, home to the Bishops of Worcester for over a thousand years and now also the County Museum of Worcestershire. Nothing remains of the medieval exterior of Hartlebury Castle, for the original fortress was sieged, looted and ruined by Roundhead troops in 1646. The present three-wing mansion was built 30 years later with 18th century alterations including many arched windows. The Bishop of Worcester's House is in the south wing by a chapel, the north wing holds the Worcester County Museum and the central block contains the State Rooms, which are used for various public and religious events.
Hatchlands Park photo ,
Guildford, Surrey, an outstanding country house built 1757 for Admiral Boscawen; Robert Adam's nautical forbidden designs for the interior are dated 1759. The Cobbe collection of early keyboard instruments.
Hatfield House photo,
Hertfordshire, a celebrated Jacobean house built 1611, a wing built 1497 where Elizabeth I spent much of her girlhood.
Heaton Hall photo,
Manchester, a neo-classical house with impressive 18th century interiors.
Hedingham Castle photo,
is one of the finest and best preserved Norman keeps in England, built by Aubrey de Vere in 1140, home of de Veres and Earls of Oxford for 550 years and still owned by a descendant of the Earls of Oxford; the castle has the largest Norman arch in Europe, the way to the castle comes across a Tudor bridge built in 1496
Helmsley Castle photo,
Yorkshire, the remains of the earliest castle, was built on a slighty rocky eminence between 1186 and 1227 by Robert de Roos. The oldest stonework is late 12th century but throughout the middle ages the castle was strengthened and modernised. Though strongly defended, the castle saw no action until the Civil War of the 17th century, when after a siege by parliamentary forces its defences were dismantled. The only buildings still in good repair today are the west tower and the later mansion build by Edward Manners, the 3rd Earl of Rutland who owned the site from 1563 to 1587. The mansion was abandoned in the early 18th century in favour of a new house in the adjacent Duncombe Park. Little else remains for the visitor to gain an impression of the wonderful combination of strength and domestic comfort that once existed here.
Hermitage Castle photo,
Borders, was built in 15th century on the site of the in 1242 built timber castle and looks like a fortified manor house instead of a great stronghold; the castle in the much disputed Liddesdale near the border between England and Scotland has witnessed many wars in this rather isolated and lonely valley; was ruined in the beginning of 17th century and partly restored in the 19th century;
Herstmonceux Castle photo
East Sussex, the oldest brick building of any note still standing in England was started in 1441, was ruined and decaying after the middle of 18th century and was mentioned in 1890 as "an ivycovered ruin inhabited by owls and jackdaws". Finally, the vast restoration works started in 1912 and were completed in 1930's. This magnificent moated castle was bought in 1992 by Queen's University, Ontario, with a gift from Dr. Alfred and Mrs. Isabel Bader and is now an International Study Centre ; also open to the visitors.
Hever Castle photo,
Kent, a moated castle; home of Ann Boleyn, Astor family since 1903; a maze and a water maze
Highclere Castle photo,
Hampshire, was built by the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon in 1842, his son, the 4th Earl, arranged the rooms. Designed by Sir Charles Barry, architect of the Houses of Parliament, Highclere is considered the finest Victorian home still in existence. Visitors can trace the steps taken by the 5th Earl of Carnarvon when in 1922 with the Egyptologist Howard Carter he discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. Highclere also boasts an exhibition depicting the family's interest in horse racing. The parkland by 'Capability' Brown is spectacularly beautiful, featuring magnificent lawns, a walled garden, glasshouses and a fermery.
Highcliffe Castle photo,
Dorset, is a Grade I listed building which was designed by architect William Donthorne, a founder member of RIBA, and built between 1831 and 1835 by Lord Stuart de Rothesay. The grounds were laid out earlier by Capability Brown. The castle remained in the family until 1950 when much of the estate was sold. At the beginning of the 50s the Castle was a children's home, before being sold in 1953 to the Claretian Missionary fathers as firstly a noviciate, then for use as a seminary. Fires in 1967 and 1968 damaged the building, areas such as the East Tower were demolished or removed. The remaining valuable stained glass was also removed for storage. The continuous adverse affects of the weather contributed to the rapid deterioration of the building fabric. Christchurch Borough Council compulsorily purchased the ruined Highcliffe Castle in January 1977. In 1995 an application to the newly launched National Lottery to fund the final phase of repair was successful and was completed in November 1998 when the final scaffold was removed. The council took over the management of the castle as a tourist attraction comprising gift shop, exhibition spaces, tea room and ground events.
Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse photo,
Fife, was built in 1906 for a Dundee industrialist, Frederick Sharp, and is a perfect setting for his notable collection of French and Chippendale furniture and also fine paintings by Raeburn, Ramsay and Dutch artists;
Hoghton Tower photo,
Hoghton nr. Preston, Lancashire, home of de Hoghton family, built in 1565 by Thomas Hoghton on the land owned by the family since the time of William the Conqueror. In the magnificent Banqueting Hall James I in 1617 knighted a loin of beef to "Sirloin". Excellent guided tours for visitors.
Holker Hall photo,
Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, was first mentioned in public records early 16th century, has been the home of the Cavendish family since 1756. The house was destroyed by fire in 1871 and rebuilt on a grand scale. Holker Hall Lakeland Motor Museum with its Sir Malcom Campbell memories photo is well worth a visit.
Holkham Hall photo,
Norfolk, a fine 18th century Palladian mansion, a majestic stately home , magnificent alabaster Entrance Hall, fine paintings
Hopetoun House photo,
Lothian, Scotland, an Adam Mansion, paintings by Rubens, Teniers, Canaletto, Titian; museum souvenirs Australia and India
House of Dun photo,
Montrose, Fife, a William Adam country house built in 1730 for David Erskine, Lord Dun; modernised in 19th century by John Erskine Kennedy-Erskine and was the home of the Erskine family until WW2, after which it was changed to an hotel; the house was bequeathed to the National Trust for Scotland in 1980, completely restored and reopened to the public in 1989 by H.M. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother; Violet Jacob, the Poet and Author (1863-1946) was born here as the daughter of William Henry Kennedy-Erskine;
House of The Binns photo,
Lothian, the home of the Dalyell family since 1612, when it was built by Thomas Dalyell, an Edinburgh butter merchant; fine Italian-forbidden plasterwork and a collection of family paintings; was gifted to The National Trust for Scotland in 1944
Hughenden Manor photo,
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, the former home of Benjamin Disraeli, the Conservative Prime Minister in 1868 and again from 1874 to 1880. Disraeli was said to be the favourite Prime Minister of Queen Victoria. The house is very comfortable and in spite of having been a museum since Disraeli died in 1881 it still has the feeling of a real home, giving also lots of information about this interesting man and his marriage.
Hunting Tower Castle photo,
Pertshire, was built as a tower house in late 15th century by the Ruthven family ; another tower was built in 16th century and the space between the two towers was built a century later to make the castle look more like a regular country mansion; known for its painted ceilings from 1540
Hutton-in-the-Forest photo,
Cumbria, the home of Lord Inglewood's family since 1605, built around a medieval pele tower, fine collections of furniture and paintings; outstanding garden with unique 'Meet the Gardener' guided walks
Ickworth House photo,
Suffolk, built 1795; the oval Rotunda with collections of fine paintings and silver; Italianate garden; 'Capability' Brown park
Ightham Mote photo,
Kent, a moated manor house ; Medieval Great Hall; Robinson Library; lovely garden, a National Trust Property
Inveraray Castle photo,
Argyll, Scotland, home of the Duke of Argyll's family, the senior branch of the Campbell Clan; the present castle , a large classical mansion with corner towers and turrets, was built in 1741-85 to replace the earlier fortified keep; the famous Armoury Hall contains 1300 pieces; the French tapestries were made especially for the Castle; fine examples of Scottish and European furniture, china, silver and family artifacts;
Inverlochy Castle photo,
Fort William, Invernesshire, the badly ruined castle was built in the 13th C. by the Comyns of Badenoch. It was bombarded in the spring of 1746 by Jacobites, but could not be taken. It was garrisoned until 1866, after which most of it was demolished. Confusion is sometimes caused by a 19th Century luxury hotel under the name "Inverlochy Castle", which is only two miles north of the old castle.
Inverness Castle photo,
Inverness, Highlands, a neo-Norman castle built in 1836 now stands on the site of an 11th century royal stone enclosure fortress, which was blown up by the Jacobites in 1746. The Castle contains the offices of local government and law courts. In the Drum Tower there is an exhibition about the castle story and is open daily during the summer season.
Kedleston Hall photo,
Derbyshire, home of the Curzon Family; Robert Adam's elegant masterpiece
Kendal Castle, photo,
Cumbria, was built in the early 1200's as the home of the barons of Kendal. The Parr family is the best known of the baronial families, the most famous member being Katherine Parr, the sixth and last Queen of Henry VIII. During the Tudor period (16th century), the Castle was abandoned and became a ruin, and has remained so ever since. The ruined castle stands on a high hill surrounded on all sides by a deep and steep sided moat, and from there the wonderful view to all directions can be seen.
Kenilworth Castle photo ,
Warwickshire, reputedly the largest castle ruin in England, was founded in 1120 for defense with walls six metres thick and in the 14th century the castle was transformed into a palatial home. During the English civil war Cromwell's troops demolished the castle. Sir Walter Scott was inspired to set his novel 'Kenilworth' here. The Penny Magazine - July 31, 1835 had a long article about Kenilworth.
Kensington Palace State Apartments photo,
London, originally a private country house called Nottingham House, was acquired by William III and Mary II in 1689 and was adapted for royal residence by Sir Christopher Wren. The Palace has been the actual home of so many members of the Royal Family. Princess Diana used to live here; Princess Margaret, The Duke of Kent, The Duke of Gloucester, The Prince of Kent all have their offices and London residences here, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary were born here. The State Apartments are home to the large exhibition of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection.
Kenwood House photo,
London, one of London's finest houses; the Iveagh Bequest paintings and furniture,
Kidwelly Castle photo,
South Wales, was established on the estuary of the river Gwendraeth in 1106 by Roger, bishop of Salisbury, soon after the Norman conquest, to defend the road to west Wales. In 1231 Llywelyn the Great attacked the castle causing considerable damage. The castle was rebuilt by Patrick de Chaworth and repelled another attack in the 1250's. However, most of the castle seen today dates from the 1270's. On the accession Henry IV in 1299 Kidwelly became Crown property. The castle passed finally to the Earls of Cawdor to whom it still belongs. Kidwelly is today the best preserved castle ruins in Carmartenshire.
Kilchurn Castle photo,
by Loch Awe in Argyll, Scotland; the keep of the castle was built in 1440 Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy, founder of the Breadalbane family; later centuries the castle was extended large enough even to house three companies of soldiers; was abandoned in 1760 and ruined, but some restoring work is going on now;
Killerton House photo,
Devon; was rebuilt in 1778 for the Aclands, one of the oldest families in Devon. The house is furnished as a family home and has this unique 'the 'Paulise de Bush' costume collection, with over 9,000 outfits. The garden is the great glory of Killerton. It was created in the 1770s by renowned nurseryman and landscape designer John Veitch, and features an abundance of rhododendrons, magnolias, herbaceous borders and rare trees, as well as an early 19th C. ice house and a rustic summerhouse The Bear's Hut, where the family's pet bear was kept in 1960's. Most of the estates were given in 1942 to the National Trust
Kingston Lacy photo ,
Wimborne Minster, Dorset, a fine 17th century House designed for Sir Ralph Bankes after the demolition of the Corfe Castle. Kingston Lacy is famous for its magnificent interiors, the fabulous gilded leather Spanish Room and its outstanding collection of paintings by Rubens, Titian, van Dyck and Velasquez; Edwardian garden with Victorian fernery;
Knebworth photo,
Hertfordshire, has been the home of the Lytton family since 1490, when the present house was built by Sir Robert Knebworth. It was, however, mentioned already in the Domesday Book 1085. The House was greatly altered in 19th century by the famous novelist Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton into a Gothic Palace with domes, turrets, gargoyles and stained glass. In the 20th century Sir Winston Churchill was a frequent guest of Victor, 2nd Earl of Lytton and his wife Pamela. Knebworth has 250 acres of parkland famous for its open-air rock concerts and has been used as a location for films like Batman and The Shooting Party. There is an interesting Indian exhibition from the time 1876-80 when Robert, 1st Earl of Lytton, was the Viceroy of India.
Knole photo,
Kent, House with 365 rooms, granted to Thomas Sackville by Elizabeth I in 1603. Knole's furniture, embroidered textiles and tapestries, ornate plaster ceilings and carved chimneypieces are a reflection of the superb craftsmanship which created the house. Family paintings include work by Van Dyck, Kneller, Lely, Hoppner and Wootton. There is a whole room devoted to the work of Sir Joshua Reynolds.
Lancaster Castle photo,
Lancaster, Lancashire, is still a working castle being both the Crown Court and Her Majesty's Prison. There was a Roman fort on this site 1900 years ago, the first parts of the present castle were built in 1093 and the most magnificent part of the castle - the Gatehouse - was built around 1400.
Lancaster House photo,
London, was built in 1820s by Frederick, second son of King George III. Frederick died before the house was finished and it was leased to the Marquess of Stafford and named to Stafford House. In 1912 the lease was bought by Viscount Leverhulme, the house renamed to Lancaster House and the lease given to the nation. The London Museum occupied the house until after the WW2; wonderfully decorated; a splendid great Staircase Hall Staircase Hall; venue of international meetings; at the moment not open to the public
Laugharne Castle photo,
Laugharne, South Wales, at the mouth of the River Taf, the ruinous Welsh coastal fortress that was converted into an luxurious Elizabethan mansion by Sir John Perrot in 1584. During the Civil War, Laugharne was captured by Royalists in 1644, but was quickly re-taken by besieging Roundheads. The castle was partially destroyed soon afterwards and gradually fell into decay. Later the romantic ruins became the backdrop for a delightful Georgian and Victorian garden which is being recreated using exclusively Victorian flowers and plants. The restoration began in 1973. .
Leeds Castle photo,
Kent, built on two islands in a lake, restored and beautifully furnished ; a Dog Collar Museum ; golf course; sometimes open-air concerts
Leighton Hall photo,
Carnforth, Lancashire; a fortified manor was here in 1246, and since then there have been 26 owners of the property, the present owner is Richard Gillow Reynolds; the house is beautifully situated with the Lakeland mountains behind it, the facade is in neo-Gothic forbidden of early 19th century, as the new wing was built in 1870; home to a collection of birds of prey on display and flown for visitors
Levens Hall photo,
Cumbria, magnificent Elizabethan home ; famous Topiary Gardens; working model as well as full-sized steam engines
Lincoln Castle photo,
Lincolnshire, was built by William the Conqueror in 1068; museum with Magna Carta and unique Victorian prison chapel; Crown Court sittings weekdays.
Linlithgow Palace, Hall photo,
Edinburgh, Lothian, the magnificent remains of the great royal palace; the previous castle on the site was built form timber and earth and was distroyed by fire in 1424 and the modern royal residence was built to be complete in 1513; later one of the finest Renaissance façades in Scotland was completed here in 1624; Linlithgow Palace is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots, but it was the favoured residence of many of the Stuart monarchs; in 1745 the Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed here and troops of the Duke of Cumberlands army were billeted in the palace leaving it burning in February 1746; it has been an impressive ruin ever since.
Little Malvern Court photo,
Worcestershire, has been the home of the Berington family by descent since the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539. It consists of two distinct parts, the remains of a 14th century Prior's Hall once attached to a 12th century Benedictine Priory and a Victorian manor house addition by Hansom. The visitor can see Family and European paintings and furniture and a collection of 18th and 19th century needlework. In the gardens there are lakes, garden rooms, terrace and magnificent views. Flowers include a wide variety of spring bulbs, old fashioned roses, shrubs and trees.
Little Moreton Hall photo,
Cheshire, one of the best surviving Tudor timberframed houses, built around 1450, restored recently by National Trust.
Loch Leven Castle photo,
Fife, Scotland, a castle on an island of lake Loch Leven was started as a wooden Castle in 1290s being an English fortification; the ownership of the castle was changed many times between the Scots and the English; in 1350 the stone tower house was added to the Castle and later a stone courtyard wall; in 1567 Mary, Queen of Scots, was a prisoner at the Castle for almost a year; the Castle was abandoned in 1690 and is a ruin.
Longleat House photo,
Wiltshire, fine Elizabethan building, famous paintings, 'Capability' Brown park, Safari park.
Lord Leighton's Home and Museum,
London, of High Victorian taste; the astounding Arab Hall, Pre-Raphaelite paintings by Lord Leighton and others.
Loseley Park photo,
Guildford, Surrey, built in 1562 by Sir William More, is a fine example of Elizabethan architecture, its mellow stone brought from the ruins of Waverley Abbey in Farnham, now over 850 years old. The More-Molyneux Family still owns the House. The House features many fine works of art including paintings, tapestries and panelling from Henry VIII's Nonsuch Palace. The Great Hall, with its wealth of character and atmosphere, lends itself so well to banquets, civil wedding ceremonies and small operas. Loseley is also known as a Jersey-type dairy-farm!
Lower Brockhampton House photo,
Herefordshire, is a rare survival of a medieval Manor House, built about 1380-1400. with a Gatehouse, Chapel and Farmyard, and surrounding the Manor House, a Moat. Inside the House there are the Great Hall, the Parlour, the Bedroom and the Gallery. Brockhampton remains a working estate and comprises 680 hectares (1680 acres) of woodland, fields and open parkland. The owner of Brockhampton, colonel John Talbot Lutley died in 1946. As he had no heir to inherit, he left the entire Brockhampton estate to the National Trust.
Ludlow Castle photo,
Shropshire, built in 1086; Norman chapel; when Edward IV, son of the Duke of York, became king in 1461, Ludlow Castle became Crown property. It remained a Royal Castle except during the Civil War and Commonwealth. After 1689 the castle was quickly abandoned as part of the policy of the new government of William and Mary to centralise control of the whole of England and Wales in London. Earl of Powis bought the ruined castle in 1811. The castle is now a picturesque, romantic ruin and in recent years grants from English Heritage have enabled important repair work to be done. Since 1960 the inner bailey has been the setting for a Shakespeare play as the major item in the Ludlow Festival.
Lullingstone Roman Villa photo,
Kent, remains of a country villa excavated in recent years; mosaic floors; one of the earliest private Christian chapels.
Lulworth Castle photo,
Dorset, was built in 17th century as a hunting lodge and has been owned by the Weld family for over 300 years. The house was destroyed by fire in 1929 and the exterior has been restored by the English Heritage. Down in the basement there is a gallery of the Weld family, reconstructed kitchen, nursery, dairy and laundry rooms and a wine cellar. Upstairs rooms are still unfurnished after the fire. In the grounds there is the Chapel of St Mary, which is a fine piece of Georgian architecture, and Lulworth Castle House, presently the family home. The estate comprises 5,000 hectares or 20 square miles, including 5 miles of the most beautiful coastline in England which was granted World Heritage Site status in 2001.
Lyme Park and Hall photo,
Stockport, Cheshire, was the home of the Legh family for 600 years. The Hall was originally a Tudor house and was transformed into an Italianate palazzo. Grinling Gibbon's woodcarvings and the valuable collection of English clocks from the 1650s onwards. Known as the "Pemberley" of the recent BBC-TV's "Pride and Prejudice".
Malmesbury House photo ,
Wiltshire, "The Jewel of the Close Houses" of the Salisbury Cathedral, was originally a 13th century canonry, west facade added by Wren, rooms with magnificent rococo plasterwork, beautifully restored during the present ownership. Among previous visitors can be found names like King Charles II, George Frideric Handel and Dr. Samuel Johnson.
Manderston photo,
Borders, is said to be a product of the best craftsmanship and highest domestic sophistication the Edwardian era had to offer when it was built for Sir James Miller in 1903-05; when architect John Kinross enquired as to how much he could spend on building, he was told that "it simply doesn't matter" and the building went on with no expense spared; as an example there is a unique and recently restored silver staircase; also the magnificent stables and the marble dairy are something quite unrivaled in Britain; the father of James Miller, William Miller, made a fortune trading hemp and herrings with the Russians in 1860s and 1870s.
Manorbier Castle photo,
South Wales, was created over a number of years in 12th century by the De Barri family, who resided there for over 250 years, and the appearance of Manorbier has changed little since that time. This picturesque castle is located in the village of Manorbier close to the beach. During the 14th century, Manorbier Castle was sold to the Crown by the last member of the de Barri family. When the Crown disposed of the property in 1670, a local family purchased the castle, and it remained in the same ownership until the 20th century. The fortified manor house saw only two fairly minor assaults: the first, in 1327, when Richard de Barri stormed Manorbier to claim what was rightfully his, and, then, in 1645 during the English Civil War, when the castle was seized and slighted by Cromwell's Roundheads.
Maxwelton House photo,
Dumfries & Galloway, built in 1370; Annie Laurie of the ballad was born here in 1682.
Melford Hall photo,
Suffolk, a brick Tudor mansion in Long Melford, built in 1578; home of Lady Mary Clopton, fine pictures, furniture and Chinese porcelain; Beatrix Potter display.
Mellerstain photo,
Borders, an Adam Mansion, outstanding interior, classical library.
Menstrie Castle photo,
Menstrie, Clackmannanshire. Scotland, is a small three storey tower house dating to the late 16th century, the wing of which was extended in the early 17th century to form a long block. Here was born in 1572 Sir William Alexander, James VI’s Lieutenant for the Plantation of Nova Scotia. The castle later fell into disrepair and was threatened with demolition in the 1950s. It was finally saved and partly converted into flats. Today Menstrie Castle resembles a large manor house and comprises local housing as well as a commemoration room to the baronets of Nova Scotia. The Castle is administered by The National Trust for Scotland.
Minterne House photo,
Dorset, is a large historic Edwardian country house in the forbidden of an Elizabethan Manor House. The House has been the home of the Churchill's and Digby's family for the last 350 years and now the seat of the 12th Lord Digby. It was rebuilt in 1905 by Leonard Stokes after the previous house was destroyed by dry rot. The first Sir Winston Churchill rented Minterne from Winchester College in 1660, and left it to his younger son General Charles Churchill, much to the fury of his eldest son, the Great Duke of Marlborough, who ‘just had to make do with Blenheim Palace.’ The house contains many interesting paintings mementos of its past residents, including the Churchill Tapestries which are in the dining room. The garden was landscaped in the manner of Capability Brown in the 18th Century.
Muncaster Castle photo,
Cumbria, owned by the Pennington family since 1208; outstanding Great Hall; rhododendron garden, Owl Centre. The castle is presently on Britain's "Most Haunted" list.
Naworth Castle photo,
Cumbria, has been the home of the Dacre and Howard families for over 700 years, now home of Philip and Elizabeth Howard. A romantic medieval castle with pre-Raphaelite interiors, this former fortress is set in a glorious 2,000 acre estate, which boasts stunning woodland walks, rolling parkland, waterfalls, ornamental lakes and a magnificent seventeenth century walled garden. Naworth is situated ten miles from the Scottish border and 12 miles from the city of Carlisle. Presently the castle is, regrettably, no longer open to the public, nor is it available for private functions and weddings.
Newby Hall and Gardens photo,
Ripon, Yorkshire, the family home of Mr & Mrs Richard Compton, is one of England's renowned Robert Adam houses, an exceptional example of 18th century interior decoration, recently restored to its original beauty. The superb contents of the house, collected by Weddell, ancestor of the Compton family, include the Gobelins Tapestry Room, a renowned gallery of classical Roman statuary and some of Chippendale's finest furniture. 25 acres of award-winning Gardens are full of rare and beautiful plants. Children's Adventure Garden has been thoughtfully and safely designed for children of all ages - from the paddling pool, sandpit and swings to climbing frames, bridges, an aerial slide and the famous Miniature Railway.
Norwich Castle Museum photo,
Norfolk, the Keep was built in 1090; once a prison, now museum of Norwich School paintings; large collection of ceramic teapots
Nostell Priory photo,
Wakefield, West Yorkshire, owned by the National Trust, one of Yorkshire's finest Palladian houses, built in the mid 18th century; fine collection of Chippendale furniture designed especially for the house; fine paintings
Nottingham Castle photo
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire; one of the first castles built by William the Conqueror just after the battle of Hastings. The Castle was destroyed during the Civil War, but rebuilt soon after that as a Palace by the Duke of Newcastle. The Ducal Palace was gutted during the Reform Riots in 1831 by a large crowd who mashed or looted everything and finally set the Palace ablaze. The Castle remained as a blackened shell for almost 50 years until it was bought by the Nottingham City and restored as the first Provincial Museum of fine Art which was opened by the Prince of Wales in 1878. The Castle is today still a museum of art and history.
See Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem!
Number One, Royal Crescent ;
Bath, Avon, fine example of Palladian architecture 1767-74; a grand town-house with authentic furniture
Nunnington Hall photo,
Yorkshire, from Elizabethan and Stuart periods; fine panelled hall and staircase; Carlisle Collection of Miniature Rooms
Oakham Castle photo,
Oakham, Rutland; The Great Hall of Oakham Castle is all that survives today of a fortified manor house built by Walkelin de Ferrers after 1180. The Castle was the resident of the lord of the manor of Oakham, but became ruinous by early 16th century, and only the Great Hall survived being used as a courtroom. It is still serving as a courtroom for the Magistrates court. Over 200 horseshoes hang on the walls of the castle. These represent the unique 500 years old custom that every peer of the realm, on his first visit to Oakham, must forfeit a horseshoe to the lord of the manor.
Okehampton Castle photo,
Devon, has Norman origins and dates from the late 11th century, when it started as a motte and bailey castle with a stone keep. It was converted into a sumptuous residence in the 14th century by Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon, who entertained here guests hunting in the nearby deer park. The castle was abandoned in 1539 after its owner, Henry, Marquis of Exeter, was found guilty of conspiracy and executed by Henry VIII. The castle ruins are now in the care of English Heritage.
Old Royal Observatory ,
Greenwich, London; Flamsteed House designed by Christopher Wren; the Meridian Building; Greenwich Planetarium
Osterley Parkphoto,
London, was built in 1575 as a Tudor country house for Sir Thomas Gresham, founder of the Royal Exchange. Between 1760 and 1780 it was transformed into a neo-classical villa by Robert Adam for the wealthy banker Robert Child. The house has classical interior, designed for entertaining on a grand scale; specially made tapestries, furniture and plasterwork. The house and nearly 60 ha of Parkland were given to the National Trust, but the contents belong to the Victoria and Albert Museum, while the stables, which are Elizabethan, came later to the National Trust.
Palace of Holyroodhouse photo,
Edinburgh, stands on the site of a monastry that was founded in 1128. In 1501 James IV cleared the ground close to the Abbey and built a Palace for himself and his bride, Margaret Tudor (sister of Henry VIII). Mary, Queen of Scots spent most of her turbulent life in the Palace - a dramatic and often tragic chapter in the history of the building. She married two of her husbands in the Abbey. Her private secretary David Rizzio was murdered in her personal rooms by a group led by her husband Lord Darnley, who believed she was having an affair with Rizzio. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is now the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II when she is in Scotland, and she is usually in residence for a few weeks in May and July each year. The rest of the year parts of the palace is usually open to visitors with guided tours available and several rooms in the State Apartments can be visited.
Parham House photo,
West Sussex, was originally owned by the Monastery, but granted by King Henry VIII in 1540 to Robert Palmer. His son built the house in 1577 and sold it to Thomas Bysshopp in 1601. After having been in the ownership of the Byshopp family for more than 300 years the Pearson family bought it in 1922. Mr. and Mrs. Pearson spent 40 years carefully restoring the house and acquiring items originally in the house. The House is built of grey stone, the principal front, facing south, was built to an Elizabethan E-shape with the large Great Hall windows to the left of centre. The speciality of the House are arrangements of flowers to harmonise with the colours in the rooms, freshly cut twice a week from the own garden. Parham House and gardens are surrounded by some 875 acres of working agricultural and forestry land.
Paxton House photo,
Berwick-upon-Tweed, Borders, Scotland, was built by the Adam brothers in 1758 for the young Patrick Home it is perhaps the finest example of 18th century Palladian Country houses in Britain. Within it's walls you will find one of the most magnificent collections of original Chippendale furniture in Britain alongside the largest picture gallery in a Scottish Country House, as Paxton now houses over 70 paintings from the National Galleries of Scotland.The House lies in the heart of 80 acres of landscaped gardens, parkland and woodland. There are riverside walks along the banks of the Tweed.
Pembroke Castle photo,
South Wales, was founded in 1093 by Roger of Montgomery and built into a powerful stone fortress in 1189 under the ownership of William Marshall. It is now one of the largest and finest examples of its kind in the country. The walls are some 19ft thick, it has five floors (rising to over 70ft high) and under the castle is a huge limestone cavern. Henry VII was born in the Castle in 1457. During the Civil War Cromwell's army blew up the barbican and the fronts of all the towers to prevent the castle ever again being used militarily. Over 200 years later, a famous antiquarian Mr. J. R. Cobb decided to buy the castle, and he spent three years partially restoring Pembroke to its former glory. However, once again it fell into a state of disrepair and neglect until 1928, when an extensive restoration programme was undertaken.
Pendragon Castle photo,
near Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria; romantic ruins of a castle that was started in 11th century as a wooden tower and destroyed by the Scots in 1342, after which it was restored in stone by Roger Clifford. In an attack in 1541 it was ruined again and restored by Lady Anne Clifford in 1660; she used it as a stopping point on her route from Skipton to her castles in the Eden valley.
Penshurst Place photo,
Penshurst, Kent a family-owned stately home; tapestry room; toy museum; exquisite gardens
Petworth House photo,
Sussex, a magnificent late 17th-century mansion set in a beautiful park, landscaped by 'Capability' Brown and immortalised in Turner's paintings. carvings by Grinling Gibbons.
Peveril Castle photo,
Castleton, Derbyshire. The ruins of the castle, with only the Keep surviving to any height, the site provides an intriguing insight into the difficulties of building a fortification on ground of such uneven levels. It stands in an impregnable position on a clifftop above Castleton, and you enter the castle up a very steep climb from Castleton. It is an evocative place, with an impressive view in all directions and sufficient ruined remains to construct a good idea of how the castle looked in its heyday. The castle bears the name of William Peveril, who was granted the title of bailiff of the Royal Manors of the Peak after the Norman conquest of 1066. The castle fell into disuse after Tudor times, and by the 17th century only the keep was in use - as a courthouse. When this was abandoned the castle gradually became ruined until what remained was restored this century.
Pickering Castle photo,
Yorkshire, was started by William the Conqueror and built by Henry III to defence against the Scots. The last additions to the defences were built by Edward II in 1323-26. Pickering is a fine example of a motte-and-bailey castle. By the Civil War (1642-50) its military purpose had long been abandoned and the castle was in decay. The castle ruins are in the care of English Heritage.
Picton Castle photo,
Pembrokeshire, South Wales, was built in the 13th century by Sir John Wogan and his descendants still occupy the Castle today, carrying the name of Philipps since the 15th century. Picton has 40 acres of extensive gardens, including woodlands and a walled garden. Situated in the Castle Courtyard is the Gallery originally built to house the paintings of Graham Sutherland but now used for various art exhibitions throughout the season.
Plas Mawr photo,
Conwy, Gwynedd, a splendid town house with fine decorative plasterwork and dark oak panelling, built by Robert Wynne for his family in 1577, has been the headquarters of the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art.
Polesden Lacey photo,
Surrey, Edwardian country house with fine paintings and objets d'art; honeymooners George VI and Elizabeth stayed here in 1923.
Pollok House photo,
Glasgow, Scotland, is the ancestral home of the Maxwells of Pollok, who have lived on this site for 700 years. The present house, which replaced three earlier structures, was begun in 1747 and was extended from 1890. The house, the historic jewel at the heart of Pollok Park, contains much original furniture as well as some of the finest Spanish paintings in Britain. A rare survival is the magnificent suite of servants’ quarters, which shows the scale of country house life around 1900. The famous Burrell Collection is only a short walk from the Pollok House.
Portchester Castle photo,
Hampshire, originaly a Roman fortress, later a Norman Castle, among the finest Romain remains in northern Europe, the walls laid out as an almost perfect square of 590ft (180m) from north to south and slightly more from east to west, the height being 18ft (5.5m).
Powderham Castle photo,
Devon, built in 1392, by Sir Philip Courtenay, is set amidst a beautiful Deer Park with breathtaking views across to the Exe Estuary. The Courtenays owned many castles in the West Country, and Powderham became their principal seat only in the 17th C. In 19th C. the Castle was largely expanded with architect Charles Fowler's renovations, when the majestic State Rooms were designed to impress and continue to do so to this day. The vast Music Room is light and airy; with a splendid domed ceiling creating wonderful acoustics. The State Dining Room has an exceptionally warm and welcoming atmosphere and unlike some stately homes the fireplace and minstrel's gallery are often used by guests. The splendid libraries are equally impressive, making it hard to choose which rooms to use. The Castle remains as the family home, but is open to the visitors on guided tours.
Powis Castle photo,
Powys, Mid Wales, was originally built c.1200 by Welsh princes and was subsequently adapted and embellished since 1587 by generations of Herberts and Clives, who furnished the red sandstone castle with a wealth of fine paintings and furniture. It has been lived in almost continuously for over 700 years. The famous hanging terraces are the greatest surviving example of the Baroque garden in Britain, overhung with enormous clipped yews, shelters original lead statues as well as rare and tender plants. The castle and garden has been in the care of the National Trust since 1952, but the present Earl of Powis still lives in part of the building .
Quebec House,
Kent, a red-brick 17th century house where General Wolfe spent his early years; exhibition of the Battle of Quebec.
Queen Mary's House photo,
Jedburgh, Borders, was visited by Mary Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart, 1542-1587) for four weeks in October 1566. The House is a popular museum with many relics, tapestries, oil paintings, furniture, arms and armour of the Queen.
The Queen's House,
Greenwich, London; a Royal Palace by Inigo Jones built in Palladian forbidden in 1635, elegant staircase; now part of Greenwich Maritime Museum.
Raby Castle photo,
Darlington, Durham, was first mentioned in the 11th century, but the present castle was built by John, 3rd Baron Nevill in about 1360; Sir Henry Vane the Elder, MP, purchased Raby in 1626 and his family still own Raby, now the home of Lord Barnard's family. Raby is one of the finest medieval castles, the grandest medieval kitchen in England which was used 1360-1954, and the magnificent Baron's Hall where 700 knights gathered in 1569; Coach House museum
Ragley Hall photo ,
Alcester, Warwickshire, the home of Marquess and Marchioness of Hertford, was designed in 1680 by the versatile scientist Robert Hooke as one of the first Palladian country houses. The magnificent baroque plasterwork of the Great Hall was designed by James Gibbs. Ragley has 6000 acres of land, the gardens were designed by 'Capability' Brown.
Reculver Castle photo,
Kent, 12th century twin towers, built on a site where a Roman fort was built 2000 years ago.
Rhuddlan Castle photo,
North Wales, first appears in recorded history in the last years of the eighth century, when the English won a battle at Rhuddlan. The massive stone castle that we can see today, begun in 1277 as the second of King Edward I's ring of 17 great Welsh fortifications. It stands on the river Clwyd, near the lowest fording place, and that made it important for centuries. When Owain Glyn Dw^r and his troops rebelled against English rule in 1400, they attacked the town but did not capture the castle. In the Civil War (1642-46) the castle was for King Charles. Since 1648 the castle has been in ruins. In 1947 the State took over care of the castle.
Ripley Castle photo,
Ripley, North Yorkshire, the home of the Ingilby family for over 660 years, started as a fortified gatehouse circa 1450, the building of the three-storey addition started in 1548, and the great rebuilding took place in 1780's. Sir William Amcotts Ingilby rebuilt in early 1800's the whole village of Ripley to look like a village in Alsace Lorraine, and it still looks like it!
Rochester Castle photo,
Kent, built in 11th century as a Norman Bishop's castle and stronghold
Rockingham Castle photo,
Corby, Northamptonshire, started in 11th century by William the Conqueror as a Norman castle and remained as a Royal Castle for 450 years. Edward Walker obtained a lease on the Castle in 1544 and built the house inside the grounds. The members of the Saunders Watson family have been living in the Castle ever since. Being high on the hill the views from the Castle are magnificent, and there are furnished rooms of various periods of time. Norman walls encircle the main Castle area. Many fine paintings, furniture and old books.
Royal Pavillion photo,
Brighton, Sussex; the famous seaside residence of King George IV; the Indian forbidden by John Nash; breathtaking interiors, superb craftsmanship, Great Kitchen.
Royal Pump Room photo,
Harrogate, Yorkshire; a display illustrating the town as the Queen of the Inland Spas and life in Victorian Harrogate; a taste of sulphur water is an experience to anyone.
Sandringham House photo,
Norfolk, a private Country House of the Queen, built in 1870 Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII; grand and imposing neo-Jacobean house; museum full of Royal memorabilia including vintage Daimlers.
Scarborough Castle photo,
Yorkshire, stands on a massive rock that rises sheer-sided high above the North Sea. The site has been inhabited and fortified for nearly 3000 years. The Romans built a fortified signal station here, and the great castle was built here between 12th and 14th centuries. However, the castle abandoned in the early 17th century. but reoccupied later to be a permanently garrisoned fortification. It was in 1914 shelled and badly damaged by German warships. The castle has been gradually falling down the cliff into the sea and has since 1984 been in the care of English Heritage.
Scone Palace photo,
Pertshire; the home of the Mansfield family for 400 years was built in 1580 on the old crowning site of Scottish Kings and extensively rebuilt in 1804; the Palace houses unique collections of Vernis Martin, French furniture, clocks, porcelain.
Scotney Castle photo,
Kent, was built c.1378-80 by Roger Ashburnham in response to the threat of French invasion, and one of the original circular towers still stands there. For 350 years the Darell family lived there and in 1778 Edward Hussey bought the castle creating the picturesque garden. The estate was finally left to the National Trust on the death of Christopher Hussey in 1970. See the picture of the castle on the front page of IN BRITAIN January 1998 issue.
Sherborne Castle photo,
Dorset, was built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594. It has been the home of the present owners, the Digby family, since 1617. This Tudor mansion has a fine collection of art, furniture and porcelain, the landscape was created by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown 1753. Beside the lake are the 18th Century Orangery, 'Gingko' lawn and walled garden, whilst across it to the north the ground rises to reveal the ruins of Sherborne's old medieval castle, which succumbed to Cromwell's troops in 1645 during the Civil War.
Shugborough photo,
Staffordshire, was the ancestral home of the 5th Earl of Lichfield, Patrick Lichfield (1939-2005), one of the leading photographers in the world. The Anson family has lived there over 300 years, and Thomas Anson with the extensive financial help from his brother, the famous Admiral, later Lord George Anson, planned and had in 18th century the new Mansion House built with a collection of fine neo-classical monuments distributed throughout the magnificent grounds. The Estate was transferred to the National Trust in 1960, and the Stafford County Museum have their interesting exhibition in the servants' quarters giving an insight into the life below stairs during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. The House contains a fine collection of ceramics, silver, paintings and furniture and has a splendid Garden.
Castle Sinclair Girnigoe photo,
Wick, Caithness, Scotland, the ruins of two castles next to each other: Girnigoe Castle, the ancient seat of the Earls of Caithness was finished in 1495 on the site of an earlier Viking keep by William Sinclair, the 2nd Earl. In 1609, the 4th Earl extended the site by building a more luxurious castle, Sinclair, adjoining Girnigoe. These two castles were separated by a rock cut ravine spanned by a collapsible wooden bridge. During the war between the Campbells of Glenorchy and the Sinclairs starting 1680 the castle were attacked with cannon becoming uninhabitable as a result of the shelling. The Sinclairs moved their main seat to the Castle of Mey. In paintings from the 18th century, it is clear the the majority of the collapse of the Castles was due to a lack maintenance and the powerful winter storms. They are noted as being abandoned by 1700. Castle Sinclair Girnigoe is the subject of a preservation programme by its owner, The Clan Sinclair Trust. A new bridge between Sinclair and Girnigoe was opened in 2008.
Sissinghurst Garden photo,
Kent, famous gardens created by Harold Nicolson and Vita Sackville-West.
Sizergh Castle photo,
Kendal, Cumbria, a romantic fortified mansion and the home of the Strickland family for more than 750 years; started in 14th century as a pele tower, extended in Tudor times; fine Elizabethan carved overmantels; surrounded by large garden. (National Trust)
Skipton Castle photo,
Yorkshire; built 900 years ago, well-preserved with beautiful Tudor courtyard; an excellent comprehensive Tour Sheet with 40 drawings and descriptions of interesting features is given to each visitor! The best I have seen so far!! See "A Virtual Tour of Skipton Castle"!
Sledmere House photo,
Yorkshire, was built as a manor-house in medieval times and was permanently lived-in since 17th century, when the property was bought by Mark Kirkby. The present house was built by his great grandson Sir Christopher Sykes by 1790. The house is famous for its decoratice plasterworks, fine furniture and wallpapers as well as the fine 51 stop organ often played during the opening hours in the resonant acoustic of the Great Hall. The house is surrounded by the 'Capability' Brown's parkland.
Smailholm Tower photo,
Kelso, Borders, Scotland, was built by the Pringles in 15th century on a high rocky hill, was sold 1645 to the Scotts, the ancestors of Sir Walter Scott; in well preserved tower there are exhibitions of tapestry and costume depicting characters from Sir Walter Scott's 'Minstrelsy of the Scottish Borders'.
Snowshill Manor photo,
nr. Broadway, Gloucestershire, an ancient Manor House owned by Winchcombe Abbey until the dissolution of the monasteries was bought in 1919 by the eccentric poet, architect, artist and collector Charles Paget Wade, who during his lifetime collected anything and everything filling the 21 rooms of Snowshill with musical instruments, toys, bicycles, Japanese armour, spinners' tools etc.
Soane's Museum photo,
London, designed by John Soane: paintings by Hogarth, Turner; sarcophagus of Seti I.
Somerleyton Hall photo,
Suffolk, in a splendid early Victorian mansion built between 1844-1851 by Sir Morton Peto and no expense was spared; the house was sold in 1863 to carpet manufacturer Sir Francis Crossley whose great-grandson Lord Somerleyton is the present owner. He is also the Master of the Horse, one of the three Great Offices of State in the Royal Household; Lord and Lady Somerleyton live at the Hall. There are paintings by Landseer, Wright of Derby and Stanfield; the garden and the yew hedge maze are amongst the finest in the country.
Speke Hall photo,
Liverpool, Merseyside, the half-timbered house was built in early 16th century by the Norris family, and was sold in 1795 to the Watt family, who gave the estate to the National Trust in 1943. The interior of the house spans many periods from Tudor to Victorian, some rooms with William Morris wallpapers and Jacobean plasterwork and carved furniture
Spencer House photo,
London, built 1756-66 for Earl Spencer, an ancestor of Princess Diana; a fine London town house and a magnificent private palace overlooking Green Park, neo-classical interiors.
Squerryes Court photo,
Kent, Westerham, a manor house built in 1681; collection of Italian, 18th century English and 17th century Dutch paintings.
St Michael's Mount,
Cornwall; 75 metres high granite crag island surmounted by 14th century castle; access at low tide over causeway.
St Osyth Priory photo,
Essex, Great gatehouse built in 1475, a group of buildings surrounding a wide quadrangle; Topiary garden; art collection including George Stubbs. At the present time the Priory is not open to the public.
Stirling Castle photo,
Fife, Scotland; former Scottish Royal Residence, maybe the grandest of all Scotland's castles with outstanding architecture; strong links to Mary Queen of Scots who was crowned here in 1543.
Stokesay Castle photo,
Shropshire, is a well preserved example of a 13th century fortified manor house of a rich medieval wool merchant, Lawrence of Ludlow. The house has hardly altered during the past 750 years, but was sympathetically repaired in the 19th century. English Heritage carried out an extensive programme of repair in the 1980's.
Stourhead photo ,
Warminster, Wiltshire, over 200 years the home of the Hoare family, was designed in 1721 by Colen Campbell as a Palladian Mansion; part of the house was destroyed by fire in 1902 but the wing with fine library and picture gallery remained unscathed, and the house was rebuilt in replica after a couple of years. The very large and famous Garden, one of the most beautiful classical landscapes, was completed in 1780.
Sudbury Hall photo,
Derbyshire, the original old manor house was replanned and rebuilt in 1660s by George Vernon who needed no help of any architect. Thus, the structure was a particularly individualistic one. In decorating the house Vernon had help from famous craftsmen like woodcarvers Edward Pierce and Grinling Gibbons, and the plasterers Bradbury and Pettifer. The Hall is an unexpected mixture of architectural forbiddens, with remarkable carvings, plasterwork and paintings. Richly decorated, it has a collection of family portraits and a magnificent carved staircase.The Great Staircase is one of the finest of its kind in an English house. In 1839, the family moved to their beloved Italy for the next three years, letting the house to tenants. Among these was Queen Adelaide, William IV's widow, and The Queens Room was appropriately named after her. Sudbury remained as the home of the Vernon family until gifted to the National Trust in 1967.
The National Trust Museum of Childhood has an exhibition in the service wing of the Hall.
Sudeley Castle photo ,
Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, the home of Lord and Lady Ashcombe, a great house with royal connections dating back about 1000 years. This historic house was once the palace of Queen Katherine Parr, Henry VIII's sixth wife, who is buried in the Castle church. Charles I stayed at Sudeley during the Civil War. The paintings of the Castle include works by Turner, Van Dyck and Rubens. Sudeley Garden was chosen the "Garden of the Year" in 1996.
Sudley House photo,
Liverpool, Merseyside, the former home of Victorian shipowner George Holt; full of great British paintings including works by Gainsborough, Landseer, Corot, Turner and the Pre-Raphaelites: Lord Leighton, Strudwick, Hunt, Millais. Sudley House is currently closed to allow major refurbishments and it will reopen in 2007.
Sulgrave Manor photo,
Northamptonshire, a 16th century manor house, the ancestral home of George Washington's family. George Washington's great-grandfather John Washington emigrated from this house to Virginia in 1656. The house is a typical example of a wealthy countryhouse during the Elizabethan times and has lots of memories of the whole Washington family including the first President of the United States. The house and the site is owned together by the British and American people.
Syon House and Park photo,
Brentford, London; the magnificent home to the family of the Duke of Northumberland ever since 1597; the grand Great Hall was designed by Robert Adam in 1760s as 'a palace of Graeco-Roman splendour'; the Ante Room has 12 Ionic columns and the floor is wonderful highly polished scagliola of marble. Syon Park was transformed in 1770s by 'Capability' Brown into a landscape garden. The beautiful Great Conservatory was designed by Charles Fowler in 1820. Butterfly House at Syon Park Garden has hundreds of free-flying tropical butterflies.
Tabley House photo,
Knutsford, Cheshire, fine Palladian mansion of 1761, state rooms with fine paintings and furniture; collection of musical instruments.
Tantallon Castle photo,
Lothian, Scotland, ruins of the famous 14th century stronghold of the Douglases, magnificent view across the Firth of Forth to the Bass Rock.
Tattershall Castle photo,
Lincolnshire; a fortified brick tower built in 1440; state apartments, restored by Lord Curzon 1911-14.
Tatton Park photo,
Knutsford, Cheshire, home of the Egerton family 1598-1958, now owned by the National Trust; Tatton Old Hall was built around 1520 and the building was enlarged to its present size in 1580's and then the appearance was changed in early 19th century by architect Wyatt in the fashionable neo-classical forbidden; the magnificent rooms have fine collections of pictures, books, china, glass and furniture; extensive park.
Temple Newsam photo,
Leeds, Yorkshire; Tudor and Jacobean mansion; collections of decorative arts in a park, where popular summer concerts are held.
Thirlestane Castle photo,
Lauder, Borders; the home of the Maitland family throughout its long history; the present castle was built in 1590 and remodelled in 1670s and 1840s; fine 17th century ceilings, large collection of historic toys, country life exhibitions; the venue of Scottish Horse Trials.
Tissington Hall photo,
Ashbourne, Derbyshire, the home of Sir Richard and Caroline FitzHerbert, was built by Francis FitzHerbert in 1609 to replace the moated manor house to the north of the church. Sir Richard inherited his Baronetcy and the Tissington Estate on the death of his Uncle, John FitzHerbert in 1989 at the age of 24. The Estate comprises of 13 let dairy-farms, 40 cottages and several miscellaneous lets as well as the magnificent 61-room family home Tissington Hall which is open to the public. The Hall underwent major renovation in 1991 with a full-rewiring and re-roofing and Sir Richard has never taken a penny in grant towards the upkeep of the 17th Century Hall. Tissington contains many treasures accumulated by the families over the centuries and includes fine furniture and paintings by Reynolds, Velazquez, Rubens and Angelica Kauffmann.
Tolquhon Castle photo,
Aberdeenshire, Grampian, was built for the Forbes family in 1420, the tower was enlarged in 1580s and was amongst the finest of its day; due to difficulties the estate had to be sold in 1716, and became simply a farmhouse, which was abandoned in 1850s; the ruins were transferred into State care in 1929.
Tonbridge Castle photo,
Tonbridge, Kent; after the Norman Conquest, William granted land at Tonbridge to Richard Fitzgilbert (de Clare), a castle was soon built on the site and became the de Clare family home for the next 250 years. The Castle was reinforced during the 13th century and the gatehouse was built. After the Civil War the castle was to be dismantled, and most of it disappeared through use as a local quarry. Today the castle is owned by the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, who have the Tourist Information Centre and the council chamber in the adjoining mansion house.
Torre Abbey photo,
Devon; founded as monastery in 1196, later adapted as a country house, now an art gallery with Victorian paintings and Agatha Christie mementoes Agatha Christie Museum.
Tower of London photo ,
London, Crown Jewels, Beefeaters, ravens, colourful history of England.
Townend photo,
Windermere, Cumbria, a 17th century solid stone and slate house which belonged to a wealthy yeoman farming family, now the property of the National Trust.
Traquair photo,
Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, Scotland, claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited house in Scotland, where 27 Scottish and English monarchs have visited, now home of Catherine Maxwell Stuart family. Traquair is one of the Great Houses of Scotland, has its own house brewery, and provides accommodation for visitors.
Uppark photo,
West Sussex, was first mentioned in the county maps of 1595. The house was in 1747 sold to Matthew Fetherstonaugh. Sir Matthew travelled several times in Europe and during his Grand Tour he bought from Rome, Florence, Venice and many places in central Europe paintings, furniture and ceramics that now form the elegant Georgian interior of this romantic house. The family owned it until 1954, when it was passed to the National Trust. Uppark's fine collections were rescued from a disasterous fire in 1989 and have been returned to the now fully restored 18th century interior.
Upton House photo,
Banbury, Warwickshire, was built at the end of the 17th century and remodelled 1927 - 29 for the 2nd Viscount Bearsted. The House has a great collection of paintings including works by El Greco, Bruegel, Bosch, Memling, Guardi, Hogarth and Stubbs in the Picture Gallery that was originally a squash court.
Urquhart Castle photo,
Loch Ness, Invernesshire, Scotland, now only a ruin, was built around 1230, invaded by Edward I of England in 1296, seized by the MacDonalds, Lords of the Isles, in 1395, and garrisoned in 1689 it was blown up in 1692 to prevent it becoming a military stronghold. Most of the existing buildings date from the 14th century and include the Grant Tower the best-preserved part of the complex. The excellent visitor centre was opened in 2002. This is built into the hillside beside and below the main road and offers ample parking, a shop, cafe, educational audio-visual displays and a model showing the castle in earlier, less ruinous days.
Waddesdon Manor photo,
Buckinghamshire; this French Renaissance-forbidden château was built at the end of the 19th century for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild to entertain his guests and display one of the finest collections of 18th Century art treasures in the world including works of Gainsborough and Reynolds. It won the 'Museum of the Year' and 'Best National Trust Property' Awards in 1997; Waddesdon also has one of the finest Victorian gardens in Britain, famous for its landscape. The Wine Cellars opened to the public in 1993 are famous for their Château Mouton-Rothschild wines.
Walmer Castle photo,
Kent, was built in 1539 as one of a chain of coastal artillery forts constructed by Henry VIII against the threat of invasion by Spain. From 1708 it became the official residence of the Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports, an office held by many famous people, including the Duke of Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill and the late Queen Mother. The castle is today more like an elegant stately home than the medieval fort. There are beautiful gardens attached to the castle.
Warkworth Castle photo,
Northumberland; a Norman origin castle with great towering keep;
Warwick Castle photo ,
Warwickshire; 900 years old castle, Madame Tussaud's waxworks settings. Read more about Warwick from IN BRITAIN December 1998 issue.
Wigmore Castle photo,
Herefordshire; a ruined castle, founded probably c.1070, by William fitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford and became soon to the ownership of the Mortimer family until 1424. After the Civil War, the castle was left in a state of ruin, and was gradually covered in trees and other vegetation. Came in 1995 into the guardianship of English Heritage, which has made the site a little more accessible to visitors.
Wilton House photo,
Wiltshire, the home of the Earl of Pembroke for over 450 years, rebuilt after the 1647 fire on designs of Inigo Jones, WW2 Operations Room for Southern Command and D-Day Landings in 1944; has provided film locations for "Barry Lyndon", "Sense and Sensibility" with Emma Thompson, "Mutiny" with Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson; one of the best private art collection in Britain including Van Dyck, Rubens, Joshua Reynolds, Pieter and Jan Brueghel.
Wimpole Hall photo,
Cambridgeshire; the greatest country house in Cambridgeshire was first built in 1643 and much altered since then by famous architects like James Gibbs, Sir John Soane and Henry Kendall. The wonderful interior's most notable rooms are the Book Room and the Yellow Drawing Room. Mrs. Elsie Bambridge, the last owner of Wimpole and daughter of Rudyard Kipling, bequeathed her estate to the National Trust in 1976.
Windsor Castle photo,
Berkshire; a royal palace and fortress since Henry II in 1110.
Witley Court photo,
Worcestershire; the spectacular ruins once one of the great houses of Britain, ravaged by fire in 1937. Witley had only 100 years prior to the accidental destruction been remodelled into an opulent neo-Palladian mansion for the Earl of Dudley. The sight that met visitors approaching the house from the long drive must have been breathtaking because even today, it stands as a majestic roofless shell of splendid dimensions. An elegant conservatory of massive proportions, with a series of continual arched windows and low-level stone balustrades, once contained a mass of indoor foliage, and looked down to the spectacular Perseus and Andromeda fountain in the south parterre garden. Once a status symbol of industrial wealth, political influence, and Victorian entrepreneurs, Witley Court had known opulence, entertained Royalty, and hosted many great sporting events. After the fire Witley Court changed hands several times, and since 1984 it has been in the care of English Heritage.
Next to Witley Court is the survived late baroque forbidden Parish Church for Great Witley and Little Witley.
Woburn Abbey photo,
Bedfordshire, famous stately home of the Russell Family, fine art: Canaletto, Reynolds.
Wordsworth House photo,
Cockermouth, Cumbria; country Georgian House built in 1745, birthplace of the poet William Wordsworth; some of his belongings.
Workington Hall photo,
Workington, Cumbria, now ruined, was built around 1404 to become a fortified tower house around a pele tower dating from the 14th century. The Hall was once one of the finest Manor houses in the region and the hereditary seat of the Curwen family, the lords of the manor in Workington, right up until 1929. It was at Workington Hall that Mary, Queen of Scots, sought refuge after the defeat of her forces in May 1568, not knowing it would be her last day as a free woman. While staying here, she wrote to Queen Elizabeth—the letter is now in the British Museum. During the Second World War the Hall was billeted and suffered a fire. Since then it has become a classified ruin and is now run as a visitor attraction. The Hall is also the stage for operas, pageants, plays, and is associated with the towns annual Medieval 'Curwen Fair'.
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem - reputedly the oldest pub in England photo,
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire; this pub founded in 1189 is situated on Brewhouse Yard just outside the Outer Bailey Walls of Nottingham Castle. In the middle ages it could be reached from the Castle's Upper Bailey by a 100 yard passage - "Mortimer's Hole" - through the rock. In the Middle English of the times, a "Trip" was not a journey, but a resting place where such a journey may be broken for a time.
Ypres Tower photo,
Rye, East Sussex; built in 1250 by King Henry III as a defence castle , over three centuries a prison, houses today the Rye Museum.
Ruby Meanings and Uses...http://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/ruby18:36 Apr 18 2016
Times Read: 514
The fiery and captivating Ruby is a stone of nobility, considered the most magnificent of all gems, the queen of stones and the stone of kings. Ancients believed it surpassed all other precious stones in virtue, and its value exceeded even that of the Diamond. The Chinese Emperor Kublai Khan was said to have offered an entire city in exchange for a sizable Ruby. [Melody, 573][Fernie, 138, 140][Megemont, 159][Kunz, 102][Simmons, 332]
Revered in many cultures throughout history, Ruby has always been a talisman of passion, protection and prosperity. It symbolizes the sun, and its glowing hue suggests an inextinguishable flame within the stone that legends claim would shine through even the thickest clothing and could not be hidden; if Ruby were cast into water it would cause it to boil, and if carved and pressed into wax, it would melt the wax. It was worn as an amulet or charm to ward off plague and pestilence, warned its wearer of impending danger, kept the body safe, and banished sadness and foolish thoughts. It was reputed to bring its owner peace, drive away frightful dreams, restrain lust, and to help resolve disputes. Burmese legend declares inserting a Ruby into the flesh would make one completely invulnerable. [Mella, 103][Kunz, 101-103][Fernie, 141-142][Simmons, 332]
Today, Ruby’s metaphysical properties are no less astounding. This exquisite crystal emanates the pure Red ray with a vibrancy unsurpassed in the mineral kingdom. It actively stimulates the Base Chakra, increasing vitality and chi, the life-force energy, throughout the physical body and into the spirit. It promotes a clear mind, increased concentration and motivation, and brings a sense of power to the wearer, a self-confidence and determination that overcomes timidity and propels one toward prosperity and achievement. [Simmons, 332-333][Ahsian, 333][Hall, 250-251][Melody, 573]
Ruby initiates the sensual pleasures of life. It stirs the blood and stimulates the heart, encouraging one to enjoy being in the physical world. It increases desire and sexual energy, and may be used to activate the kundalini. Ruby has always been associated with love, especially faithful passionate commitment and closeness. In antiquity Rubies were considered to be perfect wedding stones. [Ahsian, 333-334][Hall, 250-251][Eason, 71][Mella, 103][Gienger, 75]
Natural Ruby is one of four “precious” gemstones (including Diamond, Emerald and Sapphire) known its rarity, monetary value, and hardness (second only to Diamond). Ruby is red Corundum, an aluminum oxide mineral with chromium responsible for its rich, red color. The name comes from the Latin word rubeus, meaning “red,” and until 1800 when Ruby was recognized as a variety of Corundum, red Spinels, Tourmalines, and Garnets were also believed to be Ruby. All other color varieties of Corundum are designated as Sapphire. (See the Sapphire page on this website.) [Megemont, 159][Simmons, 332][gemselect.com]
Ruby forms in prismatic tabular, bipyramidal or rhombohedral crystals, as well as granular or massive habits, and has a vitreous luster. The most valuable and desired Rubies are those of a shade called “pigeon’s blood,” defined by William Fernie as “a pure deep, rich red, without any admixture of blue or yellow,” though others define it as “a pure red with a hint of blue.” The shade of red varies depending on where it is mined, and may be a deep pink-red, a reddish-orange, red with a violet cast, or even a deep wine color. The paler pink Corundum, debated as Ruby by some, is usually referred to in gemological terms as Pink Sapphire rather than Ruby. [Simmons, 332][Fernie, 139-141][Eason, 71][gemselect.com][Mindat.org]
All natural Rubies have imperfections within them, including color impurities and inclusions of Rutile needles known as “silk.” These inclusions help distinguish natural Ruby from synthetics and when structurally oriented so the light shines off the “silk” in certain ways, the inclusions actually increase the rarity and value of the stone. If cut en cabochon, these special stones may display a chatoyancy, or rare “cat’s eye” effect, or in the case of a Star Ruby may display a six-rayed star effect called asterism, that causes the light rays to appear to glide magically across the stone as it is moved. [wikipedia.org][gemstone.org][gemselect.com]
star rubyStar Ruby has the same metaphysical properties as Ruby, but with increased healing and magical energies. It is most powerful at full moon. The Light of the Soul is reflected and grounded within the star of the Ruby, and amplifies one’s internal resources and fortitude. It is extremely potent for those inclined to self-harm or self-neglect, and is quite beneficial in overcoming sexual dysfunction or the trauma of sexual or power abuse and suppressed anger. As a stone of spiritual Light, it can be used by Light workers and healers to integrate high-frequency energy into the body, and assists one in recognizing the true abundance of life. [Eason, 71][Ahsian, 334]
metaphysical uses Ruby Uses and Purposes - Overview
Wear or carry Ruby to overcome exhaustion and lethargy. It stimulates circulation and amplifies energy and vitality to the whole system. However, those who are highly sensitive or irritable may find this stone over-stimulating or uncomfortable to wear. Ruby has been known to calm hyperactivity in some individuals. [Hall, 250-251][Gienger, 75]
Ruby is an aphrodisiac, allowing one to experience all forms of love, from wild sensuality to mystical communion. It deepens a couple’s relationship and encourages closeness and commitment. It is also the stone of courtly love and may honor admiration from a distance. [Megemont, 160] Worn during lovemaking, Ruby can help restore and maintain passion, and is excellent for increasing the chances for conception. [Eason, 71][Gienger, 75]
Ruby’s intense energy sharpens the mind, bringing a heightened awareness and excellent concentration. It promotes a courageous attitude, and may increase one’s success in controversies and disputes. [Hall, 251][Melody, 573]
Ruby helps reduce fear of the paranormal and evil. It banishes nightmares, and guards against psychic and psychological attack. It is a shielding crystal, protecting the home from fire and intruders, and is good to wear discreetly to stay safe at night. [Eason, 71][Melody, 573][Hall, 251]
Rubies both naturally formed and lab-created, are highly prized crystals for technological use in areas such as watchmaking, medical instruments, and lasers for microscopic surgery. [Mella, 103][Raphaell, 10]
Dover Castle History, tourist information, and nearby accommodation BY DAVID ROSS, EDITOR16:23 Apr 18 2016
Times Read: 519
HERITAGE HIGHLIGHTS: Underground tunnels begun by King John, later used in WWII
Dover Castle
Begun in 1066, but largely a product of Henry II's expansion in 1170. In the 13th century King John ordered the building of underground tunnels connected to sally ports in order to surprise attacking troops. These tunnels were later used as a military command centre during WWII (see the extensive reconstructions). Within the castle grounds stand a Roman lighthouse and a Saxon church.
History
'The Key to the Kingdom'
This imposing castle towers - quite literally - over the historic port of Dover, at the western end of the iconic White Cliffs. The Iron Age inhabitants of the area we now call Kent recognised the strategic importance of the hill, and built a fort here over 2000 years ago. The Romans, in turn, built a pharos, or lighthouse, inside the hill fort, and a matching lighthouse atop the Western Heights, across Dover harbour. The second lighthouse is gone now, but the first one still stands atop the hill looking across to France, 21 miles away.
Arthur's Hall
Arthur's Hall
Long after the Romans left in 410AD a Saxon burgh, or fortified town, flourished within the earthwork defenses. Around 1000AD the Saxons erected a church beside the Roman lighthouse. The church of St Mary in Castro still stands, though much remodelled in the Victorian period.
According to legend, King Harold, the last Saxon king of England, promised to give Dover 'castle' to William the Conqueror. It seems doubtful that there was anything resembling an actual castle at that time, and Harold may simply have meant the fortified hilltop and Iron Age defenses.
William marched through Dover following his success at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and built a ringwork defensive wall, much of which is obliterated by later construction. Sometime in the century following the Norman invasion the town of Dover moved from the hilltop to the low-lying land by the harbour. Whether this move was voluntary or enforced by the Normans we simply don't know, but when Henry II decided to create his magnificent new stone castle here in 1080 the hilltop site was largely empty aside from the church and lighthouse. Henry built a huge stone keep, protected by a ringwork inner curtain wall to the north west of the original ringwork. We know from the Royal Pipe Rolls, or financial records, that from 1080-1090 the crown spent £6300 building Dover Castle. For the time this was an eye-watering amount of money, and underlines just how imposing and impressive Henry meant his new fortress to be. Unusually for the period, we even know the name of the builder; the king's Master Mason, one Maurice the Engineer, who had just completed the castle keep at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Great Tower kitchens
Great Tower kitchens
King John extended Henry II's outer curtain wall, starting work in 1207 after he had lost control of Normandy. He must have sensed a threat from France, and he was right, though not perhaps in quite the way he might have thought. For John's rebellious barons invited Louis, Dauphin of France, to become king of England. Louis besieged Dover in 1216, digging a mine under John's gatehouse. The Constable, Hubert de Burgh, hurriedly placed timber in the breach and managed to hold off the attackers long enough for fate to take a hand. And fate did indeed take a hand, for John conveniently died, Louis' bid for the throne faltered, and Dover was saved. The tower was rebuilt, but the gateway blocked permanently. One of the most impressive remaining towers is Constable's Gate, so-called because it served as the official residence for the Constable after that officer moved from the first floor of the keep.
Though the curtain wall and towers might have been enough to defend Dover, the medieval engineers were not done. They built a series of underground tunnels, connecting the castle with the earthwork beyond the north curtain wall. These tunnels, though enlarged and extended in the Napoleonic Wars, still exist in their original form. Using the tunnels, the castle garrison would have been able to send a force of men under the curtain and attack a besieging enemy from the rear.
The castle was under attack again in 1263, when Henry III's barons, led by Simon de Montfort, rebelled. De Montfort seized Dover Castle in July of that year, and in May 1264 Prince Edward (the future Edward I) was held prisoner here. De Montfort's wife, Eleanor, held the castle briefly, but when the rebel cause ended with defeat at Evesham in 1265 she was forced to surrender.
The Queen's Chamber in the Great Tower
The Queen's Chamber in the Great Tower
The Post-Medieval Period
Edward IV renovated Dover Castle to serve as an occasional royal residence, inserting fine new windows and fireplaces. We don't know if Edward ever actually stayed here, but other royals certainly did; in 1520 Emperor Charles V stayed in the castle, and Henry VIII stopped here on his way to the Field of the Cloth of Gold. Henry's daughter, Elizabeth I visited, but by the time Henrietta Maria of France stayed on her way to marry Charles I, it was described as 'an old building in the antique manner'. George de Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, embarked on a lavish renovation of the Great Tower, but much of his rebuilding has been lost to time. The castle was briefly held by Royalist troops during the Civil War, but Parliamentary supporters from the town staged a daring raid, scaling the cliffs at night and taking the garrison by surprise.
Dover escaped the slighting that Parliament meted out to so many other fortresses, but it could not escape the ravages of time; in the late 17th century the Great Tower was stripped of its creature comforts and used to house French prisoners of war. Graffiti carved into the walls by the prisoners can still be seen in places. During the mid-18th century the defenses were upgraded to counter the threat of invasion following the War of Austrian Succession (begun 1740) and the Seven Years War (1756). But the threat of invasion was far greater in the Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815) and this period saw the greatest rebuilding at Dover since the 13th century.
The Medieval Tunnels
The Medieval Tunnels
Much of the work was supervised by Lieutenant-Colonel William Twiss, a military engineer of outstanding ability, who built new barracks and casements, and rebuilt the walls to withstand modern artillery fire. More impressively perhaps, Twiss built a complex of tunnels under the castle, extending to the very face of the White Cliffs. The last major building of the 19th century were the Officer's New Barracks, designed by Anthony Salvin (beside the current parking area).
The tunnels built by Twiss during the Napoleonic period were put to use during World War II, when they formed a naval operation centre and hospital. It was from here, far beneath ground level, that Vice-Admiral Bertrand Ramsay oversaw Operation Dynamo, the 'Miracle of Dunkirk' (more details below).
During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, when it seemed the world might be on the brink of a nuclear war, a series of tunnels were equipped to serve as an emergency government headquarters. It was not until the 1980s that the 'nuclear' tunnels were decommissioned. Since then Dover Castle has been preserved for its historic interest and administered by English Heritage.
King's Gate
King's Gate
What to See
Arthur's Hall
Within the inner curtain, facing the Great Tower forebuilding is this great hall, the social hub of castle life, probably built for Henry III around 1236. We do not know for certain why it is called Arthur's Hall; we can only speculate that the name was intended to honour King Arthur. At the south east end are three arched openings. The arches give access to the kitchens, buttery, and pantry. The hall was reroofed in the 1740s when a new floor was inserted. Today the hall houses an exhibition on the history of the castle and the Plantagenet dynasty. Beside Arthur's Hall is the museum of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment and the Queens Regiment.
The Medieval Tunnels
When Hubert de Burgh rebuilt the castle after the siege of 1216-17, he erected a series of outworks to the northwest of the Norfolk Towers. The new defenses included the cylindrical tower of St John, in the outer ditch, and a triangular outer spur, or bastion. From the air these early 13th century defenses look like a pointed arrow projecting from the castle walls. But not all of Hubert de Burgh's work is visible above ground, for he linked his new defenses to the main castle by a series of tunnels. One shaft led beneath the Norfolk Gates to St John's Tower, where a drawbridge gave access to another tunnel under the spur. Sally ports (small side gates) gave access to the ditch. Much of the medieval tunnel system still exists, and is reached from a stair between the King's Gate and the Norfolk Gates. The tunnels were extended and strengthened in 1756 and again in the Napoleonic War period, but they are essentially as they would have looked when they were finished in 1221, and represent an extraordinary feet of medieval engineering.
The King's Chamber
The King's Chamber
The Great Tower
The showpiece of Dover, the great stone keep erected by Maurice the Engineer for Henry II is a huge cube, measuring 100 feet in each direction, with imposing corner turrets and an elaborate L-shaped forebuilding with a further three projecting turrets. The forebuilding acts as a grand staircase, giving access, not to the first floor, as you might expect, but to the second floor, where the royal hall and solar (private apartments) are located. The forebuilding was originally roofless, so any attackers getting inside would be subjected to a rain of missiles thrown from the tower parapets above. At the point where the forebuilding stair changes direction there is a small, rather ornately carved chapel, perhaps erected as a place for more welcome guests to give thanks for a successful journey upon arrival. The hall level is double-height, with a gallery running around the exterior and several small , private chambers in the thickness of the walls. In one of these chambers is one of the most amazing - and uncelebrated - examples of medieval engineering anywhere in Britain; a well shaft, which sinks down fully 350 feet into the chalk beneath to reach water. To put that in perspective, the well shaft is as deep as the spire of Salisbury Cathedral is tall.
The main attraction in the tower, however, at least for most visitors, is that English Heritage have painstakingly recreated the look and feel of the authentic Norman castle, with bedchambers, furniture, and decoration that echo as precisely as possible what the rooms would have looked like. The one exception to the authenticity of the decor is that there are painted wall-hangings, where the original scheme would have had the actual walls painted. However, as one English Heritage room steward told me, they couldn't actually use paint on the walls in case they damaged the real medieval paint that still exists, so they did the next best thing. I must say that the result is staggering; every surface appears to glow with colour. It reminds me of nothing so much as a 1960s decoration scheme, with vivid, pure colours everywhere. It is worth remembering that medieval buildings were generally highly decorated, not bare and cold stone as we so often see them today. So it is a real experience for the senses to see the rooms in the tower much as Henry II or his descendants might have seen them.
St Mary in Castro and the Roman lighthouse
St Mary in Castro and the Roman lighthouse
The tower is contained within an inner curtain wall with 14 mural towers. Two pairs of towers are placed close together to form the earliest twin-towered gateways in England; Palace Gate and King's Gate. Eighteenth century barracks fill in much of the space within the inner curtain wall.
St Mary in Castro church
This delightful cruciform church stands at the highest point of Dover Castle, its bands of red brick and pale stone standing out like a beacon. Begun around 1000AD, and heavily remodelled in the Victorian period, St Mary served as the church for the garrison of Dover Castle. The size and layout of the building suggest that was a minster, acting as a mother church for the region and served by a community of priests. Construction is of flint and ragstone rubble with Roman bricks reused in the quoins and around doors and window openings. During the medieval period sacred relics were kept in the church. The building was restored in 1582 but allowed to fall into decay in the 17th century. By the 18th century the building was little more than a crumbling shell. Used as a fives court and a coal store, the church was finally restored in 1862 by George Gilbert Scott. The final touches were applied by William Butterfield in 1888, and today the interior is typical of Butterfield's 'High Church' work, with polychrome decoration, a mosaic altar, and tiled flors. Traditionally there were three different service times, with the rank and file attending the earliest service and higher ranks later in the day.
The Roman lighthouse
The Roman lighthouse
The Roman Lighthouse
Beside the church of St Mary stands the Roman pharos, erected to guide shipping along the coast and into Dover harbour sometime in the first half of the second century AD (i.e. roughly 125AD). The lighthouse is built to an octagonal plan, using ragstone and flint with brick dressings and brick archways. It is built with five tapering stages. The bottom four stages are original Roman work, while the top stage was added around 1430 by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, to act as a bell tower for St Mary in Castro church. In the 1580s the lighthouse was reroofed and restored to act as a powder magazine. The structure is in remarkable condition, though obviously suffering the effects of weathering. You can go through an opening into the centre of the lighthouse, which is hollow.
Secret Wartime Tunnels
One of the most interesting - and most recent - attractions at Dover is the Secret Wartime Tunnels. These tunnels were begun during the Napoleonic Wars and greatly extended during World War II. During that conflict they acted as the command centre for naval operations along the south coat, and it was from here that Vice-Admiral Bertrand Ramsay oversaw Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of British and Allied forces from Dunkirk. Access to the tunnels is by guided tour only, and the tour takes about 45 minutes. It consists of a series of audio-visual experiences which tell the story of the Dunkirk rescue. At the end of the tour is a museum area, with more exhibits about the Dunkirk story and about the role played by people who worked in the tunnels during the war. There is a further tour available exploring a WWII hospital area, next to the Secret Wartime Tunnels. From the tunnels it is only a short walk to Admiral Ramsay's Lookout, which offers wonderful views across the Channel and east to the White Cliffs.
Secret Wartime Tunnels entrance
The Secret Wartime Tunnels entrance
Visiting Dover Castle
I foolishly assumed that I could take my family around the castle in a couple of hours, and have plenty of time to see Dover itself, and pop down the coast to Deal and Walmer Castles. Oh, how wrong I was! There is so much to see at Dover that I strongly, strongly advise you to leave at least 4 hours for a visit. If you have the time, allow 5-6 hours and take it slow and easy. There truly is so much to see that to do justice to it all you really need a minimum of a half day, and, depending on your interests, a lot more. The wartime tunnels alone will take at least 45 minutes - more if you take your time over the museum at the end of the tour, and that's not counting the time you may have to stand in line if its a busy tie of year.
Have You Ever Explored London's Silver Vaults?16:17 Apr 18 2016
Times Read: 521
Behind this unassuming door lies the capital's most lustrous catacomb. The London Silver Vaults occupy a sprawling Victorian storage facility beneath Chancery Lane. Not many locals know about this subterranean warren. Still fewer realise that you can simply walk down the stairs and freely browse one of the largest silver markets on Earth.
At first glance, this hypogeal realm looks more like a prison than a marketplace for precious metals. Sturdy iron doors line a long corridor of neutral colours.
How different is the view a few paces in. Imagine walking along that corridor and turning into the second door on the right, just beyond the cabinet. You might want to put your sunglasses on first.
This sparkling shop belongs to John Walter, a third-generation silver merchant. The business was established by his grandfather William Walter in the 1930s. In fact, the majority of shops in this unique arcade are family affairs, handed down through the generations. The silverware in the Walter shop is predominantly Georgian. You can pick up some relatively inexpensive gifts down here, including an antique Christening spoon at £35, silver napkin rings at £40, and argent picture frames for £50. On the other hand, a set of Tudor spoons will cost you tens of thousands.
A few doors along, we wander into Steven Linden's antique homeware and giftware shop. His, too, is a third-generation business, resident in the Silver Vaults for over 40 years. This is the place to come if you're seeking impressive accoutrements for birthdays, weddings or other events. Again, it's not necessarily too spendy, with items starting as low as £20.
linden
The shop is particularly popular with restaurants and hotels who uphold the principle that good tea should always be poured from silver.
The units down here aren't all concerned with silver. Anthony Green specialises in antique pocket watches, a trade he's been plying for 30 years. He shows us a few Georgian-era timepieces. "The wonderful thing is that most of these would have been manufactured a few hundred feet from here," he says. It's true, nearby Clerkenwell was a world centre of watchmaking during the period.
This clockwork masterpiece, built a few streets away 300 years ago, still works perfectly. "The watchmaker would no doubt have been very proud to know that his work lives on and is still appreciated," says Anthony. "Collectors are looking for complexity," he tells us, withdrawing a much larger horological wonder from his sales cabinet. The cumbrous pocket watch contains a fully functional chime of bells, with a different peel for the quarters. You'd swear the warble was digital, from a loudspeaker. But this is a wholly mechanical tintinnabulation; a miniature miracle.
You'll find jewellery shops down here, too. "The high streets are all homogenous," says Alex Belmont of Belmont Jewellers. "Even in Hatton Garden, the shops may look different, but they're basically selling the same stuff." Alex stocks modern jewellery but also has a particularly fine collection of pre-owned and vintage pieces. John Petrook (pictured below) of nearby Wolfe Jewellery specialises in antique items. His family business, now over 50 years old, started in Bond Street, but he's been in the Vaults for 34. He tells us that most of the customers come from overseas, sensing that relatively few Londoners know that the market exists. Which is a shame, because it's a truly astonishing place. "We're like a big family down here," he confides, "although like all families, there are occasional disagreements."
Occasional clashes must be inevitable in a complex that contains so many competing businesses. Yet the atmosphere is supremely friendly, with staff popping in and out of neighbouring units for a quick catch-up, or to exchange materials. Everybody we speak to is intensely enthusiastic about their trade, easy to chat to, and keen to help.
The 30-or-so units are ensconced within small cells, each one protected by a robust iron door. These are as nothing compared to the mighty "John Tann" portal that guards the vault entrance, which we were not permitted to photograph. These are functioning remnants of the vaults' previous incarnation as Britain's first safe deposit building.
Victorians would pay to leave all manner of priceless items in this high-security repository. A press report of 1890, five years after its opening, describes over 6,000 safes, and 3,000 customers. "A number of interesting collections have been placed in the custody of the company, including the Shakespearian documents of the late Mr Halliwell-Phillipps, and some of the valuable State papers in connection with the historic enquiry generally known as the Parnell Commission."
The vaults were never successfully burgled. Indeed, criminals were among the clients. In 1892, the manager of the complex had to write into the Morning Post to play down assertions that the 'Belgrave Square burglar' had hired a safe. "The ordinary renters' security is in no way lessened by the fact that a dishonest person may have his plunder secreted nearby... forty millionnaires and forty thieves may rent safes side by side, both being assured of absolutely invulnerable and secret strongholds."
Having survived a direct hit during the Second World War, the vaults retain their reputation for resilience and security. And yet you can find the most delicate objects within. Kalms Antiques currently holds this beautiful silver ship:
Notice the wheels. These allow the vessel, known as a nef, to be rolled along the tabletop, transporting a cargo of spices or condiments to the assembled diners. It's the poshest salt shaker we've ever seen, but such devices were popular table ornaments in the Renaissance when spices were an expensive commodity. The bigger your nef, the higher your status. This one's a 19th century pastiche from Portugal, but would still fetch almost £30,000.
The Vaults are one of those places that might feel intimidating and off-limits. They're not. To enjoy the silver, you need neither a golden ticket nor much brass. We entered with barely an ingot of interest in precious metal, simply wanting to visit one of London's 'secret catacombs'. We came out with a magpie's glint in the eye.
London Silver Vaults is on the corner of Chancery Lane and Southampton Buildings, open Mon-Fri, 9am to 5.30pm, and Saturday 9am to 1pm. Entrance is free, and you can just walk in.
Cotillion ball From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
22:09 Apr 15 2016
Times Read: 536
In American usage, a cotillion is a formal ball and social gathering, often the venue for presenting débutantes during the débutante season – usually May through December. Cotillions are also used as classes to teach social etiquette, respect, and common morals for the younger ages with the possibility of leading up to a débutante ball. For different places, there are different cotillions. Today, most cotillions are for middle schoolers as a chance to teach manners and etiquette, and also are a time to socialize with friends at after parties. The after parties at cotillion usually feature food, drinks, and music.
How to Have a Victorian Ball 22:06 Apr 15 2016
Times Read: 537
It was in the ballroom that Victorian society was on its best behavior. Everything there was regulated according to the strictest code of good-breeding, and as any departure from this code became a grave offense, it was indispensable that the etiquette of the Victorian ballroom was thoroughly mastered. The following hints on 19th century Victorian ballroom dancing concentrate on the period from the 1840s to the mid-1860s.
Ballroom Dancing
PREPARATIONS: There were various ways of organizing a Victorian ball — the most common one was for several people, interested in dancing, to meet together and choose a Committee of Arrangements or Managers, as they were sometimes called. It was their duty to procure a hall, engage a quadrille band, make arrangements for the supper, and issue invitations to those they wanted to attend the dance.
Ballroom Dancing
It was the special duty of one or more of the committee to attend to each of the above duties for the Victorian dance. The number of the committee varied from five to twenty, according to the amount of services to be performed. If the invitations for the dance were to be sent to adjoining towns, at least one of the committee was chosen from each town, or in case there were several villages in the town, one from each village. On the evening of the Victorian ball, two or more of the committee would be chosen as ballroom dancing floor managers, to see that the sets were full, and that all persons wishing for dancing partners were supplied; and also to direct the music, as well as to decide any questions that may arise in the Victorian ballroom.
Ballroom DancingVictorian military and fire engine companies, clubs and associations often gave a single dance or perhaps a series of parties—the same committee officiating during the different evenings. Furthermore, it was the custom for teachers of ballroom dancing, in connection with their schools, to open their rooms to the public after nine o'clock in the evening. Any proper person could, for a small sum of usually fifty cents, join in the amusements. These Victorian parties usually ended at about twelve o'clock, while Victorian dances generally continued some hours later.
Sometimes Victorian balls were organized by some speculator, who generally managed the whole matter himself. Victorian balls of this class were not always select, as the invitations were given to the public in general, and persons deemed “improper” too frequently gained admission. Refreshments would be provided for the guests during the evening; and, as nothing would be passed around the Victorian ballroom, a refreshment room was absolutely necessary. Provided in the refreshment room was tea and coffee, ices, biscuits, cakes, cracker-bonbons, cold tongues, and sandwiches. If a regular supper was served it would be laid in a separate room. To order it in from a confectioner or caterer was the simplest plan, but it often proved somewhat expensive. If provided at home, it was done on a liberal, but not vulgarly profuse, scale. Substantial fare, such as fowls, ham, tongue, etc., was absolutely necessary. Jellies, blanc-mange, trifle, tipsy cake, etc., would be added at discretion. Nothing upon the table would require carving; the fowls would be cut up beforehand, and held together by ribbons. Whatever could be iced would be served in that way.
Ballroom Dancing
VICTORIAN DRESS FOR LADIES
A Victorian lady, in dressing for a ball, first needed to consider the delicate question of age; and next, that of her position, whether married or single. She would then reflect on the simplicity of her attire, the elegance of the design of her gown, and then the propriety of colors. As everything about a Victorian ballroom would be light, gay, and the reverse of depressing, it was permitted for elderly ladies who did not dance to assume a lighter forbidden of dress than would be proper at the dinner table, concert, or opera.
The gown of the married and unmarried lady, however youthful the former, would be distinctly marked. Silk dresses were, as a rule, objectionable for those who danced; but the married lady could appear in a moiré of a light tint, or even in a white silk, if properly trimmed with tulle and flowers. Flowers or small feathers were stylish for the head; jewelry would be very sparingly displayed, a single bracelet was quite sufficient for those who danced.
Young unmarried ladies would wear Victorian gowns of light materials — the lighter the better. Tarlatane, gauze, tulle, areophane, net, the finest muslin, lace, and all similar fabrics, were available; such Victorian dresses would be worn over a silk slip.
Victorian ladies in deep mourning would not dance, even if they permitted themselves to attend a Victorian ball. For those in mourning, black and scarlet or violet was the proper attire. When the mourning permitted dancing, white with mauve, violet or black trimmings and flounces was proper. A black satin dress looked best when covered with net, tarlatan, or crape—the latter only to be worn in mourning.
Ballroom DancingIn the selection of colors a lady would consider her figure and her complexion. If slender and sylph-like, white or very light colors were generally suitable; but if inclined to be plump, these colors would be avoided, as they had the reputation of apparently adding to the hulk of the wearer. Moreover, the harmony of Victorian dress involved the idea of contrast and would be chosen with reference to the wearer; thus, a blonde appeared to most advantage in delicate hues, such as pink, salmon, light blue, maize, apple green, white, and so forth. The brunette would, on the contrary, select rich and brilliant colors.
The head-dress for the evening would be in unison with the Victorian gown, though ladies who had a profusion of beautiful hair required little or no artificial ornament; a simple flower was all that was necessary. To those who were less gifted in this respect, wreaths were generally thought becoming. A tall lady would avoid wearing anything across the head, as that added to her apparent height. A “chaplet” or a “drooping wreath” would, therefore, be preferable.
Ballroom DancingAll the accessories for the evening — gloves, shoes, flowers, fans, and the opera cloak—would be fresh and new. Inattention in this matter spoiled the effect of the most impressive gown. White gloves were appropriate for the Victorian ballroom: in mourning they were sewn with black. The gloves would be faultless as to fit, and never be removed from the hands in the ballroom. It was proper for those who dance to be provided with a second pair to replace the others when soiled or in case they split, or if the buttons came off. White satin shoes were worn with light colored dresses; and black or bronze with dark dresses. It was also stylish for boots to be worn in the ballroom; these were of kid, satin, or silk, either white or matching the dress in color.
VICTORIAN DRESS FOR GENTLEMEN
The attire in which a Victorian gentleman could present himself in a ballroom was strictly defined. He would wear a black superfine dress-coat, pair of well-fitting pants of the same color, and a black Ballroom Dancingor white vest. The Victorian ball-suit would be of the very best cloth, new and glossy and of the latest forbidden as to the cut. The waistcoat would be low, so as to disclose an ample shirt-front, fine and delicately plaited; it was not embroidered, but small gold studs were used for decoration. He would also have a black or white cravat, tie or stock—the necktie would be of a washing texture, not silk, and not set off with embroidery. In addition, included were a pair of patent leather boots with low heels; white kid gloves–not straw-color or lavender; and a white linen cambric handkerchief. The hair would be well dressed, without too many curls; the whole effect would be in perfect keeping with the general appearance. Excess of jewelry would not be worn: simple studs, gold solitaire sleeve-links, and a watch chain—massive with charms and appendages. Perfumes would be avoided as effeminate; if used at all, only for the handkerchief, they would be of the very best scent so as not to offend.
Ballroom DancingNIGHT OF THE VICTORIAN BALL
In calling for the lady invited, the Victorian gentleman would be punctual at the hour appointed. If he ordered a carriage, he handed her in first, and sat opposite to her unless she requested him to change his position. They were not obliged to go exactly at the appointed hour; it was even fashionable to go an hour later. Victorian married ladies were accompanied by their husbands; unmarried ones by their mother or by a chaperon.
In leaving the carriage, the Victorian gentleman preceded the lady and assisted her in descending, he would then conduct her to the ladies' dressing room, leaving her in the charge of the maid, while he went to the gentlemen's apartments to divest himself of overcoat, hat, and boots.
The lady in the meantime, after arranging her Victorian dress, retired to the ladies' sitting-room or awaited the gentleman’s arrival at the door of the dressing-room. A cloak-room for the ladies was usually provided, with one or two maids to receive the shawls or cloaks. The maids would also render any assistance in the way of arranging hair or dress, repairing a torn dress, or any necessity of that kind. In this room there would be several mirrors, with a supply of hair-pins, needles and thread, pins, and similar trifles.
A hat room for Victorian gentlemen was also available with tickets, numbered in duplicate for the articles belonging to the ladies and gentlemen that were left in the charge of the attendants. With two tickets of each number, one of these was pinned on the coat or cloak as it was handed in, and the other given to the owner. By this means the property of each guest was identified, and confusion at the time of departure was prevented.
More Info: 19th Century Dance Instructions
IN THE VICTORIAN BALLROOM
The floor-managers gave the order to the orchestra to commence, and also took the lead in entering the Victorian ballroom. The Victorian gentleman either joined in the promenade, or conducted his lady to a seat. Upon entering the ballroom, the gentleman’s first duty was to procure a program for his Ballroom Dancingpartner, and to introduce his friends, who placed their names on her card for the dances engaged. The sound of a trumpet was generally the signal for the assembly to take their positions on the floor for dancing. A gentleman would, in all cases, dance the first set with the lady in company with him, after which he could exchange partners with a friend; or dance again with her, as circumstances or inclination would dictate.
A Victorian lady could not refuse the invitation of a gentleman to dance, unless she had already accepted that of another, for she would be guilty of an incivility. Ladies who danced often, would be very careful not to boast of the great number of dances for which they were engaged in advance before those who danced but little or not at all. They would also, without being seen, recommend these less fortunate ladies to gentlemen of their acquaintance. At a private ball or party, a lady would show reserve, and not show more preference for one gentleman than another; moreover, she would dance with all who asked properly.
The master of the house would see that all the ladies danced; he would take notice particularly of those who appeared to be wall-flowers, and would see that they were invited to dance. But he would do this wholly unperceived, in order not Ballroom Dancingto wound the self-esteem of the unfortunate ladies. Gentlemen, whom the master of the house requested to dance with these ladies, would be ready to accede to his wish, and even appear pleased at dancing with the lady recommended. Frequently, some young Victorian gentlemen breached the rules of proper etiquette; they were so very particular that they considered it a remarkable inconvenience to dance with a lady unless she happened to be very pretty and interesting. Those young men rarely brought ladies with them, and were constantly bothering their friends and the floor managers to be introduced to the best dancers and the prettiest young ladies that they saw in the room. If there were not as many gentlemen as ladies present; two ladies were permitted to dance together in order to fill up a set, or two gentlemen could dance if there were a shortage of ladies. But it was not proper for ladies to refuse to dance with gentlemen, and afterwards dance together, or for gentlemen to do the same after having refused to be introduced to ladies. Engaged persons would not dance together too often; it was in bad taste; furthermore, it was considered a violation of etiquette for man and wife to dance together.
When introduced to a lady, a Victorian gentleman was particular about how he asked her to dance, and the manner in which he bowed to her, and also of requesting to see her card; ladies were susceptible of first impressions, and it depended a good deal upon the manner in which the gentleman first presented himself. In requesting a lady to dance, he stood at a proper distance, bent the body gracefully, accompanied by a slight motion of the right hand in front, he looked at her amicably, and respectfully said, “Will you do me the honor to dance with me;” or “Shall I have the pleasure of dancing with you;” or “Will you be pleased, or will you favor me with your hand for this or the next dance.” He remained in the position he had assumed until the lady signified her intention, by saying, “With pleasure sir,” or “I regret I am engaged sir.” The gentleman would then place his name on her card, and after having made the necessary arrangements, he would politely bow and withdraw.
When a Victorian gentleman danced with a lady to whom he was a stranger, he was cautious in his conversation. When the music ended, he bowed to his partner, presented his right arm, and led her to her seat; if the seat was occupied, he would politely ask her to what part of the hall she would like to be conducted; he would also bow as she took her seat. The gentleman was not at liberty to sit by her side, unless he was on terms of intimacy. Would he wish to dance with a lady with whom he was not acquainted, he applied first to his friends, who would try to procure for him the desired introduction. If not, the Victorian gentleman would make application to one of the floor managers, who would introduce him if he was acquainted with the lady; otherwise the floor manager would not present him without first demanding the consent of the lady. The etiquette of the ballroom differed slightly in the country. In country ballrooms, generally a gentleman would ask any lady to dance with him and, after an introduction, could enter into conversation or promenade with her through the room without being considered guilty of breeching proper etiquette.
Ballroom Dancing Victorian gentlemen would attempt to entertain the ladies who danced with them with a little conversation, hopefully more novel than the weather and the heat of the room; and in round dances they would be particularly careful to guard them from collisions, and to see that their dresses were not torn. A gentleman would not engage a lady for more than four dances during the evening, as it could deprive her of the pleasure of dancing with those of her friends who may arrive at a later hour; besides much familiarity was out of place in a ballroom. At the end of the dance, the gentleman conducted the lady to her place, bowed and thanked her for the honor which she had presented. She also bowed in silence, smiling with a gracious air.
Nevertheless, no Victorian gentleman could take advantage of a ballroom introduction because it was given with a view to one dance only, and would certainly not warrant a gentleman in going any further than asking a lady to dance the second time. Out of the ballroom such an introduction had no meaning whatsoever. If those who had danced together met the next day in the street, the gentleman would not venture to bow, unless the lady chose to recognize him—if he did bow, he would not expect any acknowledgment of his greeting nor take offense if it was withheld.
In a private Victorian ball or party, it was proper for a lady to show reserve, and not manifest more preference for one gentleman than another— she would dance with all who asked properly. Ladies would avoid talking too much during the dance; it was also in bad taste to whisper continually in the ear of her partner. Ladies would avoid affectation, frowning, quizzing, or the slightest indication of ill-temper. No loud laughter, loud talking, or staring would be seen in a lady's behavior. It was recommended that every lady stop dancing the moment she felt fatigued, or had any difficulty in breathing. Married or young ladies could not leave a ballroom, or any other party, alone. The former would be accompanied by one or two other married ladies, and the latter by their mother, or by a lady to represent her.
AT THE END OF THE BALL
Assemblies, such as Victorian balls, would be left quietly in order not to disturb the master and mistress of the house. If the party was small, it was permissible to bow to the hostess; but if the company was large, this was not necessary. After a private ball it was proper etiquette to call at the house within a week to discuss the pleasure of the ball, and the good selection of the company; but it was also sufficient to leave a card.
Edited and compiled from the following publications:
Beadle's dime ballroom companion and guide to dancing…, 1868.
Godey's Lady's Book, 1844-1862.
Howe's complete ballroom hand book…, 1858.
Peterson's Magazine, 1860-1864.
The ballroom guide…, 1866.
The Ballroom instructor…, 1841.
Emily Post (1873–1960). Etiquette. 1922. Chapter XX. Engagements
21:59 Apr 15 2016
Times Read: 539
COURTSHIP
SO long as Romance exists and Lochinvar remains young manhood’s ideal, love at first sight and marriage in a week is within the boundaries of possibility. But usually (and certainly more wisely) a young man is for some time attentive to a young woman before dreaming of marriage. Thus not only have her parents plenty of time to find out what manner of man he is, and either accept or take means to prevent a serious situation; but the modern young woman herself is not likely to be “carried away” by the personality of anyone whose character and temperament she does not pretty thoroughly understand and weigh. 1
In nothing does the present time more greatly differ from the close of the last century, than in the unreserved frankness of young women and men towards each other. Those who speak of the domination of sex in this day are either too young to remember, or else have not stopped to consider, that mystery played a far greater and more dangerous rôle when sex, like a woman’s ankle, was carefully hidden from view, and therefore far more alluring than to-day when both are commonplace matters. 2
In cities twenty-five years ago, a young girl had beaux who came to see her one at a time; they in formal clothes and manners, she in her “company best” to “receive” them, sat stiffly in the “front parlor” and made politely formal conversation. Invariably they addressed each other as Miss Smith and Mr. Jones, and they “talked off the top” with about the same lack of reservation as the ambassador of one country may be supposed to talk to him of another. A young man was said to be “devoted” to this young girl or that, but as a matter of fact each was acting a rôle, he of an admirer and she of a siren, and each was actually an utter stranger to the other. 3
FRIENDSHIP AND GROUP SYSTEM
To-day no trace of stilted artificiality remains. The tête-a-tête of a quarter of a century ago has given place to the continual presence of a group. A flock of young girls and a flock of young men form a little group of their own—everywhere they are together. In the country they visit the same houses or they live in the same neighborhood, they play golf in foursomes, and tennis in mixed doubles. In winter at balls they sit at the same table for supper, they have little dances at their own homes, where scarcely any but themselves are invited; they play bridge, they have tea together, but whatever they do, they stay in the pack. In more than one way this group habit is excellent; young women and men are friends in a degree of natural and entirely platonic intimacy undreamed of in their parents’ youth. Having the habit therefore of knowing her men friends well, a young girl is not going to imagine a stranger, no matter how perfect he may appear to be, anything but an ordinary human man after all. And in finding out his bad points as well as his good, she is aided and abetted, encouraged or held in check, by the members of the group to which she belongs. 4
Suppose, for instance, that a stranger becomes attentive to Mary; immediately her friends fix their attention upon him, watching him. Twenty-five years ago the young men would have looked upon him with jealousy, and the young women would have sought to annex him. To-day their attitude is: “Is he good enough for Mary?” And, eagle-eyed, protective of Mary, they watch him. If they think he is all right he becomes a member of the group. It may develop that Mary and he care nothing for each other, and he may fall in love with another member, or he may drift out of the group again or he may stay in it and Mary herself marry out of it. But if he is not liked, her friends will not be bashful about telling Mary exactly what they think, and they will find means usually—unless their prejudice is without foundation—to break up the budding “friendship” far better than any older person could do. If she is really in love with him and determined to marry in spite of their frankly given opinion, she at least makes her decision with her eyes open. 5
There are also occasions when a young woman is persuaded by her parents into making a “suitable marriage”; there are occasions when a young woman persists in making a marriage in opposition to her parents; but usually a young man either belongs in or joins her particular circle of intimate friends, and one day, it may be to their own surprize, though seldom to that of their intimates, they find that each is the only one in the world for the other, and they become engaged. 6
FIRST DUTY OF THE ACCEPTED SUITOR
If a young man and his parents are very close friends it is more than likely he will already have told them of the seriousness of his intentions. Very possibly he has asked his father’s financial assistance, or at least discussed ways and means, but as soon as he and she have definitely made up their minds that they want to marry each other, it is the immediate duty of the man to go to the girl’s father or her guardian, and ask his consent. If her father refuses, the engagement cannot exist. The man must then try, through work or other proof of stability and seriousness, to win the father’s approval. Failing in that, the young woman is faced with dismissing him or marrying in opposition to her parents. There are, of course, unreasonable and obdurate parents, but it is needless to point out that a young woman assumes a very great risk who takes her future into her own hands and elopes. But even so, there is no excuse for the most unfilial act of all—deception. The honorable young woman who has made up her mind to marry in spite of her parents’ disapproval, announces to them, if she can, that on such and such a day her wedding will take place. If this is impossible, she at least refuses to give her word that she will not marry. The height of dishonor is to “give her word” and then break it. 7
THE APPROVED ENGAGEMENT
Usually, however, when the young man enters the study or office of her father, the latter has a perfectly good idea of what he has come to say and, having allowed his attentions, is probably willing to accept his daughter’s choice; and the former after announcing that the daughter has accepted him, goes into details as to his financial standing and prospects. If the finances are not sufficiently stable, the father may tell him to wait for a certain length of time before considering himself engaged, or if they are satisfactory to him, he makes no objection to an immediate announcement. In either case, the man probably hurries to tell the young woman what her father has said, and if he has been very frequently at the house, very likely they both tell her mother and her immediate family, or, more likely still, she has told her mother first of all. 8
HIS PARENTS CALL ON HERS
As soon as the young woman’s father accepts the engagement, etiquette demands that the parents of the bridegroom-elect call at once (within twenty-four hours) upon the parents of the bride-to-be. If illness or absence prevents one of them, the other must go alone. If the young man is an orphan, his uncle, aunt or other nearest relative should go in the parents’ place. Not even deep mourning can excuse the failure to observe this formality. 9
THE ENGAGEMENT RING
It is doubtful if he who carries a solitaire ring enclosed in a little square box and produces it from his pocket upon the instant that she says “Yes,” exists outside of the moving pictures! As a matter of fact, the accepted suitor usually consults his betrothed’s taste—which of course may be gratified or greatly modified, according to the length of his purse—or he may, without consulting her, buy what ring he chooses. A solitaire diamond is the conventional emblem of “the singleness and endurability of the one love in his life,” and the stone is supposed to be “pure and flawless” as the bride herself, and their future together—or sentiments equally beautiful. There is also sentiment for a sapphire’s “depth of true blue.” Pearls are supposed to mean tears; emeralds, jealousy; opals, the essence of bad luck; but the ruby stands for warmth and ardor: all of which it is needless to say is purest unfounded superstition. 10
In the present day, precious stones having soared far out of reach of all but the really rich, fashion rather prefers a large semi-precious one to a microscopic diamond. “Fashion,” however, is merely momentary and local, and the great majority will probably always consider a diamond the only ring to have. 11
It is not obligatory, or even customary, for the girl to give the man an engagement present, but there is no impropriety in her doing so if she wants to, and any of the following articles would be suitable: A pair of cuff links, or waist-coat buttons, or a watch chain, or a key chain, or a cigarette case. Probably because the giving of an engagement ring is his particular province, she very rarely gives him a ring or, in fact, any present at all. 12
The engagement ring is worn for the first time “in public” on the day of the announcement. 13
BEFORE ANNOUNCEMENT
Usually a few days before the formal announcement—and still earlier for letters written abroad or to distant States—both young people write to their aunts, uncles, and cousins, and to their most intimate friends, of their engagement, asking them not to tell anyone until the determined date. 14
As soon as they receive the news, all the relatives of the groom-elect must call on the bride. She is not “welcomed by the family” until their cards, left upon her in person, assure her so. She must, of course, return all of these visits, and as soon as possible. 15
If his people are in the habit of entertaining, they should very soon ask her with her fiancé to lunch or to dinner, or after the engagement is publicly announced, give a dinner or tea or dance in her honor. If, on the other hand, they are very quiet people, their calling upon her is sufficient in itself to show their welcome. 16
In case of a recent death in either immediate family, the engagement cannot be publicly announced until the first period of mourning is past. (It is entirely dignified for a private wedding to take place at the bedside of a very ill parent, or soon after a deep bereavement. In that case there is, of course, no celebration, and the service is read in the presence of the immediate families only.) 17
The announcement is invariably made by the parents of the bride-elect. It is a breach of etiquette for a member of the young man’s family to tell of the engagement until the formal announcement has been arranged for. 18
ANNOUNCEMENT OF ENGAGEMENT
On the evening before the day of the announcement, the bride’s mother either sends a note, or has some one call the various daily papers by telephone, and says: “I am speaking for Mrs. John Huntington Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are announcing the engagement of their daughter, Mary, to Mr. James Smartlington, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Brown Smartlington, of 2000 Arcade Avenue.” 19
If either the Huntington Smiths or the Arthur Smartlingtons are socially prominent, reporters will be sent to get further information. Photographs and details, such as entertainments to be given, or plans for the wedding, will probably be asked for. The prejudices of old-fashioned people against giving personal news to papers is rapidly being overcome and not even the most conservative any longer object to a dignified statement of facts, such as Mrs. Smith’s telephone message. 20
It is now considered entirely good form to give photographs to magazines and newspapers, but one should never send them unless specially requested. 21
On the eve of the announcement, a dinner is sometimes given by the young girl’s parents, and the news is told by her father, who at about salad course or dessert, proposes the health of his daughter and future son-in-law. 22
HOW A HEALTH IS PROPOSED
The host after directing that all glasses at the table be filled, rises, lifts his own glass and says: “I propose we drink to the health of my daughter Mary and the young man she has decided to add permanently to our family, James Smartlington.” 23
Or:
“A standing toast: To my Mary and to her—Jim!” 24
Or:
“I want you to drink the happiness of a young pair whose future welfare is close to the hearts of all of us: Mary (holding up his glass and looking at her) and Jim!” (holding it up again and looking at him). Every one except Mary and Jim rises and drinks a swallow or two (of whatever the champagne substitute may be). Every one then congratulates the young couple, and Jim is called upon for a “speech”! 25
Generally rather “fussed,” Jim rises and says something like: “I—er—we—thank you all very much indeed for all your good wishes,” and sits down. Or if he is an earnest rather than a shy youth, perhaps he continues: “I don’t have to tell you how lucky I am, the thing for me to do is to prove, if I can, that Mary has not made the mistake of her life in choosing me, and I hope that it won’t be very long before we see you all at our own table with Mary at the head of it and I, where I belong, at the foot.” 26
Or:
“I can’t make a speech and you know it. But I certainly am lucky and I know it.” 27
WHEN NO SPEECH IS MADE
The prevailing custom in New York and other big cities is for the party to be given on the afternoon or evening of the day of announcement. The engagement in this case is never proclaimed to the guests as an assembled audience. The news is “out” and everyone is supposed to have heard it. Those who have not, can not long remain ignorant, as the groom-elect is either receiving with his fiancée or brought forward by her father and presented to every one he does not know. Everybody congratulates him and offers the bride-to-be good wishes for her happiness. 28
A dinner or other entertainment given to announce an engagement is by no means necessary. “Quiet people” very often merely write notes of announcement and say they will be at home on such an afternoon at tea time. The form and detail are exactly the same as on an habitual day at home except that the bride and groom-elect both receive as well as her mother. 29
PARTIES FOR THE ENGAGED COUPLE
If the families and friends of the young couple are at all in the habit of entertaining, the announcement of an engagement is the signal always for a shower of invitations. 30
The parents of the groom-elect are sure to give a dance, or a “party” of one kind or another “to meet” their daughter-to-be. If the engagement is a short one, their life becomes a veritable dashing from this house to that, and every meal they eat seems to be one given for them by some one. It is not uncommon for a bride-elect to receive a few engagement presents. (These are entirely apart from wedding presents which come later.) A small afternoon teacup and saucer used to be the typical engagement gift, but it has gone rather out of vogue, along with harlequin china in general. Engagement presents are usually personal trifles sent either by her own very intimate friends or by members of her fiancée’s family as especial messages of welcome to her—and as such are very charming. But any general fashion that necessitates giving engagement as well as wedding presents may well be looked upon with alarm by those who have only moderately filled pocketbooks! 31
ENGAGED COUPLE IN PUBLIC
There is said to be still preserved somewhere in Massachusetts a whispering reed through the long hollow length of which lovers were wont to whisper messages of tenderness to each other while separated by a room’s length and the inevitable chaperonage of the fiancée’s entire family. 32
From those days to these is a far cry, but even in this era of liberty and naturalness of impulse, running the gauntlet of people’s attention and criticism is no small test of the good taste and sense of a young couple. 33
The hall-mark of so-called “vulgar people” is unrestricted display of uncontrolled emotions. No one should ever be made to feel like withdrawing in embarrassment from the over-exposed privacy of others. The shrew who publicly berates her husband is no worse than the engaged pair who snuggle in public. Every one supposes that lovers kiss each other, but people of good taste wince at being forced to play audience at love scenes which should be private. Furthermore, such cuddling gives little evidence of the deeper caring—no matter how ardent the demonstration may be. 34
Great love is seldom flaunted in public, though it very often shows itself in pride—that is a little obvious, perhaps. There is a quality of protectiveness in a man’s expression as it falls on his betrothed, as though she were so lovely a breath might break her; and in the eyes of a girl whose love is really deep, there is always evidence of that most beautiful look of championship, as though she thought: “No one else can possibly know how wonderful he is!” 35
This underlying tenderness and pride which is at the base of the attitude of each, only glints beneath the surface of perfect comradeship. Their frank approval of whatever the other may do or say is very charming; and even more so is their obvious friendliness toward all people, of wanting the whole world beautiful for all because it is so beautiful to them. That is love—as it should be! And its evidence is a very sure sign-post pointing to future happiness. 36
ETIQUETTE OF ENGAGED PEOPLE
It is unnecessary to say that an engaged man shows no attention whatever to other women. It should be plain to every one, even though he need not behave like a moon-calf, that “one” is alone in his thoughts. 37
Often it so happens that engaged people are very little together, because he is away at work, or for other reasons. Rather than sit home alone, she may continue to go out in society, which is quite all right, but she must avoid being with any one man more than another and she should remain visibly within the general circle of her group. It always gives gossip a chance to see an engaged girl sitting out dances with any particular man, and slander is never far away if any evidence of ardor creeps into their regard, even if it be merely “manner,” and actually mean nothing at all. 38
IN THE BACKWATERS OF LONG ENGAGEMENT
Unless the engaged couple are both so young, or by temperament so irresponsible, that their parents think it best for them to wait until time is given a chance to prove the stability of their affection, no one can honestly advocate a long-delayed marriage. 39
Where there is no money, it is necessary to wait for better finances. But the old argument that a long engagement was wise in that the young couple were given opportunity to know each other better, has little sense to-day when all young people know each other thoroughly well. 40
A long engagement is trying to everyone—the man, the girl, both families, and all friends. It is an unnatural state, like that of waiting at the station for a train, and in a measure it is time wasted. The minds of the two most concerned are centered upon each other; to them life seems to consist in saying the inevitable good-by. 41
Her family think her absent-minded, distrait, aloof and generally useless. His family never see him. Their friends are bored to death with them—not that they are really less devoted or loyal, but her men friends withdraw, naturally refraining from “breaking in.” He has no time between business and going to see her to stop at his club or wherever friends of his may be. Her girl friends do see her in the daytime, but gradually they meet less and less because their interests and hers no longer focus in common. Gradually the stream of the social world goes rushing on, leaving the two who are absorbed in each other to drift forgotten in a backwater. He works harder, perhaps, than ever, and she perhaps occupies herself in making things for her trousseau or her house, or otherwise preparing for the more contented days which seem so long in coming. 42
Once they are married, they no longer belong in a backwater, but find themselves again sailing in midstream. It may be on a slow-moving current, it may be on a swift,—but their barge sails in common with all other craft on the river of life. 43
Should a Long Engagement Be Announced?
Whether to announce an engagement that must be of long duration is not a matter of etiquette but of personal preference. On the general principle that frankness is always better than secretiveness, the situation is usually cleared by announcing it. On the other hand, as illustrated above, the certain knowledge of two persons’ absorption in each other always creates a marooned situation. When it is only supposed, but not known, that a man and girl particularly like each other, their segregation is not nearly so marked. 44
MEETING OF KINSMEN
At some time before the wedding, it is customary for the two families to meet each other. That is, the parents of the groom dine or lunch at the house of the parents of the bride to meet the aunts, uncles and cousins. And then the parents of the bride are asked with the same purpose to the house of the groom-elect. 45
It is not necessary that any intimacy ensue, but it is considered fitting and proper that all the members of the families which are to be allied should be given an opportunity to know one another—at least by sight. 46
THE ENGAGED COUPLE AND THE CHAPERON
The question of a chaperon differs with locality. In Philadelphia and Baltimore, custom permits any young girl to go alone with a young man approved by her family to the theater, or to be seen home from a party. In New York or Boston, Mrs. Grundy would hold up her hands and run to the neighbors at once with the gossip. 47
It is perhaps sufficient to say that if a man is thought worthy to be accepted by a father as his daughter’s husband, he should also be considered worthy of trust no matter where he finds himself alone with her. It is not good form for an engaged couple to dine together in a restaurant, but it is all right for them to lunch, or have afternoon tea; and few people would criticize their being at the opera or the theater—unless the performance at the latter was of questionable propriety. They should take a chaperon if they motor to road-houses for meals—and it goes without saying that they cannot go on a journey alone that can possibly last over night. 48
GIFTS WHICH MAY AND THOSE WHICH MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED
The fiancée of a young man who is “saving in order to marry,” would be lacking in taste as well as good sense were she to encourage or allow him extravagantly to send her flowers and other charming, but wasteful, presents. But on the other hand, if the bridegroom-elect has plenty of means, she may not only accept flowers but anything he chooses to select, except wearing apparel or a motor car or a house and furniture—anything that can be classified as “maintenance.” 49
It is perfectly suitable for her to drive his car, or ride his horse, and she may select furniture for their house, which he may buy or have built. But, if she would keep her self-respect, the car must not become hers nor must she live in the house or use its furniture until she is given his name. He may give her all the jewels he can afford, he may give her a fur scarf, but not a fur coat. The scarf is an ornament, the coat is wearing apparel. If she is very poor, she may have to be married in cheese-cloth, or even in the dress she wears usually, but her wedding dress and the clothes she wears away, must not be supplied by the groom or his family. There is one exception: if his mother, for instance, has some very wonderful family lace, or has kept her own wedding dress and has no daughter herself, and it would please her to have her son’s wife wear her lace or dress, it is proper for the bride to consent. But it would be starting life on a false basis, and putting herself in a category with women of another class, to be clothed by any man, whether he is soon to be her husband or not. 50
If the engagement should be so unfortunate as to be broken off, the engagement ring and all other gifts of value must be returned. 51
Emily Post (1873–1960). Etiquette. 1922. Chapter XIX. The Chaperon and Other Conventions
21:58 Apr 15 2016
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A GLOOMY WORD
OF course there are chaperons and chaperons! But it must be said that the very word has a repellent school-teacherish sound. One pictures instinctively a humorless tyrant whose “correct” manner plainly reveals her true purpose, which is to take the joy out of life. That she can be—and often is—a perfectly human and sympathetic person, whose unselfish desire is merely to smooth the path of one who is the darling of her heart, in nothing alters the feeling of gloom that settles upon the spirit of youth at the mention of the very word “chaperon.” 1
FREEDOM OF THE CHAPERONED
As a matter of fact the only young girl who is really “free,” is she whose chaperon is never very far away. She need give conventionality very little thought, and not bother about her P’s and Q’s at all, because her chaperon is always a strong and protective defense; but a young girl who is unprotected by a chaperon is in the position precisely of an unarmed traveler walking alone among wolves—his only defense is in not attracting their notice. 2
To be sure the time has gone by when the presence of an elderly lady is indispensable to every gathering of young people. Young girls for whose sole benefit and protection the chaperon exists (she does not exist for her own pleasure, youthful opinion to the contrary notwithstanding), have infinitely greater freedom from her surveillance than had those of other days, and the typical chaperon is seldom seen with any but very young girls, too young to have married friends. Otherwise a young married woman, a bride perhaps scarcely out of her teens, is, on all ordinary occasions, a perfectly suitable chaperon, especially if her husband is present. A very young married woman gadding about without her husband is not a proper chaperon. 3
There are also many occasions when a chaperon is unnecessary! It is considered perfectly correct for a young girl to drive a motor by herself, or take a young man with her, if her family know and approve of him, for any short distance in the country. She may play golf, tennis, go to the Country Club, or Golf Club (if near by), sit on the beach, go canoeing, ride horseback, and take part in the normal sports and occupations of country life. Young girls always go to private parties of every sort without their own chaperon, but the fact that a lady issues an invitation means that either she or another suitable chaperon will be present. 4
THE BEST CHAPERON HERSELF
Ethically the only chaperon is the young girl’s own sense of dignity and pride; she who has the right attributes of character needs no chaperon—ever. If she is wanting in decency and proper pride, not even Argus could watch over her! But apart from ethics, there are the conventions to think of, and the conventions of propriety demand that every young woman must be protected by a chaperon, because otherwise she will be misjudged. 5
THE RESIDENT CHAPERON
No young girl may live alone. Even though she has a father, unless he devotes his entire time to her, she must also have a resident chaperon who protects her reputation until she is married or old enough to protect it herself—which is not until she has reached a fairly advanced age, of perhaps thirty years or over if she is alone, or twenty-six or so if she lives in her father’s house and behaves with such irreproachable circumspection that Mrs. Grundy is given no chance to set tongues wagging. 6
It goes without saying that a chaperon is always a lady, often one whose social position is better than that of her charge; occasionally she is a social sponsor as well as a moral one. Her position, if she is not a relative, is very like that of a companion. Above all, a chaperon must have dignity, and if she is to be of any actual service, she must be kind of heart and have intelligent sympathy and tact. To have her charge not only care for her, but be happy with her, is the only possible way such a relationship can endure. 7
Needless to say a chaperon’s own conduct must be irreproachable and her knowledge of the world such as can only be gained by personal experience; but she need not be an old lady! She can perfectly well be reasonably young, and a spinster. 8
Very often the chaperon “keeps the house,” but she is never called a “housekeeper.” Nor is she a “secretary” though she probably draws the checks and audits the bills. 9
It is by no means unusual for mothers who are either very gay or otherwise busy, and cannot give most of their time to their grown and growing daughters, to put them in charge of a resident chaperon. Often their governess—if she is a woman of the world—gives up her autocracy of the schoolroom and becomes social guardian instead. 10
THE DUTIES OF A CHAPERON
It is unnecessary to say that a chaperon has no right to be inquisitive or interfering unless for a very good reason. If an objectionable person—meaning one who can not be considered a gentleman—is inclined to show the young girl attentions, it is of course her duty to cut the acquaintance short at the beginning before the young girl’s interest has become aroused. For just such a contingency as this it is of vital importance that confidence and sympathy exist between the chaperon and her charge. No modern young girl is likely to obey blindly unless she values the opinions of one in whose judgment and affection she has learned to believe. 11
WHEN INVITATIONS ARE SENT OUT BY A CHAPERON
Usually if a young girl is an orphan, living with a chaperon, a ball or formal party would be given in the name of an aunt or other near relative. If her father is alive, the invitations go out in his name of course, and he receives with her. But if it should happen that she has no near family at all, or if her chaperon is her social sponsor, the chaperon’s name can be put on invitations. For example:
12
Rosalie has no very near relatives and Miss Titherington has brought her up. 13
In sending out the invitations for a dinner (a young girl would not be giving a formal dinner) Rosalie telephones her friends “Will you dine with me (or us) next Monday?” or, “On the sixteenth?” It is not necessary to mention Miss Titherington because it is taken for granted that she will be present. 14
It is also not considered proper for a young girl ever to be alone as hostess. When she invites young girls and men to her house, Miss Titherington either “receives” them or comes into the room while they are there. If the time is afternoon, very likely she pours tea and when everyone has been helped, she goes into another room. She does not stay with them ever, but she is never very far away. 15
The chaperon (or a parent) should never go to bed until the last young man has left the house. It is an unforgivable breach of decorum to allow a young girl to sit up late at night with a young man—or a number of them. On returning home from a party, she must not invite or allow a man to “come in for a while.” Even her fiancé must bid her good night at the door if the hour is late, and some one ought always to sit up, or get up, to let her in. No young girl ought to let herself in with a latch-key. 16
In old-fashioned days no lady had a latch-key. And it is still fitting and proper for a servant to open the door for her. 17
A young girl may not, even with her fiancé, lunch in a road house without a chaperon, or go on a journey that can by any possibility last over night. To go out with him in a small sail-boat sounds harmless enough, but might result in a questionable situation if they are becalmed, or if they are left helpless in a sudden fog. The Maine coast, for example, is particularly subject to fogs that often shut down without warning and no one going out on the water can tell whether he will be able to get back within a reasonable time or not. A man and a girl went out from Bar Harbor and did not get back until next day. Everyone knew the fog had come in as thick as pea-soup and that it was impossible to get home; but to the end of time her reputation will suffer for the experience. 18
A FEW PRECEPTS OF CONVENTION
At a dinner party given for young people in a private house, a somewhat older sister would be a sufficient chaperon. Or the young hostess’ mother after receiving the guests may, if she chooses, dine with her husband elsewhere than in the dining-room, the parents’ roof being supposedly chaperonage enough. 19
In going to tea in a college man’s room, or in a bachelor’s apartment, the proper chaperon should be a lady of fairly mature years. To see two or three apparently young people going into a bachelor’s quarters would be open to criticism. There are many places which are unsuitable, for young girls to go to whether they are chaperoned or not. No well brought up young girl should be allowed to go to supper at a cabaret until she is married, or has passed the age when “very young” can be applied to her. 20
CONVENTIONS THAT CHANGE WITH LOCALITY
In New York, for instance, no young girl of social standing may, without being criticized, go alone with a man to the theater. Absolutely no lady (unless middle-aged—and even then she would be defying convention) can go to dinner or supper in a restaurant alone with a gentleman. A lady, not young, who is staying in a very dignified hotel, can have a gentleman dine with her. But any married woman, if her husband does not object, may dine alone in her own home with any man she pleases or have a different one come in to tea every day in the week without being criticized. 21
A very young girl may motor around the country alone with a man, with her father’s consent, or sit with him on the rocks by the sea or on a log in the woods; but she must not sit with him in a restaurant. All of which is about as upside down as it can very well be. In a restaurant they are not only under the surveillance of many eyes, but they can scarcely speak without being overheard, whereas short-distance motoring, driving, riding, walking or sitting on the seashore has no element of protection certainly. Again, though she may not lunch with him in a restaurant, she is sometimes (not always) allowed to go to a moving picture matinée with him! Why sitting in the dark in a moving picture theater is allowed, and the restaurant is tabu is very mysterious. 22
Older girls and young married women are beginning to lunch with men they know well in some of the New York restaurants, but not in others. In many cities it would be scandalous for a young married woman to lunch with a man not her husband, but quite all right for a young girl and man to lunch at a country club. This last is reasonable because the room is undoubtedly filled with people they know—who act as potential chaperons. Nearly everywhere it is thought proper for them to go to a dancing club for tea, if the “club” is managed by a chaperon. 23
As said above, interpretation of what is proper shifts according to locality. Even in Victorian days it was proper in Baltimore for a young girl to go to the theater alone with a man, and to have him see her home from a ball was not only permitted but absolutely correct. 24
“MRS. GRUNDY”
Of course every one has his own portrait of Mrs. Grundy, and some idea of the personality she shows to him; but has any one ever tried to ferret out that disagreeable old woman’s own position; to find out where she lives and why she has nothing to do but meddle in affairs which do not concern her. Is she a lady? One would imagine she is not. One would also imagine that she lives in a solid well-repaired square brown stone house with a cupola used as a conning tower and equipped with periscope and telescope and wireless. Furthermore, her house is situated on a bleak hill so that nothing impedes her view and that of her two pets, a magpie and a jackal. And the business in life of all three of them is to track down and destroy the good name of every woman who comes within range, especially if she is young and pretty—and unchaperoned! 25
The pretty young woman living alone, must literally follow Cinderella’s habits. To be out of the house late at night or sitting up, except to study, are imprudences she can not allow herself. If she is a widow her conduct must be above criticism, but if she is young and pretty and divorced, she must literally live the life of a Puritan spinster of Salem. The magpie never leaves her window sill and the jackal sits on the doormat, and the news of her every going out and coming in, of every one whom she receives, when they come, how long they stay and at what hour they go, is spread broadcast. 26
No unprotected woman can do the least thing that is unconventional without having Mrs. Grundy shouting to everyone the worst possible things about her. 27
THE BACHELOR GIRL
The bachelor girl is usually a worker; she is generally either earning her living or studying to acquire the means of earning her living. Her days are therefore sure to be occupied, and the fact that she has little time for the gaiety of life, and that she is a worker, puts her in a somewhat less assailable position. She can on occasion go out alone with a man (not a married one), but the theater she goes to must be of conventional character, and if she dines in a restaurant it is imperative that a chaperon be in the party; and the same is true in going to supper at night. No one could very well criticize her for going to the opera or a concert with a man when neither her nor his behavior hints a lack of reserve. 28
But a girl whose personal dignity is unassailable is not apt to bring censure upon herself, even though the world judges by etiquette, which may often be a false measure. The young woman who wants really to be free from Mrs. Grundy’s hold on her, must either live her own life, caring nothing for the world’s opinion or the position it offers, or else be chaperoned. 29
THE BACHELOR HOST AND THE CHAPERON
Barring the one fact that a chaperon must be on hand before young or “single” women guests arrive, and that she may not leave until after those whom she has chaperoned have left, there is no difference whatsover in an entertainment given at the house of a bachelor and one given by a hostess. A bachelor can give dinners or theater parties or yachting parties or house parties or any parties that a hostess can give. 30
It is unnecessary to say no lady may dine alone in a gentleman’s rooms, or house; nor may she dine with a number of gentlemen (unless one of them is her husband, in which case she is scarcely “alone”). But it is perfectly correct for two or more ladies to dine at a gentleman’s rooms if one of the ladies is elderly or the husband of one is present. 31
A bachelor entertaining in bachelor’s quarters, meaning that he has only a man servant, must be much more punctilious, and must arrange to have the chaperon bring any young woman guests with her, since no young girls could be seen entering bachelor’s quarters alone, and have their “good name” survive. If he has a large establishment, including women servants, and if furthermore he is a man whose own reputation is unblemished, the chaperon may be met at his house. But since it is more prudent for young women to arrive under her care, why run the unnecessary risk of meeting Mrs. Grundy’s jackal on the doorstep? 32
At the house of a bachelor such as described above, the chaperon could be a husbandless young married woman, or in other words, the most careless chaperon possible, without ever giving Mrs. Grundy’s magpie cause for ruffling a feather. But no young woman could dine or have tea, no matter how well chaperoned, in the “rooms” of a man of morally bad reputation without running a very unpleasant risk of censure. 33
A BACHELOR’S HOUSE PARTIES
Bachelors frequently have house parties at their country places. A married lady whose husband is with her is always the chaperon unless the host’s mother or sister may be staying—or living—in his house. 34
There is always something unusually alluring about a bachelor’s entertaining. Especially his house parties. Where do all bachelors get those nice and so very respectable elderly maid servants? They can’t all have been their nurses! And a bachelor’s house has a something about it that is very comfortable but entirely different from a lady’s house, though it would be difficult to define wherein the difference lies. He is perhaps more attentive than a hostess, at least he meets his guests at the station if they come by train, or, if they motor to his house, he goes out on the front steps to greet them as they drive up. 35
A possible reason why bachelors seem to make such good hosts is that only those who have a talent for it make the attempt. There is never any obligation on a gentleman’s part to invite ladies to stay with him, whereas it is part of every lady’s duty at least occasionally to be a hostess, whether she has talent, or even inclination, for the position or not. 36
A gentleman can return the courtesies of hostesses to him by occasionally sending flowers, or books, or candy, and by showing them polite attention when he meets them out. 37
If a bachelor lives in a house of his own, especially in a country community, he is under the same obligations as any other householder to return the hospitality shown by his neighbors to him. 38
INVITATIONS
The bachelor’s invitations are the same as those sent out by a hostess. There is absolutely no difference. His butler or waitress telephones “Will Mr. and Mrs. Norman dine with Mr. Bachelor on Wednesday?” Or he writes a note or uses the engraved dinner card. In giving an informal dance it is quite correct, according to New York fashion, for him to write on his visiting card:
No invitation of a gentleman mentions that there will be a chaperon because that is taken for granted. No gentleman invites ladies of position to a party unless one or many chaperons are to be present. 40
A very young girl never goes even to an unmarried doctor’s or a clergyman’s (unless the latter is very elderly) without a chaperon, who in this instance may be a semi-elderly maid. 41
A lady having her portrait painted always takes a woman friend, or her maid, who sits in the studio, or at least within sight or hearing.
Emily Post (1873–1960). Etiquette. 1922. Chapter XVIII. The Débutante
21:55 Apr 15 2016
Times Read: 543
HOW A YOUNG GIRL IS PRESENTED TO SOCIETY
ANY one of various entertainments may be given to present a young girl to society. The favorite and most elaborate of these, but possible only to parents of considerable wealth and wide social acquaintance, is a ball. Much less elaborate, but equal in size, and second in favor to-day, is an afternoon tea with dancing. Third, and gaining in popularity, is a small dance, which presents the débutante to the younger set and a few of her mother’s intimate friends. Fourth, is a small tea without music. Fifth, the mere sending out of the mother’s visiting card with the daughter’s name engraved below her own, announces to the world that the daughter is eligible for invitations. 1
A BALL FOR A DÉBUTANTE
A ball for a débutante differs in nothing from all other balls excepting that the débutante “receives” standing beside the hostess, and furthest from the entrance, whether that happens to be on the latter’s right or left. The guests as they mount the stairs or enter the ballroom and are “announced,” approach the hostess first, who, as she shakes hands with each, turns to the débutante and says “Mrs. Worldly, my daughter.” Or “Cynthia, I want to present you to Mrs. Worldly.” (“Want to” is used on this occasion because “may I” is too formal for a mother to say to her child.) A friend would probably know the daughter; in any event the mother’s introduction would be, “You remember Cynthia, don’t you?” 2
Each arriving guest always shakes hands with the débutante as well as with the hostess, and if there is a queue of people coming at the same time, there is no need of saying anything beyond “How do you do?” and passing on as quickly as possible. If there are no others entering at the moment, each guest makes a few pleasant remarks. A stranger, for instance, would perhaps comment on how lovely, and many, the débutante’s bouquets are, or express a hope that she will enjoy her winter, or talk for a moment or two about the “gaiety of the season” or “the lack of balls,” or anything that shows polite interest in the young girl’s first glimpse of society. A friend of her mother might perhaps say “You look too lovely, Cynthia dear, and your dress is enchanting!” 3
Personal compliments, however, are proper only from a close friend. No acquaintance, unless she is quite old, should ever make personal remarks. An old lady or gentleman might very forgivably say “You don’t mind, my dear, if I tell you how sweet I think you look,” or “What a pretty frock you have on.” But it is bad taste for a young woman to say to another “What a handsome dress you have on!” and worst of all to add “Where did you get it?” The young girl’s particular friends are, of course, apt to tell her that her dress is wonderful, or more likely, “simply divine.” 4
It is customary in most cities to send a débutante a bouquet at her “coming out” party. They may be “bouquets” really, or baskets, or other decorative flowers, and are sent by relatives, friends of the family, her father’s business associates, as well as by young men admirers. These “bouquets” are always banked near and if possible, around the place the débutante stands to receive. If she has great quantities, they are placed about the room wherever they look most effective. The débutante usually holds one of the bouquets while receiving, but she should remember that her choice of this particular one among the many sent her is somewhat pointed to the giver, so that unless she is willing to acknowledge one particular beau as “best” it is wiser to carry one sent by her father, or brother, especially if either send her one of the tiny 1830 bouquets that have been for a year or two in fashion, and are no weight to hold. 5
These bouquets are about as big around as an ordinary saucer, and just as flat on top as a saucer placed upside down. The flowers chosen are rosebuds or other compact flowers, massed tightly together, and arranged in a precise pattern; for instance, three or four pink rosebuds are put in the center, around them a row of white violets, around these a single row of the pink roses, surrounded again by violets, and so on for four or five rows. The bouquet is then set in stiff white lace paper, manufactured for the purpose, the stems wrapped in white satin ribbon, with streamers of white and pink ribbons about a quarter of an inch wide and tied to hang twenty inches or so long. The colors and patterns in which these little bouquets may be made are unlimited. 6
THE DÉBUTANTE RECEIVES
At a ball, where the guests begin coming about half past ten, the débutante must stand beside the hostess and “receive” until at least twelve o’clock—later if guests still continue to arrive. 7
At all coming-out parties, the débutante invites a few of her best girl friends to receive with her. Whether the party is in the afternoon or evening, these young girls wear evening dresses and come early and stay late. Their being asked to “receive” is a form of expression merely, as they never stand in line, and other than wearing pretty clothes and thus adding to the picture, they have no “duties” whatsoever. 8
AT SUPPER
The débutante goes to supper with a partner who has surely spoken for the privilege weeks or even months beforehand. But the rest of her own table is always made up by herself; that is, it includes the young girls who are her most intimate friends, and their supper partners. Her table is usually in the center of the dining-room, but there is no especial decoration to distinguish it, except that it is often somewhat larger than the other tables surrounding it, and a footman or waiter is detailed to tell any who may attempt to take it, that it is “reserved.” 9
After supper the débutante has no duties and is free to enjoy herself. 10
The afternoon tea with dancing is described in the chapter on Teas and needs no further comment, since its etiquette is precisely the same as that for a ball. The débutante’s bouquets are arranged as effectively as possible, and she receives with her mother, or whoever the hostess may be, until the queue of arriving guests thins out, after which she need be occupied with nothing but her own good time, and that of her friends. 11
Those of smaller means, or those who object to hotel rooms, ask only younger people, and give the tea in their own house. Where there are two rooms on a floor—drawing-room in front, dining-room back, and a library on the floor above, the guests are received in the drawing-room, but whether they dance in the dining-room or up in the library, depends upon which room is the larger. In either case the furniture is moved out. If possible the smallest room should be used to receive in, the largest to dance in, and the tea-table should be set in the medium one. 12
HOW MANY GUESTS MAY ONE ASK?
A hostess should never try to pack her house beyond the limits of its capacity. This question of how many invitations may safely be sent out is one which each hostess must answer for herself, since beyond a few obvious generalities no one can very well advise her. 13
Taking a hostess of “average” social position, who is bringing out a daughter of “average” attractiveness and popularity, it would be safe to say that every débutante and younger man asked to a party of any kind where there is dancing, will accept, but that not more than from half to one-third of the older people asked will put in an appearance. 14
LAVISH PARTIES GIVING WAY TO SIMPLE ONES
A ball, by the way, is always a general entertainment, meaning that invitations are sent to the entire dinner list—not only actual but potential—of the host and hostess, as well as to the younger people who are either themselves friends of the débutante, or daughters and sons of the friends and acquaintances of the hostess. 15
A dance differs from a ball in that it is smaller, less elaborate and its invitations are limited to the contemporaries of the débutante, or at most the youngest married set. 16
Invitations to a tea are even more general and should include a hostess’ entire visiting list, irrespective of age or even personal acquaintance. The old-fashioned visiting list of the young hostess included the entire list of her mother, plus that of her mother-in-law, to which was added all the names acquired in her own social life. It can easily be seen that this list became a formidable volume by the time her daughter was old enough to “come out,” and yet this entire list was supposed to be included in all “general” invitations! 17
In the present day, however, at least in New York, there is a growing tendency to eliminate these general or “impersonal” invitations. In smartest society, it is not even considered necessary that a “general” entertainment be given to introduce a daughter. In New York last winter there were scarcely a dozen private balls all told. Many of the most fashionable (and richest) hostesses gave dances limited to young girls of their daughters’ ages and young dancing men. Even at many of the teas-with-dancing none but young people were asked. 18
Anyone who likes to sit on the bank and watch the tides of fashion rise and fall, cannot fail to notice that big and lavish entertainments are dwindling, and small and informal ones increasing. It is equally apparent, contrary to popular opinion, that extravagance of expenditure is growing less and less. It is years since any one has given such a ball, for instance, as the Venetian fête the Gildings gave to bring out their eldest daughter, when the entire first floor of the Fitz-Cherry was turned into a replica of Venice—canals, gondolas, and all. Or the Persian ball of the Vanforbiddens where the whole house was hung, as a background for Oriental costumes, with copper-gold draperies, against which stood at intervals Maxfield Parrish cypress trees. Or the moonlight dance of the Worldlys which was not a fancy dress one, but for which the ballroom was turned into a garden scene, lighted by simulated moonlight that would have added to the renown of Belasco. 19
Such entertainments as these seem almost “out of key” with the attitude of to-day. For although fancy-dress and elaborate parties are occasionally given, they are not usually given for débutantes, nor on the scale of those mentioned above. 20
THE DÉBUTANTE’S DRESS
At a ball, the débutante wears her very prettiest ball dress. Old-fashioned sentiment prefers that it be white, and of some diaphanous material, such as net or gauze or lace. It ought not to look overelaborate, even though it is spangled with silver or crystal or is made of sheer lace. It should suggest something light and airy and gay and, above all, young. For a young girl to whom white is unbecoming, a color is perfectly suitable as long as it is a pale shade. She should not wear strong colors such as red, or Yale blue, and on no account black! Her mother, of course, wears as handsome a ball dress as possible, and “all her jewels.” 21
At an afternoon tea the débutante wears an evening dress—a very simple evening dress, but an evening dress all the same. Usually a very pale color, and quite untrimmed, such as she might wear at home for dinner. Her mother wears an afternoon dress, not an evening one. Both mother and daughter wear long gloves, and neither they, nor the young girls receiving, wear hats. 22
To describe the details of clothes is futile. Almost before this page comes from the printer, the trend may quite likely change. But the tendency of the moment is toward greater simplicity—in effect at all events. 23
IN CONFIDENCE TO A DÉBUTANTE
Let us pretend a worldly old godmother is speaking, and let us suppose that you are a young girl on the evening of your coming-out ball. You are excited, of course you are! It is your evening, and you are a sort of little princess! There is music, and there are lights, and there are flowers everywhere—a great ballroom massed with them, tables heaped with bouquets—all for you! You have on an especially beautiful dress—one that was selected from among many others, just because it seemed to you the prettiest. Even your mother and married sister who, “en grande tenue,” have always seemed to you dazzling figures, have for the moment become, for all their brocades and jewels, merely background; and you alone are the center of the picture. Up the wide staircase come throngs of fashionables—who mean “the world.” They are coming on purpose to bow to you! You can’t help feeling that the glittering dresses, the tiaras, the ropes of pearls and chains of diamonds of the “dowagers,” the stiff white shirt-fronts and boutonnières and perfectly fitting coats of the older gentlemen, as well as the best clothes of all the younger people, were all put on for you. 24
You shake hands and smile sweetly to a number of older ladies and shake hands with an equal number of gentlemen, all very politely and properly. Then suddenly, half way up the stairs you see Betty and Anne and Fred and Ollie. Of course your attention is drawn to them. You are vaguely conscious that the butler is shouting some stupid name you never heard of—that you don’t care in the least about. Your mother’s voice is saying “Mrs. zzzzzz——,” 25
Impatiently you give your hand to someone—you haven’t the slightest idea who it is. So far as your interest is concerned, you might as well be brushing away annoying flies. Your smiles are directed to Betty and Anne. As they reach the top of the stairs you dart forward and enter into an excited conversation, deliberately overlooking a lady and gentleman who, without trying further to attract your attention, pass on. Later in the winter you will perhaps wonder why you alone among your friends are never asked to Great Estates. The lady and gentleman of whom you are so rudely unaware, happen to be Mr. and Mrs. Worldly, and you have entirely forgotten that you are a hostess, and furthermore that you have the whole evening, beginning at supper, when you can talk to these friends of yours! You can dance with Fred and Ollie and Jimmy all the rest of the evening; you can spend most of your time with them for the rest of your life if you and they choose. But when you are out in public, above all at a party which is for you, your duty in commonest civility is to overcome your impulses, and behave as a grown-up person—and a well-bred grown-up person at that! 26
It takes scarcely more than ten seconds to listen to the name that is said to you, to look directly and attentively at the one to whom the name belongs, to put out your hand firmly as you would take hold of something you like, (not something that you feel an aversion to), and with a smile say “How do you do.” At your ball your mother says “Mrs. Worldly, my daughter.” You look directly at Mrs. Worldly, put out your hand, say “How do you do, Mrs. Worldly.” And she passes on. It takes no longer to be cordial and attentive than to be distrait and casual and rude, yet the impression made in a few seconds of actual time may easily gain or lose a friend for life. When no other guests are arriving, you can chatter to your own friends as much as you like, but as you turn to greet another stranger, you must show pleasure, not annoyance, in giving him your attention. 27
A happy attitude to cultivate is to think in your own mind that new people are all packages in a grab-bag, and that you can never tell what any of them may prove to be until you know what is inside the outer wrappings of casual appearances. To be sure, the old woman of the fairy tale, who turns out to be a fairy in disguise, is not often met with in real life, but neither is her approximate counterpart an impossibility. 28
As those who have sent you flowers approach, you must thank them; you must also write later an additional note of thanks to older people. But to your family or your own intimate friends, the verbal thanks—if not too casually made—are sufficient. 29
A FEW DON’TS FOR DÉBUTANTES
Don’t think that because you have a pretty face, you need neither brains nor manners. Don’t think that you can be rude to anyone and escape being disliked for it. 30
Whispering is always rude. Whispering and giggling at the same time have no place in good society. Everything that shows lack of courtesy toward others is rude. 31
If you would be thought a person of refinement, don’t nudge or pat or finger people. Don’t hold hands or walk arm-about-waist in public. Never put your hand on a man, except in dancing and in taking his arm if he is usher at a wedding or your partner for dinner or supper. Don’t allow anyone to paw you. Don’t hang on anyone for support, and don’t stand or walk with your chest held in, and your hips forward, in imitation of a reversed letter S. 32
Don’t walk across a ballroom floor swinging your arms. Don’t talk or laugh loud enough to attract attention, and on no account force yourself to laugh. Nothing is flatter than laughter that is lacking in mirth. If you only laugh because something is irresistibly funny, the chances are your laugh will be irresistible too. In the same way a smile should be spontaneous, because you feel happy and pleasant; nothing has less allure than a mechanical grimace, as though you were trying to imitate a tooth-paste advertisement. 33
WHERE ARE THE “BELLES” OF YESTERDAY?
In olden days and until a comparatively short while ago, a young girl’s social success was invariably measured by her popularity in a ballroom. It was the girl who had the most partners, who least frequently sat “against the wall,” who carried home the greatest quantity of the baubles known as “favors,” who was that evening’s and usually the season’s belle. 34
But to-day although ballroom popularity is still important as a test by which a young girl’s success is measured, it is by no means the beginning and end that it used to be. 35
As repeated several times in this book, the day of the belle is past; beaux belong to the past too. To-day is the day of woman’s equality with man, and if in proving her equality she has come down from a pedestal, her pedestal was perhaps a theatrical “property” at best and not to be compared for solid satisfaction with the level ground of the entirely real position she now occupies. 36
A girl’s popularity in a ballroom is of importance to be sure, but not greatly more so than the dancing popularity of a youth. 37
There was a time when “wall-flowers” went to balls night after night where they either sat beside a chaperon or spent the evening in the dressing-room in tears. To-day a young girl who finds she is not a ballroom success avoids ballrooms and seeks her success otherwhere. She does not sit in a corner and hope against hope that her “luck will turn” and that Prince Charming will surely some evening discover her. She sizes up the situation exactly as a boy might size up his own chances to “make” the crew or the football team. 38
TO-DAY’S SPECIALISTS IN SUCCESS
The girl of to-day soon discovers, if she does not know it already, that to be a ballroom belle it is necessary first of all to dance really well. A girl may be as beautiful as a young Diana or as fascinating as Circe, but if she is heavy or steps on her first partner’s toes, never again will he ask her to dance. And the news spreads in an instant. 39
The girl of to-day therefore knows she must learn to dance well, which is difficult, since dancers are born, not made; or she must go to balls for supper only, or not go to balls at all, unless—she plays a really good game of bridge! In which case, her chances for popularity at the bridge tables, which are at all balls to-day, are quite as good as though she were a young Pavlowa in the ballroom. Or perhaps she skates, or hunts, or plays a wonderful game of tennis or golf, each one of which opens a vista leading to popularity, and the possibilities for a “good time” which was after all the mainspring of old-fashioned ballroom success. 40
And since the day of femininity that is purely ornamental and utterly useless is gone by, it is the girl who does things well who finds life full of interests and of friends and of happiness. The old idea also has passed that measures a girl’s popular success by the number of trousered figures around her. It is quality, not quantity, that counts; and the girl who surrounds herself with indiscriminate and possibly “cheap” youths does not excite the envy but the derision of beholders. To the highest type of young girl to-day it makes very little difference whether, in the inevitable “group” in which she is perpetually to be found, there are more men than girls or the opposite. 41
This does not mean that human nature has changed—scarcely! There always are and doubtless always will be any number of women to whom admiration and flirtation is the very breath of their nostrils, who love to parade a beau just as they love to parade a new dress. But the tendencies of the time do not encourage the flirtatious attitude. It is not considered a triumph to have many love affairs, but rather an evidence of stupidity and bad taste. 42
FRANKNESS OF TO-DAY
A young man playing tennis with a young girl a generation ago would have been forced patiently to toss her gentle balls and keep his boredom to himself, or he would have held her chin in his hand, while he himself stood shivering for hours in three feet of water, and tried his best to disguise his opinion as to the hopelessness of her ever learning to swim. 43
To-day he would frankly tell her she had better play tennis for a year or two with a “marker” or struggle at swimming by herself, and any sensible girl would take that advice! 44
FOR WHAT SHE REALLY IS
Instead of depending upon beauty, upon sex-appeal, the young girl who is “the success of to-day” depends chiefly upon her actual character and disposition. It is not even so necessary to do something well as to refrain from doing things badly. If she is not good at sports, or games, or dancing, then she must find out what she is good at and do that! If she is good for nothing but to look in the glass and put rouge on her lips and powder her nose and pat her hair, life is going to be a pretty dreary affair. In other days beauty was worshiped for itself alone, and it has votaries of sorts to-day. But the best type of modern youth does not care for beauty, as his father did; in fact, he doesn’t care a bit for it, if it has nothing to “go with it,” any more than he cares for butter with no bread to spread it on. Beauty and wit, and heart, and other qualifications or attributes is another matter altogether. 45
A gift of more value than beauty, is charm, which in a measure is another word for sympathy, or the power to put yourself in the place of others; to be interested in whatever interests them, so as to be pleasing to them, if possible, but not to occupy your thoughts in futilely wondering what they think about you. 46
Would you know the secret of popularity? It is unconsciousness of self, altruistic interest, and inward kindliness, outwardly expressed in good manners. 47
Emily Post (1873–1960). Etiquette. 1922. Chapter XVII. Balls and Dances
21:54 Apr 15 2016
Times Read: 544
A BALL is the only social function in America to which such qualifying words as splendor and magnificence can with proper modesty of expression be applied. Even the most elaborate wedding is not quite “a scene of splendor and magnificence” no matter how luxurious the decorations or how costly the dress of the bride and bridesmaids, because the majority of the wedding guests do not complete the picture. A dinner may be lavish, a dance may be beautiful, but a ball alone is prodigal, meaning, of course, a private ball of greatest importance. 1
On rare occasions, a great ball is given in a private house, but since few houses are big enough to provide dancing space for several hundred and sit-down supper space for a greater number still, besides smoking-room, dressing-room and sitting-about space, it would seem logical to describe a typical ball as taking place in the ballroom suite built for the purpose in nearly all hotels. 2
A HOSTESS PREPARES TO GIVE A BALL
The hostess who is not giving the ball in her own house goes first of all to see the manager of the hotel (or of whatever suitable assembly rooms there may be) and finds out which evenings are available. She then telephones—probably from the manager’s office—and engages the two best orchestras for whichever evening both the orchestras and the ballroom are at her disposal. Of the two, music is of more importance than rooms. With perfect music the success of a ball is more than three-quarters assured; without it, the most beautiful decorations and most delicious supper are as flat as a fallen soufflé. You cannot give a ball or a dance that is anything but a dull promenade if you have dull music. 3
To illustrate the importance that prominent hostesses attach to music: a certain orchestra in New York to-day is forced to dash almost daily, not alone from party to party, but from city to city. Time and again its leader has conducted the music at a noon wedding in Philadelphia, and a ball in Boston; or a dancing tea in Providence and a ball that evening in New York; because Boston, Providence, New York and Philadelphia hostesses all at the present moment clamor for this one especial orchestra. The men have a little more respite than the leader since it is his “leading” that every one insists upon. Tomorrow another orchestra will probably make the daily tour of various cities’ ballrooms. 4
At all balls, there must be two orchestras, so that each time one finishes playing the other begins. At very dignified private balls, dancers should not stand in the middle of the floor and clap as they do in a dance hall or cabaret if the music ends. On the other hand, the music should not end. 5
Having secured the music and engaged the ballroom, reception rooms, dressing-rooms and smoking-room, as well as the main restaurant (after it is closed to the public), the hostess next makes out her list and orders and sends out her invitations. 6
INVITATIONS
The fundamental difference between a ball and a dance is that people of all ages are asked to a ball, while only those of approximately one age are asked to a dance. Once in a while a ball is given to which the hostess invites every person on her visiting list. Mr. and Mrs. Titherington de Puyster give one every season, which although a credit to their intentions is seldom a credit to their sense of beauty! 7
Snobbish as it sounds and is, a brilliant ball is necessarily a collection of brilliantly fashionable people, and the hostess who gathers in all the oddly assorted frumps on the outskirts of society cannot expect to achieve a very distinguished result. 8
Ball invitations properly include all of the personal friends of the hostess no matter what their age, and all her better-known social acquaintances—meaning every one she would be likely to invite to a formal dinner. She does not usually invite a lady with whom she may work on a charitable committee, even though she may know her well, and like her. The question as to whether an outsider may be invited is not a matter of a hostess’ own inclination so much as a question whether the “outsider” would be agreeable to all the “insiders” who are coming. If the co-worker is in everything a lady and a fitting ornament to society, the hostess might very possibly ask her. 9
If the ball to be given is for a débutante, all the débutantes whose mothers are on the “general visiting list” are asked as well as all young dancing men in these same families. In other words the children of all those whose names are on the general visiting list of a hostess are selected to receive invitations, but the parents on whose standing the daughters and sons are asked, are rarely invited. 10
When a List is Borrowed
A lady who has a débutante daughter, but who has not given any general parties for years—or ever, and whose daughter, having been away at boarding-school or abroad, has therefore very few acquaintances of her own, must necessarily in sending out invitations to a ball take the list of young girls and men from a friend or a member of her family. This of course could only be done by a hostess whose position is unquestioned, but having had no occasion to keep a young people’s list, she has not the least idea who the young people of the moment are, and takes a short-cut as above. Otherwise she would send invitations to children of ten and spinsters of forty, trusting to their being of suitable age. 11
To take a family or intimate friend’s list is also important to the unaccustomed hostess, because to leave out any of the younger set who “belong” in the groups which are included, is not the way to make a party a success. Those who don’t find their friends go home, or stay and are bored, and the whole party sags in consequence. So that if a hostess knows the parents personally of, let us say, eighty per cent. of young society, she can quite properly include the twenty per cent. she does not know, so that the hundred per cent. can come together. In a small community it is rather cruel to leave out any of the young people whose friends are all invited. In a very great city on the other hand, an habitual hostess does not ask any to her house whom she does not know, but she can of course be as generous as she chooses in allowing young people to have invitations for friends. 12
Asking for an Invitation to a Ball
It is always permissible to ask a hostess if you may “bring” a dancing man who is a stranger to her. It is rather difficult to ask for an invitation for an extra girl, and still more difficult to ask for older people, because the hostess has no ground on which she can refuse without being rude; she can’t say there is no room since no dance is really limited, and least of all a ball. Men who dance are always an asset, and the more the better; but a strange young girl hung around the neck of the hostess is about as welcome as a fog at a garden party. If the girl is to be brought and “looked after” by the lady asking for the invitation—who has herself been already invited—that is another matter, and the hostess can not well object. Or if the young girl is the fiancée of the man whose mother asks for the invitation, that is all right too; since he will undoubtedly come with her and see that she is not left alone. Invitations for older people are never asked for unless they are rather distinguished strangers and unquestionably suitable. 13
Invitations are never asked for persons whom the hostess already knows, since if she had cared to invite them she would have done so. It is, however, not at all out of the way for an intimate friend to remind her of some one who in receiving no invitation has more than likely been overlooked. If the omission was intentional, nothing need be said; if it was an oversight, the hostess is very glad to repair her forgetfulness. 14
Invitations for Strangers
An invitation that has been asked for a stranger is sent direct and without comment. For instance, when the Greatlakes of Chicago came to New York for a few weeks, Mrs. Norman asked both Mrs. Worldly and Mrs. Gilding to send them invitations; one to a musicale and the other to a ball. The Greatlakes received these invitations without Mrs. Norman’s card enclosed or any other word of explanation, as it was taken for granted that Mrs. Norman would tell the Greatlakes that it was through her that the invitations were sent. The Greatlakes said “Thank you very much for asking us” when they bid their hostess good night, and they also left their cards immediately on the Worldlys and Gildings after the parties—but it was also the duty of Mrs. Norman to thank both hostesses—verbally—for sending the invitations. 15
DECORATIONS
So far as good taste is concerned, the decorations for a ball cannot be too lavish or beautiful. To be sure they should not be lavish if one’s purse is limited, but if one’s purse is really limited, one should not give a ball! A small dance or a dancing tea would be more suitable. 16
Ball decorations have on occasions been literally astounding, but as a rule no elaboration is undertaken other than hanging greens and flowers over the edge of the gallery, if there is a gallery, banking palms in corners, and putting up sheaves of flowers or trailing vines wherever most effective. 17
In any event the hostess consults her florist, but if the decorations are to be very important, an architect or an artist is put in charge, with a florist under him. 18
THE BALL BEAUTIFUL
Certain sounds, perfumes, places, always bring associated pictures to mind: Restaurant suppers; Paris! Distinguished-looking audiences; London! The essence of charm in society; Rome! Beguiling and informal joyousness; San Francisco! Recklessness; Colorado Springs! The afternoon visit; Washington! Hectic and splendid gaiety; New York! Beautiful balls; Boston! 19
There are three reasons (probably more) why the balls in Boston have what can be described only by the word “quality.” The word “elegance” before it was misused out of existence expressed it even better. 20
First: Best Society in Boston having kept its social walls intact, granting admission only to those of birth and breeding, has therefore preserved a quality of unmistakable cultivation. There are undoubtedly other cities, especially in the South, which have also kept their walls up and their traditions intact—but Boston has been the wise virgin as well, and has kept her lamp filled. 21
Second: Boston hostesses of position have never failed to demand of those who would remain on their lists, strict obedience to the tenets of ceremonies and dignified behavior; nor ceased themselves to cultivate something of the “grand manner” that should be the birthright of every thoroughbred lady and gentleman. 22
Third: Boston’s older ladies and gentlemen always dance at balls, and they neither rock around the floor, nor take their dancing violently. And the fact that older ladies of distinction dance with dignity, has an inevitable effect upon younger ones, so that at balls at least, dancing has not degenerated into gymnastics or contortions. 23
The extreme reverse of a “smart” Boston ball is one—no matter where—which has a roomful of people who deport themselves abominably, who greet each other by waving their arms aloft, who dance like Apaches or jiggling music-box figures, and who scarcely suggest an assemblage of even decent—let alone well-bred—people. 24
SUPPER
A sit-down supper that is served continuously for two or three hours, is the most elaborate ball supper. Next in importance is the sit-down supper at a set time. Third, the buffet supper which is served at dances but not at balls. 25
At the most fashionable New York balls, supper service begins at one and continues until three and people go when they feel like it. The restaurant is closed to the public at one o’clock; the entrance is then curtained or shut off from the rest of the hotel. The tables are decorated with flowers and the supper service opened for the ball guests. Guests sit where they please, either “making up a table,” or a man and his partner finding a place wherever there are two vacant chairs. At a private ball guests do not pay for anything or sign supper checks, or tip the waiter, since the restaurant is for the time being the private dining-room of the host and hostess. 26
At a sit-down supper at a set hour, the choice of menu is unlimited, but suppers are never as elaborate now as they used to be. Years ago few balls were given without terrapin, and a supper without champagne was as unheard of. In fact, champagne was the heaviest item of expenditure always. Decorations might be very limited, but champagne was as essential as music! Cotillion favors were also an important item which no longer exists; and champagne has gone its way with nectar, to the land of fable, so that if you eliminate elaborate decorations, ball-giving is not half the expense it used to be. 27
FOR A SIT-DOWN SUPPER THAT IS CONTINUOUS
When the service of supper continues for several hours, it is necessary to select food that can be kept hot indefinitely without being spoiled. Birds or broiled chicken, which should be eaten the moment they are cooked, are therefore unsuitable. Dishes prepared in sauce keep best, such as lobster Newburg, sweetbreads and mushrooms, chicken à la King, or creamed oysters. Pâtés are satisfactory as the shells can be heated in a moment and hot creamed chicken or oysters poured in. Of course all cold dishes and salads can stand in the pantry or on a buffet table all evening. 28
The menu for supper at a ball is entirely a matter of the hostess’ selection, but whether it is served at one time or continuously, the supper menu at an important ball includes:
Bouillon or green turtle (clear) in cups.
Lobster a la Newburg (or terrapin or oyster pâté or another hot dish of shell-fish or fowl).
A second choice hot dish of some sort, squab, chicken and peas (if supper is served at a special hour) or croquettes and peas if continuous.
Salad, which includes every variety known, with or without an aspic.
Individual ices, fancy cakes.
Black coffee in little cups.
29
Breakfast served at about four in the morning and consisting of scrambled eggs with sausages or bacon and breakfast coffee and rolls is an occasional custom at both dances and balls. 30
There is always an enormous glass bowl of punch or orangeade—sometimes two or three bowls each containing a different iced drink—in a room adjoining the ballroom. And in very cold climates it is the thoughtful custom of some hostesses to have a cup of hot chocolate or bouillon offered each departing guest. This is an especially welcome attention to those who have a long drive home. 31
A DANCE
A dance is merely a ball on a smaller scale, fewer people are asked to it and it has usually, but not necessarily, simpler decorations. 32
But the real difference is that invitations to balls always include older people—as many if not more than younger ones—whereas invitations to a dance for a débutante, for instance, include none but very young girls, young men and the merest handful of the hostess’ most intimate friends. 33
Supper may equally be a simple buffet or an elaborate sit-down one, depending upon the size and type of the house. 34
Or a dance may equally well as a ball be given in the “banquet” or smaller ballroom of a hotel, or in the assembly or ballroom of a club. 35
A formal dance differs from an informal one merely in elaboration, and in whether the majority of those present are strangers to one another; a really informal dance is one to which only those who know one another well are invited. 36
DETAILS OF PREPARATION FOR A BALL OR DANCE IN A PRIVATE HOUSE
There is always an awning and a red carpet down the steps (or up), and a chauffeur to open the carriage doors and a policeman or detective to see that strangers do not walk uninvited into the house. If there is a great crush, there is a detective in the hall to “investigate” anyone who does not have himself announced to the hostess. 37
All the necessary appurtenances such as awning, red carpet, coat hanging racks, ballroom chairs, as well as crockery, glass, napkins, waiters and food are supplied by hotels or caterers. (Excepting in houses like the Gildings’, where footmen’s liveries are kept purposely, the caterer’s men are never in footmen’s liveries.) 38
Unless a house has a ballroom the room selected for dancing must have all the furniture moved out of it; and if there are adjoining rooms and the dancing room is not especially big, it adds considerably to the floor space to put no chairs around it. Those who dance seldom sit around a ballroom anyway, and the more informal grouping of chairs in the hall or library is a better arrangement than the wainscot row or wall-flower exposition grounds. The floor, it goes without saying, must be smooth and waxed, and no one should attempt to give a dance whose house is not big enough. 39
ETIQUETTE IN THE BALLROOM
New York’s invitations are usually for “ten o’clock” but first guests do not appear before ten-thirty and most people arrive at about eleven or after. The hostess, however, must be ready to receive on the stroke of the hour specified in her invitations, and the débutante or any one the ball may be given for, must also be with her. 40
It is not customary to put the débutante’s name on the formal “At Home” invitation, and it is even occasionally omitted on invitations that “request the pleasure of——” so that the only way acquaintances can know the ball is being given for the daughter is by seeing her standing beside her mother.
41
The hostess never leaves her post, wherever it is she is standing, until she goes to supper. If, as at the Ritz in New York, the ballroom opens on a foyer at the head of a stairway, the hostess always receives at this place. In a private house where guests go up in an elevator to the dressing rooms, and then walk down to the ballroom floor, the hostess receives either at the foot of the stairway, or just outside the ballroom. 42
THE HOSTESS AT A BALL
Guests arriving are announced, as at a dinner or afternoon tea, and after shaking hands with the hostess, they must pass on into the ballroom. It is not etiquette to linger beside the hostess for more than a moment, especially if later arrivals are being announced. A stranger ought never go to a ball alone, as the hostess is powerless to “look after” any especial guests; her duty being to stand in one precise place and receive. A stranger who is a particular friend of the hostess would be looked after by the host; but a stranger who is invited through another guest should be looked after by that other. 43
A gentleman who has received an invitation through a friend is usually accompanied by the friend who presents him. Otherwise when the butler announces him to the hostess, he bows, and says “Mrs. Norman asked you if I might come.” And the hostess shakes hands and says “How do you do, I am very glad to see you.” If other young men or any young girls are standing near, the hostess very likely introduces him. Otherwise, if he knows no one, he waits among the stags until his own particular sponsor appears. 44
After supper, when she is no longer receiving, the hostess is free to talk with her friends and give her attention to the roomful of young people who are actually in her charge. 45
When her guests leave she does not go back to where she received, but stands wherever she happens to be, shakes hands and says “Good night.” There is one occasion when it is better not to bid one’s hostess good night, and that is, if one finds her party dull and leaves again immediately; in this one case it is more polite to slip away so as to attract the least attention possible, but late in the evening it is inexcusably ill mannered not to find her and say “Good night” and “Thank you.” 46
The duty of seeing that guests are looked after, that shy youths are presented to partners, that shyer girls are not left on the far wall-flower outposts, that the dowagers are taken in to supper, and that the elderly gentlemen are provided with good cigars in the smoking-room, falls to the host and his son or son-in-law, or any other near male member of the family. 47
MASQUERADE VOUCHERS
Vouchers or tickets of admission like those sent with invitations to assembly or public balls should be enclosed in invitations to a masquerade; it would be too easy otherwise for dishonest or other undesirable persons to gain admittance. If vouchers are not sent with the invitations, or better yet, mailed afterwards to all those who have accepted, it is necessary that the hostess receive her guests singly in a small private room and request each to unmask before her. 48
HOW TO WALK ACROSS A BALLROOM
If you analyze the precepts laid down by etiquette you will find that for each there is a perfectly good reason. Years ago a lady never walked across a ballroom floor without the support of a gentleman’s arm, which was much easier than walking alone across a very slippery surface in high-heeled slippers. When the late Ward McAllister classified New York society as having four hundred people who were “at ease in a ballroom,” he indicated that the ballroom was the test of the best manners. He also said at a dinner—after his book was published and the country had already made New York’s “Four Hundred” a theme for cartoons and jests—that among the “Four hundred who were at ease,” not more than ten could gracefully cross a ballroom floor alone. If his ghost is haunting the ballrooms of our time, it is certain the number is still further reduced. The athletic young woman of to-day strides across the ballroom floor as though she were on the golf course; the happy-go-lucky one ambles—shoulders stooped, arms swinging, hips and head in advance of chest; others trot, others shuffle, others make a rush for it. The young girl who could walk across a room with the consummate grace of Mrs. Oldname (who as a girl of eighteen was one of Mr. McAllister’s ten) would have to be very assiduously sought for. 49
How does Mrs. Oldname walk? One might answer by describing how Pavlowa dances. Her body is perfectly balanced, she holds herself straight, and yet in nothing suggests a ramrod. She takes steps of medium length, and, like all people who move and dance well, walks from the hip, not the knee. On no account does she swing her arms, nor does she rest a hand on her hip! Nor when walking, does she wave her hands about in gesticulation. 50
Some one asked her if she had ever been taught to cross a ballroom floor. As a matter of fact, she had. Her grandmother, who was a Toplofty, made all her grandchildren walk daily across a polished floor with sand-bags on their heads. And the old lady directed the drill herself. No shuffling of feet and no stamping, either; no waggling of hips, no swinging of arms, and not a shoulder stooped. Furthermore, they were taught to enter a room and to sit for an indefinite period in self-effacing silence while their elders were talking. 51
Older gentlemen still give their arms to older ladies in all “promenading” at a ball, since the customs of a lifetime are not broken by one short and modern generation. Those of to-day walk side by side, except in going down to supper when supper is at a set hour. 52
At public balls when there is a grand march, ladies take gentlemen’s arms. 53
DISTINCTION VANISHED WITH COTILLION
The glittering display of tinsel satin favors that used to be the featured and gayest decoration of every ballroom, is gone; the cotillion leader, his hands full of “seat checks,” his manners a cross between those of Lord Chesterfield and a traffic policeman, is gone; and much of the distinction that used to be characteristic of the ballroom is gone with the cotillion. There is no question that a cotillion was prettier to look at than a mob scene of dancers crowding each other for every few inches of progress. 54
The reason why cotillions were conducive to good manners was that people were on exhibition, where now they are unnoticed components of a general crowd. When only a sixth, at most, of those in the room danced while others had nothing to do but watch them, it was only natural that those “on exhibition” should dance as well as they possibly could, and since their walking across the room and asking others to dance by “offering a favor” was also watched, grace of deportment and correct manners were not likely to deteriorate, either. 55
The cotillion was detested and finally banned by the majority who wanted to dance ceaselessly throughout the evening. But it was of particular advantage to the very young girl who did not know many men, as well as to what might be called the helpless type. Each young girl, if she had a partner, had a place where she belonged and where she sat throughout the evening. And since no couple could dance longer than the few moments allowed by the “figure,” there was no chance of anyone’s being “stuck”; so that the average girl had a better chance of being asked to dance than now—when, without programmes, and without cotillions, there is nothing to relieve the permanency of a young man’s attachment to an unknown young girl once he asks her to dance. 56
THE ORDEAL BY BALLROOM
Instead of being easier, it would seem that time makes it increasingly difficult for any but distinct successes to survive the ordeal by ballroom. Years ago a débutante was supposed to flutter into society in the shadow of mamma’s protecting amplitude; to-day she is packed off by herself and with nothing to relieve her dependence upon whoever may come near her. To liken a charming young girl in the prettiest of frocks to a spider is not very courteous; and yet the rôle of spider is what she is forced by the exigencies of ballroom etiquette to play. She must catch a fly, meaning a trousered companion, so as not to be left in placarded disgrace; and having caught him she must hang on to him until another takes his place. 57
There should be drastic revision of ballroom customs. There is a desperate need of what in local dancing classes was called the “Dump,” where without rudeness a gentleman could leave a lady as soon as they had finished dancing. 58
There used to be a chaperon into whose care a young girl could be committed; there used to be the “dance card” or programme (still in vogue at public balls) that allotted a certain dance to a certain gentleman and lady equally. There used to be the cotillion which, while cruel, at least committed its acts of cruelty with merciful dispatch. When the cotillion began, the girl who had no partner—went home. She had to. Now, once she has acquired a companion, he is planted beside her until another takes his place. It is this fact and no other which is responsible for the dread that the average young girl feels in facing the ordeal of a ballroom, and for the discourteous unconcern shown by dancing men who under other conditions would be friendly. 59
The situation of a young girl, left cruelly alone, draws its own picture, but the reason for the callous and ill-mannered behavior of the average dancing man, may perhaps need a word of explanation. 60
For instance: Jim Smartlington, when he was a senior at college, came down to the Toploftys’ ball on purpose to see Mary Smith. Very early, before Mary arrived, he saw a Miss Blank, a girl he had met at a dinner in Providence, standing at the entrance of the room. Following a casual impulse of friendliness he asked her to dance. She danced badly. No one “cut in” and they danced and danced, sat down and danced again. Mary arrived. Jim walked Miss Blank near the “stag” line and introduced several men, who bowed and slid out of sight with the dexterity of eels who recognized a hook. From half-past ten until supper at half-past one, Jim was “planted.” He was then forced to tell her he had a partner for supper, and left her at the door of the dressing-room. There was no other place to “leave her.” He felt like a brute and a cad, even though he had waited nearly three hours before being able to speak to the girl he had come purposely to see. 61
There really is something to be said on the man’s side; especially on that of one who has to get up early in the morning and who, only intending to see one or two particular friends and then go home, is forced because of an impulse of courtesy not only to spend an endless and exhausting evening, but to be utterly unfit for his work next day. 62
One is equally sorry for the girl! But in the example above her stupid handling of the situation not only spoiled one well-intentioned man’s evening, but completely “finished” herself so far as her future chances for success were concerned. Not alone her partner but every brother-stag who stood in the doorway mentally placarded her “Keep off.” It is suicidal for a girl to make any man spend an entire evening with her. If at the end of two dances, there is no intimate friend she can signal to, or an older lady she can insist on being left with, she should go home; and if the same thing happens several times, she should not go to balls. 63
For the reasons given above, there is little that a hostess or host can do, unless a promise of “release” is held out, and that in itself is a deplorable situation; a humiliation that no young girl’s name should be submitted to. And yet there it is! It is only necessary for a hostess to say “I want to introduce you to a charming——” And she is already speaking to the air. 64
Boston hostesses solve the problem of a young girl’s success in a ballroom in a way unknown in New York, by having ushers. 65
USHERS
Each hostess chooses from among the best known young men in society, who have perfect address and tact, a number to act as ushers. They are distinguished by white boutonnières, like those worn by ushers at a wedding, and they are deputy hosts. It is their duty to see that wall-flowers are not left decorating the seats in the ballroom and it is also their duty to relieve a partner who has too long been planted beside the same “rosebud.” 66
The ushers themselves have little chance to follow their own inclinations, and unless the “honor” of being chosen by a prominent hostess has some measure of compensation, the appointment—since it may not be refused—is a doubtful pleasure. An usher has the right to introduce anyone to anyone without knowing either principal personally and without asking any lady’s permission. He may also ask a lady (if he has a moment to himself) to dance with him, whether he has ever met her or not, and he can also leave her promptly, because any “stag” called upon by an usher must dance. The usher in turn must release every “stag” he calls upon by substituting another; and the second by a third and so on. In order to make a ball “go,” meaning to keep everyone dancing, the ushers have on occasions to spend the entire evening in relief work. 67
At a ball where there are ushers, a girl standing or sitting alone would at once be rescued by one of them, and a rotation of partners presented to her. If she is “hopeless”—meaning neither pretty nor attractive nor a good dancer—even the ushers are in time forced to relieve her partners and take her to a dowager friend of the hostess, beside whom she will be obliged to sit until she learns that she must seek her popularity otherwhere than at balls. 68
On the other hand, on an occasion when none of her friends happen to be present, the greatest belle of the year can spend an equally deadly evening. 69
THE DANCE PROGRAM
The program or dance-card of public balls and college class dances, has undeniable advantages. A girl can give as many dances as she chooses to whomever she chooses; and a man can be sure of having not only many but uninterrupted dances with the one he most wants to be with—provided “she” is willing. Why the dance-card is unheard of at private balls in New York is hard to determine, except that fashionable society does not care to take its pleasure on schedule! The gilded youth likes to dance when the impulse moves him; he also likes to be able to stay or leave when he pleases. In New York there are often two or three dances given on the same evening, and he likes to drift from one to the other just as he likes to drift from one partner to another, or not dance at all if he does not want to. A man who writes himself down for the tenth jazz must be eagerly appearing on the stroke of the first bar. Or if he does not engage his partners busily at the opening of the evening, he can not dance at all—he may not want to, but he hates not being able to. 70
So again we come back to the present situation and the problem of the average young girl whose right it is, because of her youth and sweetness, to be happy and young—and not to be terrified, wretched and neglected. The one and only solution seems to be for her to join a group. 71
THE FLOCK-SYSTEM OF THE WISE FLEDGLINGS
If a number of young girls and young men come together—better yet, if they go everywhere together, always sit in a flock, always go to supper together, always dance with one another—they not only have a good time but they are sure to be popular with drifting odd men also. If a man knows that having asked a girl to dance, one of her group will inevitably “cut in,” he is eager to dance with her. Or if he can take her “to the others” when they have danced long enough, he is not only delighted to be with her for a while but to sit with her “and the others” off and on throughout that and every other evening, because since there are always “some of them together” he can go again the moment he chooses. 72
Certain groups of clever girls sit in precisely the same place in a ballroom, to the right of the door, or the left, or in a corner. One might almost say they form a little club; they dance as much as they like, but come back “home” between whiles. They all go to supper together, and whether individuals have partners or not is scarcely noticeable, nor even known by themselves. 73
No young girl, unless she is a marked favorite, should ever go to a ball alone. If her especial “flock” has not as yet been systematized, she must go to a dinner before every dance, so as to go, and stay, with a group. If she is not asked to dinner, her mother must give one for her; or she must have at least one dependable beau—or better, two—who will wait for her and look out for her. 74
MAID GOES WITH HER
A young girl who goes to a ball without a chaperon (meaning of course a private ball), takes a maid with her who sits in the dressing-room the entire evening. Not only is it thought proper to have a maid waiting, but nothing can add more to the panic of a partnerless girl than to feel she has not even a means of escape by going home; she can always call a taxi as long as her maid is with her, and go. Otherwise she either has to stay in the ballroom or sit forlorn among the visiting maids in the dressing-room. 75
WHAT MAKES A YOUNG GIRL A BALLROOM SUCCESS
Much of the above is so pessimistic one might suppose that a ballroom is always a chamber of torture and the young girl taken as an example above, a very drab and distorted caricature of what “a real young girl” should be and is. But remember, the young girl who is a “belle of the ballroom” needs no advice on how to manage a happy situation; no thought spent on how to make a perfect time better. The ballroom is the most wonderful stage-setting there is for the girl who is a ballroom success. And for this, especial talents are needed just as they are for art or sport or any other accomplishment. 76
The great ballroom success, first and foremost, dances well. Almost always she is pretty. Beauty counts enormously at a ball. The girl who is beautiful and dances well is, of course, the ideal ballroom belle. But—this for encouragement—these qualities can in a measure at least be acquired. All things being more or less equal, the girl who dances best has the most partners. Let a daughter of Venus or the heiress of Midas dance badly, and she might better stay at home. 77
To dance divinely is an immortal gift, but to dance well can (except in obstinate cases, as the advertisements say) be taught. Let us suppose therefore, that she dances well, that she has a certain degree of looks, that she is fairly intelligent. The next most important thing, after dancing well, is to be unafraid, and to look as though she were having a good time. Conversational cleverness is of no account in a ballroom; some of the greatest belles ever known have been as stupid as sheep, but they have had happy dispositions and charming and un-self-conscious manners. There is one thing every girl who would really be popular should learn, in fact, she must learn—self-unconsciousness! The best advice might be to follow somewhat the precepts of mental science and make herself believe that a good time exists in her own mind. If she can become possessed with the idea that she is having a good time and look as though she were, the psychological effect is astonishing. 78
“CUTTING IN”
When one of the “stags” standing in the doorway sees a girl dance past whom he wants to dance with, he darts forward, lays his hand on the shoulder of her partner, who relinquishes his place in favor of the newcomer, and a third in turn does the same to him. Or, the one who was first dancing with her, may “cut in on” the partner who took her from him, after she has danced once around the ballroom. This seemingly far from polite maneuver, is considered correct behavior in best society in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Chicago, San Francisco, and therefore most likely in all parts of America. (Not in London, nor on the Continent.) 79
At dances organized during the War in the canteens for soldiers and sailors on furlough, the men refused to “cut in” because they thought it was rude and undoubtedly it is, except that custom has made it acceptable. If, however, it still seems “rude” to the young men of Othertown to “cut in,” then they should not do so. 80
SITTING OUT DANCES
On the other hand, if a girl is sitting in another room, or on the stairs with a man alone, a second one should not interrupt, or ask her to dance. If she is sitting in a group, he can go up and ask her, “Don’t you want to dance some of this?” She then either smiles and says, “Not just now—I am very tired,” or if she likes him, she may add, “Come and sit with us!” 81
To refuse to dance with one man and then immediately dance with another is an open affront to the first one—excusable only if he was intoxicated or otherwise actually offensive so that the affront was both intentional and justifiable. But under ordinary circumstances, if she is “dancing,” she must dance with everyone who asks her; if she is “not dancing,” she must not make exceptions. 82
An older lady can very properly refuse to dance and then perhaps dance briefly with her son or husband, without hurting her guest’s proper pride, but having refused to dance with one gentleman she must not change her mind and dance later with another. 83
A young girl who is dancing may not refuse to change partners when another “cuts in.” This is the worst phase of the “cutting in” custom; those who particularly want to dance together are often unable to take more than a dozen steps before being interrupted. Once in a while a girl will shake her head “No” to a “stag” who darts toward her. But that is considered rude. A few others have devised dancing with their eyes shut as a signal that they do not want to be “cut in on.” But this is neither customary nor even a generally known practise. 84
It is always the privilege of the girl to stop dancing; a man is supposed to dance on and on, until she—or the music—stops. 85
ASKING FOR A DANCE
When a gentleman is introduced to a lady he says, “May I have some of this?” or “Would you care to dance?” 86
A lady never asks a gentleman to dance, or to go to supper with her, though she may if she is older, or if she is a young girl who is one of a “flock,” she may say “Come and sit at our table!” This however would not imply that in sitting at “their” table he is supposed to sit next to her. 87
In asking a lady to go to supper, a gentleman should say “Will you go to supper with me?” Or “May I take you to supper?” He should never say, “Have you a partner?” as she is put in an awkward position in having to admit that she has none. 88
A BALL IS NOT A DANCING SCHOOL
Since a girl may not without rudeness refuse to dance with a man who “cuts in,” a man who does not know how to dance is inexcusably inconsiderate if he “cuts in” on a good dancer and compels a young girl to become instructress for his own pleasure with utter disregard of hers. If at home, or elsewhere, a young girl volunteers to “teach” him, that is another matter, but even so, the ballroom is no place to practise—unless he is very sure that his dancing is not so bad as to be an imposition on his teacher. 89
NOVELTIES AND INNOVATIONS
Formal occasions demand strict conventions. At an important wedding, at a dinner of ceremony, at a ball, it is not only bad form but shocking to deviate from accepted standards of formality. “Surprize” is an element that must be avoided on all dignified occasions. Those therefore, who think it would be original and pleasing to spring surprizes on their guests at an otherwise conventional and formal entertainment, should save their ideas for a children’s party where surprizes not only belong, but are delightedly appreciated. To be sure, one might perhaps consider that scenic effects or unusual diversions, such as one sees at a costume ball or a “period” dinner, belong under the head of “surprize.” But in the first place such entertainments are not conventional; and in the second, details that are in accordance with the period or design of the ball or dinner are “conventions” after all. 90
On the other hand, in the country especially, nothing can be more fun or more appropriate than a barn dance, or an impromptu play, or a calico masquerade, with properties and clothes made of any old thing and in a few hours—even in a few minutes. 91
Music need not be an orchestra but it must be good, and the floor must be adequate and smooth. The supper is of secondary importance. As for manners, even though they may be “unrestrained,” they can be meticulously perfect for all that! There is no more excuse for rude or careless or selfish behavior at a picnic than at a ball. 92
PUBLIC BALLS
A public ball is a ball given for a benefit or charity. A committee makes the arrangements and tickets are sold to the public, either by being put on sale at hotels or at the house of the secretary of the committee. A young girl of social position does not go to a public ball without a chaperon. To go in the company of one or more gentlemen would be an unheard-of breach of propriety. 93
SUBSCRIPTION DANCES AND BALLS
These are often of greater importance in a community than any number of its private balls. In Boston and Philadelphia for instance, a person’s social standing is dependent upon whether or not she or he is “invited to the Assemblies.” The same was once true in New York when the Patriarch and Assembly Balls were the dominating entertainments. In Baltimore too, a man’s social standing is non-existent if he does not belong to the “Monday Germans,” and in many other cities membership in the subscription dances or dancing classes or sewing circles distinctly draws the line between the inside somebodies and the outside nobodies. 94
Subscription dances such as these are managed and all invitations are issued by patronesses who are always ladies of unquestioned social prominence. Usually these patronesses are elected for life, or at least for a long period of years. When for one reason or another a vacancy occurs, a new member is elected by the others to fill her place. No outsider may ever ask to become a member. Usually a number of names are suggested and voted on at a meeting, and whoever wins the highest number of votes is elected. 95
The expenses of balls such as Assemblies, are borne by the patronesses collectively, but other types of dances are paid for by subscribers who are invited to “take tickets”—as will be explained. 96
How Subscription Dances Are Organized
Whether in city, town or village, the organization is the same: A small group of important ladies decide that it would be agreeable to have two or three balls—or maybe only one—a season. This original group then suggests additional names until they have all agreed upon a list sufficient in size to form a nucleus. These then are invited to join, and all of them at another meeting decide on the final size of the list and whom it is to include. The list may be a hundred, or it may stay at the original group of a half dozen or so. Let us for example say the complete list is fifty. Fifty ladies, therefore, the most prominent possible, are the patronesses or managers, or whatever they choose to call themselves. They also elect a chairman, a vice-chairman, a secretary, and a treasurer. They then elect seven or eight others who are to constitute the managing committee. The other thirty-eight or forty are merely “members” who will pay their dues and have the right to a certain number of tickets for each of the balls. These tickets, by the way, are never actually sent by the members themselves, who merely submit the names of the guests they have chosen to the committee on invitations. This is the only practical way to avoid duplication. Otherwise, let us say that Mrs. Oldname, Mrs. Worldly, Mrs. Norman and Mrs. Gilding each send their two tickets to the young Smartlingtons, which would mean that the Smartlingtons would have to return three, and those three invitations would start off on a second journey perhaps to be returned again. 97
On the other hand, if each patroness sends in a list, the top names which have not yet been entered in the “invitation book” are automatically selected, and the committee notify her to whom her invitations went. 98
There is also another very important reason for the sending in of every name to the committee: exclusiveness. Otherwise the balls would all too easily deteriorate into the character of public ones. Every name must be approved by the committee on invitations, who always hold a special meeting for the purpose, so that no matter how willing a certain careless member would be to include Mr. and Mrs. Unsuitable, she is powerless to send them tickets if they are not approved of. 99
As a matter of fact there is rarely any question of witholding invitations, since a serious objection would have to be sustained against one to warrant such an action on the part of the committee. 100
Number of Invitations Issued
With fifty members, each might perhaps be allowed, besides her own ticket, two ladies’ invitations and four gentlemen’s. That would make three hundred and fifty invitations available altogether. The founders can of course decide on whatever number they choose. Patronesses can also exchange tickets. One who might want to ask a double number of guests to the “First Assembly” can arrange with another to exchange her “Second Assembly” invitations for “First” ones. Also it often happens that the entire list sent in by a member has already been included, and not wanting to use her tickets, she gives them to another member who may have a débutante daughter and therefore be in need of extra ones. 101
Bachelor Balls (like the “Monday Germans” of Baltimore) are run by the gentlemen instead of the ladies. Otherwise they are the same as the Assemblies. 102
Other Forms of Subscription Dances
Other forms are somewhat different in that instead of dividing the expenses between members who jointly issue invitations to few or many guests, the committee of ten, we will say, invites either all the men who are supposed to be eligible or all the young girls, to subscribe to a certain number of tickets. 103
For instance, dances known usually as Junior Assemblies or the Holiday Dances are organized by a group of ladies—the mothers, usually, of débutantes. The members of the organization are elected just as the others are, for life. But they are apt after a few years, when their daughters are “too old,” to resign in favor of others whose daughters are beginning to be grown. The débutantes of highest social position are invited to become members. Each one pays “dues” and has the privilege of asking two men to each dance. Mothers are not expected to go to these dances unless they are themselves patronesses. Sometimes young women go to these dances until they marry; often they are for débutantes, but most often they are for girls the year before they “come out,” and for boys who are in college. 104
Patronesses Receive
At a subscription dance where patronesses take the place of a hostess, about four of these ladies are especially selected by the ball committee to receive. They always stand in line and bow to each person who is announced, but do not shake hands. The guest arriving also bows to the hostesses collectively (not four times). A lady, for instance, is announced: she takes a few steps toward the “receiving line” and makes a slight courtesy; the ladies receiving make a courtesy in unison, and the guest passes on. A gentleman bows ceremoniously, the way he was taught in dancing school, and the ladies receiving incline their heads.
Vampire Names and Meanings on May 23, 2015 at 5:55 AM
18:44 Apr 13 2016
Times Read: 561
Vampire Names and Meanings
Vampire names haven't changed much over the years, at least not in a way that differs from the way human names change year to year.
Modern day vampires have all sorts of names, just like humans. Since vampires do not breed, vampires don't get a chance to name their children. Thus, those who become vampires typically keep their human name.
There is a movement, though, among certain vampire clans for clan members to change their "human" names to more traditional vampire names. These are typically Italian or Greek names (in honor of the "birthplace" of vampires, according to legend), but they also include ancestral clan names and any well known ancient vampire name.
Among vampires that choose a new name for their vampire life, the classics seem to remain the favorites. In fact, the more ancient the better it would seem, which is why the most ancient vampire name of all, Ambrogio, is still a popular choice among male vampires to this day.
"Ambrogio", which in Italian means "immortal", is the name of the famed Italian hunter who became the first vampire of legend. Some vampires, out of reverence for their maker, take the name "Ambrogio", though others refuse to take the name, opting instead for the name "Ambrogino", which translates to "little immortal one".
Similarly, for females the ancient vampire name "Selene" is very popular. Though Selene the moon goddess was never technically a vampire, she is considered by legend to be the mother of all modern vampires, which is why this is considered an ancient vampire name of stature.
Other popular vampire names come from famous historical vampires. It is worth noting that traditional names for males were almost always Italian while traditional names for females were almost always Greek. This, of course, is in honor of Ambrogio and Selene, who were of Italian and Greek birth, respectively.
The following list contains the name and meaning of each ancient vampire name for males:
ALESSANDRO: meaning "defender of mankind."
AMBROGINO: meaning "little immortal one."
AMBROGIO: meaning "immortal."
ARNOLDO: meaning "eagle power."
BALDOVINO: meaning "brave friend."
BALDASSARE: meaning "Protect the king."
BERTOLDO: meaning "bright ruler."
BONAVENTURA: meaning "good fortune."
BONIFACIO: meaning "good destiny."
CIRINO / CIRO: meaning "like the sun."
CLEMENTE: meaning "gentle and merciful."
DARIO: meaning "possesses a lot."
DOMENICO: meaning "belongs to the lord."
EDMONDO: meaning "protector of prosperity."
EDOARDO: meaning "guardian of prosperity."
EGIDIO: meaning "shield of goatskin."
ELIGIO: meaning "to choose."
ELIODORO: meaning "gift of the sun."
EMILIO: meaning "rival."
ERMANNO: meaning "army man."
ETTORE: meaning "defender."
FARAMUNDO: meaning "journey protection."
FINO: (Serafino) meaning "burning one" or "serpent."
GASPARE: meaning "treasure bearer."
GREGARIO: meaning "watchful."
GUALTIERO: meaning "ruler of the army."
LEANDRO: meaning "lion-man."
MARCO: meaning "defender of the sea."
MASSIMO: meaning "the greatest."
NERIO: meaning "wet one."
NUNZIO: meaning "announces."
ORAZIO: meaning "has good eyesight."
ORFEO: meaning "darkness."
PELLEGRINO: meaning "wanderer."
PONZIO: meaning "of the sea."
RAUL: meaning "wise wolf."
RODOLFO: meaning "famous wolf."
SANSONE: meaning "like the sun."
SILVANO: meaning "from the forest."
TACITO: meaning "mute, silent."
UMFREDO: meaning "giant peace."
The following list contains the name and meaning of each ancient vampire name for females:
ADRASTEIA: meaning "inescapable."
AKANTHA: meaning "thorn."
AKELDAMA: meaning "field of blood."
AMBROSIA: meaning "immortal."
CALLIDORA: meaning "gift of beauty."
DESPOINA: meaning "mistress."
EVA: meaning "life."
IEZABEL: meaning "chaste."
KHARIS: meaning "charm / grace."
KORA: meaning "maiden."
MAIA: meaning "nursing mother."
NARKISSA: meaning "numbness / sleep."
NATÁSA / NATASSA: meaning "resurrection."
NERINE: meaning "sea sprite."
POLONA: meaning "of Apollo."
SELENE: meaning "moon."
SEMELE: meaning "of the underworld."
THANA: meaning "death."
THYIA: meaning "Bacchic frenzy."
THYONE: meaning "inspired frenzy."
For more information, check out our Facts About Vampires page.
All content Copyright 2015, Royal Mint Publ
Categories: Ancient To Modern Mythology, Vampire
List of fictional horses From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia18:36 Apr 13 2016
Times Read: 563
This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2011)
Main article: List of fictional ungulates
This is a list of horses and ponies in fictional subjects, excluding hybrid fantasy creatures such as centaurs and unicorns; their cousins, donkeys and zebras; and cross-breed mules and zebroids.
Horses in literature[edit]
Abelard, Halt's trained small horse/pony in the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan
Acorn, Davy's horse in the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness
Alfonso (or, in Swedish, Lilla Gubben), in the Pippi Longstocking series by Astrid Lindgren
Angharrad, Todd's horse in the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness
Arondel, Bevis's horse in the Middle English romance Bevis of Hampton
Artax, Atreyu's horse in Michael Ende's The Neverending Story
Athansor, ridden by Peter Lake in Mark Helprin's A Winter's Tale
Azarax, from The Byerley Turk by Jeremy James
Azul, the Blue Horse, from The Alchemical Horseman, by Jeremy James
Banner, from My Friend Flicka
Barnum and Skip, the Wilders' driving team of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books and The First Four Years
Bela, originally owned by Tam al'Thor, and later by Egwene al'Vere, in The Wheel of Time series
Bess and Beauty, two work horses from Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Binky, ridden by Death in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels
Black Beauty, from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Black Boy and Rapide, Jill Crewe's ponies from the series by Ruby Ferguson (in later editions, "Black Boy" became "Best Boy")
The Black (Stallion), from a series of 21 books by Walter Farley beginning with The Black Stallion (1941)
Blackjack, from Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series
Blaze, from a series of children's books by Clarence William Anderson, beginning with Billy and Blaze (1936)
Bless, Goldmund's childhood horse in Narcissus and Goldmund by Hermann Hesse
Blessing, Celeste's first horse in The Secret Horse by Gina Bertaina[1]
Boxer, Mollie, and Clover, from Animal Farm by George Orwell
Bree Hee Hinny Brinny Hoohy Hah ("Bree"), from The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis
Bright Country, Prince Eadric's horse from The Tales of the Frog Princess series by E.D. Baker
Bronze, the Steel General's horse in Roger Zelazny's Creatures of Light and Darkness
Cadoc, from Christopher Paolini's Eragon
Capilet, Sir Andrew's Ague Cheek's horse in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Act 3, Scene 4
Castor, one of the team of Shire horses owned by farmer Dawson in The Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
Cigarette, from My Friend Flicka
Cloud, the pony owned by Veralidaine Sarrasri, and other ponies, in The Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce
'Companions', which are human spirits reincarnated in the form of white horses in Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series
Condor, the mount of Green Rider Karigan G'ladheon in Kristen Britain's Green Rider series
Dagobaz, Ash's horse from The Far Pavilions by M. M. Kaye
De Lü, the mount of Chinese warlord Liu Bei in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, attributed to Luo Guanzhong
Faran, Sparhawk's horse in David Eddings' series The Elenium and The Tamuli
Ferd, Carli's telepathic horse in Bertil Mårtensson's This is Reality (Swedish: Detta är verkligheten)
Figure, Justin Morgan's stallion and foundation sire of the Morgan horse breed, Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry
Flame, from The Black Stallion series
Flicka, from My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara
Florian, from Felix Salten's novel Florian, the Emperor's Horse
Fru-Fru, from Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Fury, from the original story of Norman Krasna, 1936, made into a movie the same year
Gabilan, from John Steinbeck's novel The Red Pony
Glory, from Gene Markey's short story and made into a movie, 1956
Ginger, from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Glue-Boy, Cuthbert Allgood's horse from the Dark Tower series by Stephen King
The "great horses" owned by Angus Morton in The Chrysalids, the result of an officially sanctioned breeding program; technically, mutants
Greatheart, Beauty's horse from Robin McKinley's novel Beauty
Guido, a Pegasus from Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson"
Gunpowder, Ichabod Crane's horse from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
Gypsy, from Gypsy from Nowhere by Sharon Wagner
Hatatitla, Old Shatterhand's horse in Karl May's Winnetou
Highboy, from My Friend Flicka
The Houyhnhnms, a race of intelligent and cultured horses in Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
Hwin, from The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis
Iltschi, Winnetou's horse
Captain Jinks' horse, of the Horse Marines, fed on corn and beans in the nursery rhyme
Jim, cab-horse from Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum
Joey, from War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Kate and Bill, the Wilders' work horses in Laura Ingalls Wilder's The First Four Years
Kholstomer, from the story of the same name by Leo Tolstoy
Kieran's horse, Nigel, from Kieran and the Horse by Thomas Pynchon
Lark, from The Berserker's Horse by Lisa Maxwell
Lukas, in the Emil i Lönneberga series by Astrid Lindgren
Merrylegs, from Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Miramis, with golden mane and hooves, from Astrid Lindgren's book Mio, My Son
Misty of Chincoteague, a real pony made famous by Marguerite Henry's children's book of the same name
Monarch, from Jodie's Journey
Moonlight, the horse owned by Alanna of Trebond in the Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce
Morgenstern, Julian's horse from the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny
Nana, the racehorse named for the eponymous heroine of Zola's novel Nana, and fictional winner of the Grand Prix de Paris
Napoleon, from The Black Stallion
Nara, a Hunnuli or magical horse, from The Dark Horse series by Mary H. Herbert
Oberon, the "ghost pony" Sarah Elgin finds the remains of in an old stone house, in Lynn Hall's The Mystery of Pony Hallow
Peachblossom, the horse owned by Keladry in the Protector of the Small quartet by Tamora Pierce
Persephone from House of Night by PC Cast and Kristen Cast
The Phantom, Misty's dam, Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
The Pie, from National Velvet by Enid Bagnold
Pied Piper, sire of Misty, in Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
Pildarlick, one of Panhandle Smith's first horses in Zane Grey's short story "Valley of Wild Horses"
Pilgrim from The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans and the film based on it
Pips, Matrim Cauthon's horse in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time
Pollux, one of the team of Shire horses owned by farmer Dawson in The Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
Porkpie, a Pegasus from Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson"
Prairie horses, from The Horseclans
Prince and Lady, Almanzo Wilder's Morgan horse driving team of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books
Pylon, Susan's horse from the Dark Tower series by Stephen King
Rakhsh, Rostam's horse in Shahnameh
Red Hare, the mount of Lü Bu and Guan Yu in the Chinese epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Rih, Kara Ben Nemsi's horse in Karl May's tales of the Orient
Rival, wild stallion hero of Saddle a Thunderbolt by Jo Sykes
Roach, the name that Geralt of Rivia, from The Witcher series by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, gives to all his horses
Rocinante, from Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes; also the name of fictional horses in several other books and movies
Rocket, Flicka's dam, from My Friend Flicka
Rusher, Roland's horse from the Dark Tower series by Stephen King
Sam and David, the Ingalls family work horses of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie
Scipio, from Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series
Secret, from Gina Bertaina's The Secret Horse[2]
Sham from King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry
Silver Blaze, from the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Chess, the Knight Destrier, in Linda Medley's Castle Waiting
Smiler, Theon Greyjoy's warhorse from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
Smoky, from Smoky the Cow Horse, written and illustrated by Will James
Snowfire, from Christopher Paolini's Eragon
Stardust, from Ashleigh's Hope by Joanna Campbell
Starlight from Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Stayer and Stepper, Perrin's horses in The Wheel of Time series
Stormy, from Stormy, Misty's Foal by Marguerite Henry
Stranger, Sandor Clegane's warhorse from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
Sunchaser from The Unicorns Of Balinor by Mary Stanton
Sunfire, from Ravenheart and Sorrowheart by Kendra Ann Thomas
Sunka Wakan, from The Great Spirit Horse by Linda Little Wolf
Sunstorm, from Ashleigh's Hope by Joanna Campbell
Talat, Aerin's horse in The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
Tencendur, Charlemagne's warhorse in The Song of Roland
Throwra, a creamy-silver stallion, the main character in Silver Brumby, by Elyne Mitchell
Thunderhead, son of Flicka in the book by Mary O'Hara
Topthorn, from War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
Tornac, from Christopher Paolini's Eragon
Trojan Horse (a structure), from Virgil's Aeneid; Homer's The Odyssey; Franco Brusati's Ulysses; Hugh Gray's The Treatment of Helen of Troy; Margaret George's Helen of Troy; and Adele Geres' Troy
Trotsky, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's horse in the books by Betty MacDonald
Tsornin (Sungold), Harry Crewe's horse in The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Tug, Will's trained small horse/pony in the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan
Veillantif (also called Brigliadoro), Roland's horse in the chansons de geste
Watch Eyes, pony of Paul and Maureen Beebe, characters in Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
Whinney and her offspring, Racer and Grey, from the Earth's Children books
Whirlwind from Shadow Horse by Alison Hart
Wings, sire of Stormy, in Stormy, Misty's Foal by Marguerite Henry
Horses in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings[edit]
See also: List of horses in Middle-earth
Arod, Legolas' horse
Asfaloth, Glorfindel's horse
Bill the Pony, owned by the Hobbits
Brego, horse ridden by Aragorn
Bumpkin, Merry Brandybuck's horse
Fatty Lumpkin, horse owned by Tom Bombadil
Felaróf, steed of Eorl the Young, called the father of horses with wings upon the feet
Firefoot, horse owned by Éomer
Hasufel, horse given to Aragorn by the Riders of Rohan
Lightfoot, Meara of Rohan and the sire of Snowmane
Nahar, noble steed of the Vala Oromë
Roheryn, horse owned by Aragorn
Shadowfax, the horse ridden by Gandalf the White, of the race of the Mearas, lord of all horses
Sharp-ears, one of Merry's ponies
Snowmane, King Théoden of Rohan's horse
Stybba, gift from King Théoden to Merry
Swish-tail, one of Merry's ponies
Windfola, horse ridden by Éowyn and Merry to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields during the War of the Ring
Wise-nose, one of Merry's ponies
Horses in mythology and folklore[edit]
Arion, an immortal, extremely swift horse
Árvakr and Alsviðr pulled Sól's chariot
Balius and Xanthos, Achilles' horses
Dora, a war horse of Đurađ Senković
Dyaus Pita, the Sky Father, who appears as a horse
Embarr, Niamh's horse
Epona, Gaulish horse goddess
Glær, a horse listed in both the Grímnismál and Gylfaginning
Grey of Macha, or Macha's Grey, CúChulainn's chariot horse; known as the king of all horses
Gringolet, Sir Gawain's horse
Gulltoppr, the horse of Heimdallr in Norse myths
Hengroen, King Arthur's horse
Hippocampus, a sea horse that pulled Poseidon's chariot
Hofvarpnir, horse of the goddess Gná in Norse myths
The horse of Sinterklaas: in the Netherlands "Amerigo", in Flanders "Slechtweervandaag" ("Bad weather today")
Hrimfaxi, Nótt's horse in Norse myths
Jabučilo, horse of Momčilo
Kelpie, a mythical Celtic water horse
Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend, Cúchulainn's horses
Llamrei, King Arthur's mare
The Mares of Diomedes, which fed on human flesh
The Nuckelavee, an Orcadian horse with no skin which sometimes appears to have a man astride its body
Pegasus, flying horse of Greek mythology
Rhaebus, the horse of Mezentius in Roman myths
Ros Beiaard, a horse from Belgian folklore, still celebrated annually in many cities across the country.
Šarac, horse of Prince Marko
Silili, a Babylonian king of horses
Skinfaxi, Dagur's horse in Norse myths
Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse in Norse myths
Svadilfari, the giant stallion that fathered Sleipnir
Tikbalang, the demon horse in Philippine folklore
The Trojan Horse
Tulpar, the winged or swift horse in Turkic mythology
Uchchaihshravas, Indra's horse in Hindu mythology
Widow-Maker/Lightning, mythical cowboy Pecos Bill's horse
Ždralin, horse of Miloš Obilić
Zelenko, horse of Damjan Jugović
Horses in film[edit]
See also: Wonder Horses
Aldebaran, Antares, Rigel and Altair from Ben-Hur (one of four from the chariot race)
April Love, from April Love (1957)
Artax, Atreyu's Horse from The NeverEnding Story
Bad Horse, from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Beau, from True Grit with John Wayne
Big John, from For Richer or Poorer
The Black Stallion, from The Black Stallion and The Black Stallion Returns, based on Walter Farley's books; played by the Arabian stallion Cass Ole
Blue Boy, race horse from Laurel and Hardy's 1929 comedy short, Wrong Again
Bucephalus, from The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and Alexander
Buttermilk, Dale Evans' horse
Champion, Gene Autry's horse
Checkers, from Moondance Alexander
Cisco, John Dunbar's buckskin gelding from Dances with Wolves
Clover, Bob Wills' horse
Cochise, the Appaloosa stallion ridden by John Wayne in the movie El Dorado
Concorde, the mount of Sir Lancelot in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (not a real horse, but a page banging coconuts together), though on the Monty Python TV show, Dennis Moore had a "real" horse named Concorde
Conquistador, the General's horse stolen and rescued by Pablito from The Littlest Outlaw
Copper, one of the horses ridden by Eddie Dean in his films
Denny, the buckskin gelding of The Man From Snowy River (also appeared in the sequel, The Man from Snowy River II)
Diablo, the black and white pinto from the Cisco Kid movies
Dollar, the horse of John Wayne's character (John Bernard "J.B." Books) in The Shootist, 1976
Don, talking horse from Hot to Trot
Dover, race horse from My Fair Lady (does not appear on screen)
Flash, from Flash
Flash, one of the horses ridden by Eddie Dean in his films
Flicka, from Flicka (based on the book "My Friend Flicka")
Francis, from Francis the Talking Horse
Ginger, from Black Beauty
Goliath, from Ladyhawke
Gulliver, from The Horse Whisperer book and film of the same name
Gunpowder, Constable Ichabod Crane's horse in the film The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Gypsy, Meggie MacWade's horse, which undertakes a 500-mile journey over treacherous terrain to be reunited with her in Gypsy Colt
Hidalgo, paint stallion from the movie of the same name (disputed)
The Horse of a Different Color, from The Wizard of Oz
Joey, from the movie War Horse
Little Blackie, from the John Wayne film True Grit
Lucky Number Slevin, from the movie of the same name
Khartoum, the ill-fated horse from The Godfather
Majesty, a white horse from Barbie and her Sisters in A Pony Tale
Maximus, horse featured in the animated film Tangled
Napoleon, Snoe's gray cart horse and The Black's stable mate in the film The Black Stallion
Nurah and Thebes, the horses of Pharaoh Ramses from Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 The Ten Commandments
Oliver Hardy, at the end of Flying Deuces; after he died in a plane crash, he was reincarnated as a horse
Pepper, from Two Bits and Pepper (1995)
Phillip, Edmund's horse from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Pie, Velvet Brown's horse from National Velvet
Pilgrim, troubled, injured horse from The Horse Whisperer book and movie
Horse characters from Racing Stripes
Rigel, from Ben-Hur
Shadowfax from Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Sonny, Joe's horse in My Outlaw Brother
Spirit, buckskin stallion from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Sprout, from The Parent Trap
Taff/Bo, the main horse character in Disney's Ride a Wild Pony
Tír na nÓg from Into the West
Tolo, gelding from The Long Shot
Tony, Tom Mix's horse
Trigger, Roy Rogers' horse
Trojan Horse, from Helen of Troy (1956)
Two Bits, from Two Bits and Pepper (1995)
War Paint, a horse ridden by Eddie Dean in his films
White Cloud, a horse ridden by Eddie Dean in his films
Horses in television[edit]
Amigo, Cordell Walker's horse in the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger
Argo, from Xena: Warrior Princess
Bandit, buckskin from Caitlin's Way
The Black Stallion in Adventures of the Black Stallion
Buck, the buckskin horse of Ben Cartwright on the TV series Bonanza
Buck, the buckskin horse ridden by Trampas in the TV series The Virginian
Champion the Wonder Horse, the eponymous hero of a 1950s television series
Chestnut, from the TV series 2 Broke Girls
Chico, also his real name, Queen of Swords' horse
Chub, Chubb, or Chubby, the horse of Hoss Cartwright on the Bonanza television series
Cochise, Little Joe's horse on the Bonanza television series
Cocoa, Nick Barkley's horse on the The Big Valley TV series (Cocoa was retired at the end of the Hunter's Moon episode in Season Four)
Domino, the pinto ridden by Bill Longley, played by Rory Calhoun in The Texan TV series
Fury, the eponymous black stallion of the 1950s TV series
Hercules, Steptoe and Son's horse
Joe D., the horse rqeiidden by the Virginian in the TV series The Virginian
Katy, the paint mare belonging to The Kid from The Young Riders
Li'l Sebastian, the little horse beloved by Pawnee, Indiana in the sitcom Parks and Recreation
Mister Ed, eponymous horse of the CBS series, 1961–1966.
Meindert het Paard, a horse who is a character in the Dutch TV children's puppet series De Fabeltjeskrant.
Pie-O-My, Ralph Cifaretto's horse from Episodes 44 and 48 of Season 4 of The Sopranos
Phantom, Zorro's white horse in the Disney series Zorro
Pokey, the pony from The Gumby Show
Polka-Dotted Horse, Ludicrous Lion's horse from H.R. Pufnstuf
Saddle Club horses from The Saddle Club
Scout, Tonto's horse
Silver, the Lone Ranger's horse
Sophie, Colonel Potter's horse on M*A*S*H
Spartan, Amy Fleming's horse from Heartland
Sport, the chestnut gelding of Adam Cartwright on the television series Bonanza
Superstar, the real name of the black horse who played James West's horse in the TV series The Wild Wild West
Tornado, Zorro's black horse
Victor, the Lone Ranger's nephew's horse
Wildfire, from ABC Family's Wildfire
Zaza Zebra, a zebra who is a character in the Dutch TV children's puppet series De Fabeltjeskrant.
Horses in animation[edit]
Achilles, horse of Captain Phoebus in Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Altivo, Cortez's warhorse from Dreamworks' The Road to El Dorado
Angus, horse of Merida in Disney's Brave
Bucephalus, demon-horse of Alexander the Great from Reign: The Conqueror
Buck, the sheriff's horse from Home on the Range
Bullseye, Woody's horse in Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3
Captain, the authoritative farm horse in Disney's 101 Dalmatians
Chet, from The Littlest Pet Shop
Cyril Proudbottom, Toad's helpful but clumsy horse friend in Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
De Royal, Double Eight, Chestnut, Mikagehomare, Miyako, and Rosanna from Silver Spoon
Frou-Frou, from Aristocats
Fun Saiki, from Mobile Fighter G Gundam
Gallopin' Gals
Horace Horsecollar from the Walt Disney cartoons
"Horse", Dudley Do-Right's horse
Horse, a horse who was owned by the Big Bad Wolf in the 1945 cartoon Wild and Woolfy.
Horse, in Dumbo
James Baxter, from Adventure Time
Jean Kirstein, from Shingeki no Kyojin
Khan, the Fa family's horse from Disney's Mulan
Lightning, from Dinozaurs: The Series
Maximus, the horse who pursued Flynn Rider in Disney's Tangled
Mr. Horse from Ren and Stimpy
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Noble Heart Horse, a Care Bears Cousin from the television series and films
Opal, in Ribon no Kishi
Pharfignewton, Pinky's girlfriend on Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain
Phillipe, Belle and her father's horse from Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Pony Puff Princess, Dee Dee's idol in Dexter's Laboratory
Ponycorn, from Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden
Princess, Lisa's horse in The Simpsons
Quick Draw McGraw, of Hanna-Barbera's cartoon series
Rain, the paint mare from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Sabure, in Tari Tari
Samson, Prince Phillip's horse from Disney's Sleeping Beauty
Spirit from She-Ra
Spirit, the stallion from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Starlight and Skydancer, from Rainbow Brite
Sugarfoot, a Walter Lantz cartoon
Tempest, Princess Sissi's horse from the show of the same name
Thowra, the Silver Brumby in The Silver Brumby cartoon series
Yato, from Legend of Basara
Horses in comics[edit]
Alsan, from Red River
Basashi, from K - Days of Blue and K - Memory of Red
Billy Boy, in Bamse by Rune Andréasson
Blue Horse and Brown Horse, two programmers from the web comic horse++
Comet, Supergirl's pet horse
Hero, the fastest horse in the world; owned by The Phantom
Hortense, Scrooge McDuck's horse in The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck by Don Rosa
Jolly Jumper, Lucky Luke's horse and friend in Lucky Luke
Little Thunder, the personal pony of Yakari
Lucy, pet horse and special friend to Danae in Wiley Miller's Non Sequitur
Nightmare, from Casper the Friendly Ghost.
Rik Drie ("Rik Three"). A horse of Nero in the story "Het Geheim van Bakkendoen" ("The Secret of Bakkendoen").[3] It turns invisible due to a serum. Nero named him "Rik Three", because "he is even greater than Rik One and Rik Two" (Cyclist champions Rik van Steenbergen and Rik van Looy were popularly nicknamed "Rik One" and "Rik Two", because they were active around the same time.)
Rin Sohma in the form of a horse, from Fruits Basket.
Het Rijmende Paard ("The Rhyming Horse"). He is the horse of Saint Martin of Tours on Antoon Van Dyck's famous painting. In the Suske en Wiske album "Het Rijmende Paard" he is brought alive and escapes, causing the protagonists to start a search for him.[4]
Spark Plug. He is the horse of Barney Google.
Zwoele Charlotte. An okapi whom Nero encounters in the The Adventures of Nero story "Zwoele Charlotte". She earns her nickname "zwoel" ("sultry"), because she happens to give everybody she licks a lick with her tongue. People try to hunt her down because she swallowed a diamond.[5]
Horses in song[edit]
Badger, a possibly unrideable horse in the song "The Scene We All Ain't Saw" by Chris LeDoux
Becky, the horse from Carl Perkins' "Movie Magg"
Bottle of Smoke, the eponymous horse in the song by The Pogues
The Brute, a horse ridden for the first time in the song "The Continental Suit"
Chestnut Mare, the eponymous horse in the song by The Byrds
Feitlebaum, the racehorse who always comes up from behind to finish first (even in a car race) in songs by Doodles Weaver (performed with Spike Jones and his City Slickers)
Galway Bay, the 'coal-black mare with a white starred chest' in the song "The Galway Farmer" by Steve Knightly of Show of Hands
Henry the Horse, the waltzing horse from The Beatles' "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" (based on a real horse called Zanthus, from Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal)
The Horse with No Name, the horse in the eponymous song by America
Lisette, crazed horse in the song "Run Lisette" by Glass Hammer
Mac, from Mason Proffit's "Two Hangmen"
Molly O'Brian and Tenbrooks, who raced in the song "The Ballad of Molly and Tenbrooks" written by Bill Monroe
The Old Gray Mare, the horse in the eponymous song
Old Red, a bucking bronc who'd never been rode in the eponymous song by Chris LeDoux
Paul Revere, the horse from the song of the same name by the Beastie Boys
Pinto the wonder horse from the song by Tom T. Hall
Sorrow, the name of the carnie's horse in the Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds song "The Carnie"
Stewball, from the eponymous song by Peter, Paul and Mary
The Strawberry Roan, an unrideable horse in the eponymous song performed by Marty Robbins, Chris LeDoux, and others
The Tennessee Stud, the horse in the eponymous song written by Jimmy Driftwood
Trigger, the horse who pulled the fastest milkcart in the West in Benny Hill's "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)"
Wildfire, the horse in the eponymous song by Michael Martin Murphey
The Yellow Stud, an unrideable horse in the eponymous song performed by Chris LeDoux
Horses in video games[edit]
Agro, the horse of Wander, and Phaedra, the 4th Colossus in Shadow of the Colossus
Arvak, a skeletal horse with blue flames in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, obtained after completing the "Soul Cairn Horse Quest"
"The Boss's Horse", an Andalusian horse who appears in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (as a painting, though this is non-canon), and in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker as the temporary steed of Big Boss
Butt Stallion in Borderlands 2, a pure diamond horse owned by Handsome Jack
Despair, horse of Death in Darksiders II
Epona, Link's horse in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Invincible, undead steed of Arthas, the Lich King in World of Warcraft.
Frost, a breeding stallion in V: Skyrim, obtained after completing the quest "Promises to Keep"
Geryon, demon horse in Devil May Cry 3
Hudson Horstachio, Viva Pinata
Ixion, one of Yuna's summons from Final Fantasy X
Matsukaze, from the video game series Samurai Warriors
Old Gary, the rotten old horse from Peasant's Quest
Primrose, Hector's horse in Dragon Warrior IV, who pulls the party's wagon
Red Hare, from the video game series Dynasty Warriors
Ruin, horse of War in Darksiders
Shadowmere, a black horse with red eyes in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and V: Skyrim, obtained after joining the Dark Brotherhood
Smith, Iolo's horse in the Ultima series, who talks and can give clues...
HIPPOI ATHANATOI
18:32 Apr 13 2016
Times Read: 564
Greek Name Transliteration Latin Spelling Translation
Ἱππος Αθανατος
Ἱπποι Αθανατοι Hippos Athanatos
Hippoi Athanatoi -- Immortal Horse
Immortal Horses
THE HIPPOI ATHANATOI were the immortal horses of the gods. The majority of these divine steeds were offspring of the four Wind-Gods who themselves were said to draw the chariot of Zeus in the shape of horses.
PARENTS
Mostly offspring of the ANEMOI (Wind-gods), the HARPYIAI (Storm-Daimones) and of POSEIDON (Various sources)
LIST OF HIPPOI ATHANATIOI
ABRAXAS An alternative name for one of the four immortal horses of the sun-god Helios.
AITHON (1) One of the fire-breathing steeds of Ares.
AITHON (2) An alternative name for one of the four immortal horses of the sun-god Helios.
AITHOPS One of the four immortal horses of the sun-god Helios.
ANEMOI, THE The gods of the four winds, who in the guise of horses drew the chariot of Zeus.
AREION An immortal horse owned by Herakles and later the hero Adrastos.
BALIOS One of a pair of immortal horses gifted to the hero Peleus by the gods. The drove the chariot of his son Akhilleus in the Trojan War.
BOREAS The god of the North-Wind who, in the shape of a horse, drew the chariot of Zeus.
BRONTE One of the four immortal horses of the sun-god Helios.
EUOS One of the four immortal horses of the sun-god Helios.
EUROS The god of the East-Wind who, in the shape of a horse, drew the chariot of Zeus.
HARPAGOS One of the immortal horses of the Dioskouroi twins.
HIPPALEKTRYON A creature with the foreparts of a rooster and the rearparts of a horse.
HIPPOKAMPOI Fish-tailed horses of the sea, four of which drew the chariot of Poseidon.
KONABOS One of the fire breathing steeds of Ares.
KYLLAROS One of the immortal horses of the Dioskouroi twins.
LAMPOS One of the two immortal steeds of the dawn-goddess Eos.
NOTOS The god of the South-Wind who, in the shape of a horse, drew the chariot of Zeus.
PEGASOS A winged immortal horse born from the neck of Medousa.
PEGASOI A breed of winged immortal horses.
PHAETHON One of the two immortal steeds of the dawn-goddess Eos.
PHLEGON An alternative name for one of the four immortal horses of the sun-god Helios.
PHLOGEUS (1) One of the immortal horses of the Dioskouroi twins.
PHLOGEUS (2) One of the fire-breathing steeds of Ares.
PHOBOS One of the fire-breathing steeds of Ares.
PODARKES One of a pair of immortal horses owned by Erekhtheus king of Athens.
PYROIS An alternative name for one of the four immortal horses of the sun-god Helios.
SKYLLA One of the eight immortal horses which drew the chariot of Poseidon.
STEROPE One of the four immortal horses of the sun-god Helios.
STHENIOS One of the eight horses of the sea-god Poseidon.
THERBEEO An alternative name for one of the four immortal horses of the sun-god Helios.
TROJAN HIPPOI, THE The twelve immortal horses owned by the Trojan Kings Erikhthonios and Laomedon. They were promised to Herakles as reward for rescuing princess Hesione from a sea-monster.
XANTHOS (1) One of a pair of immortal horses gifted to the hero Peleus by the gods. The drove the chariot of his son Akhilleus in the Trojan War.
XANTHOS (2) One of the immortal horses of the Dioskouroi twins.
XANTHOS (3) One of a pair of immortal horses owned by Erekhtheus king of Athens.
ZEPHYROS The god of the West-Wind who, in the shape of a horse, drew the chariot of Zeus.
K9.1 HORSES
OF ARES
T17.1 HORSES
OF HELIOS
T18.1 HORSES
OF SELENE
N13.4 HYPNOS,
THESEUS, ARIADNE
THE HORSES OF HERA
Homer, Iliad 5. 711 ff (trans. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) :
"Hera, high goddess, daughter of Kronos the mighty, went away to harness the gold-bridled [immortal] horses. Then Hebe in speed set about the chariot the curved wheels eight-spoked and brazen, with an axle of iron both ways. Golden is the wheel’s felly imperishable, and outside it is joined, a wonder to look upon, the brazen running-rim, and the silver naves revolve on either side of the chariot, whereas the car itself is lashed fast with plaiting of gold and silver, with double chariot rials that circle about it, and the pole of the chariot is of silver, to whose extremity Hebe made fast the golden and splendid yoke, and fastened the harness, golden and splendid, and underneath the yoke Hera, furious for hate and battle, led the swift-running horses . . .
Hera laid the lash swiftly on the horses; and moving of themselves groaned the gates of the sky that the Horai guarded . . . Through the way between they held the speed of their goaded horses . . .
Hera lashed on the horses, and they winged their way unreluctant through the space between the earth and the starry heaven. As far as into the hazing distance a man can see with his eyes, who sits in his eyrie gazing on the wine-blue water, as far as this is the stride of the gods’ proud neighing horses. Now as they cam to Troy land and the two running rivers where Simoeis and Skamandros dash their waters together, there the goddess of the white arms, Hera, stayed her horses, slipping them from the chariot, and drifting close mist about them, and Simoeis grew as grass ambrosia for them to graze on."
Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 5. 184 ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) :
"Juno [Hera] and Pallas [Athena] in full panoply of glittering cloud, bring to a halt the chariots of the wing-footed steeds."
THE HORSES OF ZEUS
Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 12. 189 ff (trans. Way) (Greek epic C4th A.D.) :
"Zeus, at the utmost verge of earth, was ware of all: straight left he Okeanos's stream, and to wide heaven ascended, charioted upon the Anemoi (Winds), Euros (the East), Boreas (the North), Zephyros (the West-wind), and Notos (the South) [presumably the four-wind gods has assumed the shape of horses]: for Iris rainbow-plumed led 'neath the yoke of his eternal ear that stormy team, the ear which Aion (Time) the immortal framed for him of adamant with never-wearying hands."
THE HORSES OF POSEIDON
Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 5. 88 ff (trans. Way) (Greek epic C4th A.D.) :
"And there [depicted on the shield of Akhilleus] triumphant the Earth-shaker [Poseidon] rode amid Ketea (Sea-monsters): stormy-footed steeds [Hippokampoi] drew him, and seemed alive, as o'er the deep they raced, oft smitten by the golden whip. Around their path of flight the waves fell smooth, and all before them was unrippled calm. Dolphins on either hand about their king swarmed, in wild rapture of homage bowing backs, and seemed like live things o'er the hazy sea swimming, albeit all of silver wrought."
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 1. 207 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) :
"Many a time in the weedy gulf he [Typhoeus] seized Poseidon’s chariot, and dragged it from the depths of the sea to land; again he pulled out a stallion by his brine-soaked mane from the undersea manger, and threw the vagabond nag to the vault of heaven, shooting his shot at Olympos - hit Helios the Sun’s chariot, and the horses on their round whinnied under the yoke."
IMMORTAL HORSES MISCELLANEOUS
Plato, Phaedrus 246 (trans. Fowler) (Greek philosopher C4th B.C.) :
"A pair of winged horses and a charioteer. Now the winged horses and the charioteers of the gods are all of them noble and of noble descent . . . Zeus, the mighty lord, holding the reins of a winged chariot, leads the way in heaven, ordering all and taking care of all; and there follows him the array of gods and demigods, marshalled in eleven bands [the twelve Olympians] . . . The chariots of the gods in even poise, obeying the rein, glide rapidly . . . she passes down into the interior of the heavens and returns home; and there the charioteer putting up his horses at the stall, gives them ambrosia to eat and nectar to drink."
Oppian, Cynegetica 1. 225 (trans. Mair) (Greek poet C3rd A.D.) :
"To Horses beyond all mortal creatures cunning Nature has given a subtle mind and heart. Always they know their own dear charioteer and they neigh when they see their glorious rider and greatly mourn their comrade when he falls in war. Ere now in battle a horse [Xanthos] has burst the bonds of silence and overleapt the ordinance of nature and taken a human voice and a tongue like that of man . . . A horse [Areion] there was which ran with light feet over the corn-ears and brake them not; another [offspring of Boreas] ran over the sea and wetted not his coronet. A horse [Pegasos] carried above the clouds him [Bellerophon] that slew the Khimaira."
OTHER CHARIOT-BEASTS OF THE GODS
Some of the gods had much more fabulous beasts to drive their chariots:
Aphrodite's chariot was drawn by Doves or a pair of winged Erotes (Love-Gods);
Apollon's chariot was sometimes drawn through the air by Swans;
Artemis' chariot was drawn by the four Kerynitian Hinds (immortal golden-horned deer);
Demeter's chariot was borne through the air by winged Drakones (serpentine dragons);
Dionysos' chariot was harnessed with four panthers;
Nemesis' chariot was pulled by four Grypes (the half eagle, half lion griffins);
Poseidon's sea-chariot was sometimes drawn by Hippokampoi (fish-tailed horses);
Selene's chariot was drawn by Oxen or Pegasoi;
and Rhea's chariot was harnessed with Lions.
ALTERNATIVE TERMS FOR IMMORTAL HORSES
Greek Name Transliteration Latin Spelling Translation
Ἱππος Αμβροτος
Ἱπποι Αμβροτοι Hippos Ambrotus
Hippoi Ambrotoi - Divine Horse
Divine Horses
Sources:
Homer, The Iliad - Greek Epic C9th-8th BC
Plato, Phaedrus - Greek Philosophy C4th BC
Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy - Greek Epic C4th AD
Valerius Flaccus, The Argonautica - Latin Epic C1st AD
Oppian, Cynegetica - Greek Poetry C3rd AD
My thoughts for today... April 12, 201602:22 Apr 13 2016
Times Read: 572
My heart is over the pond this night, wishing that I could be with my loved ones... I will not say anymore, except that I feel helpless so far away... It is time for me to go HOME.
The moon is eerie to me tonight, and today was a challenging one at best... I am in the hopes for good news tomorrow morning. All my intentions and love are being sent over the ocean. If you are a healer, I would appreciate your healing as well. The Universe will sort it out where it needs to go.... Thank you. Namaste'.
Never take for granted your loved ones... They can be gone in a heartbeat....
Lady Morganna
The 5 Stages of Grief in Loss and Death....https://grief.com/the-five-stages-of-grief/02:11 Apr 13 2016
Times Read: 573
In our work, On Grief and Grieving Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and I wanted to revisit the stages for clarification in grief and loss. The stages have evolved since their introduction and they have been very misunderstood over the past three decades. They were never meant to help tuck messy emotions into neat packages. They are responses to loss that many people have, but there is not a typical response to loss as there is no typical loss. Our grief is as individual as our lives.
The five stages, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with the one we lost. They are tools to help us frame and identify what we may be feeling. But they are not stops on some linear timeline in grief. Not everyone goes through all of them or in a prescribed order. Our hope is that with these stages comes the knowledge of grief ‘s terrain, making us better equipped to cope with life and loss. At times, people in grief will often report more stages. Just remember your grief is an unique as you are.
5stages2DENIAL Denial is the first of the five stages of grief. It helps us to survive the loss. In this stage, the world becomes meaningless and overwhelming. Life makes no sense. We are in a state of shock and denial. We go numb. We wonder how we can go on, if we can go on, why we should go on. We try to find a way to simply get through each day. Denial and shock help us to cope and make survival possible. Denial helps us to pace our feelings of grief. There is a grace in denial. It is nature’s way of letting in only as much as we can handle. As you accept the reality of the loss and start to ask yourself questions, you are unknowingly beginning the healing process. You are becoming stronger, and the denial is beginning to fade. But as you proceed, all the feelings you were denying begin to surface.
5stages3ANGERAnger is a necessary stage of the healing process. Be willing to feel your anger, even though it may seem endless. The more you truly feel it, the more it will begin to dissipate and the more you will heal. There are many other emotions under the anger and you will get to them in time, but anger is the emotion we are most used to managing. The truth is that anger has no limits. It can extend not only to your friends, the doctors, your family, yourself and your loved one who died, but also to God. You may ask, “Where is God in this? Underneath anger is pain, your pain. It is natural to feel deserted and abandoned, but we live in a society that fears anger. Anger is strength and it can be an anchor, giving temporary structure to the nothingness of loss. At first grief feels like being lost at sea: no connection to anything. Then you get angry at someone, maybe a person who didn’t attend the funeral, maybe a person who isn’t around, maybe a person who is different now that your loved one has died. Suddenly you have a structure – – your anger toward them. The anger becomes a bridge over the open sea, a connection from you to them. It is something to hold onto; and a connection made from the strength of anger feels better than nothing.We usually know more about suppressing anger than feeling it. The anger is just another indication of the intensity of your love.
5stages4BARGAININGBefore a loss, it seems like you will do anything if only your loved one would be spared. “Please God, ” you bargain, “I will never be angry at my wife again if you’ll just let her live.” After a loss, bargaining may take the form of a temporary truce. “What if I devote the rest of my life to helping others. Then can I wake up and realize this has all been a bad dream?” We become lost in a maze of “If only…” or “What if…” statements. We want life returned to what is was; we want our loved one restored. We want to go back in time: find the tumor sooner, recognize the illness more quickly, stop the accident from happening…if only, if only, if only. Guilt is often bargaining’s companion. The “if onlys” cause us to find fault in ourselves and what we “think” we could have done differently. We may even bargain with the pain. We will do anything not to feel the pain of this loss. We remain in the past, trying to negotiate our way out of the hurt. People often think of the stages as lasting weeks or months. They forget that the stages are responses to feelings that can last for minutes or hours as we flip in and out of one and then another. We do not enter and leave each individual stage in a linear fashion. We may feel one, then another and back again to the first one.
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5stages5DEPRESSIONAfter bargaining, our attention moves squarely into the present. Empty feelings present themselves, and grief enters our lives on a deeper level, deeper than we ever imagined. This depressive stage feels as though it will last forever. It’s important to understand that this depression is not a sign of mental illness. It is the appropriate response to a great loss. We withdraw from life, left in a fog of intense sadness, wondering, perhaps, if there is any point in going on alone? Why go on at all? Depression after a loss is too often seen as unnatural: a state to be fixed, something to snap out of. The first question to ask yourself is whether or not the situation you’re in is actually depressing. The loss of a loved one is a very depressing situation, and depression is a normal and appropriate response. To not experience depression after a loved one dies would be unusual. When a loss fully settles in your soul, the realization that your loved one didn’t get better this time and is not coming back is understandably depressing. If grief is a process of healing, then depression is one of the many necessary steps along the way.
5stages6ACCEPTANCEAcceptance is often confused with the notion of being “all right” or “OK” with what has happened. This is not the case. Most people don’t ever feel OK or all right about the loss of a loved one. This stage is about accepting the reality that our loved one is physically gone and recognizing that this new reality is the permanent reality. We will never like this reality or make it OK, but eventually we accept it. We learn to live with it. It is the new norm with which we must learn to live. We must try to live now in a world where our loved one is missing. In resisting this new norm, at first many people want to maintain life as it was before a loved one died. In time, through bits and pieces of acceptance, however, we see that we cannot maintain the past intact. It has been forever changed and we must readjust. We must learn to reorganize roles, re-assign them to others or take them on ourselves. Finding acceptance may be just having more good days than bad ones. As we begin to live again and enjoy our life, we often feel that in doing so, we are betraying our loved one. We can never replace what has been lost, but we can make new connections, new meaningful relationships, new inter-dependencies. Instead of denying our feelings, we listen to our needs; we move, we change, we grow, we evolve. We may start to reach out to others and become involved in their lives. We invest in our friendships and in our relationship with ourselves. We begin to live again, but we cannot do so until we have given grief its time.
Historical Inaccuracies of Egypt...http://mumia-chronica.tripod.com/historical_inaccuracies.html02:07 Apr 13 2016
Times Read: 574
Cats as Guardians of the Underworld:
Cats as guardians of the Underworld? Maybe or maybe not. Technically, cats were not guardians of the Underworld. However, felines played some part in the Underworld: Suf and Dua were two lions who stood at the entrance to the Underworld, the point at which Ra would board his solar barque to start his nightly travel. At the other end, at the 12th hour, Aker stood at the portal that would permit Ra, in the form of Khepri, to rise to the sky as the morning sun.
Another feline of the Underworld was the Great Cat of Ra, who represented the deity Ra. This feline was very ferocious, cutting the head off of the Underworld enemy of Ra, Apep, the demon serpent.
It is more than likely that the latter cat/feline was the cat--which Imhotep would fear until he becomes fully generated--to which Dr. Bey referred.
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Canopic Jars:
5 canopis jars? Are you kidding me?! For the process of mummification, the ancients used only four canopic jars in which they put certain organs of the deceased. Of course, there were also certain periods during which one preserved the organs of the decedent and placed them between his or her legs instead of in canopic jars. The only explanation that I can think of that can justify the appearence of this fifth jar is the following: without the heart of Anuck-su-namun still resting in its original place--the chest, of course--she would not be able to have her heart protected by amulets or otherwise. Without one's heart, one has absolutely no chance of having a fair judgement before Osiris; that is to say, Anuck-su-namun would be characterized as an unjustified dead, whose soul would roam in the Underworld without ever entering the Afterlife. In the words of Jonathan, "Tough luck, ol' mum."
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Theban Background:
Theban background looks rather odd, don't you think? Even though it is often that a person can see for miles several different monuments, sculptures and such from a certain location, it would not be possible to see the pyramids of Giza if one was in Thebes [modern Luxor], especially that close up--realistically, the pyramids would appear very much smaller. For one thing, the distance between the two locations is approximately 400 miles apart, with Thebes/Luxor being located in Middle/Upper Egypt and Giza being located in Lower Egypt. Even on a clear day, it would be relatively hard to see these pyramids. Perhaps the director and his team of tech guys figured that if they did not place a recognizable ancient Egyptian monument--a pyramid, or pyramids--in the background, the audience would not know in what era the beginning of this movie takes place. It is certainly a possibility.
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The Giza Pyramids:
The newness of the pyramids of Giza of the Old Kingdom, during Dynasty 19…an impossibility because, by the New Kingdom, the pyramids of Giza were already in ruin, missing most of their limestone casing—a stone covering that gave the pyramids their smooth-look—as well as their pyramidions—cap-stones that were pyramid-shaped toppers made of granite or other materials, giving the pyramid its point. In the beginning of this film, we see the pyramids in all of their glory—limestone casing and pyramidions and all—which is a definite impossibility.
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Seti the First's Beard:
Although one sometimes sees depictions of rulers and gods with beards, Seti would not--should not have any evidence of one. Here is the reason, straight from my website: the situation is similar to that of the all-round shaven priest: even the beard was considered unclean. Since this was the mind-set, most Egyptian men shaved off their facial hair, which means leaving no signs of a beard [or even a mustache]. In fact, it was very rare to see a royal Egyptian wearing a real beard. Only shepherds and lower-class men wore facial hair and, obviously, Seti was a ruler and not anyone of a lower class. Then, how come some depictions of rulers show them with beard? This is just a depiction of a false beard, as most of you already know ;) The situation is somewhat juxtaposed, however, because the ancient Egyptians considered facial hair/beards as a symbol or manly dignity and that which commanded respect from others. Yet, they also considered it unclean; wearing a real beard was forbidden. Thus, Pharaoh and other officials of higher order adopted wearing the well-known false beard. During the Old Kingdom, this was especially true. False beards from this era were thus: generally tiny in size; longer for high official and longer still for gods who were depicted with beard—usually longer and wider, with a curl at the end that was bent slightly up--; a short bit of hair that was tightly plaited or braided, with two straps to wind behind the ears. However convenient this false beard was, the rulers from the Old Kingdom abhorred them; they wore them only for special occasion, but sometimes not even at these moments. Furthermore, most rulers were reticent to allow a sculptor or artist to include him with a false beard. Then one comes to the Middle Kingdom, where high officials and the like wore a false beard. However, Pharaoh and those like him became reticent to wear these falsie beards again, during the New Kingdom, which is during this time that part of the Mummy takes place and during the time in which Seti I lived.
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Seti the First's Crown:
Seti's crown, historically speaking, should be the white crown of Upper Egypt, Upper/Middle Egypt being the location of Thebes. However, in the movie, Seti is wearing the [red] crown of Lower Egypt! *Gasps dramatically*
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Egyptian Clothing:
he depiction of ancient Egyptian clothing: In this movie, the priests of Imhotep where green and brown diaphanous cloth, Imhotep wears black diaphanous cloth, the bodyguards of Pharaoh wear also black diaphanous cloth, and Seti wears gold and brown diaphanous cloth. Most of the clothing in ancient times was made from diaphanous linen of cream or white color. It is known that linen was—and is—a relatively difficult fabric to dye, any color. The only way to obtain a green or gold color, one would have to use beads, sewn into the cloth. To obtain brown or black, one would use animal hide. Thus, it is impossible to have robes, skirts, or any other article of ancient Egyptian clothing, made of the aforementioned colors—that is, if the fabric the costume designers was linen, which it should have been—even if they did not, it should have been made to represent linen.
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Cleopatra VII's Cartouche:
The cartouche of Cleopatra? What it her name doing on the statue of Anubis at Hamunaptra? In context, Hamunaptra was already constructed during or before the 19th Dynasty--the time during which the flashbacks take place. You can see the cartouche in the beginning, when the Med-jai mummify Imhotep, if you have a keen-enough eye to catch it. Thus, it is evident to see the juxtaposition between the date--the 19th Dynasty, when we witness Imhotep's burial--and the illustration of Cleopatra VII's cartouche on the statue of Anubis.
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Egyptian Cats- Guardians of the Underworld by Grace Daiker02:05 Apr 13 2016
Times Read: 575
Transcript of Egyptian Cats- Guardians of the Underworld
Like Artemis, Bast was a wild goddess. To those who were in her favor, she gave great blessings, but her wrath was legendary and she was sometimes listed as one of Ra's avenging deities who punish the sinful and the enemies of Egypt. This is of course in keeping with her totem animal, the cat. Cats were sacred to Bast, and to harm one was dneemed a great transgression. Bast's importance in the Egyptian patheon might be due to the great value placed on the domesticated cat by the Egyptians. Cats curtailed the spread of disease by killing vermin, and though the idea of microbes was unknown to the ancient Egyptians, they must have noticed the connection between rats and disease.
Bast, Blessing and Wrath
The goddess Bast or Basset is the patron goddess of the sun, the moon, cats, women, and secrets.
The goddess Bast
Aker, Sef and Tuau are sort of like a trilogy in the ancient Egytian times. Sef and Tuau are known as the guardians of the morning and night. For this reason ancient egyptians would put statues of these great cats by the doors of houses and at the entrances of tombs so that the people, alive or dead would be protected from evil spirits and basic bad guys.
Sef is the left lion in the picture below which represents 'yesterday'.
by: Grace Daiker :)
Egyptian Cats- Guardians of the Underworld
Aker is the god who guarded the underworld. Aker is normally depicted as a narrow strip of land with two big cats or lions with either lion heads or human heads. One lion faces west and the other lion faces east and in between them is the sign or symbol for the horizon.
Aker
The lion on the right is Tuau. He represents today, the present.
Tuau
In most myth Bast appears as a desert cat or a woman with the head of a cat. Since she is known as the goddess of women she is often depicted in very feminine poses and sometimes completely bared.
Bast
Ancient Egyptian Cats
Aker- Sef and Tuau
Sacred Cats
In ancient Egypt cats were not only sacred to Bast, but they were also sacred to her followers and most Egyptians. Ancient Egyptian cats were very much revered in society and in their bazaars and markets if a stray cat walked by they would often be taken in and taken care of. Cats stayed with their owner always. They were normally mummified when they died.
The Mummification For Cats
The first step to the mummification process was that they would pull out all of its organs.
Next the cat was packed with Natron to dry it out and to help keep the skin and fur normal. It was then wrapped in linens in different layers and then painted to look like a cat. A lot of the time if the owner had a lot of money they would put the cat in a casket that was shaped to look like a cat, sometimes in gold.
The cat is then put in the same tomb as its owner. It is said that they guard the tombs of their owners during death.
10 Terrifying Rulers Of The Underworld NATHAN WILLEY OCTOBER 7, 2014
02:01 Apr 13 2016
Times Read: 576
Religions have had different ways of handling the afterlife. Some teach believers to embrace it as a victory. Others paint a picture so terrible that the devout spend their entire lives bribing the gods just to make it tolerable. The rulers of the underworld, likewise, have worn many faces.10Hel01
Hel is a Norse goddess who rules over a portion of the underworld. She was not born a goddess of the afterlife, though. The title was forced upon her when Odin cast her below the roots of the World Tree to rule over Niflheim—a cold, dark world of the dead—to thwart Ragnarok, the end of the world. The three goddesses of fate had prophesied that the children of Loki, Hel and her siblings, would cause the death of the Norse pantheon’s leaders. To spare himself that fate, Odin hurled them to the far corners of the world. Hel’s underworld was reserved for the souls of those who died of sickness, corruption, and old age. While the souls of the valiant dead feasted in Valhalla, Hel, not to be outdone, provided her own course. Her table was Hunger; her knife was Starvation. Her bed was Sickness, and the surrounding curtains were Misfortune. Hel herself struck a grisly figure. She was sinister, with half of her body appearing like a rotting corpse. Though Odin cast her down into the underworld, Hel got her revenge when his son, Balder, died of poison. Despite the All-father’s pleas to ransom him, Hel refused to relinquish his soul. Since her power over her realm is absolute, Odin’s beloved son was doomed to spend eternity in her dreary abode.
9Yama02
Yama is the king of hell in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shinto. In Hinduism, he was the first man. His sister, Yami, was the first woman. Legend says that he became the Lord of the Dead after Yami wanted to conceive a child with him. Yama refused, considering intercourse with his sister to be incest. He later died. But without children, he couldn’t continue the cycle of rebirth and was resigned to remain forever in the land of the dead as its ruler.In Buddhism, he is ruthless and without mercy—the ultimate judge of the dead. Yama even sends souls to multiple levels of the eight hells. A soul may serve its time in one level only to be sucked down into a worse level to pay for a different sin. Still, Yama is without partiality and is ultimately fair. Despite his cruelty, he is considered a righteous judge. At times, though, he has been forced to release a handful of lucky souls. One had been given the ability to turn hell into a lotus pool, so Yama was forced to spare him to preserve the integrity of his realm. In some texts, Yama himself is subject to eternal torments. One story has him being followed by a cauldron of molten copper. It is said that he is fastened down by one of his own men, his mouth opened with a hook, and the molten copper poured down his throat. Whether this torment was decreed by Yama unto himself is unclear, but it certainly shows the belief that even the king of hell is subject to karma. 8Mictlantecuhtli03
Mictlantecuhtli was the evil lord of the Aztec underworld, Mictlan. It was called the “Place of the Fleshless.” He was depicted as a bloody skeleton with bones shoved into his ears, draped in a necklace of human eyes. Mictlantecuhtli devoured the dead. Those who did not die heroes were sent to his abode to live as weasels and beetles, drinking pus and eating scabs. Since departed souls lived in constant fear of the death god’s appetite, their living relatives would make human sacrifices on their behalf. The souls of those sacrificed were thought to be consumed before those of the relatives, hopefully staving off the ravenous god’s hunger. Such sacrificial rituals may have even been cannibalistic, though evidence is not entirely clear. Despite the fear that Mictlantecuhtli inspired, he was also worshiped as a healer and associated with childbirth. His skeletal form was sometimes depicted with an open liver. The liver was believed to be the organ where the soul resided, which was connected to Mictlan, where all life-force originated. Bones were considered a life-giving source of light and heat in Aztec mythology, and it was believed that Mictlantecuhtli suffered his skeletal form because he was sacrificing his own health for that of his worshipers. 7Erlik04
Erlik was the counterpart to the devil in several Altaic creation myths. Though accounts differ, he is generally seen as playing a large part in the creation of both the world and mankind. In one tale, he is cast into the primordial waters of the heavens after offending the creator god. There, he is forced to draw out the world from its depths then receives dominion over those evil like himself. After tempting the first woman—very much like the story of Eve—he is cast into the underworld to become the ruler of demons. The Altaic devil makes occasional visits to the surface world, where yet another version has him creating womankind.In this version, Erlik was the first man. He was cast into the underworld after boasting that he could create life better than Ulgen, the creator. Later, at Ulgen’s insistence, the eighth man tried to make the first woman. He succeeded in creating her body but failed to give her life. When he left to get help from Ulgen to finish his project, Erlik appeared and played seven flute notes in her ear. The music gave her life but also seven tempers and many bad moods. 6Mot05
Mot was the unloved Semitic god of death. He had no worshipers, leading some to speculate that the deity was likened to a force of nature. He was the jaws of death. His underworld was a dark and muddy place linked to his gullet. It was said that his bottom lip touched Earth, while his top reached the heavens. He was depicted as having a voracious appetite, which he even once defended when another deity complained about it. Mot was so feared that the other gods were warned not to get to close to him, lest they be swallowed. It was a warning that not all took to heart.Mot was believed to have come into conflict with Baal, god of rains and storms. Baal had been setting himself up as the supreme deity among the Semitic gods. His only fear, though, was Mot. Baal feared Mot to the point where he built his divine palace without windows to keep the rival deity out. Texts about the story are damaged and often illegible, but it is clear that the two ended up battling despite Baal’s best efforts. Mot simply devoured him. Fortunately for Baal, his wife was a warrior goddess. After Baal was defeated. she attacked and slew Mot, ground his body into powder, and sowed it in the fields. Baal was reborn, but so was Mot. The two did battle once more, though Mot fled at the intervention of the sun god. 5Supay06
Supay was the Incan god of the dead and ruler of the underworld. Because his domain was in the deep earth, he was also known as the god of minerals and was often the object of miners’ rituals. Despite the wealth Supay worship could supposedly bring, he demanded human sacrifices to populate his kingdom—specifically, children. It was said that he demanded 100 children sacrificed to him annually. When Spanish missionaries arrived in the Incan kingdom, they likened Satan to Supay. This led to a bit of confusion among the natives, since the tradition was to plead that Supay not harm them instead of simply rejecting him. Further confounding the Spaniards was that they arrived calling themselves “children of god.” They had meant it in the sense that they were Christians, but the Incas took it literally. Later, though, after the Incas realized the Spaniards’ true character, they began calling their unwanted guests the children of Supay. 4Ereshkigal07
Photo via Demonicpedia
Ereshkigal was the Mesopotamian goddess of the underworld. There was no judgment or punishment under her rule, only equality. All souls under her dominion were equals, even other gods. The way to her underworld was called the Road of No Return. On it, departed souls would pass through seven gates where they would be stripped of their possessions, even their clothes, entering Ereshkigal’s realm with absolutely nothing. It was a dark and dreary world where the shades of the dead sucked on clay and dust. She was a vengeful goddess. At one point, she threatened to raise every soul under her thumb into the realm of the living—an army of the dead. All the gods had been invited to a feast by their king. He could not travel to her abode, nor she to his, so a compromise was reached. Her portion of the feast would be taken to her by one of the goddess’s messengers. When he arrived, Nergal, the god of disease, failed to rise to greet him. Ereshkigal was furious and demanded that Nergal come to her realm so she could kill him. When he came, she offered him a series of poisonous gifts, but Nergal refused them on the advice of his father and escaped. Even angrier now that she had failed, Ereshkigal demanded that he be returned to her lest she raise her undead army. Nergal returned, but he came accompanied by a host of demons. He overpowered the goddess, who then offered him her hand in marriage if he would spare her life. He accepted, and the couple thenceforth ruled the underworld together. 3Batara Kala08
Photo credit: Tropenmuseum
Batara Kala is a Javanese demon god who rules the underworld with his wife Setesuyara. Kala was born when creator god Batara Guru’s chief consort rejected his sexual advances while flying through the heavens. Poorly timed, his semen spilled into the ocean and was eaten by a fish, which gave birth to the god of the underworld.HIs consort, Uma, was later banished to the world, where she raised the ogre-like Batara Kala. Kala had an enormous appetite, which his father took pity on by permitting him to eat any inedible object on Earth. During this divine taste-testing, though, Kala sampled human flesh. Developing a taste for it, Batara Guru allowed his son to eat certain kinds of humans. Among the kind Kala is permitted to eat are children without siblings, children who have two siblings of the opposite sex, and people who break certain social codes. Ceremonies are carried out on children to stave off the voracious god of the underworld. 2Susanoo09
In some of the earliest Shinto texts, Susanoo is the god of the underworld. He was banished from heaven after offending both the creator god and his sister, the sun goddess. He descended to the underworld after a period of adventuring on Earth. He then became its master. Susanoo was a cruel god, especially to his own family. Legend says that his son, Okuninushi, descended to the underworld to marry his half-sister. There, Susanoo put him through all sorts of torturous trials. He threw him into a pit of snakes then locked him in a room full of wasps. When Okuninushi survived with the aid of his wife, his father shot an arrow into a moor and told him to retrieve it. Once he was inside, Susanoo set fire to it. Okuninushi again survived with the help of an underworld mouse and finally escaped by tying his father’s hair to the rafters as he slept. Since Susanoo and his progeny were the patrons of the Izumo clan, a rival to the ruling family, many tales about him were ancient political propaganda. The sacred texts of the Shinto creation myths were compiled by the ruling family, who legend says were the divine descendants of the sun goddess. Susanoo, while powerful, is always portrayed as subordinate to his sister. His son’s image suffers as well. Charged with taming the land, he fails in his duty and ultimately gives his reign over to the more capable descendants of the sun goddess, whom she had sent to bring order to the world. 1Hades10
Though modern links to Satan have painted a negative picture of Hades, he was not particularly malevolent. Though men feared to speak his name for fear of death, he was also called a good god for sending his wealth upward into the realm of the living. His Roman name, Pluto, came from his Greek title, Plouton, meaning “Lord of Riches.” Hades’s dominion was the underworld, but he also held power over the spoils of the earth, including precious metals and life-giving soil. He was sometimes depicted as a regal figure pouring forth wealth from the cornucopia. The fact that Hades’s realm is the underworld is nothing more than bad luck. Along with his brothers, Hades defeated their evil father, Kronos. With the world now without a ruler, the siblings drew lots to decide who would have dominion over its various realms. Hades drew the worst lot, the underworld. Even his famed abduction of Persephone was carried out because Zeus had betrothed her to him. Zeus had done so without her mother, Demeter’s, permission. Knowing she would object, Hades thought it best to forcefully take the daughter. He and Persephone then ruled the underworld together, at times even moved by compassion to release souls from his grasp. The musician Orpheus, longing for the return of his beloved after she was poisoned by a snake, journeyed to the underworld and asked them to return her to life. They were so moved by his pleas that they allowed him to take his love back to the world. The only condition was that he could not look back at her until they were free of Hades’s domain. Orpheus failed at resurrecting his beloved when his concern for her well-being overcame his good sense, and he turned to check on her.
10 Definitive Ways To Tell You’re In Love With The Right Someone by Eric Santos...02:17 Apr 12 2016
Times Read: 581
Falling in love is one of the most exciting, rewarding and scariest things you could ever do.
Once you're in love with someone, it's hard to remember how you lived without him or her. Of course, you were alive before you met this person, but you really didn’t start “living” until the two of you met.
I remember when I first fell in love with my girlfriend; it was a very scary feeling, as I had managed to elude love for the entirety of my life before her. I specifically remember the transition from when I liked Vanessa to when I began to love her.
Vanessa went from being someone who made me smile to being the greatest catalyst of the happiness and joy in my life. She went from a gorgeous girl I met to the most beautiful girl I know. She went from my crush to the love of my life.
Everyone experiences love differently, and at different times. Even the meaning of love is extremely subjective, but I say for certain that anyone who's experienced it knows it's the best feeling ever.
Here are 10 ways to know if you might be in love — rather than in like — with someone:
1. The best part of your day
As Childish Gambino said, “When I'm alone, I'd rather be with you.” Seeing my girlfriend is always the highlight of my day. If you really love someone, you never truly get tired of him or her.
No matter how great your day might be going, your special person will make it better. When you just like someone, he or she might make your day better, but probably isn't the best part.
2. The first person you think about
Your love will be the first person you think about when you wake up and the last person you think about before you go to sleep. When something good happens to you, this is the first person you want to tell.
When something bad happens to you, you look to this person for support.
3. Prioritize above your own needs
Love is selfless. I was the most important person in my world until I met my girlfriend. Once I fell in love with her, her needs became much more important than my own.
This is just how love is. Your needs always seem trivial in comparison to your significant other's needs.
4. You'd do anything
If I tried to construct a list of things I wouldn’t do for my girlfriend, the list would be pretty empty. When you're in love with someone, you do whatever you can to make the person happy.
When you like someone, you may feel like there is a lot you would do for the person, but you have your limits. True love knows no limits.
5. You are never afraid to express your feelings in public
I have this semi-bad habit of telling the world how in love I am with my girlfriend.
When you're truly in love, you want everyone to know. You are not bashful about your feelings by any means. When you like someone, there is a lot of holding back on how you feel.
6. You love the imperfections
My girlfriend is the most beautiful girl I know, but she does have some imperfections. But, to me, they're not imperfections — they're unique qualities and things I love.
When I tease her about them, she thinks I am making fun of her, but I am truly just admiring them. Love is the ability to know and accept someone’s faults.
You may know the imperfections of a person you like, but having the capacity to embrace them likely won't happen unless you fall in love.
7. You think long-term
When you're in love with someone, it's hard to imagine a future without the person in it. For this reason, you will think long-term about how you can build a life with this person.
You won't give in to short-term temptations that might mess up your long-term goals. When you just like someone, thinking long-term can be pretty scary.
8. You become a better person
No one is perfect; we all have room for improvement. But, being in love will force you to work on these things.
You want to become the best version of yourself for the person you love. I am a better person now than I was before I met my girlfriend.
9. Your feelings are unconditional
When you love someone unconditionally, it means that your love knows no conditions and is absolute. I don't actually like the term “unconditional love” because I think it's redundant — I believe all true love is unconditional.
When you like someone, your feelings change depending on the condition.
10. Your love is your best friend
Sometime along the way, my girlfriend became my best friend. I believe this to be true for most people who fall in love.
Your significant other becomes your partner in crime. You feel like, together, you can take on the world.
My thoughts for today... April 9th, 201613:57 Apr 09 2016
Times Read: 601
I awoke in the wee hours of the morning... made myself a cuppa and headed out to the deck to enjoy my morning solitude. The rushing brook was talkative and happy as it bubbled by, carefree and ever changing...
It reminded me how the mundane things in life that always seem the same, rarely are... Are we classically conditioned to overlook the minute changes that happen that most people overlook? Have we chosen to not see the dew on the grass, hear the animals speak to you in the quiet of the morning or evening, or to see the life stir under the frozen ground? Have most chosen to block out the very life force that brought us here and not notice her subtle change? Its quite sad really. We could learn so much more just to stop and notice the change... and listen to her messages...
Imagine with me for a moment, if you were a Doctor, or surgeon... and you held life in your very hands every time you performed the same surgeries day in and day out...
Every human body is minutely different... yet we all have the same basic anatomy... Imagine if they treated us the same each and every time... Would we have such a success rate of survival? Probably not! To hold a beating heart in your hands, hold the power to make or break this persons life.. repairing damage, fixing human ailments, whether brought on by us or genetics... You can bet they answer to themselves, and a higher power, no matter their religion or preference... and yet, there is WILL. How many times have you seen on the tele, a person who shouldn't have lived but did? Most often, it was their WILL that pulled them through. I have the highest regard for all medical people, no matter their stature, for everything they do has a purpose. Caregivers of all kinds are so needed... For we would perish without love and compassion from another. It has been proven years ago with babies who were born. Orphan children were placed in two areas. One in a crib alone, with no nurturing, just basic needs met... no love or compassion to feed their soul, and the others loved and held and coddled as they should be. The babies left alone died almost right away. The others flourished. There were no other anomalies present. Truth: LOVE HEALS. It is the very thing that drives us, even when we choose to live a life of solitude.
So, having spoken my thoughts on here, I will say this.
The next time you are thinking of someone, and they cross your mind, take a moment and drop them a line... If they have crossed over, do something special in their memory... They too feel in the veil. Take the time and tell them they are on your mind, and you wanted to tell them.
This may be a website to some, but lets not forget the person on the other end of the text... it is an outlet for others to reach out, and be recognized, and heard... and still to others to form friendships and connections so needed for human nurturing... a support system if you will for many.
To me, it is a connection to the people I love the most in life and death and nothing will ever change that.
Recognize what you write, and how you say it... everything comes back to you in the end...
I bid you a joyous day full of wonders and messages and may you see your life for the first time each and every day and night...
Blessings,
Morganna777
10 Most Haunted Objects Of All Time 8/19/2013 (Updated 09/04/2013) by Beverly Jenkins
03:05 Apr 08 2016
Times Read: 610
A haunting occurs when a ghost or other supernatural being refuses to move on after death, instead choosing to dwell among the living. Though most people associate hauntings with houses, a spirit or demon can attach themselves to just about any object, from jewelry to paintings.
Read on to learn about ten of the most haunted objects ever recorded in history.
1
The Dibbuk Box Contains an Ancient, Malevolent Spirit
The Dibbuk Box Contains an Ancient, Malevolent Spirit
A dibbuk box is a wine cabinet which, according to Jewish folklore, is said to be haunted by a restless, evil spirit that is capable of haunting and possessing the living. One particular dibbuk box became famous when it was listed on eBay along with a terrifying backstory.
The story began in September of 2001, when an antique buyer and refinisher attended an estate sale in Portland, Oregon. The auction was held to sell off the belongings of a 103-year-old woman, and her granddaughter informed the antique dealer of the woman's past when she noticed that he had purchased a simple wooden wine cabinet. The old woman had been Jewish, the only one of her family members to have survived her time in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. When she immigrated to the United States, the wine cabinet and two other items were the only things she brought with her.
The woman's granddaughter explained that her grandmother had always kept the box hidden away, and said that it should never, ever be opened because it contained a malicious spirit called a dibbuk. She requested that the box be buried with her, but since doing so went against Jewish tradition, her family did not oblige. When the antique dealer asked the granddaughter if she would like to keep the box for sentimental reasons, the woman vehemently refused, becoming very upset and saying, "We made a deal! You have to take it!"
The dealer took his purchase back to his shop and placed it in his workshop in the basement. Immediately, strange and frightening things started happening. He was called by his frantic shop assistant, who said that the lights had gone out, the doors and security gates had locked, and she heard terrible sounds coming from the basement. When he investigated, he discovered a terrible odor of cat urine lingering in the air, and every light bulb in the place had been smashed.
The dealer gave the wine box to his mother as a gift, and the woman immediately suffered a major stroke. In the hospital, she spelled out, "H-A-T-E G-I-F-T" as tears spilled from her eyes uncontrollably. He attempted to give the gift to several more people, but it was always returned to him within a few days, usually because people just didn't like it, or because they felt that something about it was evil. He began suffering from a recurring nightmare, and he later found that all of his family members who had been around the box were having the same dream. He started seeing shadow figures darting around in his peripheral vision, as well.
After finally admitting that there was something paranormal happening, he went online to research and fell asleep at his computer. When he woke up, he felt like something was breathing on his neck, and when he turned his head he saw a huge shadow figure dashing away from him down the hall. He then decided to list the item on eBay, along with a detailed account of what had happened to him since obtaining the box.
Jason Haxton, the curator of a medical museum in Missouri, purchased the box from the eBay auction. He later wrote a book detailing the strange story of the dibbuk box, and in 2012, a horror movie based on the book entitled The Possession was released. (Source | Photo)
2
Annabelle, The Doll Possessed by a Lying Demon
Annabelle, The Doll Possessed by a Lying Demon
In 1970, a woman shopping in a thrift store bought a Raggedy-Ann forbidden doll for her daughter, who was in college. Her daughter liked it and put it in her apartment, but soon she and her roommate both noticed odd things happening involving the doll. It would move by itself, often being found in another room even though no one had touched it. They found small scraps of parchment paper, which they didn't even own, with childish handwriting scrawled on them. They even found the doll standing impossibly on its rag doll legs one day.
The frightened girls contacted a psychic medium, who told them that the doll was possessed by the spirit of a young girl who had died in the apartment building. "Annabelle" said that she liked the college girls, and wanted to stay with them, so they told her that she could. Unfortunately, granting the spirit this permission lead to increased paranormal activity in their apartment, including having a male friend get attacked by the doll one night, leaving vicious scratch marks all over his chest and torso.
At their wit's end, the girls contacted renowned psychic investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The married duo soon found that the doll is not possessed by the spirit of a child at all; rather, it is possessed by a demon who had lied about its identity in order to get close to the girls, perhaps intending to possess one or both of them. The girls gave "Annabelle" to the Warrens, who encased it in a glass display cabinet in their Occult Museum in Connecticut. The sign on the glass reads, “Warning: Positively Do Not Open.” (Source | Photo)
3
The "eBay Haunted Painting” Causes Sickness, Screaming, and Fear
The 'eBay Haunted Painting” Causes Sickness, Screaming, and Fear
In 2000, an anonymous eBay seller listed a painting created by artist Bill Stoneham called "The Hands Resist Him." This painting is now largely considered to be one of the world's most haunted works of art.
The painting features a boy and a creepy doll standing in front of a glass door. The painting was created in 1972 and purchased by Hollywood actor John Marley. It was then bought by a California couple before going up for sale on eBay along with a dire warning about the problems involved with owning the object.
According to the couple, the figures in the painting moved around at night, sometimes disappearing from the canvas entirely. The boy in the painting was said to actually enter the room where the painting hung, and everyone who viewed the painting reported feeling sick and weak. Small children would take one look at the painting and run from the room screaming. Adults sometimes felt like unseen hands were grabbing them, and others said that they felt a blast of hot air, as if they had opened an oven.
Even those who viewed the painting online claimed to feel a sense of unease, dread, or terror when looking at the painting. One person even claimed that their brand new printer refused to print the photo of the painting, however it worked fine on every other print job.
The painting was purchased by an art gallery in Grand Rapids, MI. When the gallery spoke to the artist who had created it, he was surprised to hear that his work was at the center of a paranormal investigation, but he did mention that two people who originally displayed and reviewed the painting had died within a year of viewing "The Hands Resist Him." (Source | Photo)
4
The Myrtles Plantation Mirror Contains the Spirits of a Woman and Her Children
The Myrtles Plantation Mirror Contains the Spirits of a Woman and Her Children
Myrtles Plantation is an allegedly haunted bed and breakfast that is largely considered to be the most haunted home in the United States, as well as one of the most haunted houses in the world. The plantation dates back to 1796, and it was built on a Native American burial ground. Additionally, it is rumored to be the location of at least ten murders, and paranormal events are an almost daily occurrence.
Perhaps the most haunted item on the premises is a mirror that was added to the home in 1980. Guests of the plantation have reported seeing figures lurking in the mirror, as well as child-sized handprints on the glass. Legend claims that the mirror contains the spirits of Sara Woodruff and her children. The Woodruffs were poisoned to death, and though custom dictates that mirrors should be covered after death to prevent spirits from getting trapped, this mirror was not covered, so the belief is that the Woodruff souls are very much present and active within the mirror. (Source | Photo)
5
Haunted Wedding Dress Dances On Its Own
Haunted Wedding Dress Dances On Its Own
In 1849, a girl from a rich family named Anna Baker fell in love with a low class iron worker. Anna's father, Ellis Baker, refused to let her marry her beloved, banishing the young man from their hometown of Altoona, Pennsylvania and dooming his daughter to a life of spinsterhood. Anna was so angry with her father that she never fell in love or married, and remained bitter and angry until her death in 1914.
Before her father sent her true love away, Anna had chosen a beautiful wedding dress that she intended to wear at their wedding. When the wedding did not occur, another wealthy woman from a local family, Elizabeth Dysart, wore the dress instead, gloating the entire time. Years later, the wedding dress was given to an historical society, and eventually the Baker mansion was turned into a museum. The wedding dress was placed in a glass case in what was formerly Anna Baker's bedroom. After her death, visitors claim to see the dress move on its own, especially during full moons. The dress sways from side to side, as if an unseen bride is standing in front of her mirror, admiring herself in the gown.
Investigators who have searched for drafts and other naturally occurring circumstances have come up empty handed. No one can be sure why the dress sometimes moves by itself, though many speculate that the spurned bride, Anna Baker, has reclaimed her dress at last. (Source | Photo)
6
Chairs Push People Out of Them and Make People Feel Sick
Chairs Push People Out of Them and Make People Feel Sick
Newport, Rhode Island is one of the oldest towns in the United States. Settled in 1690, by the early twentieth century the seaport town had become a hot summer destination for some of America's wealthiest families. The mansions of Newport are legendary, as are the many ghost stories that accompany buildings that have been around for so long.
Belcourt Castle was founded by Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, a wealthy American socialite and politician, in 1894. There are many different documented hauntings within this lavish home, but perhaps the most famous haunted objects in the castle are two chairs that reportedly have spirits attached to them. Visitors who sit in the chairs say they immediately feel cold, queasy, and uncomfortable. Their hands feel like they're pricked by static electricity when held near the chairs, and many people have claimed that they've felt like they're sitting on someone when they attempt to sit in the chairs. Several visitors have actually been ejected from the chairs by an unseen force. (Source | Photo)
7
Haunted Doll Curses Those Who Take His Picture Without Permission
Haunted Doll Curses Those Who Take His Picture Without Permission
In 1896, this creepy doll belonged to a child named Robert Eugene Otto in Key West, Florida. The doll had been given to him by a servant who practiced black magic, and who disliked the boy's family. The little boy adored his doll, and would often talk to him at length. Servants in the Otto home became concerned, however, when they swore they could hear a phantom voice talking back to the boy, and neighbors claimed to have seen the doll moving from window to window in the Otto house when no one was at home.
Soon, the doll started causing mischief, and the frightened child would claim that he had no part in it. Rooms would be messed up, vases smashed, and little Robert would be blamed, even though he seemed extremely afraid and insisted that his doll had done the deeds.
Robert inherited the house and died in 1972, so the house was purchased by another family. A little girl who had just moved into the home found the doll in the attic and was instantly afraid of it. She said the doll was alive and wanted to kill her. The doll finally wound up at an art gallery and historical museum in Key West, where it remains on display to this day. Oddly enough, visitors to the museum claim that they must ask permission to take a photograph of the doll. If they don't, legend has it that the doll will curse you. The museum displays letters from so-called "cursed" individuals who have written to the doll, apologizing for not asking to take his picture, and asking to be released from his spell. (Source | Photo)
8
The Women from Lemb Statue Brings Death to All Owners
The Women from Lemb Statue Brings Death to All Owners
Nicknamed "The Goddess of Death," The Women from Lemb is a statue carved from pure limestone that was discovered in 1878 in Lemb, Cypruss. The item dates back to 3500 B.C., and is believed to represent a goddess, similar to a fertility idol. The statue was first owned by Lord Elphont, and within six years of having the statue in his possession, all seven of the Elphont family members had died from mysterious causes.
Both of the next two owners, Ivor Manucci and Lord Thompson-Noel, also died along with their entire families just a few short years after taking the statue into their homes.
The fourth owner, Sir Alan Biverbrook, died as well, along with his wife and two of their daughters. Two of Biverbrook's sons remained, and though they weren't big believers in the occult, they were scared enough by the sudden and strange deaths of four of their family members that they decided to donate the statue to the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh, where it remains today.
Shortly after the item was placed in the museum, the chief of the section where the statue dwelled suddenly died as well, though no museum curator will admit that the statue may have supernatural properties. No one has handled the statue since that first museum worker who passed away, and the item is safely under glass and protected from human hands.
(Source | Photo)
9
"The Anguished Man" Captured On Video
'The Anguished Man' Captured On Video
This scary-looking painting was kept in Sean Robinson's grandmother's attic for twenty-five years before he inherited it from her. She had always told Robinson that the painting was evil, explaining how the artist who created it had used his own blood mixed with the paint, and had killed himself shortly after completing it. She claimed to hear voices and crying when the painting was displayed, and to see the shadowy figure of a man in her house, which is why she locked it away in the attic.
As soon as Robinson took the painting into his home, he and his family started experiencing the same kinds of creepy phenomenon. His son fell down the stairs, his wife felt something stroking her hair, and they saw the shadow man and heard crying.
Robinson decided to set up a camera overnight to try to capture some of the strange events on tape. Robinson's YouTube videos show slamming doors, rising smoke, and the painting falling from a wall for no reason.
Frightened, Robinson soon put the painting down in his basement, but he is not interested in selling it.
(Source | Photo)
10
The Cursed "Chair of Death" Kills All Who Sit in It
The Cursed 'Chair of Death' Kills All Who Sit in It
In 1702, a convicted murderer named Thomas Busby was about to be hanged for his crimes. His last request was to have his final meal served at his favorite pub in Thirsk, England. He finished his meal, stood up, and said, "May sudden death come to anyone who dare sit in my chair."
The chair remained in the pub for centuries, and patrons would often dare one another to sit in the cursed seat. During World War II, airmen from a nearby base frequented the pub, and locals noticed that the soldiers who sat in the chair would never return from war.
In 1967, two Royal Air Force pilots sat in the chair, only to crash their truck into a tree just after they left. In 1970, a mason tested his fate in the hot seat, only to die that same afternoon by falling into a hole at his job site. A year after that, a roofer who sat in it died after the roof he was working on collapsed. When the pub's cleaning lady tripped and fell into the chair, she died shortly afterwards from a brain tumor.
This list goes on, and finally the pub owner moved the chair into the basement. Unfortunately, even in storage the chair claimed another victim. After a delivery man took a quick rest while unloading packages in the store room, he was killed in a car accident that same day.
Eventually, the pub owner donated the chair to the local museum in 1972. The museum displays the chair by hanging it five feet in the air so that no one can possibly sit in it by mistake again. Fortunately, no one has sat in the chair since.
Most Haunted Places in London...Link19:03 Apr 07 2016
Times Read: 619
http://www.wegoplaces.me/haunted-places-in-london/
10 Drinks that help you sleep...
00:23 Apr 07 2016
Times Read: 623
Posted on December 14, 2013 in: News
A little too frequently, we find ourselves lying in bed wide awake, overcome with exhaustion but unable to sleep. When there’s a lot on our minds, we may toss and turn for hours before relaxing and finally falling asleep. This is basically every damn night!! It’s recommended that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep every night, but for many of us, that doesn’t happen very often. Often more like never but, there is simply not enough time throughout the day.
There are a number of reasons you may not be able to sleep. Maybe you’ve been staring at a computer screen for hours or you’ve had sugar or caffeine too close to bedtime or you’re overly stressed about work or school. It happens to the best of us, but sipping certain drinks before bed can calm your mind and help you unwind. I have been trying it lately and it seems to be working. I have been enjoying Pure Coconut Water throughout the day and chamomile in the evening.
Drinking tart cherry juice twice a day, once in the morning and once two hours before bedtime, can help regulate your sleep cycle. Having a glass of milk before bed can help you relax and can induce sleep. And coconut water, a good source of potassium and magnesium, can lower stress levels and relax your muscles.
Tart Cherry Juice
A small study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in June 2010 showed that consuming two 8-ounce servings of tart cherry juice during the day (once in the morning and once two hours before bedtime) resulted in a significant decrease in insomnia. The study was repeated in September 2010 in the Journals of Gerontology with similar results. This may be because cherries contain melatonin, an antioxidant that is known to help regulate our sleep cycle.
Lemon Balm Tea
Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and has a deliciously sweet, lemony taste. Steep lemon balm leaves in boiling water to make your own relaxation tea. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, lemon balm has been used to help promote sleep and reduce anxiety since the Middle Ages.
Warm Milk
This age-old cure for sleeplessness, said to be effective because milk is high in the amino acid tryptophan, reportedly has a calming effect on the brain and helps induce sleep. The effects may be purely psychological, though, as according to a New York Times article published in 2007, there is not enough evidence to prove that tryptophan is what causes sleepiness. Regardless, many people swear by this bedtime ritual.
Decaffeinated Green Tea
Green tea contains the amino acid theanine, which has been shown to help reduce stress and promote a restful sleep. However, the high caffeine level of regular green tea can outweigh these benefits when you are trying to calm down in the evening, so be sure to go for decaffeinated varieties.
The Republic of Tea “Get Some ZZZ’s” Tea
This caffeine-free blend of herbal rooibos, spearmint, chamomile, and passionflower also contains valerian root extract, an herbal supplement promoted as a mild sedative and sleep aid for sleeplessness.
Celestial Seasonings “Sleepytime” Tea
Celestial Seasonings has been promoting its “Sleepytime” tea for years, noting that its blend of chamomile, lemongrass, spearmint, and linden flowers will help you wind down before hitting the pillow. Try the new “Sleepytime Vanilla” blend which adds natural vanilla flavor to give a sweet and smooth boost to the tea.
Harney and Sons “Yellow and Blue” Tea
A blend of chamomile and lavender gives this tea a floral aroma that is sure to calm you down. According to the University of Michigan Medical Center, research has shown that the smell of lavender has a slight soothing and sedative effect and that chamomile may help reduce anxiety when ingested.
Pure Coconut Water
Though coconut water is advertised as an energy-boosting drink, it may also help you sleep better. Coconut water is a good source of potassium and magnesium, which help your muscles relax. It also contains a small amount of B vitamins, which can help lower stress.
Banana Smoothie
Blend one small banana with a tablespoon of almond butter and a half-cup of unsweetened soymilk for a delicious bedtime smoothie. Bananas contain potassium and magnesium, two minerals that help muscles relax.
Ovaltine Classic Malt or Chocolate Malt Mix
The British malt beverage Horlicks has been a popular sleep aid in Britain and India for years. Though Horlicks is hard to come by in the U.S., Ovaltine is essentially the same product. Malt is germinated cereal grain that has been dried out. The extract of malt is the main ingredient in flavored drinks like Ovaltine and Horlicks and is a good source of B vitamins, phosphorous, iron, zinc, and magnesium. This high mineral content is said to help relax your muscles and therefore help you wind down before heading to bed.
Hope this helps!
Is There Anything More Romantic Than Wine?17:34 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 629
There is a wonderful French proverb that says "In water one sees one's own face; but in wine one beholds the heart of another." Wine is associated with romantic moments and memories; with capturing the heart of someone you love. So it is no wonder that winemaking is considered one of the most romantic jobs in the world. It has a long history and lots of traditions that help create memories that are woven deeply into our everyday lives.
As a winemaker, once the rough and heated phase of the harvest is finally complete, the honeymoon of winemaking begins and peaceful moments in the cellar can be thoroughly enjoyed. The romance of the cellar includes listening to the wine slowly ferment in barrels - little gurgling sounds that are music to my ears. The air is filled with the sweet scent of peach and honey as the ice wine ferments. The aromas and flavors of the fresh, young wines are all distinct and together create a very sensuous and lovely aromatic experience.
Because winemaking is very seasonal, the process remains new and exciting every year (which is probably one of the secrets to keeping the romance of winemaking alive and well). In the meantime I become more experienced and mature, with a bit of gray (ahhh, who am I kidding - with a lot of gray) to prove it. But I guess a little gray is good for a winemaker! Ah-well, age is the tough price we pay for experience.
I think the key to keeping a job romantic is that you really have to love what you are doing. Love is blind, as the saying goes, and this is what allows you to easily look beyond the difficult and tough aspects involved in winemaking or whatever your own passion is.
Equally important is to be able to make a product that you and others love. That is why a chocolatier is also high on the romantic job list. Most everyone loves not only the taste of chocolate but what the chocolate represents – great memories of love, sharing, and giving. Wines can also have this same effect on people who embrace them and some are more romantic than others depending on the occasion or circumstance.
For example, sipping a rosé on a warm summer evening while sitting on the beach and watching a beautiful sunset with someone special is very romantic. Sipping it on a cold, dark, winter night alone in your living room is not. It also depends on what you prefer and what is being served. So if you are serving retsina, the pungent Greek light wine, to which pine sap/resin has been added and which needs an acquired taste to enjoy, chances are high that the romance may be gone before you can get the cork BACK into the bottle!
So here are my safe romantic wine suggestions to help ensure a spellbound evening:
First: Begin with a wonderful sparkling wine which is always a great and safe choice. Perhaps a rosé sparkler. It is festive, sexy, and light. It won’t overpower the beginning of the evening but instead adds an effervescent touch that is stimulating. I prefer a methode champenoise sparkler, which is made in the traditional forbidden of a second fermentation in the bottle. Serve with oysters, gravlax or even caviar, and everything should be on the right path to romance! There are several outstanding sparkling wines made here on Long Island. So make a selection and don’t forget to pick up the unscented candles to establish the mood.
Second: Serve a wine that has a particular meaning or brings back a fond memory for the two of you. This could be a wine from a particular pleasurable vacation or a wine made the year you met, got engaged, or tied the knot. There are many options to explore to find the right wine that will spark the imagination and romantic intrigue. A number of wineries offer selected library wines. Just make sure it was a good vintage with aging stamina!
Third: Think in terms of a remarkable/unique wine. This can be a white or a red wine according to preference and the cuisine being served. It could be a very rich, concentrated wine that needs strong flavors like lamb or venison to accompany it. Or perhaps you have found a very rare and hard to find bottle of beautiful wine to share with someone special, creating a once-in-a-lifetime moment! Almost every winery now makes at least one ultra-luxury wine. Although these wines are not inexpensive, a top-class date deserves a top-class wine. Besides, who wants a cheap date?
Last but not least: A "sticky" wine – a dessert wine of the highest level. Everybody has a sweet tooth. With cheese you catch mice and with wonderful, aromatic, rich, lush, and ultra-sweet late-harvest wines you catch romance! Maybe an ice wine or a late-harvest botrytis dessert wine…or perhaps both! These are fabulous, creamy wines with great flavors of honey, ripe peach, and dried apricots with lively acidity. Pop a chocolate truffle into your mouth and take a sip of the dessert wine and you’ll be in seventh heaven. Then lean toward that special someone and experience the perfect flavored kiss! Is there anything more romantic?
A tried and true romantic dessert:
Sticky Date Pudding with Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, grated
7 ounces chopped pitted dates
1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cup superfine (castor) sugar
2 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting
3 cups vanilla ice cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and chocolate in a small bowl and set aside.
Bring the dates and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda. Allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes, then scrape into a blender, and carefully puree until smooth; set aside.
Cream 1/4 cup of butter together with the superfine sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in the flour mixture and the date puree until well blended. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together the cream, brown sugar, and 1 cup of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter melts; set aside.
When the puddings have baked for 25 minutes, remove them from the oven, and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the puddings from the muffin tin, and place them onto a baking sheet. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the sauce over each pudding, then return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes more.
To serve, spoon some of the sauce onto the bottom of a dessert plate, and place a pudding on top. Lightly dust with confectioners' sugar, and top with a scoop of ice cream. Repeat with the remaining date puddings.
The bite club... Sunday Magazine Feature By Annie Ali Khan Published: February 12, 201217:27 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 630
The invitation said no jeans or sneakers, but it isn’t exactly a black-tie affair either. But then that’s to be expected when you attend a bash thrown by Fixe magazine — a New York-based fetish and sadomasochism (S&M) magazine. This particular event is in the basement of the One and One Café in New York City’s East Village to celebrate Fixe’s anniversary.
Industrial music thumps in the background as a man wearing latex pants with cutouts over his buttocks, tied to a 6-foot ‘X’-shaped metal stand called a St Andrew’s cross, is being whipped on his behind by a woman sporting a sleek black bob. Along with the S&M fetishists, resident Goths and a variety of underground scenesters, the vampires too have come to play.
One of them sits in a corner of the basement, surrounded by a core group of friends. Wearing knee-high lace up boots and a patent leather corset dress which leaves her pale arms and neck bare, she looks the part of a creature of the night. This is Seregon O’Dassey, and while her official bio describes her as an actress, Seregon says that she is in fact a ‘true vampire’— one of those real-life nosferatu who consider themselves distinct from the Twilight, “True Blood” and other pop culture depictions of the blood-drinking creatures of the night.
Seregon — the pseudonym had been inspired by the games of Dungeons & Dragons she played as a child — is not alone. She is part of a New York-based community of vampires called “The Court of Lazarus”. According to the Atlanta Vampire Alliance (AVA), one of the oldest ‘real vampire’ organisations in the US, New York (or ‘Gotham’ as the vamps prefer to call it) is fang central for America’s Vampires. “There are over 1000 self-identified vampires in New York City alone,” says Merticus, one of the founders of the AVA. They are divided into 30 active Houses, Clans, and Courts, of which the Court of Lazarus is one. The others have equally exotic names, such as the Order of the Black Marble and Temple Sahjaza. Usually presided over by a Vampire regent and a council of Elders, these Houses conduct regular meetings, social activities and have concrete guidelines for members. In short, everything a lonely vampire needs to get by. But no matter what House they belong to, vampires have one thing in common: they need a little ‘extra’ energy to survive. Also, they like to dress in blacks and reds. A lot.
There’s the key word: energy. According to Merticus, “Vampires are individuals who cannot sustain their own physical, mental or spiritual wellbeing without the taking of blood or life force energy from other sources, often human.”
If they don’t get that energy, the consequences can be dire. “Without feeding, a vampire will become lethargic, sickly and depressed,” says Merticus. Okay, so that’s not quite what most people may have imagined. Also, they won’t burst into flames if exposed to sunlight, and seem quite fond of crosses, especially the more gothic looking ones.
Vampires fall into two broad categories: sanguine and psychic. As the name implies, sanguine vampires are blood drinkers, while psychic vampires feed on life energy from consenting or unsuspecting individuals and groups in a process that’s hard to explain and even harder to understand. And like all good sects, the two groups usually don’t get along. For her part, Seregon says she’s a hybrid. “I drink blood on occasion, though only from people I trust,” she says. “A mood will just strike me and I will get this urge. Having a boyfriend helps,” she adds, “but there are also people who I trust that also trust me and are willing to donate.”
Since becoming a vampire, she has drunk the blood of three people, and donated her own to others. Contrary to popular belief, she says, the amount of blood consumed is very little.
”It’s only like maybe a tiny little nick and I just lick that up,” she said. “Blood is a natural diuretic. If you drink 8 ounces you’re going to be in the bathroom very quickly.”
There are no marks visible on her remarkably pale skin. Mostly made on her arms, the incisions were small enough to heal quickly. When she smiles, you can’t help but notice her fang-like canines — the dental feature that vampires are best known for. She may not always use them to draw blood, but to Seregon, her fangs are a manifestation of her nature as a vampire.
No self-respecting vampire would be caught dead without a pair of fangs, and while Seregon claims hers are real, there’s now a whole cottage industry catering to those who aren’t so lucky. Meet the fangsmiths, designers of cutting-edge cuspids who enjoy an elevated status in the vampire community as a result of their skills. Prominent among them is Father Sebastiaan Van Houten, founder of Sanguinarium, the first online vampire community, and co-author of The Black Veil, the vampire code of conduct.
Sebaastian is a self-taught fang artist, a skill he says he learnt while growing up, from observing the work of his dentist father. Lately, he divides his time between New York and Paris, organising vampire-themed parties and selling fangs in various forbiddens. With names like Beast, Interview, Underworld and TruBlood, these faux fangs go for anything between $99 to $399.
Back at the club, a dark-haired man with messy locks starts snapping pictures of the guests. He is also a vampire who goes by the name Dark Shadow Raven X. Seregon poses on the red velvet sofa with her friends, as Raven X snaps away — the purple metal springs coiled in her reddish blond hair lighting up in the flash of the camera. Her watery hazel eyes are almost white against the dark purple eye makeup on her lids, giving her an otherworldly appearance.
Seregon grew up an only child in Pennsylvania, where her mother worked as a nurse and her father was in the Navy. She got into witchcraft as a young girl, though she kept it secret from her peers. She tried her best to fit
in, joining the cheerleading squad in high school, but she always felt like an outsider.
“I read Bram Stoker’s Dracula when I was about 9 or 10,” said Seregon. “That’s what got me into vampires.”
She entered the vampire realm fully by the time she was 18. Lately, though she has been busy with her acting career, she still manages to attend events like the Fixe magazine party, where she can mingle with the community. Amongst her own kind, she comfortably identifies as a vampire. But she says she only ‘comes out of the coffin’ to people who she thinks would understand her way of life-— and outside the community not all her friends know she is a vampire.
It’s stories and experiences like these that prompt John Edgar Browning to consider vampirism to be as legitimate a subculture as any other. Browning, a Phd student at State University of New York has written seven books about vampires, and is currently working on a dissertation about vampires in New Orleans. He traces the popular fetishisation of vampirism back to the 70s and says its rise is very much linked to the popularity of other, related subcultures.
“One of the ways,” he says, “that these early vampires could find donors was by attending S&M conventions and they would find blood fetishists or people who liked being whipped to the point where blood would be present.”
S&M and BDSM networks and clubs, he says, were an important way to find donors and approach them.
Not a vampire himself (although he says he frequently gets asked) Browning said he came to believe in the legitimacy of the subculture after interviewing dozens of vampires in two years of field work. He believes there is a growing interest about vampires within academic circles and that was a sign that vampirism may approach acceptability in mainstream society in the near future. But proving oneself to be a true vampire, he says, remains a great challenge.
“It’s not like vampires have some sort of birthmark where other vampires can just sort of lift up the back of their shirts and say okay they are definitely genuinely a vampire,” he said. “It’s like with gay people, we can’t really prove it either, and you don’t really cross that threshold of becoming gay to other people until you have had sex with the same sex.”
The party is now in full swing and Seregon rises to mingle with the crowd. The man sitting next to her, a friend of hers, turns and says:
”Seregon is queen in this place, but she would be a nobody outside. These people are all misfits in the ‘real’ world, and want to stay hidden, yet they also want to be seen. It’s like look but don’t look.”
But true believers like Seregon and Merticus seem convinced that vampirism is an actual physical condition, and not a supernatural curse. “There is much we don’t understand about our chromosomal makeup and the function of certain genes,” says Merticus. “Many vampires report that they suffer from asthma, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and other endocrine system related disorders — this is likely an area medical science will explore more fully in years to come.”
Along with Browning, he believes that vampirism is here to stay, and will attract more interest in times to come. “The pop-culture interest in vampires has led to the intersection of vampire enthusiasts with that of real vampires,” he says. “We find ourselves educating people that vampires are born and not turned (made), that we adhere to ethical and safe feeding practices, are of sound mind and judgment, and productively contribute to society. The vampire will transform according to what desires society is yearning to satiate and I don’t anticipate the interest in vampires waning.”
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, February 12th, 2012.
DEATH OF AN OCCULT CRIME EXPERT REAWAKENS CONTROVERSY http://religiondispatches.org/death-of-an-occult-crime-expert-reawakens-controversy/17:18 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 632
On Saturday, retired police officer Donald “Don” Rimer, 65, died from complications arising from a stroke. Rimer graduated from police academy top of his class. He served the Virginia Beach police department for 34 years during which he received the department’s medal of merit and was inducted into the city’s hall of fame. He was also an active member of his Methodist church as well as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. However, what Rimer will most be remembered for is his career as an expert on so-called “occult crime.”
Rimer became interested in this field in the late 1980s at the height of the Satanic Panic phenomenon. Banking on his credentials as a police officer, Rimer held seminars for law enforcement on criminal activity allegedly associated with Goth and vampire culture, heavy metal music, role-playing games, Wicca, Afro-Atlantic religions, and Satanism. These groups, he argued, represented a palpable and growing danger.
In 2009, following the murder of Billie Lee Black in Hampton Roads, Virginia, Rimer suggested to reporters that Black had been killed at the request of his 16-year-old daughter for “trying to intervene in her new Twilight, vampire behavior.”
Sensationalist claims earned Rimer serious contempt from Pagan groups and even a few academics, who called him a charlatan and a fearmonger. His seminars on occult crime continued to focus suspicion and enmity on minority religions, kindling the embers of Satanic Panic. Rimer responded to his critics by claiming his contacts included the more benevolent Wiccans, self-identified vampires, and even Satanists. He also insisted that the danger posed by occult crime was real and that he was one of the few people qualified to combat it.
Rimer’s passing has led to an lively online conversation among Pagan and vampire groups. Many of these groups regarded Rimer as a political enemy and some individuals expressed relief that Rimer will not be holding any more seminars. However, important leaders of these communities have called for respect. One community member invoked Proverbs 24:17, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls.”
It is even rumored that while Rimer was hospitalized, local Pagans held rituals for his healing.
America has a long history of moral panics regarding the religious Other and it does not appear this pattern will end any time soon. However, Rimer’s passing is an important milestone in the history of America’s fear and fascination surrounding cults and Satanism. He will be dearly missed by his friends and family—and perhaps by some of his “enemies” as well.
The Golden Apple of Discord (A Greek Myth) Dec 07, 201417:00 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 634
Once upon a time, long ago, Queen Hecuba of Troy had a dream. The queen was pregnant at the time, eagerly awaiting the birth of her first child. But one night she dreamed she gave birth to a flaming torch. When she told her husband, King Priam, he became worried and called upon his eldest son, Aesacus, the seer, to tell him the meaning.
"Your newborn son will be the downfall of Troy," Aesacus said. "He must be killed to save our people."
And so when the baby boy, named Paris, was born, Hecuba and Priam looked into his eyes and fought against their fears. They knew they must destroy him, but they could not bear to do it. King Priam called upon his chief herdsman, Agelaus, to do the deed.
Agelaus carried the baby to desolate Mount Ida. Once there, he shrank from the task. He could not kill this baby, and so he left tiny Paris there, alone, in the wilderness, certain to perish.
But that night a bear came upon the baby and took pity on him. She kept him safe through the night. In the morning, when Agelaus returned for the body, he found the boy alive and safe. He took this as a sign: The boy was meant to live.
And so, in secret, Agelaus took Paris to his home to rear the boy as his own son.
Paris grew up to be a regal young man, beautiful, intelligent and wise, beloved by women and men alike. He often pitted his prize bull against the bulls of other men.
One day, he offered a challenge: His bull would fight anyone's bull to a battle. The winner would receive a golden crown.
When Ares, the god of war, heard this, he transformed himself into a bull and accepted the challenge. Naturally, Ares easily won, and Paris proved how fair he was when he readily awarded Ares the crown.
It was in this way that the gods came to understand that Paris was a man who kept his word, and this is how he came to be the judge for one of the most extraordinary contests ever waged.
It happened this way.
On Olympus, home of the gods, Zeus planned a wedding feast for the sea nymph, Thetis, and her beloved, the mortal Peleus. Zeus invited all the gods and goddesses but one, Eris. This is because wherever Eris, the goddess of discord, went, she brought only chaos and misery.
But Eris learned of the feast, and she was furious. In the midst of the wedding merriment, she stormed into the great hall and flung a golden apple into the crowd. The apple was inscribed with the word kallisti, meaning "for the fairest."
Naturally, every goddess rushed forward to claim the fruit. Soon they were arguing and fighting over the apple, but by the end of this chaotic battle, only three goddesses remained: Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty; Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war; and Hera, Zeus' wife, the goddess of women and marriage.
The three goddesses turned to Zeus and said, "You must choose who gets the golden apple. Which of us is fairest of all?"
Zeus understood that no matter which woman he selected, the other two would create terrible grief. And so he decreed that the matter would be decided by the fairest judge in the land.
"The shepherd Paris of Troy will select the fairest goddess," Zeus proclaimed.
Zeus instructed his son, Hermes the messenger, to lead the goddesses to Mount Ida. When Hermes explained the task, Paris could not refuse. No one refused a command from Zeus.
And so he stood before the goddesses, carefully inspecting each one, wondering how he could possibly decide.
The goddesses began to offer bribes.
"I can make you king of Europe and Asia," Hera said. "Select me and you will be among the most powerful men on earth."
Athena strode forward next. "I will give you wisdom, and I shall make you the finest warrior who ever lived."
Last to step forward was Aphrodite. She had enhanced her charms with flowers strewn through her hair. She gazed at the handsome young man. "Paris," she said, "I offer you the most enticing gift of all. I offer you love. Helen of Sparta, the most beautiful mortal woman in the world, will fall in love with you. I will make certain she cannot resist your charms."
Helen was famous for her great beauty, and for many years she had suitors of extraordinary ability -- men of strength and wisdom and power. It was her father, Tyndareus, who at last chose her husband: King Menelaus of Sparta.
When Helen and Menelaus married, Tyndareus extracted a promise from all those former suitors, demanding that they protect and defend his daughter's marriage to King Menelaus forever. Each of the suitors vowed they would always defend this marriage.
But there on Mount Ida, Paris could not resist Aphrodite's offer. He handed Eris' golden apple to her. And when he raided the house of King Menelaus and stole Helen away to Troy, he received Aphrodite's gift of Helen's love.
The moment King Menelaus discovered his queen was gone, he called upon all her former suitors. Every one stepped forward and vowed to return Helen to Sparta, no matter what that took. The land of Troy would be destroyed!
And so it was all because of Eris and that golden apple that the long and terrible Trojan War began.
The Wines of Germany The Pinnacle of Riesling Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein
16:53 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 636
Rüdesheimer Apostelwein 1727
The story of this wine is briefly as follows: The city of Bremen owns the famous Ratskeller or town hall,
underneath which is a legendary cellar known as the Schatzkammer (treasury cellar). In here are 12 very
large elaborately carved casks of wine dating from the 17th and 18th century, named after the 12
Apostles. The oldest dates from 1653, but the wine is no longer drinkable. The most famous is the Judas
cask, containing Rudesheim wine of the 1727 vintage, by repute the greatest vintage of the 18th century.
Wine from this cask has never been sold, but periodically very small quantities have been bottled as civic
gifts from the Bremen municipality to important dignitaries, visiting heads of state, royalty etc. When
any wine has been drawn off like this, the cask (about 3000 litres + in capacity) has been topped up with
young Rudesheim wine of the finest quality. In this way the barrel has been refreshed, as the old wine
feeds on the sugars in the younger one. But only a handful of half bottles have ever been drawn off at one
time, and so this top-up wine only constitutes a tiny percentage of the overall volume, the vast bulk of
which is still the original 1727.
This is, quite simply, the oldest drinkable wine in existence.
Here are Michael Broadbent's notes on this wine:
This wine comes from a large cask in the famous ’12 apostles’ cellar beneath the Town Hall or Ratskeller
in Bremen. The first time this appeared in a Christie’s wine catalogue was in 1829 when it sold for 5
pounds per dozen, a high price at the time. An occasional half bottle has appeared at auction since that
date, mainly over the past 30 years. The wine is drawn from the mother cask which is then topped up
with a young Rudesheimer of appropriate quality. In this way the large volume of the old wine is kept
refreshed. I first tasted the 1727 at Schloss Vollrads in 1973 at a tasting of wines of the world to
celebrate Count Matushka’s 80th birthday. Another memorable occasion took place at a dinner in Sydney
on the evening of my first visit to Australia in February 1977. By way of welcome, my host, the
Some previously sold bottles of German wines:
irrepressible Len Evans had invited the Prime Minister and a group of the best ‘palates’. Among other fine and rare wines was
this 250 year old Hock. Just as it was about to be served, there was a shattering crash followed by an agonized Australian voice
‘Gee Len, sorry we’ll just have to have the 1928’! (The ‘waiter’ Anders Ousbach, who had dropped a handful of spoons, was a
wine expert and opera singer known for his practical jokes).
On my second visit to Bremen in 1981, I was able to taste the wine from the cask. It had an amber straw colour, the smell of old
apples and a nutty appley taste. Dry, good length. High acidity. More recently, from a half bottle ‘Réserve du Bremer
Ratskeller’: it was paler than I had previously noted, Secial Madeira-like colour, bouquet also reminded me of an old Madeira,
then more like a raya sherry. After 2 hours in the glass a smell of rich old stables and an hour after that, an amazing pungency
lingered in the empty glass. On the palate medium-dry, lightish weight, a soft, gentler, slightly toasted old straw flavor,
tolerable acidity,and clean finish. *****
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRINK THE OLDEST DRINKABLE WINE IN THE WORLD? JULY 8, 2015 GILES MACDONOGH16:51 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 637
The Ratskeller in Bremen
by Giles MacDonogh
www.macdonogh.co.uk
The stub of the ticket was still squashed between two pages (Club Class British Airways – those were the days), and here in the front of the book – Hanns Meyer’s Im guten Ratskeller zu Bremen – I have inscribed the date of purchase: 1 June 1996. From the pencil marks in its pages it is clear that an article was written on my return, but where that text might be now, I am at a loss to say.
The occasion was a treat, or rather a series of treats, in a time of myriad treats. I had been invited to Bremen to taste a ‘century’ of German Riesling wines by the cellarmaster Karl-Josef Krötz and my good friend and German wine-guru Stuart Pigott, then resident in Berlin. The wines were selected from the best vintages between 1890 and 1990. Most of the earlier ones had started out life off-dry or sweet. Towards the end of the tasting they became dry to bone dry and begged the question whether they had the fat to survive for a hundred years and more.
After our deliberations there was the biggest treat of all. Krötz led the tasters over to the 1,200-litre cask containing the famous Rose Wine – a Rüdesheimer from the 1653 vintage – and we were all allowed a small glass. We also got to taste the Apostle Wine which is now used to ullage (fill up the loss of liquid from evaporation or leakage) the Rose.
Here you can see the Rose cask with the two Apostle casks which house the wine they use to fill up the little bits of loss in the Rose cask.
Here you can see the Rose cask with the two Apostle casks which house the wine they use to fill up the little bits of loss in the Rose cask.
There are just two casks of Apostle Wine now: whippersnappers from 1723 and 1731, the other barrels, including four of the Apostles and the magnificent Bacchus Tun, are empty. I was standing close to David Peppercorn, who confessed he had not tasted wine this old before. Predictably, Michael Broadbent had beat us both to it by nearly twenty years.
The Ratskeller (town hall cellar) is a great German institution. Created and extended between 1405 and 1550 it originally provided for the drinking needs of the Burghers of Bremen. The Rose Cellar, where the famous cask resides, was created a little later in 1599. Some centuries later verses by a local cleric were painted on the ceiling: ‘Dame Venus would grow cold without wine.’
The cellar’s collection of German wines from the Rhine and the Mosel became famous with the passing decades and centuries, and troops of great and good have stumbled down its steps, and if they have been very lucky – rewarded with a glass of the Rose Wine.
The poet Heinrich Heine probably summed up all our feelings when he wrote:
‘Happy the man who has reached the harbour,
Leaving behind him the sea and the storm,
Who now sits snug and securely
In the good old Ratskeller of Bremen.’
The cellar has not always been a safe haven. The French made off with much of the stock during the Napoleonic Occupation polishing off the 1624 Rose Wine. Worse was to come in 1945 when the British gave Bremen to their American allies, as they lacked a seaport in their zone. The Americans turned the Ratskeller into an officers’ mess. In the three years they were in charge they drank 400,000 bottles of wine, as well as 100,000 litres outhoused on the Rhine. Another 25,000 bottles of top ‘Prädikat’ wine went missing on the Lüneberg Heath (although that was in the British Zone, so we may have been responsible for that). The cellar was drunk dry. The only liquids to survive were the Rose and the Apostles.
The Rose and Apostle Wines are not available for purchase, but a small amount of the 1727 does materialise from time to time, selling for a fortune at auctions. Even if you are mere hoi polloi, the cellar is worth a visit. There is a wine list the size of a bible to choose from and you may feast your eyes on the elaborate casks as well as the evocative murals by Max Slevogt.
bremenAnd what did the Rose taste like? It was roseate and viscous and sweet. It reminded me of madeira. The historian in me, however, experienced a moment of awe as I considered that the Peace of Westphalia, that ended the Thirty Years War, had been signed just five years before the wine was made. The other two wines were made when Frederick the Great, the subject of the book I was writing then, was a mere lad. Broadbent writes that he has tasted the 1727 Rüdesheimer on several occasions and also notes the similarity to old Sercial madeira. He gave it two stars for pleasure, and five for interest value. I suppose that pretty well sums it up: it wasn’t the greatest wine I had ever had, but it was a big treat for all that.
THE OLDEST DRINKABLE WINE IN EXISTENCE 29 Apr 2009 by Seth in De Grendel, Luxury, Money, Travel, Wine, World16:46 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 638
I don’t know too much about wine, to be quite honest. I drink wine that I think tastes good and that’s probably why I’ve settled for De Grendel wine. Quality stuff, easy drinking and affordable – with all the awards to boot (just in case there is a wine snob in the room!).
The oldest wine I can remember consuming was a bottle of Nederberg Baronne 1979, which I shared with the rest of the rabble at The Film Guy‘s bachelor party in (Jennifer) Arniston a couple months back. It was pretty good, if I remember correctly.. (the evening was “getting on”).
Some of you might be impressed by the aforementioned vintage. You shouldn’t be – it is 252 years shy of the oldest drinkable wine in existence. I am, of course, talking about the Rüdesheimer Apostelwein 1727.
Rudesheimer-1727
Rüdesheimer Apostelwein 1727
Check this out, from finestandrarest.com:
The city of Bremen owns the famous Ratskeller or town hall, underneath which is a legendary cellar known as the Schatzkammer (treasury cellar). In here are 12 very large elaborately carved casks of wine dating from the 17th and 18th century, named after the 12 Apostles. The oldest dates from 1653, but the wine is no longer drinkable. The most famous is the Judas cask, containing Rudesheim wine of the 1727 vintage, by repute the greatest vintage of the 18th century. Wine from this cask has never been sold, but periodically very small quantities have been bottled as civic gifts from the Bremen municipality to important dignitaries, visiting heads of state, royalty etc. When any wine has been drawn off like this, the cask (about 3000 litres + in capacity) has been topped up with young Rudesheim wine of the finest quality. In this way the barrel has been refreshed, as the old wine feeds on the sugars in the younger one. But only a handful of half bottles have ever been drawn off at one time, and so this top-up wine only constitutes a tiny percentage of the overall volume, the vast bulk of which is still the original 1727.
This is, quite simply, the oldest drinkable wine in existence.
Renowned authority on wine tasting and old wines, Michael Broadbent , has sampled this very wine:
I first tasted the 1727 at Schloss Vollrads in 1973 at a tasting of wines of the world to celebrate Count Matushka’s 80th birthday. Another memorable occasion took place at a dinner in Sydney on the evening of my first visit to Australia in February 1977. By way of welcome, my host, the irrepressible Len Evans had invited the Prime Minister and a group of the best ‘palates’. Among other fine and rare wines was this 250 year old Hock. Just as it was about to be served, there was a shattering crash followed by an agonized Australian voice ‘Gee Len, sorry we’ll just have to have the 1928’! (The ‘waiter’ Anders Ousbach, who had dropped a handful of spoons, was a wine expert and opera singer
known for his practical jokes).
Very good – I’m sure everyone in the room aged to a similar vintage during that little incident!
If you’re keen on tasting the Rüdesheimer Apostelwein 1727, you can order it from the extensive wine cellar kept at the historic Graycliff Hotel (here) in Nassau, Bahamas.
I warn you though, it’s probably a bit pricy.
And what better moment to remind you that this week’s EuroMillions lottery is sitting at R1 billion – the EXACT minimum required for a mention on 2oceansvibe! CLICK HERE to get involved.
That should sort out your litle trip to the Graycliff!
Read more: http://www.2oceansvibe.com/2009/04/29/the-oldest-drinkable-wine-in-existence/#ixzz453tLYlUM
World's oldest wine and beer finally drunk after 200 years Alasdair Wilkins 11/21/10 16:44 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 639
Finnish divers recently discovered several crates of champagne and beer from a sunken ship that had been at the bottom of the Baltic Sea for nearly two centuries. The experts carefully identified, researched, and analyzed the alcohol...then they drank it.
The divers discovered the wreck just south of Aaland, a Finland-controlled archipelago of some 6,500 small islands in the Baltic Sea. Inside the sunken schooner, they found 168 bottles of champagne and an undisclosed amount of bottles of beer. The ship itself likely dates back to the second quarter of the 19th century, making its cargo almost certainly the oldest alcoholic drinks in existence. By comparison, the oldest wines in private hands are only thought to date back to the very end of the 1800s.
This entire story is a good reminder of a basic scientific truth - when in doubt, start drinking the 200-year-old booze. The divers first discovered the champagne was drinkable when changing pressures caused the cork to pop off one of the bottles, and a diver decided to take a swig. He expected to taste seawater that had seeped into the bottle over the last 200 years - which raises very legitimate questions about just why he decided to take a sip in the first place - but was shocked to discover the wine still tasted fine.
The divers all had some of the ancient wine, and then resealed the wine and brought it to wine expert, or sommelier, Ella Grussner Cromwell-Morgan. Here's how she described it:
"Despite the fact that it was so amazingly old, there was a freshness to the wine. It wasn't debilitated in any way. Rather, it had a clear acidity which reinforced the sweetness. Finally, a very clear taste of having been stored in oak casks."
Other descriptions that came out of a recent official tasting range from "lime blossoms, coffee, chanterelles" to " yeast, honey and...a hint of manure." Whatever the exact taste, the champagne was definitely significantly sweeter than what we're familiar with today. While a modern bottle has about 9 grams of sugar, a typical bottle in the 1830s had 100 grams of sugar, and Russians were known to add an extra spoonful of sugar just to make sure it was sweet enough.
So how did the alcohol survive for so long under the sea? That's actually the absolute best place to keep them, as champagne expert Richard Juhlin explains:
"Bottles kept at the bottom of the sea are better kept than in the finest wine cellars."
We can only hope this starts off a craze of storing wine inside shipwrecks. If you really care about your wine, I don't see any alternative. And it really was incredibly well-preserved - other than a loss of fizziness from the slow loss of air bubbles over the nearly 200 years, the wine tasted exactly the same as it would have back in the 1800s.
And what about the beer? The divers, for their part, say they're more interested in the beer than the champagne, as wreck discover Christian Ekstroem comments:
"I don't care so much about the champagne. Champagne we can only sell or drink up, but ... we can use the beer to produce something unique and local. It's historically meaningful."
Ekstroem says the beer is just as phenomenally well-preserved as the wine. When one of the bottles cracked open on board their ship, the divers saw the liquid froth up just like a new beer would, indicating the yeast was somehow still alive. There's no word on whether the divers then hit the deck and started drinking up the spilled beer, but knowing this story, I wouldn't exactly be surprised. You just don't let ancient booze go to waste.
5 Of the Most Expensive Bottles of Wine Sold...http://theweek.com/articles/457193/5-most-expensive-bottles-wine-ever-sold16:09 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 641
When you think of the price of wine, you usually associate it with the age, right? Well, that's only partly true, at least when it comes to some of the most expensive bottles ever sold. Here are 5 price tags that will pop your cork.
1. CHÂTEAU LAFITE, 1787 — $156,450
Okay, so, yes, 1787 is ancient, especially considering this bottle of Bordeaux at this price was sold in 1985. But don't forget, even the best Bordeaux only lasts about 50 years. So 200 years? Forget about it! Why the hefty price tag? Well, this particular bottle had the initial Th.J. etched into it. That's right, Jefferson was a hard-core oenophile. During the time that he served as ambassador to France, he often traipsed out to Bordeaux and Burgundy looking for wine for his cellar back stateside. His initials etched into two other bottles have also fetched pricey sums: A 1775 Sherry that fetched $43,500, and — ready for this? — the most expensive bottle of white wine ever sold, a 1787 Chateau d'Yquem for $56,588.
Price per glass: $26,075
2. JEROBOAM OF CHÂTEAU MOUTON-ROTHSCHILD, 1945 — $310,700
Okay, so now you're confused, right? First I said the most expensive bottle ever was about $160K and now at number two I've listed one that cost almost twice that. Three sheets to the wind? Not at all. See, this bottle of red that sold in 2007 was a large bottle, not a standard-size. But take a look down below at the price per glass and you'll see which is truly the more expensive of the two. Had this giant bottle been a standard 750 ml bottle, it would have only sold for $51,783. (By the way, 1945 is considered one of the very best vintages of the 20th century and Mouton-Rothschild one the world's greatest clarets. If you ever happen upon a bottle, don't drink it!)
Price per glass: $8,631
3. INGLENOOK CABERNET SAUVIGNON NAPA VALLEY, 1941 — $24,675
Sold in 2004, this Cabernet is regarded as the most expensive bottle of American wine ever sold. Inglenook is now known as Rubicon and owned by Francis Ford Coppola, who is said to keep one of them (empty) on top of his refrigerator. "It was one of the best I'd ever had," he has said about the wine. So how did it taste? "There is a signature violet and rose petal aroma that completes this amazingly well-preserved, robust wine that had just finished fermentation at the time of Pearl Harbor." Talk about seeing the glass half-full.
Price per glass: $4,113
4. CHÂTEAU MARGAUX, 1787 — $225,000
There I go again. And this is a standard 750 ml bottle. So what's it doing buried way down here? Well, this bottle actually resides in the Most Expensive Bottle of Wine Never Sold category. That's right, I said never sold.
In 1989, the bottle collided with a tray at a wine dinner and New York wine merchant William Sokolin collected $225,000 from insurance! (He was seeking a whopping half a million for the bottle, which, they claimed, had also been owned by Thomas Jefferson.)
Price per glass: $37,500
5. KRUG, 1928 — $21,200
The champagne record has been broken often in the last decade. In 2005, it was a bottle of Krug 1953 that went for $12,925. Then, that same year, a Methuselah (6 liter bottle) of Louis Roederer, Cristal Brut 1990, Millenium 2000 sold for $17,625. Finally, the Krug 1928 75cl bottle was sold at Acker Merrall & Condit's first Hong Kong auction in 2009. Must be some sort of bubbly!
Being There for Bees Native bees face many threats, but gardeners can help these indispensable pollinators 03-30-2016 // Text by Laura Tangley
15:45 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 642
Native Bees
PORTLAND, OREGON'S, SABIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL takes pride in its unusual mascot: a half-inch-long, blackish-brown bee in the genus Andrena, or affectionately known by students, parents and teachers as “the tickle bee.”
For two months each spring, thousands of these furry, ground-nesting insects emerge from holes scattered across the school’s baseball diamond, soccer and kickball fields and even the bare dirt beneath benches. “On warm days, when bees are flying in search of nectar, you can’t walk across a field without bumping into dozens of them,” says Mace Vaughan, a Sabin school parent and pollinator program co-director for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. If you pick up and hold one of the bees in your hand—as many children do—the insects don’t sting but do, indeed, tickle.
In many ways, tickle bees are typical of North America’s more than 4,000 native-bee species. Unlike the familiar honey bee, imported from Europe in the mid-1600s, more than 95 percent of natives live not with other bees in hives but alone in small nests carved into soil or wood. Native bees tend to be tiny, do not have queens or produce honey and rarely sting. “Most people have no idea what the majority of our native bees look or behave like,” says Xerces Society Executive Director Scott Black.
Facing major threats, including habitat loss, disease, climate change and pesticides, these critical pollinators also are poorly known by scientists. Unlike larger and better-studied insects such as butterflies and dragonflies, most bees must be captured and examined under microscopes to be identified. Even then, distinguishing one species from another entails “a horrendous amount of minutia” that only a handful of experts have mastered, says biologist Sam Droege, who heads the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab. As one of those experts, Droege recently launched an ambitious project to survey and track the status of the continent’s thousands of bee species, starting with an all-volunteer effort that will target the Mid-Atlantic region.
Pollinator Champs
Learning the status of native bees is vital. Animal pollinators such as bees, birds, butterflies and bats are essential to the reproduction of nearly 85 percent of the world’s flowering plants. By far the most important of these animals are bees, making them, in Black’s words, “essential to the entire fabric of life on the planet.”
Bees also are needed to produce more than a third of all foods and beverages humans consume. “In the United States alone, native bees contribute at least $3 billion a year to the farm economy,” says Vaughan. In the future, they may play an even more important role if domestic honey bees continue to decline due to colony-collapse disorder (CCD)—a mysterious phenomenon that causes worker bees to abandon hives—as well as pesticides, mites, disease and other problems.
According to scientists, natives are more than up to the task of filling in for beleaguered honey bees. In a study published in Ecology Letters, for example, ecologist Rachael Winfree of Rutgers University discovered that in the Delaware Valley of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, visits by more than 40 wild-bee species to watermelon flowers were sufficient to pollinate the crop on 21 of 23 farms in her study site. “If we lost all honey bees here tomorrow, between 88 and 90 percent of the crop would be fine,” she says. Even on larger farms that truck in honey-bee hives, Winfree has found that natives pollinate up to a quarter of commercial cranberry and blueberry crops.
Troubling Declines
As scientists like Winfree uncover evidence bolstering the value of native bees, others are finding worrisome signs that the insects may be in trouble. In one study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the University of Vermont’s Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, working with colleagues nationwide, created a computer model combining federal land-use databases with input from bee experts. The model suggested that between 2008 and 2013, bee abundance declined across 23 percent of the United States.
More troubling, the researchers noted the greatest declines in areas like the Midwest and California’s Central Valley, where farmers grow crops that rely most heavily on bees, including apples, almonds, peaches and blueberries. “What this means for farmers may be lower and more inconsistent yields as well as higher costs for honey bees,” says coauthor and Gund Institute Director Taylor Ricketts. “For the rest of us, it may mean a more expensive and less stable food supply.”
Calling the study “a good first step to assess the status of bees nationwide,” Black points out that biologists still lack baseline data on the majority of native-bee species and how their populations have changed. One notable exception, he says, are the bumble bees, and the news about these familiar fliers—particularly important crop and native-plant pollinators—is bad.
rare rusty patched bumblee bee in WisconsinDuring the past two decades, scientists report, four once-common and widespread North American bumble-bee species—the western, rusty patched (right), yellow-banded and American bumble bee—have vanished from large portions of their former ranges. A fifth—Franklin’s bumble bee—already may be extinct. A soon-to-be-published Xerces Society analysis, conducted with the Bumblebee Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), concludes that more than a quarter of the continent’s 47 bumble-bee species “face some level of extinction risk.”
For some of the most imperiled bumble bees, “evidence points to disease as the primary culprit,” says Robbin Thorp, a biologist and professor emeritus at the University of California–Davis who has studied the insects’ decline for 20 years. Thorp believes that when bumble-bee queens were shipped to Europe in the early 1990s—to generate new colonies to pollinate U.S. crops—their descendents brought back a nonnative parasitic fungus that spread rapidly among wild bees lacking prior exposure to the pathogen. Though the federal government today bans bumble-bee shipments between Europe and the United States, scientists remain worried about unregulated trade within North America. As demand grows for bumble-bee-pollinated crops, especially tomatoes, large commercial producers ship increasing numbers of the insects—and potentially their diseases—to parts of the continent where they are not native.
Halictus sweat bee and metallic green bee
Habitats Out of Whack
Disease is far from the only threat bumble bees and other native bees face. Pollinators today “live in such a topsy-turvy world it can be hard to pin their troubles on a single cause,” Black says. In addition to disease, he says the most significant threats are habitat loss, pesticides and climate change.
Recently, the danger climate change poses was in the news, following a study published in Science analyzing more than 400,000 bumble-bee observations in North America and Europe dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. The researchers reported that, unlike many animal species whose ranges are shifting northward as temperatures rise, the distributions of most bumble bees are not pushing north. At the same time, the insects are disappearing from southern portions of their ranges. “Global warming seems to have trapped bumble bees in a climate vise,” says lead author and University of Ottawa biologist Jeremy Kerr.
Scientists also are increasingly worried about pesticides. Of particular concern is a new class of insecticides, the neonicotinoids, that are long lasting and absorbed by plants’ vascular systems—meaning bees are exposed when they eat nectar and pollen. Beyond killing the insects, “research shows that these compounds have sublethal effects on bumble bees, including reduced foraging and reproduction,” says Sarina Jepsen, Xerces Society endangered species program director and deputy chair of the IUCN Bumblebee Specialist Group.
Meanwhile, “we see increasing evidence that neonicotinoids are leaking out of farmlands to impact bees in places the chemicals were not sprayed,” says the USGS’s Droege. That evidence includes a recent study by his agency that examined wild-bee exposure to pesticides in wheat fields as well as nearby grasslands in northeastern Colorado. During two field seasons, the federal biologists found 19 pesticides and their breakdown products in 70 percent of the bees collected from both habitats. The most frequently detected poison was the potent neonicotinoid thiamethoxam.
Native-Bee Rescue
But the buzz about bees is not all bad. In recent years, public interest and concern about the insects has increased, fueled in part by well-publicized losses of honey bees to CCD. “Colony-collapse disorder turned out to have a bit of a silver lining,” Black says. “Now more people know that the food they eat depends on animal pollinators.”
Even the White House has come on board. Last spring, President Barack Obama announced a new federal strategy to protect bees and other pollinators. Progress since then includes steps by the U.S. Department of Transportation to encourage planting pollinator habitat along highways (see Habitat Highways). And the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently proposed listing seven species of Hawaiian yellow-faced bee as endangered—which, if approved, would be the first bees ever to receive protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
At the same time, researchers and citizen scientists have been spotting two of the continent’s rarest bumble bees—the western and rusty patched bumble bee—in parts of the country where they had disappeared, from Oregon to Ohio. To Thorp, these sightings “support the disease hypothesis and suggest that some bees carrying resistance to the nonnative pathogen survived and are now passing resistance genes to their progeny.”
The best bee news of all, though, may be that anyone with just a tiny piece of land can help these critical pollinators. “Bees are not bison,” Droege says. “Anywhere you have good, pesticide-free habitat, even as small as a suburban backyard, you are likely to find a good diversity and abundance of native bees.”
A Bounty of Native Bees
A photo gallery of native bees by Clay Bolt
Photographed in the wild then released unharmed, these North American native bees—not life-size but proportionate to each other—hint at the vast diversity of our most important plant pollinators.
How to Help Bees
By cultivating sunflowers (below, with a Hunts bumblebee) and other native plants, gardeners can help native bees. Here are a few tips:
Provide pollen and nectar for food: Active from early spring through late fall, bees need access to a variety of nectar- and pollen-producing flowers that bloom at different times. Native plants are best because they require less maintenance, have coevolved with indigenous bees and—unlike many nonnatives and cultivars of natives bred for showy blooms—reliably produce nectar and pollen.
Ensure bees have nesting sites: In contrast to hive-dwelling honey bees, most native bees nest alone in small holes on open, sandy ground or in brush piles, tree snags, logs or excavated twigs. Supplement such natural nest sites with bundles of hollow plant stems or wooden mason-bee houses. Reduce mulching, mowing and tilling that may destroy nests or future nesting sites.
Eliminate pesticides: Avoid insecticides (which kill bees directly) and herbicides (which kill the plants bees depend on). In particular, steer clear of systemic insecticides such as neonicotinoids, which are taken up by the vascular systems of plants. This means bees feeding on pollen and nectar are exposed to powerful poisons long after the chemicals have been applied.
Help scientists study bees: Particularly important pollinators of both crops and native plants, many bumble-bee species are declining. Help scientists learn more about the insects by reporting bees you see in your garden to the citizen-science project Bumble Bee Watch.
Hunts bumble bee
NWF Priority: Protecting Pollinators
For more than four decades, the National Wildlife Federation has encouraged homeowners, schools, communities and others to create habitat for bees and other pollinators though its Garden for Wildlife™ program. Last summer, the Federation stepped up these efforts, joining with dozens of gardening, seed and conservation groups to launch a nationwide campaign: the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge. Campaign participants are rallying hundreds of thousands of people across the country to create 1 million new pollinator gardens by the end of 2016. “Pollinators are keystone species that provide the foundation of our ecosystems,” explained NWF President Collin O’Mara at a June 2015 press conference announcing the campaign. To learn more, visit www.nwf.org/nwfgarden.
Laura Tangley is senior editor - and a bee-friendly wildlife gardener. Clay Bolt is a natural-history photographer who, through his Beautiful Bees project, is documenting North America's native-bee species.
Real Life Vampires Don’t Wait For Halloween To Be Blood-Thirsty Released: 27-Oct-2009 3:30 PM EDT
15:42 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 643
Source Newsroom: National Wildlife Federation (NWF)
Who is your favorite vampire? Do you swoon over Edward Cullen and Bill Compton, or are classic bloodsuckers like Count Dracula and Lestat de Lioncourt more your forbidden? As fun as it is to obsess over and be scared by these fictional vampires, the real things are much more fascinating. Here is some blood-curdling information from National Wildlife Federation on living, breathing vampires that might just be stalking you.
Vampire Bats
Meet Desmodus rotundus and his cousins Diphylla ecaudata and Diaemus youngi, known respectively as the common, hairy-legged and white-winged vampire bats. Found only in the Americas, their collective range goes from Mexico down through Argentina. These bats feed exclusively on the blood of other animals. The common vampire bat typically goes for mammals, including domestic cows and horses, while the other two species prefer to feed upon birds—although the occasional human does make it on the menu. Thankfully, the bite of one of these bats won’t turn you into a vampire although the wounds can become infected.
Mosquitoes
For mosquitoes, it’s the ladies who are the bloodsuckers. Both sexes feed on flower nectar as their main source of nutrients. Only when she’s ready to reproduce does the female mosquito seek out a blood meal. She needs the added protein boost in order to lay her eggs and create a whole new generation of lady vampires.
Lampreys
These eel-like creatures are something right out of science fiction horror. Their disc-shaped mouths are filled with circles of razor-sharp teeth, which they use to bore into the flesh of their victims. They can remain attached for days or even weeks, all the while sucking in blood and body fluids. One species, the sea lamprey, has been introduced into the Great Lakes where it has become a problematic invasive exotic species. This lamprey can grow to almost 2 feet in length and the native lake fish it feeds upon often don’t survive the draining.
Bed Bugs
The goodnight rhyme “nite nite, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite” takes on macabre twist when you learn that in the last few years, these little vampires are on the rise. Nearly eradicated in the North America for 50 years, bed bugs are back with a blood-sucking vengeance, showing up everywhere from high-end hotels to college dorms to rural bedrooms. After their victims fall asleep, bed bugs emerge from their hiding places in cracks and crevices and insert their sucking mouthparts in a series of bites along the blood vessels, drinking as they go and leaving as series of red, itchy welts.
Oxpeckers and Vampire Finches
There are several bird species that form symbiotic relationships with larger animals. The larger animals tolerate the birds’ presence on their bodies, leaving the birds free to feast upon ticks and other parasites that are lodged in the skin feeding upon the animals’ blood. It’s a win-win situation. But oxpeckers are birds that take it one step further. Not only do they feed upon invertebrate parasites, they are happy to consume bits of flesh and blood of their host animals while they’re at it. Vampire finches inhabit the Galapagos Islands and supplement their diet of seeds, insects and nectar with the blood of other birds, usually the blue-footed booby. They peck a hole in the flesh of the booby to get the larger bird’s blood and strangely, the boobies hardly seem to notice.
Leeches
Few animals evoke the “icky-creepies” in people as much as worms do with their slimy squirminess and their faceless, legless bodies. When such a creature also feeds upon human blood, it only adds to the horror factor. Such is the case with leeches. These parasitic worms attach themselves to their host and bloat themselves on blood. While most leeches are external parasites, some species will swim into nasal cavities and stay there, feeding and growing. Capable of holding undigested blood in their stomachs, parasitic leeches can go months between feedings.
Candiru Catfish
There are several species of diminutive candiru catfish that inhabit South American rivers. Some seek out larger fish and use their spiny mouths to attach themselves to the gills of their victims, where they makes an incision with their teeth and drink their fill of fish blood. Some species actually burrow inside the bodies of their prey, leaving a wound that looks like a bullet hole. Once inside they suck blood from the internal organs. This is the fish that gained international fame recently when one swam up a man’s penis, where it fed for several days before having to be surgically removed. Few things are more horrifying than even the thought of that!
Even scary wildlife isn’t safe from habitat destruction, global warming, pollution and other human-caused problems. Read more about real life wildlife vampires and NWF at www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife.
My thoughts for tonight...02:54 Apr 06 2016
Times Read: 654
I have decided to live my life alone until the love of my life finally joins me, or I him...When that will be, I know not...
There are so many things in life I love, and someday wish to pursue to see if it is feasible to have in my life...
I will own another horse one day, preferably a large Black Fresian because their temperaments are so like my own... There is nothing I love more than to take a ride to clear my head and find a new prospective on life...
I will grow and nurture a Moon garden with herbs to tend in the moonlight...
I will find a beautiful chandelier to hang inside my canopy bed... to admire before I close my eyes in the morning...
To find a Gothic Ladies Dresser and Dressing table to adorn my quarters...
I will never settle for anything less than 1000% unconditional love in my life. I would rather die alone than to settle for less...
I will be grateful and thankful for all the kindred in my life. They are my constant support and I love them with all that I am...
I will not acknowledge or interact with disrespectful people in my life... I have tolerated more than my share...lol.
I will continue to learn and to grow as a person all the days of my life.
When my love and I do connect, I will show him love as he has never known before...
I will dress and act for myself, be the person I was meant to be, and be kind to others along the way.
I will never forget where I came from, and who and what I am...
I will embrace my gifts and title and be humble about it. I will not hide in the shadows unless my life or kindred is in danger...
I will continue to help others in need, never forgetting that this too could have been me...
I will remain private and protected and love my life for what it is...
I will be thankful every day for my Sires and their guidance...
Morganna777
The Mortal Immortal... By Mary Shelly 1797-1851: My personal thoughts on an exceptional read...01:19 Apr 05 2016
Times Read: 687
Being a Bibliophiliac as I am I stumbled upon a classic that to me describes Immortality, the price we pay and the solitude that we must endure....
This story was written in first person, a diary if you will of a mortal named Winzy who found love and faced all eternal pain as a result...
He finds himself in possession of an elixir concocted by Cornelius Agrippa a famous alchemist and philosopher. In a moment of trying to cure his love for a dam that he cannot have, he ingests half of the elixir as his master sleeps only to awaken and it crashes to the floor only after half has been consumed.... This became his second Birthday. Instead of curing his love for a woman he could not have, it instead changes his nature and he wins his bride. However, he was not prepared for all the changes of time, watching his bride age, being ostracized and shamed by his neighbors and elders as he never ages. He loves her until the sod is being folded over her grave, and grieves for his eternity, which he knows not... For he only consumed half of this life changing fragrant liquid...
He endures moving to countries who know him not, becoming a recluse in fear of losing yet another loved one, and grieves for his only true love Bertha.
Is he an Immortal? His vanity and mirror say yes, and his soul says no....
This Winzy in my eyes became immortal and faced all the same pain and suffering a Vampire endures when the body changes and the soul lives on...
Many many people wish to be changed, but I always ask... "Are you prepared to endure immortality of the soul?" "Are you indeed ready to lose everything you love, time and time again?" "Can you find solace in your own thoughts as you rest in the living for an eternity? "
Most, I think not. Change is mandatory, and you must learn how to adapt, overcome, and move on. Heartless to some? Perhaps. Mandatory to a Vampire. So please, the next time you have a whim and wish to be changed, Please do not insult and ask someone on here you believe to be Vampire. True Vampires do not take such a request lightly...
Be happy with the life you were given. Be unique in your own right, and always always embrace time. For time is something that lives far beyond many...
Blessed Be,
Morganna777
7 Ways To Pimp Your Pimm’s Cup A summer cocktail with few rules, many riffs Chantal Martineau June 19, 201321:27 Apr 02 2016
Times Read: 697
Pimm's Cup is the kind of drink that causes your bar companions to look over, a little piqued or downright dying inside they they didn’t order one, too. In this era of cocktail snobbery, classic recipes are guarded as solemnly as nuke codes. But this drink is different. Variations on its nearly 200-year-old formula are embraced. Read on.
There are many ways to mix a Pimm’s Cup. All will make your summer better.
For each of the three years I spent in London, my first Pimm’s Cup of the season marked the beginning of summer. You could order it in the dingiest pub and it would come out looking like a sunny holiday: iced tea-colored and far too drinkable, a bittersweet and spiced elixir topped with “lemonade” (read: 7-UP) or ginger ale.
It’s the kind of drink that causes your bar companions to look over, a little piqued or downright dying inside they they didn’t order one, too. What’s not to envy? It’s refreshing, fruity, a little fizzy and usually comes packed with slices of cucumber, orange and strawberry to snack on. Often, a sprig of mint is added for aromatic flair.
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In this era of cocktail snobbery, classic recipes are guarded as solemnly as nuke codes and whoever has the most traceable pedigree wins the bragging rights to authenticity. But the Pimm’s Cup is different. Variations on its nearly 200-year-old formula are embraced. First created in 1823 by James Pimm, an oyster bar owner who envisioned a perfect pairing for his briny bivalves, Pimm’s was a gin-based elixir laced with bitter and spiced botanicals and served as a type of highball known as a summer cup. The liqueur was eventually branded Pimm’s No. 1 because, over the years, Pimm’s Nos. 2 through 6 were developed, each based on a different spirit, including scotch, brandy, rum, rye and vodka.
Today, a brandy-based Pimm’s Winter exists, as does the new Pimm’s Blackberry and Elderflower. But what we know best is the original:
Classic Pimm’s Cup Recipe
Ingredients
6 ounces Pimm’s #1
12 ounces ginger ale
Slices of cucumber, strawberries and fresh mint.
Slices of lemons, oranges and apples.
Directions
Add ice to chill and combine in a tall glasses.
And here are seven ways to flip the script:
1. Hit the fruit stand
Spruce up your cup with raspberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, celery, even jicama sticks. Or let the season inspire you and do strawberry and rhubarb now, then graduate to peaches and black cherries in a couple weeks.
2. Raid the herb garden
Replace the sprig of mint or add to it. Rosemary and thyme bring out some of the other aromatics in the glass – the heady spice or brighter citrus peel notes, respectively. And all that greenery sure is pretty to gaze at.
3. Grab a beer
Some people swear by ginger ale instead of Sprite or 7-UP (what the Brits call lemonade). Spice up your Pimm’s and ginger ale by replacing the ale with beer. Ginger beer is even more intensely flavored with an added bite. A Pimm’s Cup for the brazen.
4. Embrace the SodaStream
Play with the soda component even more by making your own. Cook up a lemon or ginger syrup or try a pomegranate or even a subtly spiced honey syrup. Then, build your Pimm’s Cup with homemade seltzer.
5. Go bubbly
Dispense with the soda altogether and top your Pimm’s with a brut sparkling wine. Prosecca, cava or your favorite homegrown spumante is sure to add sparkle to your happy hour. Tangy yet palate-cleansing, James himself couldn’t have come up with a better oyster match. You might even replace your mid-morning mimosa with this variation.
6. Spike it
If you’re going to go boozy, why not go hard? Pimm’s is just 25% ABV so it can stand a little extra kick. Some people build their cup with gin in addition to the gin-based liqueur. But you can spike yours with rye whiskey to boost the spice component, rum for a sweeter cup or even tequila to play off the herbal aromatics.
7. Go flat
Fizz isn’t fun for everyone. If you prefer to avoid effervescence, make your Pimm’s Cup with fresh citrus juice and lightly sweetened iced tea. The result is a decidedly adult sweet tea with an extra tangy, herbal dimension to it. The pinnacle of patio sipping.
IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR Contributed by Yvette van Boven
21:19 Apr 02 2016
Times Read: 699
INGREDIENTS:
6 oz Heavy cream
1 (14-oz) can Sweetened condensed milk
14 oz Irish whiskey (or other whiskey)
1 tbsp Instant coffee granules
2 tbsp Chocolate syrup (such as Monin)
PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend briefly until fully mixed. Pour into clean bottles, seal and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics Link..15:47 Apr 02 2016
Times Read: 701
http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs3604/lib/WorldCodes/10.Commandments.html
Online Etiquette Guide Online Etiquette (Netiquette)15:39 Apr 02 2016
Times Read: 702
Good Practices for communicating and participating online
Welcome to the world of online, Web-based courses. If you're like many people, this is your first experience with an online course. You may have taken some courses before, and you may also have had experience with some form of electronic communication, but a Web-based course is a new area of social interaction, and as such it has its own rules for interacting with others. This guide is intended to be an overview of appropriate etiquette for interaction in this new environment.
A key distinguishing feature of an online course is that communication occurs solely via the written word. Because of this the body language voice tone and instantaneous listener feedback of the traditional classroom are all absent. These facts need to be taken into consideration both when contributing messages to a discussion and when reading them. Keep in mind the following points:
Respect others and their opinions. In online learning students from various backgrounds come together to learn. It is important to respect their feelings and opinions though they may differ from your own.
Tone Down Your Language. Given the absence of face-to-face clues, written text can easily be misinterpreted. Avoid the use of strong or offensive language and the excessive use of exclamation points. If you feel particularly strongly about a point, it may be best to write it first as a draft and then to review it, before posting it, in order to remove any strong language.
Pick the right tone. Since we depend on the written word in online learning, it is especially important to choose the right words to get your meaning across. For example, sarcasm is harder to detect when you read the words rather than hearing them.
Keep a Straight Face. In general, avoid humor and sarcasm. These frequently depend either on facial or tone of voice cues absent in text communication or on familiarity with the reader.
Consider others’ privacy. Ask for permission if you want to forward someone’s email messages to third parties. Keep in mind that all private email mail is considered copyrighted by the original author.
Avoid inappropriate material.
Be forgiving. If someone states something that you find offensive, mention this directly to the instructor. Remember that the person contributing to the discussion might be new to this form of communication. What you find offensive may quite possibly have been unintended and can best be cleared up by the instructor.
Think before you hit the send button. Think carefully about the content of your message before contributing it. Once sent to the group there is no taking it back. Grammar and spelling errors reflect on you and your audience might not be able to decode misspelled words or poorly constructed sentences.
Test for Clarity. Messages may often appear perfectly clear to you as you compose them, but turn out to be perfectly obtuse to your reader. One way to test for clarity is to read your message aloud to see if it flows smoothly. If you can read it to another person before posting it, even better.
Brevity is best. Be as concise as possible when contributing to a discussion. Your points might me missed if hidden in a flood of text.
Stick to the point. Contributions to a discussion should stick to the subject. Don’t waste others' time by going off on irrelevant tangents.
Frivolous email. Don’t forward jokes, "chain letter's" or unimportant email to other students without their permission. Not only does it fill up their mailboxes but may offend people who do not share the same sense of humor or who are tired of these types of email.
Read First, Write Later. Don't add your comments to a discussion before reading the comments of other students unless the assignment specifically asks you to. Doing so is tantamount to ignoring your fellow students and is rude. Comments related to the content of previous messages should be posted under them to keep related topics organized, and you should specify the person and the particular point you are following up on.
Netspeak. Although electronic communication is still young, many conventions have already been established. DO NOT TYPE IN ALL CAPS. This is regarded as shouting and is out of place in a classroom. Acronyms and emoticons (arrangements of symbols to express emotions) are popular, but excessive use of them can make your message difficult to read. Some common ones include:
Acronyms Emoticons FYI = for your information :-) = smiley face: happiness, pleasure B/C = because :-( = frowning face: displeasure W/ = with ;-) = wink BTW = by the way :-0 = shock, surprise F2F = face to face :-/ = skepticism, unease, apologetic FAQ = frequently asked questions
Citations and Other Etiquette Sources
Many of the points made here were taken from The Core Rules of Netiquette, excerpted from the book Netiquette, by Virginia Shea. The Core Rules of Netiquette can be accessed at http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html.
Further information was taken from Arlene H. Rinaldi's The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette, which can be found at http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs3604/lib/Netiquette/Rinaldi/.
40 Interesting Facts About . . . Vampires16:18 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 706
Many scholars argue the word “vampire” is either from the Hungarian vampir or from the Turkish upior, upper, upyr meaning “witch.” Other scholars argue the term derived from the Greek word “to drink” or from the Greek nosophoros meaning “plague carrier.” It may also derive from the Serbian Bamiiup or the Serbo-Crotian pirati. There are many terms for “vampire” found across cultures, suggesting that vampires are embedded in human consciousness.b
A group a vampires has variously been called a clutch, brood, coven, pack, or a clan.f
Probably the most famous vampire of all time, Count Dracula, quoted Deuteronomy 12:23: “The blood is the life.”f
The Muppet vampire, Count von Count from Sesame Street, is based on actual vampire myth. One way to supposedly deter a vampire is to throw seeds (usually mustard) outside a door or place fishing net outside a window. Vampires are compelled to count the seeds or the holes in the net, delaying them until the sun comes up.b
dolmens
Celtic for “stone tables,“ dolmens may have been placed over graves to keep vampires from rising
Prehistoric stone monuments called “dolmens” have been found over the graves of the dead in northwest Europe. Anthropologists speculate they have been placed over graves to keep vampires from rising.c
A rare disease called porphyria (also called the "vampire" or "Dracula" disease) causes vampire-like symptoms, such as an extreme sensitivity to sunlight and sometimes hairiness. In extreme cases, teeth might be stained reddish brown, and eventually the patient may go mad.c
Documented medical disorders that people accused of being a vampire may have suffered from include haematodipsia, which is a sexual thirst for blood, and hemeralopia or day blindness. Anemia (“bloodlessness”) was often mistaken for a symptom of a vampire attack.f
Elizabeth Bathory
Considered a "true" vampire, Elizabeth Bathory supposedly bathed in the blood of young virgins
One of the most famous “true vampires” was Countess Elizabeth Bathory (1560-1614) who was accused of biting the flesh of girls while torturing them and bathing in their blood to retain her youthful beauty. She was by all accounts a very attractive woman.f
Vampire legends may have been based on Vlad of Walachia, also known as Vlad the Impaler (c. 1431-1476). He had a habit of nailing hats to people’s heads, skinning them alive, and impaling them on upright stakes. He also liked to dip bread into the blood of his enemies and eat it. His name, Vlad, means son of the dragon or Dracula, who has been identified as the historical Dracula. Though Vlad the Impaler was murdered in 1476, his tomb is reported empty.f
One of the earliest accounts of vampires is found in an ancient Sumerian and Babylonian myth dating to 4,000 B.C. which describes ekimmu or edimmu (one who is snatched away). The ekimmu is a type of uruku or utukku (a spirit or demon) who was not buried properly and has returned as a vengeful spirit to suck the life out of the living.a
According to the Egyptian text the Pert em Hru (Egyptian Book of the Dead), if the ka (one of the five parts of the soul) does not receive particular offerings, it ventures out of its tomb as a kha to find nourishment, which may include drinking the blood of the living. In addition, the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet was known to drink blood. The ancient fanged goddess Kaliof India also had a powerful desire for blood.a
Chinese vampires were called a ch’iang shih (corpse-hopper) and had red eyes and crooked claws. They were said to have a strong sexual drive that led them to attack women. As they grew stronger, the ch’iang shih gained the ability to fly, grew long white hair, and could also change into a wolf.a
While both vampires and zombies generally belong to the “undead,” there are differences between them depending on the mythology from which they emerged. For example, zombies tend to have a lower IQ than vampires, prefer brains and flesh rather than strictly blood, are immune to garlic, most likely have a reflection in the mirror, are based largely in African myth, move more slowly due to rotting muscles, can enter churches, and are not necessarily afraid of fire or sunlight.f
Vampire hysteria and corpse mutilations to “kill” suspected vampires were so pervasive in Europe during the mid-eighteenth century that some rulers created laws to prevent the unearthing of bodies. In some areas, mass hysteria led to public executions of people believed to be vampires.b
The first full work of fiction about a vampire in English was John Polidori’s influential The Vampyre, which was published incorrectly under Lord Byron’s name. Polidori (1795-1821) was Byron’s doctor and based his vampire on Byron.f
The first vampire movie is supposedly Secrets of House No. 5 in 1912. F.W. Murnau’s silent black-and-white Nosferatu came soon after, in 1922. However, it was Tod Browning’s Dracula—with the erotic, charming, cape- and tuxedo-clad aristocrat played by Bela Lugosi—that became the hallmark of vampire movies and literature.f
A vampire supposedly has control over the animal world and can turn into a bat, rat, owl, moth, fox, or wolf.c
In 2009, a sixteenth-century female skull with a rock wedged in its mouth was found near the remains of plague victims. It was not unusual during that century to shove a rock or brick in the mouth of a suspected vampire to prevent it from feeding on the bodies of other plague victims or attacking the living. Female vampires were also often blamed for spreading the bubonic plague throughout Europe.d
Joseph Sheridan Le Fany’s gothic 1872 novella about a female vampire, “Carmilla,” is considered the prototype for female and lesbian vampires and greatly influenced Bram Stoker’s own Dracula. In the story, Carmilla is eventually discovered as a vampire and, true to folklore remedies, she is staked in her blood-filled coffin, beheaded, and cremated.f
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) remains an enduring influence on vampire mythology and has never gone out of print. Some scholars say it is clearly a Christian allegory; others suggest it contains covert psycho-sexual anxieties reflective of the Victorian era.k
According to several legends, if someone was bitten by a suspected vampire, he or she should drink the ashes of a burned vampire. To prevent an attack, a person should make bread with the blood of vampire and eat it.f
threshold
Without an invitation, vampires in most legends cannot cross a threshold
Thresholds have historically held significant symbolic value, and a vampire cannot cross a threshold unless invited. The connection between threshold and vampires seems to be a concept of complicity or allowance. Once a commitment is made to allow evil, evil can re-enter at any time.b
Before Christianity, methods of repelling vampires included garlic, hawthorn branches, rowan trees (later used to make crosses), scattering of seeds, fire, decapitation with a gravedigger’s spade, salt (associated with preservation and purity), iron, bells, a rooster’s crow, peppermint, running water, and burying a suspected vampire at a crossroads. It was also not unusual for a corpse to be buried face down so it would dig down the wrong way and become lost in the earth.f
After the advent of Christianity, methods of repelling vampires began to include holy water, crucifixes, and Eucharist wafers. These methods were usually not fatal to the vampire, and their effectiveness depended on the belief of the user.f
Garlic, a traditional vampire repellent, has been used as a form of protection for over 2,000 years. The ancient Egyptians believed garlic was a gift from God, Roman soldiers thought it gave them courage, sailors believed it protected them from shipwreck, and German miners believed it protected them from evil spirits when they went underground. In several cultures, brides carried garlic under their clothes for protection, and cloves of garlic were used to protect people from a wide range of illnesses. Modern-day scientists found that the oil in garlic, allicin, is a highly effective antibiotic.k
That sunlight can kill vampires seems to be a modern invention, perhaps started by the U.S. government to scare superstitious guerrillas in the Philippines in the 1950s. While sunlight can be used by vampires to kill other vampires, as in Ann Rice’s popular novel Interview with a Vampire, other vampires such as Lord Ruthven and Varney were able to walk in daylight.f
The legend that vampires must sleep in coffins probably arose from reports of gravediggers and morticians who described corpses suddenly sitting up in their graves or coffins. This eerie phenomenon could be caused by the decomposing process.c
According to some legends, a vampire may engage in sex with his former wife, which often led to pregnancy. In fact, this belief may have provided a convenient explanation as to why a widow, who was supposed to be celibate, became pregnant. The resulting child was called a gloglave (pl. glog) in Bulgarian or vampirdzii in Turkish. Rather than being ostracized, the child was considered a hero who had powers to slay a vampire.f
The Twilight book series (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn) by Stephanie Meyers has also become popular with movie-goers. Meyers admits that she did not research vampire mythology. Indeed, her vampires break tradition in several ways. For example, garlic, holy items, and sunlight do not harm them. Some critics praise the book for capturing teenage feelings of sexual tension and alienation.i
vampire
Hollywood vampires often differ drastically from folklore vampires
Hollywood and literary vampires typically deviate from folklore vampires. For example, Hollywood vampires are typically pale, aristocratic, very old, need their native soil, are supernaturally beautiful, and usually need to be bitten to become a vampire. In contrast, folklore vampires (before Bram Stoker) are usually peasants, recently dead, initially appear as shapeless “bags of blood,” do not need their native soil, and are often cremated with or without being staked.f
Folklore vampires can become vampires not only through a bite, but also if they were once a werewolf, practiced sorcery, were excommunicated, committed suicide, were an illegitimate child of parents who were illegitimate, or were still born or died before baptism. In addition, anyone who has eaten the flesh of a sheep killed by a wolf, was a seventh son, was the child of a pregnant woman who was looked upon by a vampire, was a nun who stepped over an unburied body, had teeth when they were born, or had a cat jump on their corpse before being buried could also turn into vampires.f
In vampire folklore, a vampire initially emerges as a soft blurry shape with no bones. He was “bags of blood” with red, glowing eyes and, instead of a nose, had a sharp snout that he sucked blood with. If he could survive for 40 days, he would then develop bones and a body and become much more dangerous and difficult to kill.f
While blood drinking isn’t enough to define a vampire, it is an overwhelming feature. In some cultures, drinking the blood of a victim allowed the drinker to absorb their victim’s strength, take on an animal’s quality, or even make a woman more fecund. The color red is also involved in many vampire rituals.k
In some vampire folktales, vampires can marry and move to another city where they take up jobs suitable for vampires, such as butchers, barbers, and tailors. That they become butchers may be based on the analogy that butchers are a descendants of the “sacrificer.”c
Certain regions in the Balkans believed that fruit, such as pumpkins or watermelons, would become vampires if they were left out longer than 10 days or not consumed by Christmas. Vampire pumpkins or watermelons generally were not feared because they do not have teeth. A drop of blood on a fruit's skin is a sign that it is about to turn into a vampire.e
Mermaids can also be vampires—but instead of sucking blood, they suck out the breath of their victims.e
By the end of the twentieth century, over 300 motion pictures were made about vampires, and over 100 of them featured Dracula. Over 1,000 vampire novels were published, most within the past 25 years.k
The most popular vampire in children’s fiction in recent years had been Bunnicula, the cute little rabbit that lives a happy existence as a vegetarian vampire.g
Some historians argue that Prince Charles is a direct descendant of the Vlad the Impaler, the son of Vlad Dracula.h
The best known recent development of vampire mythology is Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off, Angel. Buffy is interesting because it contemporizes vampirism in the very real, twentieth-century world of a teenager vampire slayer played by Sarah Michelle Gellar and her “Scooby gang.” It is also notable because the show has led to the creation of “Buffy Studies” in academia.k
-- Posted May 2, 2009
References
a Bartlett, Wayne and Flavia Idriceanu. 2006. Legends of Blood: The Vampire in History and Myth. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.
b Dundes, Alan. 1998. The Vampire: A Case Book. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
c Greer, John Michael. Monsters. 2001. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Worldwide.
d Gusman, Jessica. “Medieval Vampire Skull Found Near Venice.” HuffingtonPost.com. March 11, 2009. Accessed: April 23, 2009.
e Illes, Judith. 2009. Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods, and Goddesses. New York, NY: HarperOne.
f Melton, J. Gordon. 1999. The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Dead. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press.
g -----.1998. The Vampire Gallery: Who’s Who of the Undead. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press.
h Russo, Arlene. 2008. Vampire Nation. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Worldwide.
i TheTimes.com. “New-Age Vampires Stake Their Claim.” January 12, 2006. Accessed: April 23, 2009.
j Webster, Richard. 2008. The Encyclopedia of Superstitions. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Worldwide.
k Williamson, Milly. 2005. The Lure of the Vampire: Gender, Fiction, and Fandom from Bram Stoker to Buffy. London, UK: Wallflower Press.
300 of the best fun & random facts about animals!
16:06 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 707
Random Animal Facts
If you’re looking for the most interesting list of animal facts, you’re at the right place! Here are 300 of the best fun & random facts about animals!
Gorillas can catch human colds and other illnesses.
A newborn Chinese water deer is so small it can almost be held in the palm of the hand.
Ostriches can run faster than horses, and the males can roar like lions.
A lion in the wild usually makes no more than twenty kills a year.
The female lion does ninety percent of the hunting.
The only dog that doesn’t have a pink tongue is the chow.
Turtles, water snakes, crocodiles, alligators, dolphins, whales, and other water going creatures will drown if kept underwater too long.
Almost half the pigs in the world are kept by farmers in China.
On average, dogs have better eyesight than humans, although not as colourful.
Deer have no gall bladders.
There is an average of 50,000 spiders per acre in green areas.
Snakes are carnivores, which means they only eat animals, often small ones such as insects, birds, frogs and other small mammals.
In Alaska it is illegal to whisper in someone’s ear while they’re moose hunting.
The bat is the only mammal that can fly.
The leg bones of a bat are so thin that no bat can walk.
Some male songbirds sing more than 2000 times each day.
The only mammals to undergo menopause are elephants, humpback whales and human females.
The chicken and fish are the only animals that are eaten before they are born and after they die.
A tarantula spider can survive for more than two years without food.
For every human in the world there are one million ants.
If you lift a kangaroo’s tail off the ground it can’t hop – they use their tails for balance.
If you keep a goldfish. in a dark room, it will become pale!
Cows can sleep standing up, but they can only dream lying down.
The sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog.” uses every letter of the alphabet.
The average fox weighs 14 pounds.
The scientific name of the red fox is Vulpes vulpes.
Alligators can live up to 100 years.
A single elephant tooth can weigh as much as 9 pounds.
The turkey is one of the most famous birds in North America.
A housefly hums in the key of F.
During World War II, Americans tried to train bats to drop bombs.
Canis lupus lupus is the scientific name for a grey wolf.
To escape the grip of a crocodile’s jaw, push your thumb into its eyeballs-it will let you go instantly.
It is much easier for dogs to learn spoken commands if they are given in conjunction with hand signals or gestures.
Even a small amount of alcohol placed on a scorpion will make it go crazy and sting itself to death!
Male rabbits are called “bucks,” females are “does.”
The flamingo can only eat when its head is upside down.
Animals generate 30 times more waste than humans which is 1.4 billion tons every year.
Ants never sleep. Also they don’t have lungs.
A group of owls is called a parliament.
Just one cow gives off enough harmful methane gas in a single day to fill around 400 litre bottles.
Apple and pear seeds contain arsenic, which may be deadly to dogs.
Cows have four stomachs.
An anteater is nearly 6 feet long, yet its mouth is only an inch wide.
The blue whale weighs as much as thirty elephants and is as long as three Greyhound buses.
A herd of sixty cows is capable of producing a ton of milk in less than a day.
A grasshopper can leap 20 times the length of its own body.
At birth, baby kangaroos are only about an inch long – no bigger than a large water bug or a queen bee.
The smell of a skunk can be detected by a human a mile away.
There is a butterfly in Africa with enough poison in its body to kill six cats!
http://www.thefactsite.com/2010/09/300-random-animal-facts.html
Carnivorous Plants...15:50 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 710
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=carnivorous+plants
Venus Fly Trap
Venus's flytrap
Most carnivorous plants eat flying, foraging, or crawling insects. Those that live in or around water capture very small aquatic prey like mosquito larvae and tiny fish. On rare occasions, some tropical carnivorous plants have even been reported to capture frogs, or even rats and birds (although these creatures were probably sick or already near death)! But don’t worry, these plants pose no danger to humans, even if you fell asleep in a whole bed of them.
Carnivorous plants tend to grow in places where the soil is thin or lacking in nutrients like bogs and rocky areas, so these plants must get some of their nutrients by trapping and digesting animals, especially insects. More than 600 species and subspecies of carnivorous plants have been identified, although some are now extinct. The Venus’s-flytrap is probably the most famous.
Catching a Meal
Just like other plants that need to attract other creatures to help with things like pollination, carnivorous plants use different strategies to attract their prey. Some are sweetly scented, others are brightly colored, still others have parts that are sticky or slippery or designed in a way that makes it hard for prey to escape. Once they have attracted their dinner, carnivorous plants use five basic trapping strategies:
Pitfall traps (like pitcher plants), in which the prey falls into a rolled leaf that contains a pool of digestive enzymes and/or bacteria at the bottom;
Flypaper traps, that use a sticky glue substance to hold onto unsuspecting insects;
Snap traps (like the Venus’s-flytrap), where the leaves actually snap shut to create a plant prison;
Bladder traps, which use a bladder to suck in aquatic creatures; and
Lobster-pot traps, which use inward-pointing hairs to force prey towards the digestive enzymes.
The Venus’s-flytrap has long been an object of fascination (it even stars in a movie!). How does the plant move? Does it have muscles? Venus’s-flytraps aren’t the only type of carnivorous plant that moves, but they are the most commonly known. When something touches the trigger hairs on the edges of the leaves, the cells on the inside wall of the trap transfer water to the outside walls, so the inside essentially goes limp. This makes the leaf snap closed. Another way carnivorous plants move can be observed in sundew plants, which have a long flypaper trap. Once the prey gets stuck on the gluey tentacles, the tentacles embrace the creature by growing faster on the outside than the inside. And they can do this really fast. One species of sundew can bend 180º in only a minute or so!
The Digestion Question
So once they catch their prey, how do these plants digest the meal? Most carnivorous plants make their own digestive enzymes. Still others depend on bacteria to produce these enzymes; the bacteria cause the captured prey to rot and the plant absorbs the nutrients. Still other plants rely on both their own enzymes and additional enzymes generated by bacteria. Yet another method is even more unappetizing. Some carnivorous plants use bugs and insects as helpers. For example, on carnivorous sundews, assassin bugs crawl around and eat the insects that have been captured. Then these bugs poop and the feces provide dinner for the plant! Yuck!
Plant Eats Hollywood
Meat-eating plants have also captured the imagination of many writers and filmmakers. One of the more well-known carnivorous plant stories is Little Shop of Horrors, which was originally filmed in 1960, then made into a Broadway musical, with a second Hollywood release in 1986. This comedy/musical/horror film tells the story of a florist clerk who discovers an unusual plant with a unique appetite…for human blood.
15 Rare, Exotic & Amazing Plant Species by Steph15:47 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 711
Plants that eat rats, slimy alien-looking fungi, leaves that dance all by themselves and flowers that smell like the rotting corpse of a horse: all of these wonders of nature are among the most rare, exotic and unusual plant species in the world. Some are astonishingly beautiful despite the foul odors they emit, while others look like they emerged from the mind of a horror writer, but they’re all fascinating examples of the diversity of Earth’s flora.
Rat-Eating Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes attenboroughii)
Even the most benign of pitcher plants is strange and amazing, but the species discovered in August 2009 may just be the weirdest carnivorous plant yet. It’s believed to be the largest meat-eating plant in the world, and is capable of digesting rats. Scientists found it on Mount Victoria in the Philippines and named it after famed nature broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.
Parachute Flower (Ceropegia woodii)
It looks like an artist’s rendering of extraterrestrial flora come to life: a bizarre flower with fused petals and what looks like a hairy lollipop coming out of it. The flower forms a tube lined with small hairs that point downward, so that insects attracted to the plant’s foul smell get trapped inside. The flower doesn’t consume the flies, though – it holds onto them until its hairs wither, and when the insects escape, they’re covered in the flower’s pollen.
Stinkhorn Mushroom (Mutinus Caninus)
Could these be the ugliest fungi ever? Stinkhorn mushrooms pop up out of the ground in all their creepy, stinking glory, distributing their spores through the malodorous, muddy-looking slime found at their tips. This particular variety, mutinus caninus, is so named because it resembles a certain unmentionable body part of dogs.
Dancing Plant (Desmodium Gyrans)
Have you ever watched a plant move all by itself? The “dancing plant”, also known as the telegraph plant, actually moves its leaves in jerky motions when exposed to direct sunlight, warmth or vibration – hence their reaction to music. Its leaflets, each of which is equipped with a hinge at the base that allows it to move, rotate along an elliptical path. This plant is famous for being a favorite of Charles Darwin, and is featured in depth in his book The Power of Movement in Plants.
Pelican Flower (Aristolochia grandiflora)
These flowers are almost beautiful in their strangeness, with big inflated chambers instead of petals and intricate, colorful patterns of veins. But don’t get too close, or you won’t be able to get the dead mouse smell out of your nose for hours. No, this plant isn’t a carnivorous rat-eater like the Nepenthes attenboroughii – it just uses a decaying rodent smell to attract pollinators.
Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica)
You might say this pretty little plant with its starry pink blossoms and fern-like leaves is shy. Reach out and touch it, or even just blow on it, and its leaves will close up as if startled or protecting themselves. When it’s disturbed, the stems release chemicals that force water out of the cells, which makes the leaves appear collapsed. It’s not known exactly why the plant has evolved to possess this trait, but scientists think it may be to scare off predators.
Hydnora africana
This plant isn’t just unattractive, rising out of the ground like the head of a blind sea snake and opening its jaws to the world. It smells like feces, too. A parasitic plant that attaches itself to the roots of other species, Hydnora africana emits its pungent odor to attract carrion beetles and dung beetles, its natural pollinators.
Cycad (Encephalartos woodii)
It’s one of the rarest plants in the world: a tall palm with dark, glossy leaves, once found only on a single south-facing slope on the edge of the Ngoye forest in Southern Africa. It’s extinct in the wild and produces no seeds – the only plants ever found were males. People have begun crossing it with its closest relative to produce ‘pups’ that, after 3 generations, are almost pure E. woodii again.
Dead Horse Arum Lily (Helicodiceros muscivorus)
When a plant’s name has the words ‘dead horse’ in it, you know it’s bad news. H. muscivorus is a giant flower bearing the distinct scent of rotting meat, meant to draw in female blowflies which it captures inside its swollen cavity and holds there through its first night after flowering. It releases the flies, now covered in pollen, the following day to move on to neighboring H. muscivorus plants.
Flypaper Plant (Pinguicula gigantea)
Call them opportunists, but butterworts – also known as flypaper plants – will grab hold of anything that lands on their leaves and immediately start digesting it. The upper surface of the plant is covered in sticky digestive enzymes to trap victims like mosquitoes and gnats, but it can also absorb nutrients from pollen.
Welwitschia mirabilis
If this desert plant looks like it came straight out of the age of dinosaurs, that’s because it did. Two succulent leaves continuously grow from the short, thick trunk, splitting over time into strap-shaped sections. The leaves can reach twelve feet in length. These odd plants are considered living fossils and can live up to 2,000 years.
Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum)
It’s the biggest flower in the world, and also the smelliest. The corpse flower, indigenous to the tropical forests of Sumatra, emits a pungent odor reminiscent of rotting flesh. Its central, phallus-shaped spadix warms to human body temperature during bloom to attract pollinators. The leaf structure of the flower can reach up to 20 feet tall and 16 feet wide.
Waterwheel Plant (Aldrovanda Vesiculosa)
Closely related to the Venus flytrap, the aquatic, free-floating waterwheel plant has similar snap-traps on the end of each ‘spoke’ emerging from the main stem. Each trap is covered in ‘trigger hairs’ that cause the trap to close when stimulated.
Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis)
Wollemi pines have been around for at least 200 million years, but weren’t known to science until 2004, when a field officer at Wollemi National Park in Australia noticed what he thought was an ‘unusual specimen’. Fewer than 100 trees are known to be growing in the wild, but a propo
Snowdonia Hawkweed
It may not be smelly, oversized or weird looking, but Snowdonia Hawkweed may just be the rarest plant in the world. Botanists thought it had gone extinct decades ago, but in 2002 it was rediscovered growing on a mountain slope in Wales. "We were literally capering about for joy on the mountain ledges like lunatics when we found it," said Tim Rich, head of vascular plants at the National Museums and Galleries of Wales.
Rare Plants to Grow indoors...15:42 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 712
Black Bat Flower ( Tacca chantrieri )
A most unusual plant introduced from parts of Malaysia, India, and East Asia, the Bat Plant will make you look twice. The main attraction of the plant is the strange, unique, purple-black flowers.
The flowers superficially resemble a bat in flight with long whiskers, and can grow up to 10 inches long. Taccas can be picky about their environmental conditions; however they grow fast and flower a lot when the conditions are just right. The Bat Plant should be planted in partial shade and in a humid and warm environment.
Soil should remain consistently moist, not allowing the plant to dry out between waterings. In winter months, when temperatures drop to 40F or lower, the Bat Plant should be moved indoors, or into a greenhouse to protect it from cold damage.
Makes a great container plant and is a real conversation piece.
White Bat Flower ( Tacca nivea )
Brilliant white flowers to 12" width stand upright with the petals spread to the extent that they appear as a white dove - or as a bat-like form. The throat shows the coloration of faint purple- brown, and from this region protrude 10-20 prominent dark purple bracts. Flowing from this area are up to 30 thin white tentacles "whiskers". An irresistible plant for many.
Yellow Rattleshaker ( Calathea crotalifera )
Native to Belize and Central America. Known as the yellow rattle shaker for it's resemblance to a rattlesnake's rattle. It prefers moist soil and partial shade, and will bloom in a pot. Mature height is 3-4 feet.This is as exotic tropical plant that does best semi-shade. Easy to grow from seeds. It makes an excellent landscape plant that is easily cared for. Tropical but can be wintered indoors in colder regions. Great for mass plantings and border areas. Very impressive when grown as a large container specimen. As a landscape item this giant plant can make a striking focal point for a tropical or subtropical patio or courtyard. Good houseplant if provided warmth and bright light ( large tubs ).
Night Blooming Jasmine ( Cestrum Nocturnum )
One of the most fragrant plants and versatile plants we have ever found. An upright container plant from the West Indies with greenish white flowers that emit a romantic and intoxicating fragrance at night ( fragrance is stronger in late evening, but still delightful during the day ).
Easily grown in pots in cooler climates on patios and in sunny rooms, it can be grown outside in zones 8-10. In zones 8 and 9 it will freeze to the grown, but come back the following year if root system is well established.
Prune hard after flowering to maintain size. You will have to trim it back after it flowers and upgrade the pot size a few times while it is growing. They should not be grown in pots forever, but new plants can be started easily from cuttings if the plant gets too big and old. As is true with many plants, some parts of the plant are poisonous.
Angel Wings Miniature Roses ( Rosa chinensis )
Looking for the perfect plant for your home, patio or garden?
These are probably the ones. Blooming in as little as 3 months from from the time they germinate, we have had these bloom in 4" pots before we could transplant them.
Blooming stronger and more prolifically each following year, this variety produces a constant supply of sweetly scented double and semi-double roses about 2" in size in lovely shades of rose, pink and white.
Growing to about 12-18 inches high in containers and baskets (they can eventually get larger outside in gardens as you can see in the photo, but can be sheared to any size you want ), they make excellent edging plants, potted plants or even take them indoors as lovely houseplants that will flower year round in a bright sunny window. Slow to germinate, about 3-4 months on average, this can be reduced considerably by cold stratifying, but seeds can be started any time of the year and provide good germination rate. Perennial zones 4 and higher.
Whipcord Cobra Lily ( Arisaema tortuosum )
A very weird and unusual houseplant or conversation plant from the Himalayas. Part Sun to Light Shade, does well inside. Zone: 6-9. Here is one of the true conversation pieces of the aroid world. The thick 4' tall fleshy petiole (stalk) emerges in early June, adorned by two tropical looking palmate green leaves near the top. As the leaves unfurl, the pitcher that tops the stem opens to reveal a green jack-in-the-pulpit flower, but with a whip-like tongue that extends from the mouth of the flower upwards to 12 or more inches.
Flowers may be male or bisexual. The clustered fruits are green at first, ripening to red. The plant grows in large clumps and can be up to 5-6 feet in height.
Needs a constantly moist but well-drained, neutral to acid soil in partial shade and a cool spot.
Crepe Spiral Ginger ( Costus guaniensis )
Makes a truly stunning houseplant and patio plant. A refreshing drink is made from the edible stalk with addition of sugar. Fast growing like other spiral gingers to 9 ft. The red flower bract produce a dense mass of white and yellow flowers that are tinged pink. Its numerous spiraling stems and beautiful flowers make this a handsome houseplant specimen if raised in a large container.
olden Eggs Ornamental Eggplant ( Solanum Melongena )
A very unique, tropical plant that will definitely give you a great conversation piece! Easy to grow as a houseplant or container plant. The variety is a popular ornamental and was one of the plantings in Thomas Jefferson's famous Monticello garden.
This annual is often called Golden Egg Tree, and in a warm environment, even indoors, it will produce purple flowers followed by egg-shaped, non-poisonous fruit. Golden Egg Tree uses include pots and containers on the patio or porch, house plants, and even as an ornamental hedge. The Ornamental Eggplant can be pruned and shaped depending on how it is being grown.
Needs a warm environment with full afternoon sun. While it can survive in cooler climates and partial sun, these plants will not produce fully ripened fruit. Ornamental Eggplant should be watered regularly, or whenever the soil is dry to the touch. It does not need to be fertilized, and is fairly disease resistant. Depending on the size of the plant and the environment where it is being grown, usually 10 - 20 egg-shaped fruits will form. The fruit are white at first and then turn yellow or even a gold color as they mature. The fruit is edible but not really tasty.
Growing Ornamental Eggplant seeds is not difficult. Sow the flower seed indoors 6 - 8 weeks before the last expected frost. Use small pots or starter trays, sterile seed starting soil and lightly cover the seed. Covering the pots with clear plastic helps to keep the humidity high. Mist the seeds often until germination occurs.
Once Ornamental Eggplant seedlings emerge, remove the plastic. Place the young seedlings in a sunny window or provide fluorescent lights. Harden the Golden Egg Tree plant off for 10 days or more, and do not transplant it outdoors until day time temperatures are in the 70's.
Sensitive Plant ( Mimosa pudica )
A small shrub that has pale green pinnate leaves that retract when touched, the stalks bending at the same time; after half an hour, if not further disturbed, the leaves resume their normal position. The global flower heads are pink and feathery.
The Magical Moon Garden By Patti Wigington Paganism/Wicca Expert15:28 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 713
Updated March 29, 2015.
Many Pagans love to garden, but a lot of people don't realize you can grow plants and flowers that bloom at night. Cultivating a moon garden is a great way to get in touch with nature, and it provides a beautiful and fragrant backdrop for your moonlight rituals in the summer. If you plant these lovelies close to your house, you can open the windows and take advantage of their aromas as you sleep.
Many night-blooming plants are white, and give a luminous appearance in the moonlight. If you plant them in a circle or a crescent shape, when they bloom, you'll have the moon herself right there "as above, so below." There are a number of plants that open at night -- mix them in with silver-foliaged day bloomers.
Night Blooming Plants
Moonflower: Yes, it should be painfully obvious, but the Moonflower really does bloom at night. It releases a slightly lemony scent when it opens up, and during the day the white flowers are tightly shut. Some species of this climbing plant, a cousin of the Morning Glory, can get up to eight feet long*. The flowers, when open, are around 5 - 6" in diameter.
Evening Primrose: This perennial spreads rapidly, and can cover a lot of ground for you. The pale pinkish-white flowers open at dusk, and release a sweet aroma.
Night Phlox: these pretties open up at dusk, and have a fragrance reminiscent of honey or vanilla.
Evening Stock: the tiny purple and pink flowers aren't very fancy, but they smell divine when they open at night.
Angel's Trumpet: Another vine, this annual spreads like crazy. Its trumpet-shaped, white flowers have a bell-like appearance when open.
Night Gladiolus: this plant isn't actually nocturnal, but that's when the creamy yellow flowers smell the strongest -- it's a very spicy scent that's a glorious addition to any night garden.
Day Blooming White and Silver Plants
Dusty Millers
Silver Thyme
Lamb's Ears
Mugwort (Artemesia)
Silver Sage
White vegetables such as Alba eggplants or Baby Boo or Lumina pumpkins
Herbs and Flowers with Lunar Connections
Camphor
Eucalyptus
Gardenia
Jasmine
Moonwort
Sandalwood
Willow
Water Lily
Sleepwort
What to do With Your Moon Garden Plants
When you have plants that have blossomed under the powerful energy of a full moon, the possibilities are just about endless. Harvest the flowers and dry them to use in talismans or charms. Use them to dress a Moon Candle or as part of a purification bath. Include them in incense blends to help enhance your intuition and wisdom.
*Note: Be sure to provide a trellis or other support for climbers like the Moonflower. If they don't have a stable surface to hang onto, they're less likely to fully bloom.
A Garden In The Night: Ideas For A Moon Garden By Nikki Phipps
15:22 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 714
Moon gardening at night is a great way to enjoy white or light-colored, night blooming plants, in addition to those that release their intoxicating aromas in the evening. White flowers and light-colored foliage reflect the moonlight. Not only are these a beautiful sight to behold, or smell, but these night gardens also attract important pollinators, such as moths and bats. Keep reading for ideas for a moon garden.
Ideas for a Moon Garden
Creating a garden in the night is easy, and once completed, it will provide hours of relaxing nighttime enjoyment. When designing this type of garden, consider its location carefully. Having a place to sit and take in the view and scents is one of the most important aspects of the moon garden. Therefore, you may want to consider designing the garden around a patio or deck.
Likewise, you could simply locate the night garden near a window of the home or add a bench, swing, or other comfortable seating within the garden itself. While plants with white or light-colored flowers are common to the moon garden, you should also consider the foliage—with green leaves contrasting white blooms while silver or gray, blue-green, and variegated foliage enhance the garden as well. In fact, all-white gardens rely heavily on this light-colored or variegated foliage to heighten its overall effect.
Moon Garden Plants
There are many plants suitable for moon gardening. Popular night-flowering plants include:
Evening primrose
Moonflower
Angel’s trumpet
Night phlox
For intense fragrance, you might include:
Flowering tobacco
Columbine
Pinks
Honeysuckle
Mock orange
Great choices for moon gardening foliage plants include:
Silver Artemisia
Lamb’s ear
Herbs like silver sage or thyme.
Variegated shrubs and plants, like cannas and hostas, can make excellent choices as well. For additional interest, you could even consider implementing some white vegetable varieties like white eggplant and white pumpkins.
There is no right or wrong design for gardening at night. Moon garden plants are based solely on one’s own needs and preferences. However, there are many resources available, both online and in books, that can help provide additional design ideas and plants for creating a moon garden.
Plant a Moonlight Garden Shimmering, fragrant, evocative. By Ingrid Graff
15:19 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 715
On strolls through my garden in the evening, I’m drawn to one bed in particular. As night falls, this bed of herbs and flowers glimmers, glows, catches the moonlight, and tosses it back. A breeze stirs, and I’m enveloped by scent. The fragrances of the evening seem sweeter and stronger than those of the day, or perhaps the surrounding darkness dims other senses and makes the night garden more intensely fragrant and evocative. This bed where I linger is my moonlight garden.
• Moonlight Garden Plants
One of my favorite herb gardens, this one came about almost by chance. After my original circular herb garden grew to fullness, I decided to expand it further by adding crescent-shaped beds on opposite sides of the circle.
I dug out two crescents of lawn to the north and south of my main garden and surrounded them with rocks to match the original design. After turning over the soil, I sat down on a nearby bench with a cup of tea, pondering the possibilities and waiting for inspiration. I had already decided that one crescent should contain the herbs mentioned by Shakespeare. I’m originally from England, and a Shakespeare garden would give me the opportunity to plant many English flowers that I feel nostalgic about—cowslips, primroses, violets, columbine, and daisies. The second garden, however, presented so many possibilities that I wallowed in indecision. Already flourishing in my yard were a medicinal garden, a scented garden, a bee garden, and a garden of kitchen herbs. Did I want to add a tea garden, a dyer’s garden, or perhaps a witch’s garden just for fun?
The inspiration finally came from the shapes before me: the crescents framing the round bed resembled phases of the moon. A moonlight garden of silver and white would combine beauty and practicality. Not only would pale gray leaves show up wonderfully in the moonlight and light the way for evening strolls, but they would furnish me with a fine supply of material for herbal wreaths. I already had a number of gray and silver plants in other parts of the garden, so I could begin by transplanting rather than buying, a gentle beginning for my budget. The idea of a restful, pretty garden bed that comes alive at the end of the day was appealing to me, and I dug in.
I had many plants in mind for this garden bed, but only later was I able to articulate the essential requirements for their inclusion: silver foliage, white blooms, or evening fragrance. (Using the same criteria, Carolee Snyder of Carolee’s Herb Farm in Hartford City, Indiana, has planted a larger moonlight garden in the same shape. Her plant list that accompanies the illustration is a wonderful starting point for any would-be moonlight gardener.)
The Silvers
Shades of silver and gray play an important but subordinate role in most gardens, where they act to both brighten and tone down other colors and blend areas together smoothly and harmoniously. They are lovely colors to work with, complementing pastel shades and making peace between brighter, even clashing tones. In the moonlight garden, however, these subdued colors take on more significance. Not only are they a source of reflected light, but, massed together, they become a dramatic contribution to the tapestry of texture created by foliage, flowers, and seed heads.
Many moon-garden possibilities exist among the artemisias, and that was a natural starting point for me because I already had, elsewhere in the yard, several large and handsome ones. I am especially fond of mugwort (I grow Silver King) because it furnishes a beautiful, well-nigh-indestructible base for wreaths. It is an ancient, magical plant with very deeply cut leaves that are silver on top and darker on the bottom. Wormwood is an attractive, tall, graceful plant with pretty, intricately cut leaves. Those who have the space might try the vigorous Silver Mound, Valerie Finnis, Roman wormwood, or Silver Brocade.
When I moved in silver herbs with a variety of leaf textures, such as silver horehound, curry plant, lavenders, silver sage, silver tansy, and lavender cotton, the garden became even more inviting. Every moon garden should have lamb’s-ears, whose furry leaves seem to illuminate any pathway even when the moon is only a sliver. A visiting friend brought me a plant of silver thyme, whose tiny pale leaves edged with white introduced striking contrasts in both texture and scale. A trip to a nearby field yielded a large mullein. Its large, soft silver ears of woolly down and its robust spire of a flower stalk carry the eye upward, above lower-growing plants like silver speedwell, whose smaller, more delicate leaves also find a place here.
Many of the downy, gray-leaved plants are of Mediterranean origin. Mine thrive in a sunny location and well-drained, light soil. Most are fairly drought tolerant; too much moisture, especially poor drainage, is likely to kill them. The silver thyme and the lavender cotton are the only plants that I’ve had trouble wintering over. I have to mulch them to protect them from our cold winters in northern New Hampshire. An easy way I’ve found to incorporate more tender plants into the garden is to put them in pots that I can move inside for the winter.
The soft blue grays and interesting foliage of rue, Russian sage, a potted cardoon with its large blue thistle heads, and a variety of sea hollies are other candidates that will add a soft sheen to a moon garden.
I sat back down on my bench and saw that the garden was filling in quite nicely.
Bursts of White
Finding plants with white blooms that would rise above and punctuate the silver grays with light and brightness was fun. Many common herbs and flowers have white-flowering cultivars, and the possibilities far exceeded the available space in my bed. Some of my favorites are the clear white flowers of White Nancy dead nettle, white-flowering yarrows, a white agastache, white wood betony, and White Perfection viola. The tiny flowers of white baby’s-breath add airy puffs.
Annuals self-seed randomly around the garden, filling in the spaces and helping to tie everything together. I can count on Purity cosmos, Miss Jekyll White nigella, Woodland nicotiana, white larkspur, and the annual white foxglove Excelsior to return every year. Bulbs scattered through the bed between the clumps of established perennials and in spots to be filled later with summer annuals extend the season in the moonlight garden to early spring. They include white-flowering crocuses, tulips, and narcissuses.
It’s difficult to imagine a moonlight garden without old-fashioned white shrub roses. There are so many to choose from! Mme. Legras de St. Germain, White Rose of York, Blanc Double de Coubert, and Mme. Hardy are just a few of them. All contribute not only their delicate white blooms and sturdy structure but also their heavenly perfume, another of my requirements for this garden.
Fragrance in the Night
Returning home late at night as a teenager, I used to have a rather dark and lonely journey down our lane. A huge mock orange stood near our gate, and when I saw its glow and smelled its fragrance, I knew I was safe. Now, so many years later, I realized that the addition of sweet-scented flowers to my garden would enhance the sense of peace that descends after a hectic day. A mock orange was among the first of the plants that I would add for their scent alone. Their various fragrances alert my senses and evoke memories.
While some flowers send out their scent only during daylight hours, others deign to grace only the air of evening. I have two favorite silver-leaved plants that perfume the night: night-scented stock and evening primrose.
Night-scented stock is a Cinderella of a plant. This hardy annual is so frail and scraggly during the day that I plant it behind more focal plants or discreetly along the edges of the bed. As soon as twilight seeps across the sky, however, a fairy godmother waves a wand and the little plants become more erect, open their tiny pale mauve flowers, and give off a perfume that travels on the evening air in sweet waves. It is not a cloying scent but rather one that causes you to take deeper breaths to drink it in more fully.
The evening primrose that I grow, Oenothera caespitosa, is a low-growing, white-flowered perennial native to western North America. It has gray-green leaves and blooms all summer. Just before sunset, the buds open and release a lovely citrus-jasmine scent to the evening. I remember vividly first smelling that scent in the Grand Canyon. The scent led me to the discovery of O. caverna, a white-flowered evening primrose found only in the canyon. It looked delicate and fragile, a pale, glowing beauty, and it attracted many night-flying insects as well. The plant blooms at night to reduce water loss through the flowers during the day, as the flowering season is the hottest and driest time of year. Although the evening primroses in my garden don’t have such a spectacular setting, the fragrance is very similar. Before a dinner party, I sometimes place some buds with floating candles in a shallow bowl of water; during the course of the party, they open and perfume the room. Many other species of evening primrose would also be suitable for a moonlight garden.
I also planted an abundance of pinks; these smell sweet enough during the day but take on an even richer, deeper fragrance at night. The close mats of gray spiky leaves and their small, pretty flowers are a delight. Last year, I discovered the double white Mrs. Sinkins, which is wonderful as it catches the moonlight. I’m also fond of the larger gillyflower, also called clove carnation, whose rich scent the Elizabethans used to dispel melancholy. It is taller than the pinks, and the night seems to draw out its deepest perfume.
The moonlight gardener has an abundance of fragrant plants to choose from. Night-blooming jasmine can be planted in large pots and placed close to paths or benches, the better to experience its intoxicating scent when it’s in bloom. The pots can be tucked into any empty spots in the garden as filler before and after flowering. Many nicotianas have a sweet jasmine scent that is strongest at night, and varieties are available that grow as tall as 5 feet. However, some of the modern dwarf cultivars lack any fragrance at all. Phlox’s tall stems bear masses of flowers whose sweet scent also seems to intensify at night. I find that night-blooming daylilies have a cleaner, fresher, lighter scent than either that of phlox or nicotianas.
My moonlight garden grows and changes as I find new plants for it. It is pretty by day, but its true enjoyment is reserved for the evening hours, a reward at day’s end. As I walk through it in the evening, the dark green foliage disappears, the silver-leaved plants come forward, showing the way, and the many white flowers seem to float and bob against the blackness. I can look at the moon, breathe in the fragrance, and enjoy the flicker of fireflies.
Planting by the Moon
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
Ecclesiastes 3:1–2
Gardeners have been writing about the moon and its effect on plants since they first began to record their ideas and experiences. When and how to plant seeds and seedlings, when to harvest, and how to store have all been linked to the signs of the zodiac, the planets, and especially the moon. In ancient lore, moonlight was beloved of witches, and herbs for potions and spells were gathered in the full of the moon.
The notion of planting by the moon and stars may seem ethereal; in fact, it’s easy to get bogged down in a mire of complicated information and supposition. For the astrologically impaired, one of the basic tenets passed down by folklore—and one that’s easy to follow without access to a current zodiac—is that you plant seeds in the moon’s first quarter, when it is waxing. The idea is that as the moon increases, the seed will absorb its energy and increase also. When the moon begins to wane, its energy decreases, and so this is the time to reap, while the plants’ energy is at its peak—or so the pundits say.
Another moon-related idea that has passed into garden folklore is that seeds of plants with their edible parts above ground should be planted in the waxing moon, while those grown for their roots and tubers below ground should be planted while the moon is on the wane.
The idea of planting by the moon was given new life in the 1920s by Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), an Austrian social philosopher and educator and the originator of the theory of biodynamic gardening. According to this theory, most vegetable and herb seeds should be planted two days before the new moon to take advantage of the moon’s gravitational pull, which is at a maximum when it is new. Just as the moon’s gravitational force controls the oceans’ tides, gravitational pull on the water absorbed by a seed planted just before a new moon is believed to help the seed to split. The plant’s further development is aided by the gradually increasing moonlight during the waxing period, and seedlings benefit by being transplanted at the full moon in maximum moonlight. The moon’s final quarter is considered a period of rest.
Throughout history, every theory of moonlight gardening has had its skeptics and detractors. For example, in his herbal The Art of Simpling (1656), William Coles points out that God created plants on the third day and planets the day after:
Thus did God even at first confute the folly of those Astrologers who go about to maintain that all vegetables in their growth are enslaved to a necessary and unavoidable dependence on the influence of the starres, whereas Plants were even when Planets were not.
Ingrid Graff is a New Hampshire writer, gardener, and mother of two.
9 Characteristics Of Highly Desirable Women BY AKASH GAUTAM
00:11 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 418
The dictionaries define “Desirable” as “worth having or wanting; pleasant, excellent or fine.”
Any man or woman who has dreamed of a future has probably created an image of what he or she would desire most in their partner. And most women have probably wished to be more desirable at some point. While the world keeps hankering over what exactly are the characteristics of highly desirable women, the truth is that we can only speculate. The definition will keep evolving.
However, we can safely say that highly desirable women will likely have the following nine characteristics.
1. They don’t chase people
Highly desirable women would rather chase their own awesomeness, because they know running after people is just a waste of time. They also know that it is a much better idea to become better versions of their own selves. The world will take notice when they progress in their own lives.
They don’t have time for such chases because they are just too busy creating a better life for themselves. That’s what makes a woman more desirable — that carefree, confident attitude. They are complete in themselves.
2. They are in control of their emotions
You won’t find desirable women moping about every bad relationship or failure in their lives. Instead, they are always in control of their emotions. They don’t waste their time and energy in harboring useless emotions that won’t bring them progress.
Simply put, desirable women would much rather be a shoulder when needed than be a constant cry baby.
3. They avoid gossip
Desirable women would rather use their time productively than for indulging in petty gossip. Gossip and too much talking creates drama. Desirable women know this. Petty gossip, useless talking, and drama is for school girls — not the desirable women that we look up to.
4. They are not attention seekers
You will not see desirable women posting selfies constantly or changing their relationship statuses on social media with every crush. They don’t like to spam people with such trivialities. They would much rather be known and talked about for their real and meaningful achievements.
They believe in earning attention from like-minded people, not snatching it with constant updates on the happenings in their lives. They earn respect instead of asking for it. They believe in maintaining a mystery about their lives which only selected people can have access to.
5. They don’t lose themselves in their relationships
It’s not that they hold back. Desirable women don’t lose themselves to create happiness for someone else. They have a life of their own that goes beyond the relationship. They don’t cling to their boyfriends or girlfriends constantly.
They don’t lose sight of their goals and dreams for love. They don’t lose their identity. Desirable women make smart decisions about how much time they are willing to devote to their relationships and to their goals. They set their priorities. They let their relationships add to their lives — not become their whole lives.
6. They have hobbies and passions
Desirable women make massive efforts to become better at their hobbies and passions. You won’t find these women constantly procrastinating. They find out what they love doing and do it with finesse.
Desirable women don’t waste their lives with mindless addictions, like staring at their mobile phones all day. They use their time to take up hobbies and work on improving. Some of the most desirable women are the ones who care deeply about their hobbies. It defines them and makes them more interesting people.
7. They are fiercely intelligent
Intelligence does not always refer to IQ. Desirable women are fiercely intelligent in terms of their understanding of the world and its people. They have a certain kind of wisdom that comes from experience, from a plethora of mistakes and a life full of lessons.
They have impeccable understanding of life and themselves — something that really adds to their desirability. They are no strangers to deep conversation.
8. They are always graceful
Women who understand and take pride in their womenhood are the ones that know that grace and elegance are not qualities you compromise with. It’s not about their appearance but their aura. What makes them highly desirable is that they don’t worry about their physical shortcomings. They fix what they can and carry themselves with elegance and charm that only a lady can possess.
They dress well and know how to exude confidence. What makes this all the more easier is that desirable women know that grace does not come with expensive fashion choices. It comes with self confidence.
9. They are brilliant communicators
They have clarity of thought and it shows in the words they choose, no matter which language those words are in. The confidence that they exude can easily win over hearts. They are logical with the right mix of rationality and emotion. Desirable women don’t overdo it.
They will let you talk, make you feel wanted, hear you with compassion, and show genuineness in their interactions. They know how important it is to be a good communicator and they also know what it takes to be one.
These are some of the characteristics of highly desirable women. Of course, there are many other traits that can be deemed “desirable.” Nevertheless, these are a few characteristics that will always draw us in.
10 Types of Toxic People You Should Be Careful Of BY CASEY IMAFIDON00:08 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 422
10 Types of Toxic People You Should Be Careful Of
COMMUNICATIONBY CASEY IMAFIDON
Stressors are ever present in our lives. In order to achieve more and be more productive we need to get toxic people and stressors out of our lives. Focusing on priorities and ridding the weeds in our lives can be beneficial to our forward momentum. But first we have to identify these toxic people.
1. The Egotist
Pride sometimes is a virtue. But being arrogant means you are full of yourself and believe you are better or superior to everyone around you. Being around someone who doesn’t treat you with respect but rather intimidates and belittles you can be toxic to your personal development.
2. The Envious
It seems such people appreciate your difficult times more than your periods of victory. They believe they deserve your moment of success and not you. Although you may try to make them your supporters and fans by letting them know they are a part of your success, such people only prefer to resent you for your humility and reasonableness. This type should be avoided at all cost.
3. The Pretentious
These types only act as friends on comfortable terms. When you need their help they tend to depart and stay away. They can’t be leaned on; rather, you have to recognize their pretentious traits and establish boundaries within such relationships.
4. The Retrogressive
These types have a way of distorting your progress and dragging you backwards to old habits. They believe in being stagnant and want you to be the same person you were. This type may be hard to pinpoint, but they are people who have always being an integral part of your life and may seem difficult to ignore. But it will be better to make them aware and remind them how important success is to you. if they can’t live with it, they can walk out the door.
5. The Judgmental
Nothing is ever good enough for this type of person. They believe everyone should be criticized and scolded rather than praised. Even when intentions are good and you try to make them understand your genuine motives, they wouldn’t listen. They are terrible communicators since they are not good listeners. Squashing their negative talk or avoiding their disdainful speech could be helpful to your progress.
6. The Controller
This type is a control freak. They want you to their bidding. They can be devious, mischievous and sly in trying to twist or out-muscle you to fulfill their desires. Rising above such people may be your best option since you really can’t convince or try to make them better.
7. The Liar
It’s true that lies are common and some lies aren’t harmful; however, toxic people who lie frequently can destroy you because in order to grow, you have to surround yourself with trustworthy people who will support you and offer candid and honest opinions.
8. The Gossiper
These types of people are insecure and use their tongue to twist facts and distort information. They want to be accepted and recognized and doing so may just be the only way they can get the attention they want. Even when you try to solve the problems they have caused, the only way you can truly solve the issue is to kick them out of your life, because they can be cancerous.
9. The Parasite
Such people are only in your life to suck you dry and feed off of you. Being used can be helpful sometimes, but not with the parasitic. Their intentions are only for their self interest. Such people have to be avoided at all cost.
10. The Victim
The victims never accept responsibility. They are great at pointing their fingers at others and never accepting that they have made a mistake. What chain reaction they cause can be detrimental to your success. It is best to get rid of such people and get them out of your life.
10 Benefits of Reading: Why You Should Read Every Day BY LANA WINTER-HÉBERT00:03 Apr 01 2016
Times Read: 423
10 Benefits of Reading: Why You Should Read Every Day
BY LANA WINTER-HÉBERT
When was the last time you read a book, or a substantial magazine article? Do your daily reading habits center around tweets, Facebook updates, or the directions on your instant oatmeal packet? If you’re one of countless people who don’t make a habit of reading regularly, you might be missing out: reading has a significant number of benefits, and just a few benefits of reading are listed below.
1. Mental Stimulation
Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer’s and Dementia, since keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing power. Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy, so the phrase “use it or lose it” is particularly apt when it comes to your mind. Doing puzzles and playing games such as chess have also been found to be helpful with cognitive stimulation.
2. Stress Reduction
No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or countless other issues faced in daily life, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story. A well-written novel can transport you to other realms, while an engaging article will distract you and keep you in the present moment, letting tensions drain away and allowing you to relax.
3. Knowledge
Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge you’ll ever face.
Additionally, here’s a bit of food for thought: should you ever find yourself in dire circumstances, remember that although you might lose everything else—your job, your possessions, your money, even your health—knowledge can never be taken from you.
4. Vocabulary Expansion
This goes with the above topic: the more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they’ll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any profession, and knowing that you can speak to higher-ups with self-confidence can be an enormous boost to your self-esteem. It could even aid in your career, as those who are well-read, well-spoken, and knowledgeable on a variety of topics tend to get promotions more quickly (and more often) than those with smaller vocabularies and lack of awareness of literature, scientific breakthroughs, and global events.
Reading books is also vital for learning new languages, as non-native speakers gain exposure to words used in context, which will ameliorate their own speaking and writing fluency.
5. Memory Improvement
When you read a book, you have to remember an assortment of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, history, and nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through every story. That’s a fair bit to remember, but brains are marvellous things and can remember these things with relative ease. Amazingly enough, every new memory you create forges new synapses (brain pathways)and strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-term memory recall as well as stabilizing moods. How cool is that?
6. Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills
Have you ever read an amazing mystery novel, and solved the mystery yourself before finishing the book? If so, you were able to put critical and analytical thinking to work by taking note of all the details provided and sorting them out to determine “whodunnit”.
That same ability to analyze details also comes in handy when it comes to critiquing the plot; determining whether it was a well-written piece, if the characters were properly developed, if the storyline ran smoothly, etc. Should you ever have an opportunity to discuss the book with others, you’ll be able to state your opinions clearly, as you’ve taken the time to really consider all the aspects involved.
7. Improved Focus and Concentration
In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions at once as we multi-task through every day. In a single 5-minute span, the average person will divide their time between working on a task, checking email, chatting with a couple of people (via gchat, skype, etc.), keeping an eye on twitter, monitoring their smartphone, and interacting with co-workers. This type of ADD-like behaviour causes stress levels to rise, and lowers our productivity.
When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story—the rest of the world just falls away, and you can immerse yourself in every fine detail you’re absorbing. Try reading for 15-20 minutes before work (i.e. on your morning commute, if you take public transit), and you’ll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office.
8. Better Writing Skills
This goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of your vocabulary: exposure to published, well-written work has a noted effect on one’s own writing, as observing the cadence, fluidity, and writing forbiddens of other authors will invariably influence your own work. In the same way that musicians influence one another, and painters use techniques established by previous masters, so do writers learn how to craft prose by reading the works of others.
9. Tranquility
In addition to the relaxation that accompanies reading a good book, it’s possible that the subject you read about can bring about immense inner peace and tranquility. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about an immense sense of calm, while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders and mild mental illnesses.
10. Free Entertainment
Though many of us like to buy books so we can annotate them and dog-ear pages for future reference, they can be quite pricey. For low-budget entertainment, you can visit your local library and bask in the glory of the countless tomes available there for free. Libraries have books on every subject imaginable, and since they rotate their stock and constantly get new books, you’ll never run out of reading materials.
If you happen to live in an area that doesn’t have a local library, or if you’re mobility-impaired and can’t get to one easily, most libraries have their books available in PDF or ePub format so you can read them on your e-reader, iPad, or your computer screen. There are also many sources online where you can download free e-books, so go hunting for something new to read!
There’s a reading genre for every literate person on the planet, and whether your tastes lie in classical literature, poetry, fashion magazines, biographies, religious texts, young adult books, self-help guides, street lit, or romance novels, there’s something out there to capture your curiosity and imagination. Step away from your computer for a little while, crack open a book, and replenish your soul for a little while.
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