The Lilac Fairy Book

The Lilac Fairy Book

What cases are you engaged in at present? Are you stopping many teeth just now? What people have you converted lately? Do ladies put these questions to the menlawyers, dentists, clergymen, and so forthwho happen to sit next them at dinner parties? I do not know whether ladies thus indicate their interest in the occupations of their casual neighbours at the hospitable board. But if they do not know me, or do not know me well, they generally ask Are you writing anything now? (as if they should ask a painter Are you painting anything now? or a lawyer Have you any cases at present?). Sometimes they are more definite and inquire What are you writing now? as if I must be writing somethingwhich, indeed, is the case, though I dislike being reminded of it. It is an awkward question, because the fair being does not care a bawbee what I am writing; nor would she be much enlightened if I replied Madam, I am engaged on a treatise intended to prove that Normal is prior to Conceptional Totemismthough that answer would be as true in fact as obscure in significance. The best plan seems to be to answer that I have entirely abandoned mere literature, and am contemplating a book on The Causes of Early Blight in the Potato, a melancholy circumstance which threatens to deprive us of our chief esculent root. The inquirer would never be undeceived. One nymph who, like the rest, could not keep off the horrid topic of my occupation, said You never write anything but fairy books, do you? A French gentleman, too, an educationist and expert in portraits of Queen Mary, once sent me a newspaper article in which he had written that I was exclusively devoted to the composition of fairy books, and nothing else. He then came to England, visited me, and found that I knew rather more about portraits of Queen Mary than he did. In truth I never did write any fairy books in my life, except Prince Prigio, Prince Ricardo, and Tales from a Fairy Courtthat of the aforesaid Prigio. I take this opportunity of recommending these fairy bookspoor things, but my ownto parents and guardians who may never have heard of them. They are rich in romantic adventure, and the Princes always marry the right Princesses and live happy ever afterwards; while the wicked witches, stepmothers, tutors and governesses are never cruelly punished, but retire to the country on ample pensions. I hate cruelty: I never put a wicked stepmother in a barrel and send her tobogganing down a hill. It is true that Prince Ricardo did kill the Yellow Dwarf; but that was in fair fight, sword in hand, and the dwarf, peace to his ashes! died in harness. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 3454
Author: Lang, Andrew
Release Date: Oct 1, 2002
Format: eBook
Language: English