The Prized Treasures

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  “Will the prized treasures of today always be the cheap trifles of the day before? Will rows of our willow-pattern dinner-plates be ranged above the chimneypieces of the great in the years 2000 and odd? Will the white cups with the gold rim and the beautiful gold flower inside (species unknown), that our Sarah Janes now break in sheer light-heartedness of spirit, be carefully mended, and stood upon a bracket, and dusted only by the lady of the house? . . . .   The “sampler” that the eldest daughter did at school will be spoken of as “tapestry of the Victorian era,” and be almost priceless. The blue-and-white mugs of the present-day roadside inn will be hunted up, all cracked and chipped, and sold for their weight in gold, and rich people will use them for claret cups; and travellers from Japan will buy up all the “Presents from Ramsgate,” and “Souvenirs of Margate,” that may have escaped destruction, and take them back to Jedo as ancient English curios.” Jerome K. Jerome, “T...

Marked red with many an eager kiss

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ANTONY: I thought how those white arms would fold me in, 

And strain me close, and melt me into love; 

So pleased with that sweet image, I sprung forwards, 

And added all my strength to every blow. 


CLEOPATRA: Come to me, come, my soldier, to my arms! 

You’ve been too long away from my embraces; 

But, when I have you fast, and all my own,

With broken murmurs, and with amorous sighs, 

I’ll say, you were unkind, and punish you, 

And mark you red with many an eager kiss.


John Dryden (1631–1700).  “All for Love.” Act 3

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