#victoria

Up the still, glistening beaches, Up the creeks we will hie, Over banks of bright seaweed The ebb-tide leaves dry. We will gaze, from the sand-hills, At the white, sleeping town; At the church on the hill-side— And then come back down. Singing: "There dwells a loved one, But cruel is she! She left lonely for ever The kings of the sea. (from poem 'The Forsaken Merman') ↗

— Matthew Arnold

#mermaids #poem #poetry #victorian-era #love

She wore tight corsets to give her a teeny waist - I helped her lace them up - but they had the effect of causing her to faint. Mom called it the vapors and said it was a sign of her high breeding and delicate nature. I thought it was a sign that the corset made it hard to breathe. ↗

— Jeannette Walls

#common-sense #fashion #nonsense #victorian-era #nature

Of course, Lady Arabella could not suckle the young heir herself. Ladies Arabella never can. They are gifted with the powers of being mothers, but not nursing mothers. Nature gives them bosoms for show, but not for use. So Lady Arabella had a wet-nurse. ↗

— Anthony Trollope

#victorians #nature

No, not really. But …” Okay, I couldn’t help but gloat a little. “She likes me.” Samedi didn’t even look at me. “Well of course, you’ve had that bloody uniform on all day. I was half ready to tell you how much I liked you. ↗

— Lia Habel

#dystopian #fiction #lia-habel #neo-victorian #paranormal

Father has taught me that when something is lost, whether dear or not, giving up the search is sometimes best and often enough the lost article finds its owner. ↗

— Cassandra Krivy Hirsch

#historical-novel #journal #romance #victorian-era #historical-romance

Humans are curious creatures. What we cannot see, our logical minds will try to deny. ↗

— Nancy B. Brewer

#france #historical-ficiton #mystery #romance #victorian

(Hadley and Mary in the Garden at Blanchard House) He laughed, a harsh sound, all sign of humor leaving his eyes. “Don’t let any of it fool you, my dear, for even the most tarnished silver can acquire a fine and gleaming polish. And believe me, there is far more tarnish here than an innocent and unschooled eye such as yours can discern.” “Why would you speak so of yourself?” Mary protested. He reached for a red-gold curl that had escaped her lace cap and coiled it around his !nger. “I would forewarn you, Miss Edwardes that I am a man, and men in general are not to be trusted…” He held her gaze as he slowly released the ringlet, allowing his fingers to skim her cheek. “…especially not by pretty young virgins. ↗

— Victoria Vane

#victoria-vane #men

My voice went recently, never happened before, off like a tap. I had to sit in silence for nine days, chalkboard around my neck. Like an old-school mime. Like a kid in the naughty corner. Like a Victorian mute. ↗

— Adele

#before #corner #days #had #happened