Explore by theme
mortality
A curated path through fragments connected by a shared motif, atmosphere, or recurring literary concern.
2026-04-01
And all with pearl and ruby glowing Was the fair palace door, Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing And sparkling evermore, A troop of Echoes whose sweet duty Was but to sing, In voices of surpassing beauty, The wit and wisdom of their king. But evil th...
2026-04-01
There was a wild recklessness of gaiety in his manner as he sat at table, but now and then a thrill of terror ran through him when he remembered that, pressed against the window of the conservatory, like a white handkerchief, he had seen the face of James Vane...
2026-04-01
At any rate, whatever were my wanderings, the clock chimed twelve as I entered the house; and that gave exactly an hour for every mile of the usual way from Wuthering Heights. My human fixture and her satellites rushed to welcome me; exclaiming, tumultuously, ...
2026-04-01
The majority of the inhabitants had escaped, I suppose, by way of the Old Woking road—the road I had taken when I drove to Leatherhead—or they had hidden. We went down the lane, by the body of the man in black, sodden now from the overnight hail, and broke int...
2026-03-31
Van Helsing and I looked at each other, and as we moved away he said: “We can attend to them later.” Then we ascended to Lucy’s room. For an instant or two we paused at the door to listen, but there was no sound that we could hear. With white faces and trembli...
2026-03-29
Content Note
This entry contains sensitive material. Open the entry to continue.
2026-03-29
By this time I had searched all the tombs in the chapel, so far as I could tell; and as there had been only three of these Un-Dead phantoms around us in the night, I took it that there were no more of active Un-Dead existent. There was one great tomb more lord...
2026-03-16
But my choice and constant companions should be a set of my own immortal brotherhood; among whom, I would elect a dozen from the most ancient, down to my own contemporaries. Where any of these wanted fortunes, I would provide them with convenient lodges round ...
2026-03-10
In my education my father had taken the greatest precautions that my mind should be impressed with no supernatural horrors. I do not ever remember to have trembled at a tale of superstition or to have feared the apparition of a spirit. Darkness had no effect u...
2026-03-09
Content Note
This entry contains sensitive material. Open the entry to continue.
2026-03-07
From Ripley until I came through Pyrford I was in the valley of the Wey, and the red glare was hidden from me. As I ascended the little hill beyond Pyrford Church the glare came into view again, and the trees about me shivered with the first intimation of the ...
2026-03-04
my father’s active superintendence; and when, immediately before my father’s death, Mr.
2026-03-02
Content Note
This entry contains sensitive material. Open the entry to continue.
2026-02-27
In fine, let us consider the limitations of the vampire in general, and of this one in particular. “All we have to go upon are traditions and superstitions.
2026-02-12
But I thought it more consistent with prudence and justice to pass the remainder of my days with my wife and family. A particular description of the Struldbrugs, with many conversations between the author and some eminent persons upon that subject. The Luggnag...