Mothers and ChildrenW. Collins, 1918 - 166 pages These 14 brief, contrasting vignettes, which each stand alone and deal with one mother and her child, provide glimpses of a huge range of mother-child relationships. Most extol the passion, depth and fulfilment of maternal love, which is likened in some tales to divine love, even protecting a child from beyond the grave (EILEEN). Some mothers invest all ambition in their offspring (ARTHUR). Some stories describe tragedies – MARGUERITE turns out ‘a dumbie’, longed-for PHI-PHI is an ‘idiot’, clever GERALD has a serious accident at Eton, BOBBY dies aged 4, devastating his mother, idolised CHARLIE becomes delinquent and ruins the family (though retaining his mother’s adoration). DOUGLAS’s adoptive mother cannot love him as his own mother still does. Some children return this devotion - GERALD comforts his anguished mother after his accident, MAUD gives up married love to care for her blind mother. NORMAN’s mother, fleeing a drunken, murderous husband, is redeemed and comforted by her son. Other mothers, like DERRICK’s, hate their children, with reciprocal dislike. GLADYS, spoiled by her mother, grows up selfish and arrogant. JANEY’s mother despises husband and child, and Janey dreams of her absent father. |
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Page 27
... of her satisfaction in him , a kinder and gentler view of all the world . I prefer to see the charm of affection between these two grown so as to include the whole of humanity . And in that future I can see even a possibility 27 ARTHUR.
... of her satisfaction in him , a kinder and gentler view of all the world . I prefer to see the charm of affection between these two grown so as to include the whole of humanity . And in that future I can see even a possibility 27 ARTHUR.
Page 43
... to girlhood . What her education had done for her was to develop a sympathy and a gentleness to all humanity - echo of the mother - love whose words had been music to her baby ears . they took the boy out of her arms , and 43 MAUD.
... to girlhood . What her education had done for her was to develop a sympathy and a gentleness to all humanity - echo of the mother - love whose words had been music to her baby ears . they took the boy out of her arms , and 43 MAUD.
Page 56
... humanity when he told her stories and laughed at her horror of them . His habits , his ideas , his mode of life were hideous and hateful to her . She could not refrain from saying it ; and he was not the man to bear her condemnation ...
... humanity when he told her stories and laughed at her horror of them . His habits , his ideas , his mode of life were hideous and hateful to her . She could not refrain from saying it ; and he was not the man to bear her condemnation ...
Page 74
... humanity . Their large family just saves them . There are eleven or twelve of them , boys and girls in about equal numbers . They are not happy children : the elder ones , who are at public schools , wince at their parents ' vulgarity ...
... humanity . Their large family just saves them . There are eleven or twelve of them , boys and girls in about equal numbers . They are not happy children : the elder ones , who are at public schools , wince at their parents ' vulgarity ...
Page 98
... humanity of humanity in tones that reached it , and taught lessons of sympathy and brotherhood and understanding . Eric was a genius , and Joanna knew it . Two years they were happy , giving each other all each other lacked . Joanna was ...
... humanity of humanity in tones that reached it , and taught lessons of sympathy and brotherhood and understanding . Eric was a genius , and Joanna knew it . Two years they were happy , giving each other all each other lacked . Joanna was ...
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Common terms and phrases
ambitions arms Arthur asked Aunt Bessie baby beautiful Bobby brain caresses Carson Charlie child Chisel Danby's Derrick Devereux Douglas dream Eileen Eric Eton everything face father Frank Danby Frazer friends genius Gerald girl glad Gladys grew growing hair hands happy head heard heart ache Heaven husband Janey Jessie Joanna John Evans kiss knee knew light lips little angel little one's lived look Marguérite Margy marriage married maternity Maud Maud's measles months mother-love mother's eyes MOTHERS AND CHILDREN Mummy Mumsey ness nestled never night nurse nursery old Celia old maid pain pale passion perhaps Phi-phi Phyllis Vane's pity Poor little Poor mother Reuben Carson's seemed shadow world Slowcumb smiled Stanford University story sympathy talk tears tell Temple thought tin soldier told touched tremulous trouble turn Ursula voice watch wife woman words Wyvern young young doctor
Popular passages
Page 21 - I HAD a little daughter, And she was given to me To lead me gently backward To ,the Heavenly Father's knee, That I, by the force of nature, Might in some dim wise divine The depth of his infinite patience To this wayward soul of mine.