Victorian Musings

As usual, in reading about Alfred Tennyson, I came across a letter written by Julia Margaret Cameron to the eldest son of Alfred Tennyson, Hallam Tennyson. He was only three years old at the time and I thought Mrs. Cameron's tone was very endearing. I wonder though, her letter discusses Hallam's birthday (which was August 11, 1852 and her letter is dated March 15 1856. Either she missed his birthday on August 11 1855 or she's preparing for his upcoming birthday August 11 1856?  I just thought the date of her letter and his birthday being mentioned was quite interesting.  In her letter, she references three of her children:  her daughter Juley (Julia), her sons Charlie and Henry as well.  Read the letter for yourself,  Photograph of Hallam Tennyson, son of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, by Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson)  28 September 1857, Albumen print, (formerly owned by the Weld family)   15 March 1856 My darling little Hallam        I have not forgo

I am always interested to find out about what an author's research process is when writing a novel. I have read author, Kevin Marsh's novels and loved all of them so far. I cannot wait for the next one to be published. Hurry Up Kevin!  Anyway, when I read his latest post sharing his reserch process into his first novel, The Belgae Torc I thought it was so in-depth and interesting I had to share it here, Research Notes Kevin Marsh First, some descriptions of his novels along with links to buy his books,  England 50 BC - A Celtic symbol of power and wealth, a Torc wrought from white gold, a trophy for a king. Luain Mac Lanis, warrior turned metal smith, is commissioned to make a magnificent Torc, but he knows nothing of the curse surrounding the strange metal. The only way to lift the curse is to offer the Torc to the Gods in a sacrificial ceremony. Two thousand years later the Torc is listed on the inventory of a sunken ship. Dr Orlagh Gairne, a leading archaeologi

Happy Valentine's Day (just a wee bit early) Marriage Morning  By Alfred, Lord Tennyson   Light, so low upon earth,    You send a flash to the sun. Here is the golden close of love,    All my wooing is done. Oh, all the woods and the meadows,    Woods, where we hid from the wet, Stiles where we stayed to be kind,    Meadows in which we met! Light, so low in the vale    You flash and lighten afar, For this is the golden morning of love,    And you are his morning star. Flash, I am coming, I come,    By meadow and stile and wood, Oh, lighten into my eyes and my heart,    Into my heart and my blood! Heart, are you great enough    For a love that never tires? O heart, are you great enough for love?    I have heard of thorns and briers. Over the thorns and briers,    Over the meadows and stiles, Over the world to the end of it    Flash of a million miles.

Elizabeth Siddal by Dante Gabriel Rossetti A young married woman in her thirties dies in her sleep while her husband is out with friends.Upon her husband's insistence, she stays home that evening after feeling tired but not complaining of illness.  The woman was Mrs. Dante Rossetti, Elizabeth Eleanor Rossetti nee Siddal.  This skimmed over version presents the basis of the only surviving story told by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.  Speculation over Mrs. Rossetti's health has ranged over the decades as being an intestinal disorder, tuberculosis, anorexia as well. Her husband was known to have had numerous affairs with his sitter/models causing Eliabeth Siddal much stress on her nerves. It is believed that she took laudanum partly to cope with this stress and it increased in dosage over the years after suffering a stillbirth of a baby girl in 1861 leaving her with post-partum depression.   An excerpt from the Daily News from February 1862, and found in inquest record

The Lady of Shalott a film by Wag Screen According to WagScreen this film was made back in 2009 in honor of the bicentenary of Alfred Lord Tennyson. I just watched it and during this film you will see an actor playing Alfred Tennyson as a young man at a party reading his poem, The Lady of Shalott to a room full of people. He would have been a young man of twenty four years old when it was published in 1833. It was later published in 1842 and Tennyson would have been thirty three years old. So, I am happy that the film makers kept Tennyson a youngish man in this representation. However, I did not like his quirky outfit or his recitation of The Lady of Shalott . Alfred Tennyson had a deep voice with a thick Lincolnshire accent not a posh sounding British accent but I'm fussy when it comes to my Tennyson.  What I do love is the beautiful depiction of the John William Waterhouse painting of The Lady of Shalott brought beautifully to life right down to her dress, the boat a

I have told everyone I know in person and throughout social media about how much I love the novels of Kevin Marsh. His books are so engrossing, intelligently written and excellently plotted that I can't wait for the next one!  Yes, he is a friend of mine but I come to you out of honesty and without much bias. I just believe in his passion for the written word and his dedication to writing. One of my favorite novels of his is a mystery set in Scotland, 'The Witness.'  When I tell you one of the most terrifying serial killers I have come across is the character Mr. Mac. My goodness his torture and psychological torment he puts his victims through like main character, Josie Macdonald. I found myself squirming in my seat, hands gripped on the arm of the sofa. I was curled up in a fetal position by the end of it! The Witness is a psychological thriller, gripping, page turner with intelligent writing and well thought out plots. Now that it is on sale on Kindle I hope you will

Three women, born generations apart. One mysterious book that threads their lives together. A journey of love, discovery, and truth… I’ll See You in Paris is based on the real life of Gladys Spencer-Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, a woman whose life was so rich and storied it could fill several books. Nearly a century after Gladys’s heyday, a young woman’s quest to understand the legendary Duchess takes her from a charming hamlet in the English countryside, to a dilapidated manse kept behind barbed wire, and ultimately to Paris, where answers will be found at last. In the end, she not only solves the riddle of the Duchess, but uncovers the missing pieces in her own life. At once a great love story and literary mystery, I’ll See You in Paris will entertain and delight, with an unexpected ending that will leave readers satisfied and eager for Gable’s next novel.   St. Martin's Press Thomas Dunne Books February 2016 Hardcover ISBN: 9781250070630 ISB