A Woman In China

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, New Age, History, Fiction & Literature
Cover of the book A Woman In China by Mary Gaunt, Library of Alexandria
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Mary Gaunt ISBN: 9781465614940
Publisher: Library of Alexandria Publication: March 8, 2015
Imprint: Language: English
Author: Mary Gaunt
ISBN: 9781465614940
Publisher: Library of Alexandria
Publication: March 8, 2015
Imprint:
Language: English
When I was a little girl and was taken to see my grandmother, she set out for my amusement, to be looked at but not touched by little fingers, various curios brought home by my grandfather from China in the old days when he was a sailor in the Honourable East India Company’s service; beautifully carved ivory chessmen, a model of a Chinese lady’s foot about three inches long, dainty mother-of-pearl counters made in the likeness of all manner of strange beasts, lacquer boxes and ivory balls; models of palankeens in ivory, and fans that seemed to me, brought up in the somewhat rough-and-ready surroundings of a new country, dreams of loveliness. The impression was made, I felt the fascination of China, the fascination of a thing far beyond me. Like the pretty things, so out of my reach it seemed that I did not even add it to the list of places I intended to visit when I grew up, for even then my great desire was to travel all over the world; I was born with the wander fever in my blood, but unfortunately with small means of satisfying it. As I grew older I used to read every travel book I could get hold of, and later on when I began to live by my pen I got into the habit of gauging my chances of seeing a country by the number of books written about it. China, judged by this standard, fell naturally into the place assigned to it by my grandmother’s curios; for from the days of Marco Polo men have gone up and down the land, painfully, sorrowfully, gladly, triumphantly, and at least half of them seem to have put pen to paper to describe what they have seen. Was it likely there would be anything left for me to write about?
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
When I was a little girl and was taken to see my grandmother, she set out for my amusement, to be looked at but not touched by little fingers, various curios brought home by my grandfather from China in the old days when he was a sailor in the Honourable East India Company’s service; beautifully carved ivory chessmen, a model of a Chinese lady’s foot about three inches long, dainty mother-of-pearl counters made in the likeness of all manner of strange beasts, lacquer boxes and ivory balls; models of palankeens in ivory, and fans that seemed to me, brought up in the somewhat rough-and-ready surroundings of a new country, dreams of loveliness. The impression was made, I felt the fascination of China, the fascination of a thing far beyond me. Like the pretty things, so out of my reach it seemed that I did not even add it to the list of places I intended to visit when I grew up, for even then my great desire was to travel all over the world; I was born with the wander fever in my blood, but unfortunately with small means of satisfying it. As I grew older I used to read every travel book I could get hold of, and later on when I began to live by my pen I got into the habit of gauging my chances of seeing a country by the number of books written about it. China, judged by this standard, fell naturally into the place assigned to it by my grandmother’s curios; for from the days of Marco Polo men have gone up and down the land, painfully, sorrowfully, gladly, triumphantly, and at least half of them seem to have put pen to paper to describe what they have seen. Was it likely there would be anything left for me to write about?

More books from Library of Alexandria

Cover of the book Essays on Suicide and the Immortality of the Soul by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book Dead Man's Love by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book On Compromise by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book The Great Frozen Sea: A Personal Narrative of the Voyage of the "Alert" by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches (Complete) by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book Ghostly Phenomena by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book The History of Antiquity, Volumes I, V. and VI of VI by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book The Hour Will Come: A Tale of an Alpine Cloister (Complete) by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book Folk-lore and Legends: German by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book Ann Boyd: A Novel by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book The Story of Peter Pan: Retold From the Fairy Play by Sir James Barrie by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan, (Complete) Including a Summer in the Upper Karun Region and a Visit to the Nestorian Rayahs by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book Zigzag Journeys in Northern Lands: The Rhine to the Arctic; A Summer Trip of the Zigzag Club Through Holland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book George Whitefield: A Biography with Special Reference to his Labors in America by Mary Gaunt
Cover of the book Rural Architecture: Being a Complete Description of Farm Houses, Cottages and Out Buildings by Mary Gaunt
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy