Cover of Three generations

Three generations

  • Free to read
  • 9 hours to read
  • 26 chapters
  • Reading level: 8th & 9th grade

"Three Generations" by Maud Howe Elliott is an autobiographical narrative written in the early 20th century. This work reflects on the author’s life experiences and family heritage, particularly focusing on her childhood in a prominent Boston family known for its intellectual and cultural connections. The book provides insight into the lives of significant historical figures and events that shaped the author's formative years. The opening of "Three Generations" introduces us to the author as she reflects on her life in the context of significant friendships and familial bonds. Set in 1916, the narrative begins with the announcement of Henry James's death, prompting her to consider her own life’s recollections and the importance of preserving memories. We learn about her early childhood, including her birth at the Perkins Institution for the Blind, which was established by her father, and the deep connections she had with her family members, including significant figures like her mother, Julia Ward Howe, and prominent friends like Theodore Parker and John Brown. These memories create a vivid backdrop of her family’s influence amidst a rich tapestry of social and cultural interactions, ultimately setting the stage for a reflective journey through her early life experiences.

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  • Autobiographies
  • Elliott, Maud Howe, 1854-1948

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Chapter I

THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS

March 1st, 1916.

Henry James is dead. The news came to-day. A sudden warmth of old friendship, a kindness of other years leaps up within me, and the memory of how he looked at our house in Rome on a certain birthday of his that corresponds to my own latest milestone.

It was a warm day in mid-April. We were lunching on the terrace of the Palazzo Rusticucci, among the roses that shielded us from the windows of the Vatican. We drank his health in his favorite vino di Orvieto; he bowed with that exquisite courtesy of his and said in answer to our congratulations:

“This is the time when one lights the candle, goes through the house, and takes an account of stock!”

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Contents

Show all 26 chapters
  1. Front Matter
  2. Chapter I
  3. Chapter II
  4. Chapter III
  5. Chapter IV
  6. Chapter V
  7. Chapter VI
  8. Chapter VII
  9. Chapter VIII
  10. Chapter IX
  11. Chapter X
  12. Chapter XI
  13. Chapter XII
  14. Chapter XIII
  15. Chapter XIV
  16. Chapter XV
  17. Chapter XVI
  18. Chapter XVII
  19. Chapter XVIII
  20. Chapter XIX
  21. Chapter XX
  22. Chapter XXI
  23. Chapter XXII
  24. Chapter XXIII
  25. Chapter XXIV
  26. Chapter XXV

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About this edition

This free edition of Three generations by Maud Howe Elliott comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #68804, released 2022-08-21. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Biographies, American Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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