The Passage of Time and Loss

Where it surfaces

• Epigraph

  The epigraph 'Our day is but a finger' evokes the brevity of life and the urgency to seize the moment.

• I

  The narrator laments the disappearance of damask roses and the sense of 'home,' reflecting on a century of change and the fading of the family's legacy.

• IV

  The worn panel on the wainscot, ground down by thirty years of Mr. Iden's head, symbolizes the slow erosion of time and the accumulated suffering of the Iden family over two centuries.

• V

  Mrs. Iden's tears over the faded honeymoon glove and the crushed daffodil evoke loss and the fading of past happiness.

• IX

  The chapter reflects on how years of marriage and life have dulled original feelings, culminating in the sad visit to the theatre after Old Flamma's funeral.

• X

  Grandfather Iden's aged appearance, his bent posture, and the notches on the peel recording grandchildren's growth emphasize the relentless march of time.

• XI

  Grandfather Iden's collection of dried petals and leaves in old books symbolizes the preservation of beauty against the decay of time.

• XIV

  The fair's unchanging amusements and the Abbey's seven hundred years of history emphasize the relentless passage of time and the weight of the past.

• XV

  Grandfather Iden, at ninety years old, still performs the rituals of deference to the Pamments, while the text notes that the art of bowing has been lost in the modern generation, suggesting a change in social customs over time.

• XVI

  The narrator reflects on the fall of Sebastopol and the flight of time, contrasting past events with the present frivolity.

• XX

  The neglected portfolio and dust in the garret signify lost creative time and the erosion of hope.

• XXV

  Amaryllis notes her father's aging, her mother's declining health, and the grey hairs and lost youth, emphasizing the toll of time.

• XXVI

  Three years have passed since Amadis last visited; Amaryllis has grown from a girl into a woman, and Amadis is a shadow of his former self.

• XXVII

  The chapter reflects on the fading of romance with age: 'as we grow older the romance fades, and all things become commonplace.' Wild flowers alone remain fresh and dear, symbolizing a timeless connection to nature and memory.

• XXIX

  The chapter reflects on the relentless cycle of poverty and death in London, with references to frost, disease, and the constant presence of death among the living.

• XXXI

  The nostalgic songs and memories of schooldays, along with Amadis's fragile health, underscore the fleeting nature of time and vitality.

• XXXIV

  The narrator notes that Iden's strong back is already stooping, and the world's 'petty threescore years and ten' slips away while he dreams of perfection.