The Secret Glory · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Secret Glory by Arthur Machen.
Each chapter has a companion in the reader — open a free preview to see notes beside the text.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The book is dedicated to Vincent Starrett.
Chapter 2
The Secret Glory
Ambrose Meyrick, a schoolboy at the Old Grange, endures the harsh and hypocritical regime of Mr. Horbury. He is beaten for returning late from a visit to his uncle, who has given him a mysterious Celtic cup and a secret tradition. Ambrose experiences a mystic vision of the Grail and begins to plan his escape from the oppressive school, finding solace in his Celtic heritage and the secret glory of his inner life.
Chapter 3
I
Ambrose Meyrick reflects on his eighteenth year, describing a dual life of external school activities and internal spiritual yearning. He explores the tension between asceticism and aestheticism, criticizes the inadequacy of language for divine truth, and recounts a vision of a transcendent Night that surpasses Day. A memory of the Lupton Fair triggers a deep longing for his native Gwent, which he must now suppress as part of a spiritual purgation.
Chapter 4
I
Ambrose Meyrick reflects on his eighteenth year, describing a dual life of external school activities and internal spiritual yearning. He explores the tension between asceticism and aestheticism, criticizes the inadequacy of language for divine truth, and recounts a vision of a transcendent Night that surpasses Day. A memory of the Lupton Fair triggers a deep longing for his native Gwent, which he must now suppress as part of a spiritual purgation.
Chapter 5
II
Ambrose and Nelly explore London's Soho district, dining at the Château de Chinon restaurant, where they encounter the obscure poet Carrol. The chapter contrasts their wonder and enchantment with the mundane reality, and reflects on the nature of realism and the transcendent power of art and experience.
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