Hawthorne’s Humor Through Quotes: #3
By: Rae Padilla Francoeur
Nathaniel Hawthorne called “The House of the Seven Gables” a romance, and it certainly has its share of touching moments between Phoebe, a lovely young woman, and a talented, stalwart man named Holgrave. He tells Phoebe, during an evening spent in The Gables’ garden: “Moonlight, and the sentiment in man’s heart responsive to it, are the greatest of renovators and reformers.” Phoebe replies: “I love to watch how the day, tired as it is, lags away reluctantly, and hates to be called yesterday so soon.”
Together, this pair savors a special moment that Hawthorne brings to life beautifully.