# XXXI explained — Amaryllis at the Fair

> Chapter companion for Amaryllis at the Fair by Richard Jefferies.

## What happens

Amadis Iden, invigorated by Goliath ale, plays the flute for Amaryllis in the meadow, while Alere reflects on his own experiments with various remedies, including a humorous encounter with an American who recommended crude petroleum for his cough.

## Themes in this chapter

### Art, Ambition, and Failure

Alere's discussion of drawing a starling in flight and the flute music evoke artistic endeavor and the challenge of capturing nature.

### The Passage of Time and Loss

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

## Character check-ins

### Amaryllis Iden

Listens to Amadis play the flute in the meadow, observes the starling's flight, and notices the faint color returning to Amadis's cheeks.

### Amadis Iden

Plays the flute for Amaryllis, drinks Goliath ale, and shows signs of improved color and vitality.

### Old Flamma

Sings old German songs and recites Latin verses after drinking Goliath ale, reflecting on his own health experiments.

## Key lines

> He saw it fall, he watched it fill, And sink deep, deep into the main; Then sorrow o’er his eyelids fell, He never drank a drop again.

He observed the cup fall and fill with water, sinking into the sea, and then sadness overcame him, leading him to stop drinking forever.

_A song about a King in Thule, reflecting themes of loss and renunciation._

> To produce an image of a starling flying, you must draw all this. The swift feathers are almost liquid; they leave a streak behind in the air like a meteor.

To capture a starling in flight, one must depict the rapid motion of its wings, which appear as a blur or streak, like a meteor's trail.

_Alere's artistic observation on the difficulty of rendering motion in drawing._

> Crude petroleum! Could anything be more nauseous? But probably it acts as a kind of cod-liver oil. Sometimes I wish I had tried it.

The idea of taking crude petroleum is disgusting, but it might work like cod-liver oil; I sometimes regret not trying it.

_Reflection on the American's unconventional remedy for cough._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/amaryllis_at_the_fair_se/chapters/xxxi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/amaryllis_at_the_fair_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/amaryllis_at_the_fair_se/chapters