Hello Halbird
I think the book must be "Zenobia" even though the form of words is
slightly different from the quotation you give. In this novel Queen
Zenobia's friend Fausta says of her relationship with Piso, the
narrator: "Our attachment.......is not less than love, but greater. It
is the sacred tie of nature -- if I may say so -- of brother to sister
-- it is friendship."
"Zenobia" was written by an American clergyman, William Ware
(1797-1852), and originally published in a magazine as a series of
letters from a Roman nobleman, i.e. Piso, visiting Palmyra during
Zenobia's reign. "The Letters from Palmyra" were published in book
form in 1837 in the States and renamed "Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra"
when published in London in 1868 by F.Warne, probably the first
non-American edition.
See Library of Congress catalog at:
http://www.mala.bc.ca/~mcneil/libcon0996.htm
Though you don't say when Mill recommended this book to Nightingale,
the London publication date, 1868, is five years before his death.
You may want to know that one website (see below) suggests it was
published in London in 1850 and it was certainly available in book
form in the US from 1837 onwards. (same Library of Congress records as
above)
The subject matter might have appealed to Mill's feminism as Zenobia's
hand is said to have been "made for other weapon than the needle."
When Fausta describes her relationship with Piso, the narrator, as
greater than love, Queen Zenobia is moved to hold forth on the
subject. This quotation gives you an idea of the literary style as
well as amplifying the general theme of love vis-a-vis friendship:
"You say well," replied the Queen. "I like the sentiment. It is not
less than love, but greater. Love is a delirium, a dream, a disease.
It is full of disturbance. It is unequal -- capricious -- unjust; its
felicity, when at the highest, is then nearest to deepest misery -- a
step -- and it is into unfathomable gulfs of woe. While the object
loved is as yet unattained -- life is darker than darkest night. When
it is attained, it is then oftener like the ocean heaving and tossing
from its foundations, than the calm, peaceful lake, which mirrors
friendship. And when lost -- all is lost -- the universe is nothing.
Who will deny it the name of madness? Will love find entrance into
Elysium? Will heaven know more than friendship? ..........."
( Published by the 'University of Virginia Library - Early American
Fiction' project at:
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/eaf/authors/cal/wwCal.html )
The 1850 publication date appears on this site which uses another
variation of the title - "The Fall of Palmyra":
http://www.lafayette.150m.com/dev1350.html
It also features a striking 1897 photo of the Duchess of Devonshire
posing as Zenobia before a grand fancy dresss ball.
There seem to be two used copies of the novel for sale if you type
'william ware' into the search box on amazon.com and scroll down till
you get to the long title starting "Aurelian...."
But please note that the title is a litle different from the U of V's
version; the letters should be from Piso in Palmyra to his friend
Marcus Curtius in Rome.
I hope this is helpful. Please let me know if anything needs
clarification.
Most useful information came from the U of V site I mentioned, i.e.:
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/eaf/authors/cal/wwCal.html
which is the one and only site google offers if you type in:
friendship "not less than love"
The rest of my search strategy was to type in combinations of Zenobia,
William Ware, Letters from Palmyra etc. to see what further
information might be available, and to check that dates etc. would
support a link with Mill. |
