You never find an instance of two people living together who continue to be overawed by each other's excellence and always treat each other with scrupulous care and respect, so such a relationship is obviously a great rarity.Ĭopying out a tale or a volume of poems without smearing any ink on the book you're copying from. Someone who's superior in both appearance and character, and who's remained utterly blameless throughout his long dealings with the world. Likewise, a wife who's loved by her mother-in-law.Ī pair of silver tweezers that can actually pull out hairs properly.Ī retainer who doesn't speak ill of his master.Ī person who is without a single quirk. Rare Things- A son-in-law who's praised by his wife's father. It is beautiful indeed when snow has fallen during the night, but splendid too when the ground is white with frost or even when there is no snow or frost, but it is simply very cold and the attendants hurry from room to room stirring up the fires and bringing charcoal, how well this fits the season's mood! But as noon approaches and the cold wears off, no one bothers to keep the braziers alight, and soon nothing remains but piles of white ashes.” When the sun has set, one's heart is moved by the sound of the wind and the hum of the insects. In autumn, the evenings, when the glittering sun sinks close to the edge of the hills and the crows fly back to their nests in threes and fours and twos more charming still is a file of wild geese, like specks in the distant sky. Not only when the moon shines, but on dark nights too, as the fireflies flit to and fro, and even when it rains, how beautiful it is!

As the light creeps over the hills, their outlines are dyed a faint red and wisps of purplish cloud trail over them. “ In spring it is the dawn that is most beautiful.

Sei shōnagon the pillow book