edenssixthday
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Posts posted by edenssixthday
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MARLEY'S GHOST
The same face: the very same. Marley in his pigtail, usual waistcoat, tights and boots; the tassels on the latter bristling, like his pigtail, and his coat-skirts, and the hair upon his head. The chain he drew was clasped about his middle. It was long, and wound about him like a tail; and it was made (for Scrooge observed it closely) of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel. His body was transparent; so that Scrooge, observing him, and looking through his waistcoat, could see the two buttons on his coat behind.
Scrooge had often heard it said that Marley had no bowels, but he had never believed it until now.
No, nor did he believe it even now. Though he looked the phantom through and through, and saw it standing before him; though he felt the chilling influence of its death-cold eyes; and marked the very texture of the folded kerchief bound about its head and chin, which wrapper he had not observed before; he was still incredulous, and fought against his senses.
“How now!” said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever. “What do you want with me?”
“Much!”—Marley’s voice, no doubt about it.
“Who are you?”
“Ask me who I was.”
“Who were you then?” said Scrooge, raising his voice. “You’re particular, for a shade.” He was going to say “to a shade,” but substituted this, as more appropriate.
“In life I was your partner, Jacob Marley.”
“Can you—can you sit down?” asked Scrooge, looking doubtfully at him.
“I can.”
“Do it, then.”
Scrooge asked the question, because he didn’t know whether a ghost so transparent might find himself in a condition to take a chair; and felt that in the event of its being impossible, it might involve the necessity of an embarrassing explanation. But the ghost sat down on the opposite side of the fireplace, as if he were quite used to it.
“You don’t believe in me,” observed the Ghost.
“I don’t,” said Scrooge.
“What evidence would you have of my reality beyond that of your senses?”
“I don’t know,” said Scrooge.
“Why do you doubt your senses?”
“Because,” said Scrooge, “a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!”
Scrooge was not much in the habit of cracking jokes, nor did he feel, in his heart, by any means waggish then. The truth is, that he tried to be smart, as a means of distracting his own attention, and keeping down his terror; for the spectre’s voice disturbed the very marrow in his bones.
To sit, staring at those fixed glazed eyes, in silence for a moment, would play, Scrooge felt, the very deuce with him. There was something very awful, too, in the spectre’s being provided with an infernal atmosphere of its own. Scrooge could not feel it himself, but this was clearly the case; for though the Ghost sat perfectly motionless, its hair, and skirts, and tassels, were still agitated as by the hot vapour from an oven.
“You see this toothpick?” said Scrooge, returning quickly to the charge, for the reason just assigned; and wishing, though it were only for a second, to divert the vision’s stony gaze from himself.
“I do,” replied the Ghost.
“You are not looking at it,” said Scrooge.
“But I see it,” said the Ghost, “notwithstanding.”
“Well!” returned Scrooge, “I have but to swallow this, and be for the rest of my days persecuted by a legion of goblins, all of my own creation. Humbug, I tell you! humbug!”
At this the spirit raised a frightful cry, and shook its chain with such a dismal and appalling noise, that Scrooge held on tight to his chair, to save himself from falling in a swoon. But how much greater was his horror, when the phantom taking off the bandage round its head, as if it were too warm to wear in-doors, its lower jaw dropped down upon its breast!
Scrooge fell upon his knees, and clasped his hands before his face.
“Mercy!” he said. “Dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?”
“Man of the worldly mind!” replied the Ghost, “do you believe in me or not?”
“I do,” said Scrooge. “I must. But why do spirits walk the earth, and why do they come to me?”
Chains of avarice binding an unquiet spirit: grave-cold phantasmal iron links.
Marley's Ghost - This isn't the scent of dark, heavy, rusty chains. Rather, it's bright, crisp, and clean metal that has something about it that reminds me of ozone, although I don't think there's ozone actually in it. It also reminds me of a fine, high-quality men's cologne, although it's not a masculine scent, but more gender-neutral. It's a very nice fragrance, but doesn't really grab me since my scent preferences tend to run in a different direction. -
Christmas Eve on the Moor - I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this one because it sounded like it could smell really beautiful, but if the mud note took over, I would hate it. Well, I tried it, and I love it.
I don't smell any mud at all. It's a really gorgeous scent -- definitely has the scent of frost-dampened winter grasses, and the moss gives it a really lovely layer of depth. The stone note is faint, and is the "good" stone that I love from scents like Night's Bridge. I don't pick up at all on the fire note. When I first apply, it's mostly a strong ozone and moss scent, and the ozone renders the wet oil slightly cologney, but it dries down beautifully, without the faintest hint of cologne, even though the ozone is still present. Once it's dried down, it's mostly an ozone and moss scent, while the other notes (except for the mud and fire, which I never do smell at all) play in the background. It's really, really beautiful. -
A World of Fools - Whoa, this is a foody scent? I can't usually wear foodies, and when I tried this on, I hadn't read the scent description, so I had no idea what was in it. It doesn't smell remotely of fig to me. Rather, to my nose, it smells heavy and resinous with a hint of spiciness. I thought for sure it had myrrh and ginger in it. But it didn't smell remotely sweetly foody or like baked goods at all. And it didn't "turn" on my skin, as most foody scents do. I was honestly shocked when I read the scent description. Anyway, I'm getting off-topic. I do smell a bit of an evergreen type scent, but it smells more like pine resin than the greenery of holly. It does give it a bit of a Christmas feel, but more than anything, it's just warm, resinous, and spicy. The throw is really lovely and the staying power is well above average. Of all the Yules I've tried so far this year, this one is my favorite.
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EBENEZER SCROOGE
Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog-days; and didn’t thaw it one degree at Christmas.
External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Foul weather didn’t know where to have him. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. They often “came down” handsomely, and Scrooge never did.
Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, “My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?” No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o’clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind men’s dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, “No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!”
A dry, dusty, soulless scent, flinty with greed, sour with ill-temper: neglected leather, oakmoss, tonka bean, black pepper, cumin, and vetiver.
Ebenezer Scrooge - I liked this one a lot. It opens up smelling like a typical, strong men's cologne, but as it dries down, the leather really starts to come out, and it begins to smell absolutely wonderful. I never smell the vetiver at all. The lovely oakmoss and tonka bean leave the scent feeling solid and well-rounded, and very warm and masculine. The leather doesn't really blend with the leather or oakmoss, but sits on top of them, as if the scent has layers or levels. It's not the black leather from Whip, but more of a well-worn, old, brown leather. Lastly, there's a hint of black pepper spicing things up, and I think that, along with the cumin, is of what makes it smell "cologney" to me, as black pepper is a note that's "iffy" on my skin. But it never overwhelms the other notes, and complements them rather well. It's not dry, dusty, soulless, greedy, sour, or ill-tempered. It's actually quite lovely, and while it's a tad too masculine for my own personal scent preferences, this is one that would smell amazing on my husband. It's got a ton of throw and the wear-length is quite long. I think people who went gaga over Rivet.Goth should consider trying this one out. -
The Nutcracker - This is definitely a resin-heavy scent. It's predominantly warm, dry, husky frankincense. The galbanum gives it a bit of a musk-like softness around the edges. The fig sweetens the scent up. I also feel like I'm smelling cedar (and possibly even a hint of balsam?). I tend to not like fig much at all, but it blends nicely with the frankincense in this scent and it makes the fig surprisingly likeable for me. The longer I have it on, the more I can smell a dry, blonde wood note -- it's just got to be cedar. It's a lovely scent, but one I'd rather smell on my husband than wear myself.
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The Soldier
in Yules
The Soldier - The thought of red musk, leather, and food sounded awful to me. However, I am pleasantly -- very pleasantly -- surprised. It opens up with the sweet scent of red musk, rounded by a soft black leather. The sweet foodiness is identifiable immediately. It initially smells like cream, but as it dries down, I smell pie crust, and that concerns me because I just can't wear gourmand/bakery scents, as they all "go off" on me and turn to dust or plastic. This one doesn't turn. It stays sweet and that foodiness blends amazingly well with the leather and red musk. I also keep smelling something that I swear is sassafras, but it could just be the way the other notes are blending together. I can't stop huffing my skin because this smells so wonderful!
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Sagardoa Soap - I've been mulling apple cider for the past several days, and it's got cinnamon and clove in it. This soap smells exactly like my mulled apple cider. I'm not a fan of apple scents in general, but this one is absolutely a winner. Perfect for autumn!
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Treatsy Bath Oil - I think all the lemon went in someone else's bottle, because all I smell is apple -- sweet, juicy, sugary apples, and it's nice, but not what I was expecting.
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White Pumpkin Extrait - This initially smells like little more than the Lab's warm, buttery pumpkin note, but soon a creamy, vanillic scent comes through. I don't think "Antique Lace" at all like several others have noted. Rather, it smells like barely spiced, sweet pumpkin pie with tons and tons and tons of vanilla-laced whipping cream on top. It's a truly delicious scent, and it's a shame it's only available in such a small size and there aren't large bottles of it available. If there were, I'd buy one.
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Nut Crack Night Atmosphere Spray - This smells like warm, roasted nuts. The chestnut note is particularly strong. I don't smell the sweetness or spiciness other reviewers are picking up on. To me, it has the pure scent of warm nut meats roasted in the shell. It's delicious.
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The Rat King - I really disliked the 2005 version of The Rat King and over the years, when I think of BPALs that were just awful on me, it tops the list. However, the 2010 version is pretty awesome, especially considering my previous experience with The Rat King. From the 2005 version, I got 100% dust. It was so dusty and gross. The 2010 version is almost entirely musk -- sweet, warm, animalic musk with a hint of woods... fresh, green woods. I also feel like there may be something sweetly floral in this, but that could just be the sweetness of the musk. It reminds me somewhat of another BPAL that I can't place in my memory, but if I figure it out, I'll come back and make a note of it here. The throw is strong. This is a scent that shouldn't be over-applied or the musk could become overpowering and unpleasant to those around you, but if put just a bit on your skin, I could see it being the type of scent that could be quite enchanting and attention-grabbing.
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Herr Drosselmeyer 2010 - This is more similar to the 2005 version than to the 2006 version. It opens up with a ton of pipe smoke, woods, and leather. As it dries down, the dominant note remains the pipe smoke, but it's not the cherry pipe tobacco o the 2006 version. Rather, there's a lemon note in this year's version that was unexpected, but it works really well. I definitely associate this scent with coziness -- it makes me want to curl up in a wool blanket in front of a fireplace and have my grandpa read fairytales to me. However, as evocative and wonderful as the scent is, it's not one I would personally choose to wear as a perfume. I prefer scents that are prettier and less masculine.
My review of the 2005 version.
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Harlequin and Columbine - This is so incredibly pretty! It opens up with a bright blast of red currant backed by the citrus notes and and juxtaposed against the sweet, bright fruit notes, the woods have almost a spiciness about them. The sage is quite strong and blends beautifully with the other notes. I can't smell the vanilla at all when I first apply it, but as the scent warms up on my skin, the almost-spice scent fades a bit and a warm, creamy vanilla comes out and helps mellow out the enthusiasm of the fruit notes. It turns into something really, really pretty, feminine, and did I mention that it's really pretty? It's got great throw while it lasts, but sadly, this doesn't last more than a couple of hours on my skin, but granted, I didn't slather, either. I've tried it twice and applied fairly lightly both times. It's just lovely -- next time, I'm gonna slather.
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Großvater Tanz - This is definitely a foody scent. It's heavy on the Lebkuchen and clove. I'm not much of a foody and while this doesn't go "off" on my skin as most gourmand scents do, it's cloyingly heavy and sweet.
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The Lady of Lake Ronkonkoma - This is definitely a freshwater aquatic, and reminds me of a semi-stagnant pond. It's full of murky algae, which I just love, and definitely has a reedy quality. It's also lightly floral, but that doesn't keep it from retaining a gender-neutral quality about it. There's something in it that's a bit too perfumey for my taste, and that something could very well be the balsam, as that's a note that's iffy on me. Overall, it's a nice aquatic, but not a keeper.
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Joyeux Noel - This is a really gorgeous holiday scent. It's full of the scent of a fresh-cut Christmas tree -- sap and all -- and the scent of hollyberries and mistletoe. I would likely use this as a room scent in my oil burner before wearing it on my body.
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Fledgling Raptor Moon - When I first apply this, the strongest notes are the bay and the woods. It's got a strange kind of scent that's a bit "off" on me. I'm pretty certain it's not going to work. But then, after it's dried down, I catch a whiff of it on my skin, and it's dried down to a scent that is to die for -- the bay is gone, and what I smell at this point is sandalwood spiced up with a drop of clove and a hint of patchouli, combined with the smooth sweetness of warm, bourbon vanilla. Once it's dry, it turns into the absolutely perfect sandalwood scent. I'm in love!
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Polynesian Pop - By far the best of the Luau Lounge scents, IMO. It's sweet and fizzy. It doesn't smell boozy at all, it's mostly an orangy, fizzy, sweet scent. It stays true throughout the life of the blend on my skin. It also has a nice level of throw and lasts quite some time on me, for a sweet scent like this. It's at the top of my bottle list.
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Pahoehoe - Ooh, banana! And coconut! And rum! And even a bit of sweet grenadine! It dries down to a predominantly banana scent. I love this. I'm not sure if I want to wear it as a perfume because I don't really like banana as perfume, but if it were a drink in front of me, it would already be gone. I really like it.
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Aremata-Popoa - Blackberry usually tends to turn sour on me, but not always, so I was hoping this one would be an awesome tropical blackberry blend. It actually is! It's a little on the bitter side, but I think that's from the black tea more than the blackberry in this case. The brandy is the strongest of the booze notes. Overall, the impression is of a cocktail that is sweet and tasty without being a frou-frou girly drink. Very delicious and I'm tempted to get a bottle.
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Red Tide - I love this. It's predominantly cranberry and gin, with a little sweetness of sun-ripened raspberries, and I absolutely love the bite the fresh mint adds to the blend -- it's not peppermint oil, it's the scent of mint clipped fresh from the plant. I don't smell the mango at all. Overall, it's a lovely red gin scent, fairly subtle, and fades pretty quickly on me. Still, I can't resist a good gin scent, so I think this is going to go on my list of bottles I'd like to buy.
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Solittude w/ Pillow Book – This is really lovely. It’s not nearly as green as I anticipated from previous reviews. There’s a lot of chamomile in this, along with a bit of greenery, and something else kind of sweet that I can’t pinpoint (cherry blossom?) There may be a bit of frankincense in it, too. I really love this and wish I had more than just a tiny bit!
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ICDX – This smells like cherry cordials – you know, the chocolate-covered cherry-in-a-sweet-cream-cordial that you buy in the box at Christmas time. I loooove this scent! Sadly, it goes terrible on my skin, but that’s typical for chocolate on me. Still, if I had more of this, it would make a gorgeous room spray or scent locket fragrance.
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Anne Beany - This opens up with a blast of rum, but almost instantly becomes the scent of sweet, sticky, ooey-gooey butterscotch. I usually hate the butterscotch note, but this smells soooo good! The cheesecake note is pretty faint, and I can smell the melty ice cream. It's so delicious...and then it dries down and turns into the typical another sweet, foody scent on my skin, which means it smells like plastic and dust. Damn.
Gingerbread Poppet
in Yules
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Gingerbread Poppet 2010 - By far my favorite of the Gingerbread Poppets over the years. This one reminds me more of the 2007 version than either '04 or '05, but it doesn't have the lemon zest scent I picked up on from '07. This is a warm, fresh-baked gingerbread. It's not nearly as spicy as the earlier versions were, but there is spice that warms up the ginger. It's not overly-sweet, but it's just right. I would definitely recommend lovers of Shub and ginger in general to try this one out.
My reviews for 2004 and 2005 GP are here.
My review for 2007 GP is here.