One evening came into his soul the desire to fashion an image
of The Pleasure that abideth for a Moment. And he went forth
into the world to look for bronze.For he coul only think in bronze.
But all the bronze of the whole world had disappeared, nor anyu-
here in the whole world was there any bronze to be found,save only
the bronze of the image of The Sorrow that endureth for Ever.
Now this image he had himself, and with his own hands, fashio-
ned and had set it on the tomb of the one thing he had loved in life.
On the tomb of the dead thing he had most loved had he set this
imageof his own fashionig,that it might serveas a sign of the love
of man that dieth not, and a symbol of the sorrow of man that endu-
reth for ever. And in the whole world there was no other bronze save
the bronze of this image.
And he took the image he had fashioned, and set it in a great fur-
nace, and gave it to the fire.
And out of the bronze of the bronze of the image of The Sorrow tha endu-
reth for Ever he fashioned an image of The Pleasure that abideth
for a Moment.

Óscar Wilde