A Bequest to Music by Ambrose Bierce
"A Bequest to Music" is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce in 1894. The story follows the life of an old man named John Horton, who has made a bequest to his niece, Mary, in his will. The bequest is a rare and valuable violin, which he hopes will bring her joy and inspiration. However, upon his death, Mary discovers that the violin has been lost or stolen, and she sets out to find it. Along the way, she encounters various characters who provide clues and insights into John Horton's life and motivations. Ultimately, Mary finds the violin in an unexpected place, and the story concludes with a sense of closure and resolution.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1894 · Genre: Biography, Non-fiction, History · 56 words
First lines
"Let music flourish!" So he said and died.
Hark! ere he's gone the minstrelsy begins: / The symphonies ascend, a swelling tide, / Melodious thunders fill the welkin wide -- / The grand old lawyers, chinning on their chins!
What this Textopian page supports
A Bequest to Music is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Biography, Non-fiction, History, Music, Epistolary
- Length: 56 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Bequest to Music by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Biography — The book is a curation of letters related to and from Ambrose Bierce, thus offering a peek into his life and experiences, qualifying it as a biography.
- Non-fiction — The book presents a factual account of Bierce's interactions and his thoughts on various topics, particularly music, thereby categorizing it as non-fiction.
- History — The collection of letters and documents provide historical aspects of the author's era and his association with music, therefore, making it fall under the history genre.
- Music — Given the fact that Bierce's association and opinions about music form a significant part of this book, it can also be classified under the 'Music' genre.
Tags
gothic fiction · supernatural · mystery · horror · literary fiction · classic literature · american literature · short story collection · symbolism · psychological horror · macabre · dark humor