Sinclair Lewis claimed that American letters exemplified a divorce of intellectual life from authenticism and reality.

, II.12: We are placed in the country […] where we feare the menaces wherewith she threatneth all mis-beleevers, or follow her promises.

To make the gesso, you need a chalk and a glue. During the Renaissance, gesso was made with gypsum, which is calcium sulphate. Terra Alba, available from art suppliers today, is a natural gypsum that makes a bright white gesso.

The length ganger saw the train passing with the van derailed and promptly telephoned the Sandbach signalman, who restored his signals to danger, but not in time to stop the train before the final derailment occurred.