The Turn of the Screwby Henry JamesThe story had held us, round the fire, sufficiently breathless,but except the obvious remark that it was gruesome, as, on ChristmasEve in an old house, a strange tale should essentially be,I remember no comment uttered till somebody happened to say that itwas the only case he had met in which such a visitation had fallenon a child. The case, I may mention, was that of an apparitionin just such an old house as had gathered us for the occasionan appearance, of a dreadful kind, to a little boy sleepingin the room with his mother and waking her up in the terror of it;waking her not to dissipate his dread and soothe him to sleep again,...　

Falkby Joseph ConradA REMINISCENCESeveral of us, all more or less connected with thesea, were dining in a small river-hostelry not morethan thirty miles from London, and less than twentyfrom that shallow and dangerous puddle to whichour coasting men give the grandiose name of "Ger-man Ocean." And through the wide windows wehad a view of the Thames; an enfilading view downthe Lower Hope Reach. But the dinner was exe-crable, and all the feast was for the eyes.That flavour of salt-water which for so many ofus had been the very water of life permeated ourtalk. He who hath known the bitterness of theOcean shall have its taste forever in his mouth. But...　

THE YOUNG TSARTHE young Tsar had just ascended the throne.For five weeks he had worked without ceasing, inthe way that Tsars are accustomed to work. Hehad been attending to reports, signing papers, re-ceiving ambassadors and high officials who cameto be presented to him, and reviewing troops. Hewas tired, and as a traveller exhausted by heatand thirst longs for a draught of water and forrest, so he longed for a respite of just one dayat least from receptions, from speeches, fromparadesa few free hours to spend like an ordi-nary human being with his young, clever, andbeautiful wife, to whom he had been married onlya month before.It was Christmas Eve. The young Tsar had...　

The Purcell Papers, Volume 2by Joseph Sheridan Le FanuWith a Memoir byALFRED PERCEVAL GRAVESCONTENTS OF VOL. II.PASSAGE IN THE SECRET HISTORY OF AN IRISH COUNTESSTHE BRIDAL OF CARRIGVARAHSTRANGE EVENT IN THE LIFE OF SCHALKEN THE PAINTERSCRAPS OF HIBERNIAN BALLADSTHE PURCELL PAPERS.PASSAGE IN THESECRET HISTORY OF AN IRISHCOUNTESS.Being a Fifth Extract from the Legacy of the late FrancisPurcell, P.P. of Drumcoolagh.The following paper is written in afemale hand, and was no doubtcommunicated to my much-regretted...　

Of Taxesby David HumeThere is a prevailing maxim, among some reasoners, that everynew tax creates a new ability in the subject to bear it, and thateach encrease of public burdens encreases proportionably theindustry of the people. This maxim is of such a nature as is mostlikely to be abused; and is so much the more dangerous, as itstruth cannot be altogether denied: but it must be owned, whenkept within certain bounds, to have some foundation in reason andexperience.When a tax is laid upon commodities, which are consumed bythe common people, the necessary consequence may seem to be,either that the poor must retrench something from their way of...　

The Bedford-Row Conspiracyby William Makepeace ThackerayContents.I. Of the loves of Mr. Perkins and Miss Gorgon, and of the twogreat factions in the town of Oldborough.II. Shows how the plot began to thicken in or about Bedford Row.III. Behind the scenes.Footnote:A story of Charles de Bernard furnished the plot of"The Bedford-Row Conspiracy."THE BEDFORD-ROW CONSPIRACYCHAPTER I.OF THE LOVES OF MR. PERKINS AND MISS GORGON, AND OF THE TWO GREAT FACTIONS IN THE TOWN OF OLDBOROUGH. "My dear John," cried Lucy, with a very wise look indeed, "it must and shall be so. As for Doughty Street, with our means, a house is out of the question. We must keep three servants, and Aunt Biggs says the tax　

SECOND TREATISE OF GOVERNMENT by JOHN LOCKETWO TREATISES OF GOVERNMENTBY IOHN LOCKESALUS POPULI SUPREMA LEX ESTOLONDON PRINTED MDCLXXXVIIIIREPRINTED, THE SIXTH TIME, BY A. MILLAR, H.WOODFALL, 1. WHISTON AND B. WHITE, 1. RI-VINGTON, L. DAVIS AND C. REYMERS, R. BALD-WIN, HAWES CLARKE AND COLLINS; W. IOHN-STON, W. OWEN, 1. RICHARDSON, S. CROWDER,T. LONGMAN, B. LAW, C. RIVINGTON, E.DILLY, R. WITHY, C. AND R. WARE, S, BAKER,T. PAYNE, A. SHUCKBURGH, 1. HINXMANMDCCLXIIIITWO TREATISES OF GOVERNMENT....　

Father Damienby Robert Louis StevensonAN OPEN LETTER TO THE REVEREND DR. HYDE OF HONOLULUSYDNEY,FEBRUARY 25, 1890.Sir, - It may probably occur to you that we have met, and visited,and conversed; on my side, with interest. You may remember thatyou have done me several courtesies, for which I was prepared to begrateful. But there are duties which come before gratitude, andoffences which justly divide friends, far more acquaintances. Yourletter to the Reverend H. B. Gage is a document which, in my sight,if you had filled me with bread when I was starving, if you had satup to nurse my father when he lay a-dying, would yet absolve me...　

Lecture IIIKinship as the Basis of SocietyThe most recent researches into the primitive history ofsociety point to the conclusion that the earliest tie whichknitted men together in communities was Consanguinity or Kinship.The subject has been approached of late years from severaldifferent sides, and there has been much dispute as to what theprimitive blood-relationship implied, and how it arose; but therehas been general agreement as to the fact I have stated. Thecaution is perhaps needed that we must not form too loose a...　

Of the Balance of Tradeby David HumeIt is very usual, in nations ignorant of the nature of commerce,to prohibit the exportation of commodities, and to preserve amongthemselves whatever they think valuable and useful. They do notconsider, that, in this prohibition, they act directly contrary totheir intention; and that the more is exported of any commodity, themore will be raised at home, of which they themselves will always havethe first offer.It is well known to the learned, that the ancient laws of ATHENSrendered the exportation of figs criminal; that being supposed aspecies of fruit so excellent in ATTICA, that the ATHENIANS deemed ittoo delicious for the palate of any foreigner. And in 　

Adventureby Jack LondonCHAPTER ISOMETHING TO BE DONEHe was a very sick white man. He rode pick-a-back on a woolly- headed, black-skinned savage, the lobes of whose ears had been pierced and stretched until one had torn out, while the other carried a circular block of carved wood three inches in diameter. The torn ear had been pierced again, but this time not so ambitiously, for the hole accommodated no more than a short clay pipe. The man-horse was greasy and dirty, and naked save for an exceedingly narrow and dirty loin-cloth; but the white man clung to him closely and desperately. At times, from weakness, his head drooped and rested on the woolly pate. At other times he lifted his hea　

THE HISTORY OF DWARF LONG NOSEIt is a great mistake to think that fairies, witches, magicians,and such people lived only in Eastern countries and in such timesas those of the Caliph Haroun Al-Raschid. Fairies and theirlike belong to every country and every age, and no doubt weshould see plenty of them nowif we only knew how.In a large town in Germany there lived, some couple of hundredyears ago, a cobbler and his wife. They were poor andhard-working. The man sat all day in a little stall at thestreet corner and mended any shoes that were brought him. Hiswife sold the fruit and vegetables they grew in their garden inthe Market Place, and as she was always neat and clean and her...