FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE FLAXby Hans Christian AndersenTHE flax was in full bloom; it had pretty little blue flowers asdelicate as the wings of a moth, or even more so. The sun shone, andthe showers watered it; and this was just as good for the flax as itis for little children to be washed and then kissed by their mother.They look much prettier for it, and so did the flax."People say that I look exceedingly well," said the flax, "andthat I am so fine and long that I shall make a beautiful piece oflinen. How fortunate I am; it makes me so happy, it is such a pleasant...　

Seraphitaby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Katharine Prescott WormeleyDEDICATIONTo Madame Eveline de Hanska, nee Comtesse Rzewuska.Madame,Here is the work which you asked of me. I am happy, inthus dedicating it, to offer you a proof of the respectfulaffection you allow me to bear you. If I am reproached forimpotence in this attempt to draw from the depths of mysticism abook which seeks to give, in the lucid transparency of ourbeautiful language, the luminous poesy of the Orient, to you theblame! Did you not command this struggle (resembling that ofJacob) by telling me that the most imperfect sketch of this...　

The VillageAfter hoeing, or perhaps reading and writing, in the forenoon, Iusually bathed again in the pond, swimming across one of its covesfor a stint, and washed the dust of labor from my person, orsmoothed out the last wrinkle which study had made, and for theafternoon was absolutely free. Every day or two I strolled to thevillage to hear some of the gossip which is incessantly going onthere, circulating either from mouth to mouth, or from newspaper tonewspaper, and which, taken in homoeopathic doses, was really asrefreshing in its way as the rustle of leaves and the peeping offrogs. As I walked in the woods to see the birds and squirrels, so...　

The Psychology of RevolutionGustave le BonCONTENTSINTRODUCTION. THE REVISION OF HISTORYPART ITHE PSYCHOLOGICAL ELEMENTS OF REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTSBOOK IGENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF REVOLUTIONSCHAPTER I. SCIENTIFIC AND POLITICAL REVOLUTIONS1. Classification of Revolutions2. Scientific Revolutions3. Political Revolutions4. The results of Political RevolutionsCHAPTER II. RELIGIOUS REVOLUTIONS1. The importance of the study of Religious Revolutions inrespect of the comprehension of the great Political...　

Penguin Islandby Anatole FranceCONTENTSBOOK I. THE BEGINNINGSBOOK II. THE ANCIENT TIMESBOOK III. THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE RENAISSANCEBOOK IV. MODERN TIMES: TRINCOBOOK V. MODERN TIMES: CHATILLONBOOK VI. MODERN TIMESBOOK VII. MODERN TIMESBOOK VIII. FUTURE TIMESBOOK I. THE BEGINNINGSI. LIFE OF SAINT MAELMael, a scion of a royal family of Cambria, was sent in his ninth year to the Abbey of Yvern so that he might there study both sacred and profane learning. At the age of fourteen he renounced his patrimony and took a vow to serve the Lord. His time was divided, according to the rule, between the singing of hymns, the study of grammar, and the meditation of eternal truths....　

A LETTER FROM CAPTAIN GULLIVER TO HIS COUSIN SYMPSON.WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1727.I hope you will be ready to own publicly, whenever you shall becalled to it, that by your great and frequent urgency youprevailed on me to publish a very loose and uncorrect account ofmy travels, with directions to hire some young gentleman ofeither university to put them in order, and correct the style, asmy cousin Dampier did, by my advice, in his book called "A Voyageround the world." But I do not remember I gave you power toconsent that any thing should be omitted, and much less that anything should be inserted; therefore, as to the latter, I do here...　

350 BCON MEMORY AND REMINISCENCEby Aristotletranslated by J. I. Beare1WE have, in the next place, to treat of Memory and Remembering,considering its nature, its cause, and the part of the soul to whichthis experience, as well as that of Recollecting, belongs. For thepersons who possess a retentive memory are not identical with thosewho excel in power of recollection; indeed, as a rule, slow peoplehave a good memory, whereas those who are quick-witted and clever...　

Chronicles of the Canongateby Sir Walter ScottCONTENTS.Introduction to Chronicles of the Canongate. Appendix to IntroductionThe Theatrical Fund Dinner. IntroductoryMr. Chrystal Croftangry. The Highland Widow. The Two Drovers. Notes.INTRODUCTION TO CHRONICLES OF THE CANONGATE.The preceding volume of this Collection concluded the last of the pieces originally published under the NOMINIS UMBRA of The Author of Waverley; and the circumstances which rendered it impossible for the writer to continue longer in the possession of his incognito were communicated in 1827, in the Introduction to the first series of Chronicles of the Canongate, consisting (besides a biographical sketch of the 　

Selected Prose of Oscar Wildeby Oscar WildeContents:Preface by Robert RossHow They Struck a ContemporaryThe Quality of George MeredithLife in the Fallacious ModelLife the DiscipleLife the PlagiaristThe Indispensable EastThe Influence of the Impressionists on ClimateAn Exposure to NaturalismThomas Griffiths WainewrightWainewright at Hobart TownCardinal Newman and the AutobiographiersRobert BrowningThe Two Supreme and Highest ArtsThe Secrets of ImmortalityThe Critic and his MaterialDante the Living GuideThe Limitations of GeniusWanted A New BackgroundWithout FrontiersThe Poetry of Archaeology...　

The Sleeping-Car - A Farceby William D. HowellsI.SCENE: One side of a sleeping-car on the Boston and Albany Road.The curtains are drawn before most of the berths; from the hooks androds hang hats, bonnets, bags, bandboxes, umbrellas, and othertravelling gear; on the floor are boots of both sexes, set out forTHE PORTER to black. THE PORTER is making up the beds in the upperand lower berths adjoining the seats on which a young mother, slenderand pretty, with a baby asleep on the seat beside her, and a stoutold lady, sit confronting each otherMRS. AGNES ROBERTS and her auntMARY.MRS. ROBERTS. Do you always take down your back hair, aunty?...　

OF SUPERSTITION AND ENTHUSIASMDavid Hume1741,is grown into a maxim, and is commonly proved, among otherinstances, by the pernicious effects of and, the corruptions of true religion.These two species of false religion, though both pernicious,are yet of a very different, and even of a contrary nature. Themind of man is subject to certain unaccountable terrors and...　

A UNITARIAN CREED_To Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse__Monticello, June 26, 1822_DEAR SIR, I have received and read with thankfulness andpleasure your denunciation of the abuses of tobacco and wine. Yet,however sound in its principles, I expect it will be but a sermon tothe wind. You will find it as difficult to inculcate these sanativeprecepts on the sensualities of the present day, as to convince anAthanasian that there is but one God. I wish success to bothattempts, and am happy to learn from you that the latter, at least,is making progress, and the more rapidly in proportion as ourPlatonizing Christians make more stir and noise about it. The...