The Malay Archipelago Volume 1by Alfred Russell WallaceThe land of the orang-utan, and the bird or paradise.A narrative of travel, with sketches of man and nature.To CHARLES DARWIN,AUTHOR OF "THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES,"I dedicate this book, Not only as a token of personal esteem and friendship But also To express my deep admiration For His genius and his works.PREFACE.My readers will naturally ask why I have delayed writing this book for six years after my return; and I feel bound to give them full satisfaction on this point.When I reached England in the spring of 1862, I found myself surrounded by a room full of packing cases containing the collections that I had, from time to time, sent home　

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE PRIVATE LIFE OF NAPOLEON, V4BY CONSTANTPREMIER VALET DE CHAMBRETRANSLATED BY WALTER CLARKCONTENTS:CHAPTER XXIII. to CHAPTER XXXI.CHAPTER XXIII.It was the 2d of January, 1805, exactly a month after the coronation,that I formed with the eldest daughter of M. Charvet a union which hasbeen, and will I trust ever be, the greatest happiness of my life. Ipromised the reader to say very little of myself; and, in fact, how couldhe be interested in any details of my own private life which did notthrow additional light upon the character of the great man about whom Ihave undertaken to write? Nevertheless, I will ask permission to return...　

On The Firing Lineby Anna Chapin Ray and Hamilton Brock FullerCHAPTER ONESix feet one in his stockings, broad-shouldered and without an ounce of extra flesh, Harvard Weldon suddenly halted before one of a line of deck chairs."I usually get what I want, Miss Dent," he observed suggestively."You are more fortunate than most people." Her answering tone was dry.Most men would have been baffled by her apparent indifference. Not so was Weldon. Secure in the possession of a good tailor and an equally good digestion, he was willing to await the leisurely course of events."My doctor always advises mild exercise after lunch," he continued."You are in the care of a physician?" she queried, with a whim　

The KentonsBy William Dean HowellsI.The Kentons were not rich, but they were certainly richer than theaverage in the pleasant county town of the Middle West, where they hadspent nearly their whole married life. As their circumstances had growneasier, they had mellowed more and more in the keeping of theircomfortable home, until they hated to leave it even for the shortoutings, which their children made them take, to Niagara or the UpperLakes in the hot weather. They believed that they could not be so wellanywhere as in the great square brick house which still kept its fouracres about it, in the heart of the growing town, where the trees they...　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE UGLY DUCKLINGby Hans Christian AndersenIT was lovely summer weather in the country, and the goldencorn, the green oats, and the haystacks piled up in the meadows lookedbeautiful. The stork walking about on his long red legs chattered inthe Egyptian language, which he had learnt from his mother. Thecorn-fields and meadows were surrounded by large forests, in the midstof which were deep pools. It was, indeed, delightful to walk aboutin the country. In a sunny spot stood a pleasant old farm-houseclose by a deep river, and from the house down to the water side...　

The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemoniansby XenophonTranslation by H. G. DakynsXenophon the Athenian was born 431 B.C. He was a pupil of Socrates. He marched with the Spartans, and was exiled from Athens. Sparta gave him land and property in Scillus, where he lived for many years before having to move once more, to settle in Corinth. He died in 354 B.C.The Polity of the Lacedaemonians talks about the laws and institutions created by Lycurgus, which train and develop Spartan citizens from birth to old age.The Polity of the Lacedaemonians talks about the laws and institutions created by Lycurgus, which train and develop Spartan citizens from birth to old age....　

Their Silver Wedding Journey V3by William Dean HowellsPART III.XLVIII.At the first station where the train stopped, a young German bowedhimself into the compartment with the Marches, and so visibly resisted animpulse to smoke that March begged him to light his cigarette. In thetalk which this friendly overture led to between them he explained thathe was a railway architect, employed by the government on that line ofroad, and was travelling officially. March spoke of Nuremberg; he ownedthe sort of surfeit he had suffered from its excessive mediaevalism, andthe young man said it was part of the new imperial patriotism to cherishthe Gothic throughout Germany; no other sort of architecture wa　

THE ENCHANTED CANARYIONCE upon a time, in the reign of King Cambrinus, there lived atAvesnes one of his lords, who was the finest manby which Imean the fattestin the whole country of Flanders. He ate fourmeals a day, slept twelve hours out of the twenty-four, and the onlything he ever did was to shoot at small birds with his bow andarrow.Still, with all his practice he shot very badly, he was so fat andheavy, and as he grew daily fatter, he was at last obliged to give upwalking, and be dragged about in a wheel-chair, and the peoplemade fun of him, and gave him the name of my Lord Tubby.Now, the only trouble that Lord Tubby had was about his son,...　

SHERLOCK HOLMESTHE PROBLEM OF THOR BRIDGEby Sir Arthur Conan DoyleSomewhere in the vaults of the bank of Cox and Co., at CharingCross, there is a travel-worn and battered tin dispatch-box with myname, John H. Watson, M. D., Late Indian Army, painted upon the lid.It is crammed with papers, nearly all of which are records of cases toillustrate the curious problems which Mr. Sherlock Holmes had atvarious times to examine. Some, and not the least interesting, werecomplete failures, and as such will hardly bear narrating, since nofinal explanation is forthcoming. A problem without a solution may...　

The Chaperonby Henry JamesCHAPTER I.An old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close tothe fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees. She wasdressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered,however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips inobedience to something that was passing in her mind. She was farfrom the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needlesshe was not looking at them. What she really saw was quite anothertrain of affairs. The room was spacious and dim; the thick Londonfog had oozed into it even through its superior defences. It wasfull of dusky, massive, valuable things. The old lady sat mot　

On the Frontierby Bret HarteCONTENTSAT THE MISSION OF SAN CARMELA BLUE GRASS PENELOPELEFT OUT ON LONE STAR MOUNTAINAT THE MISSION OF SAN CARMELPROLOGUEIt was noon of the 10th of August, 1838. The monotonous coast linebetween Monterey and San Diego had set its hard outlines againstthe steady glare of the Californian sky and the metallic glitter ofthe Pacific Ocean. The weary succession of rounded, dome-likehills obliterated all sense of distance; the rare whaling vessel orstill rarer trader, drifting past, saw no change in these rustyundulations, barren of distinguishing peak or headland, and bald of...　

The Plays of W. E. Henley and R. L. StevensonWilliam Ernest Henley and Robert Louis StevensonHenley is best known for this quote from Invictus:"I am the master of my fate,I am the captain of my soul."INVICTUSOut of the night that covers me,Black as the pit from pole to pole,I think whatever gods may befor my unconquerable soul.In the fell clutch of circumstanceI have not winced nor cried aloud.Under the bludgeonings of chanceMy head is bloody, but unbowed.Beyond this place of wrath and tearsLooms but the Horror of the shade,And yet the menace of the yearsFinds and shall find me unafraid.It matters not how strait the gate,...