HeimskringlaThe Chronicle of the Kings of Norwayby Snorri SturlsonPREFACE OF SNORRE STURLASON.In this book I have had old stories written down, as I have heard them told by intelligent people, concerning chiefs who have have held dominion in the northern countries, and who spoke the Danish tongue; and also concerning some of their family branches, according to what has been told me. Some of this is found in ancient family registers, in which the pedigrees of kings and other personages of high birth are reckoned up, and part is written down after old songs and ballads which our forefathers had for their amusement. Now, although we cannot just say what truth there may be in these, yet we ha
The Life of Stephen A. Douglasby William GardnerPreface.De mortuis nil nisi bonum, (of the dead speak nothing but good), is the rule which governed the friends of Stephen A. Douglas after his death. "Of political foes speak nothing but ill," is the rule which has guided much of our discussion of him for forty years. The time has now arrived when we can study him dispassionately and judge him justly, when we can take his measure, if not with scientific accuracy, at least with fairness and honesty.Where party spirit is as despotic as it is among us, it is difficult for any man who spends his life amid the storms of politics to get justice until the passions of his generation have been forgot
ORTHODOXYBYGILBERT K. CHESTERTONPREFACEThis book is meant to be a companion to "Heretics," and toput the positive side in addition to the negative. Many criticscomplained of the book called "Heretics" because it merely criticisedcurrent philosophies without offering any alternative philosophy.This book is an attempt to answer the challenge. It is unavoidablyaffirmative and therefore unavoidably autobiographical. The writer hasbeen driven back upon somewhat the same difficulty as that which beset...
Saint George for Englandby G. A. HentyPREFACEMY DEAR LADS,You may be told perhaps that there is no good to be obtained from tales of fighting and bloodshed, - that there is no moral to be drawn from such histories. Believe it not. War has its lessons as well as Peace. You will learn from tales like this that determination and enthusiasm can accomplish marvels, that true courage is generally accompanied by magnanimity and gentleness, and that if not in itself the very highest of virtues, it is the parent of almost all the others, since but few of them can be practised without it. The courage of our forefathers has created the greatest empire in the world around a small and in itself insigni
Dona PerectaBy Benito Perez GaldosTranslated by Mary J. SerranoINTRODUCTIONThe very acute and lively Spanish critic who signs himself Clarin, and is known personally as Don Leopoldo Alas, says the present Spanish novel has no yesterday, but only a day-before-yesterday. It does not derive from the romantic novel which immediately preceded that: the novel, large or little, as it was with Cervantes, Hurtado de Mendoza, Quevedo, and the masters of picaresque fiction.Clarin dates its renascence from the political revolution of 1868, which gave Spanish literature the freedom necessary to the fiction that studies to reflect modern life, actual ideas, and current aspirations; and though its author
A Waif of the Plainsby Bret HarteCHAPTER IA long level of dull gray that further away became a faint blue,with here and there darker patches that looked like water. Attimes an open space, blackened and burnt in an irregular circle,with a shred of newspaper, an old rag, or broken tin can lying inthe ashes. Beyond these always a low dark line that seemed to sinkinto the ground at night, and rose again in the morning with thefirst light, but never otherwise changed its height and distance.A sense of always moving with some indefinite purpose, but ofalways returning at night to the same placewith the samesurroundings, the same people, the same bedclothes, and the same...
Dream Daysby Kenneth GrahameContentsTHE TWENTY-FIRST OF OCTOBERDIES IRAEMUTABILE SEMPERTHE MAGIC RINGITS WALLS WERE AS OF JASPERA SAGA OF THE SEASTHE RELUCTANT DRAGONA DEPARTUREDream DaysTHE TWENTY-FIRST OFOCTOBERIn the matter of general culture and attainments, we youngstersstood on pretty level ground. True, it was always happening thatone of us would be singled out at any moment, freakishly, andwithout regard to his own preferences, to wrestle with theinflections of some idiotic language long rightly dead; while...
An Old Town By The SeaAn Old Town By The Seaby Thomas Bailey Aldrich1- Page 2-An Old Town By The SeaPISCATAQUA RIVERThou singest by the gleaming isles, By woods, and fields of corn,Thou singest, and the sunlight smiles Upon my birthday morn.But I within a city, I, So full of vague unrest, Would almost give mylife to lie An hour upon upon thy breast.To let the wherry listless go, And, wrapt in dreamy joy, Dip, and surgeidly to and fro, Like the red harbor-buoy;...
THE COMPARISON OF SERTORIUS WITH EUMENESby Plutarchtranslated by John DrydenTHESE are the most remarkable passages that are come to ourknowledge concerning Eumenes and Sertorius. In comparing theirlives, we may observe that this was common to them both; that beingaliens, strangers, and banished men, they came to be commanders ofpowerful forces, and had the leading of numerous and warlike armies,made up of divers nations. This was peculiar to Sertorius, that thechief command was, by his whole party, freely yielded to him, as tothe person of the greatest merit and renown, whereas Eumenes had...
Tales of Trail and Townby Bret HarteCONTENTSTHE ANCESTORS OF PETER ATHERLYTWO AMERICANSTHE JUDGMENT OF BOLINAS PLAINTHE STRANGE EXPERIENCE OF ALKALI DICKA NIGHT ON THE DIVIDETHE YOUNGEST PROSPECTOR IN CALAVERASA TALE OF THREE TRUANTSTALES OF TRAIL AND TOWNTHE ANCESTORS OF PETER ATHERLYCHAPTER IIt must be admitted that the civilizing processes of Rough andReady were not marked by any of the ameliorating conditions ofother improved camps. After the discovery of the famous "Eureka"lead, there was the usual influx of gamblers and saloon-keepers;...
A Discourse of Coin and Coinageby Rice Vaughan1675A Discourse of Coin and Coinage: The first Invention, Use,Matter, Forms, Proportions and Differences, ancient & modern:with the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Rise and Fallthereof, in our own or Neighbouring Nations: and the Reasons.Together with a short Account of our Common Law therein.by Rice Vaughan, late of Grayes-Inn, Esq;London, Printed by Th. Dawks, for Th. Basset, at the George, nearCliffords-Inn, in Fleet-street. 1675.To the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Clarendon, ViscountCornbury, and Baron Hide of Hindon; Lord Chamberlain to theQueens most excellent Majesty.Most Noble Lord,...
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTLike most other young matrons, Meg began her married life with the determination to be a model housekeeper. John should find home a paradise, he should always see a smiling face, should fare sumptuously every day, and never know the loss of a button. She brought so much love, energy, and cheerfulness to the work that she could not but succeed, in spite of some obstacles. Her paradise was not a tranquil one, for the little woman fussed, was over-anxious to please, and bustled about like a true Martha, cumbered with many cares. She was too tired, sometimes, even to smile, John grew dyspeptic after a course of dainty dishes and ungratefully demanded plain fare. As for butto