Book ICHAPTER I.MASLOVA IN PRISON.Though hundreds of thousands had done their very best todisfigure the small piece of land on which they were crowdedtogether, by paying the ground with stones, scraping away everyvestige of vegetation, cutting down the trees, turning away birdsand beasts, and filling the air with the smoke of naphtha andcoal, still spring was spring, even in the town.The sun shone warm, the air was balmy; everywhere, where it didnot get scraped away, the grass revived and sprang up between thepaving-stones as well as on the narrow strips of lawn on theboulevards. The birches, the poplars, and the wild cherryunfolded their gummy and fragrant leaves, the limes were...
THE MAIDEN WITH THE WOODEN HELMETIn a little village in the country of Japan there lived long,long ago a man and his wife. For many years they were happy andprosperous, but bad times came, and at last nothing was left thembut their daughter, who was as beautiful as the morning. Theneighbours were very kind, and would have done anything theycould to help their poor friends, but the old couple felt thatsince everything had changed they would rather go elsewhere, soone day they set off to bury themselves in the country, takingtheir daughter with them.Now the mother and daughter had plenty to do in keeping the houseclean and looking after the garden, but the man would sit for...
God The Invisible Kingby H. G. Wells [Herbert George Wells]CONTENTSPREFACE1. THE COSMOGONY OF MODERN RELIGION2. HERESIES; OR THE THINGS THAT GOD IS NOT3. THE LIKENESS OF GOD4. THE RELIGION OF ATHEISTS5. THE INVISIBLE KING6. MODERN IDEAS OF SIN AND DAMNATION7. THE IDEA OF A CHURCHTHE ENVOYPREFACEThis book sets out as forcibly and exactly as possible the religious belief of the writer. That belief is not orthodox Christianity; it is not, indeed, Christianity at all; its core nevertheless is a profound belief in a personal and intimate God. There is nothing in its statements that need shock or offend anyone who is prepared for the expression of a faith different from and perhaps
The Experiences of a BandmasterBy John Philip SousaDuring eighteen years spent in playing music for the masses, twelveyears in the service of the United States and six in that of thegeneral public, many curious and interesting incidents have comeunder my observation.While conductor of the Marine Band, which plays at all the statefunctions given by the President at the Executive Mansion, I sawmuch of the social life of the White House and was brought intomore or less direct contact with all the executives under whom Ihad the honor of successively servingPresidents Hayes, Garfield,Arthur, Cleveland and Harrison.They were all very appreciative of music, and in this respect were...
RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERSby ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSONCONTENTSINTRODUCTION: THE SURNAME OF STEVENSONI. DOMESTIC ANNALSII. THE SERVICE OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTSIII. THE BUILDING OF THE BELL ROCKRECORDS OFA FAMILY OF ENGINEERSINTRODUCTIONTHE SURNAME OF STEVENSONFROM the thirteenth century onwards, the name, under the various disguises of Stevinstoun, Stevensoun, Stevensonne, Stenesone, and Stewinsoune, spread across Scotland from the mouth of the Firth of Forth to the mouth of the Firth of Clyde. Four times at least it occurs as a place-name. There is a parish of Stevenston in Cunningham; a second place of the name in the Barony of Bothwell in Lanark; a third on Lyne, above Drochil Castl
THE ANCIEN REGIMETHE ANCIEN REGIMEby Charles Kingsley1- Page 2-THE ANCIEN REGIMEPREFACEThe rules of the Royal Institution forbid (and wisely) religious orpolitical controversy. It was therefore impossible for me in theseLectures, to say much which had to be said, in drawing a just andcomplete picture of the Ancien Regime in France. The passages insertedbetween brackets, which bear on religious matters, were accordingly not...
The Gathering of Brother Hilariusby Michael Fairless Alias of Margaret Fairless BarberPART I - THE SEEDCHAPTER I - BLIND EYES IN THE FORESTHILARIUS stood at the Monastery gate, looking away down the smooth, well-kept road to the highway beyond. It lay quiet and serene in the June sunshine, the white way to the outer world, and not even a dust cloud on the horizon promised the approach of the train of sumpter mules laden with meats for the bellies and cloth for the backs of the good Brethren within. The Cellarer lacked wine, the drug stores in the farmery were running low; last, but not least, the Precentor had bespoken precious colours, rich gold, costly vellum, and on these the thoughts
NORTHANGER ABBEYbyJane Austen(1803)ADVERTISEMENT BY THE AUTHORESS, TO NORTHANGER ABBEYTHIS little work was finished in the year 1803, and intendedfor immediate publication. It was disposed of to a bookseller,it was even advertised, and why the business proceededno farther, the author has never been able to learn.That any bookseller should think it worth-while topurchase what he did not think it worth-while to publishseems extraordinary. But with this, neither the author...
A Critical Examination of "On The Origin of Species"by Thomas H. HuxleyIN the preceding five lectures I have endeavoured to give you an accountof those facts, and of those reasonings from facts, which form the dataupon which all theories regarding the causes of the phenomena oforganic nature must be based. And, although I have had frequentoccasion to quote Mr. Darwinas all persons hereafter, in speaking uponthese subjects, will have occasion to quote his famous book on the"Origin of Species,"you must yet remember that, wherever I havequoted him, it has not been upon theoretical points, or for statementsin any way connected with his particular speculations, but on matters...
Fantastic Fablesby Ambrose BierceContents:The Moral Principle and the Material InterestThe Crimson CandleThe Blotted Escutcheon and the Soiled ErmineThe Ingenious PatriotTwo KingsAn Officer and a ThugThe Conscientious OfficialHow Leisure CameThe Moral SentimentThe PoliticiansThe Thoughtful WardenThe Treasury and the ArmsThe Christian SerpentThe Broom of the TempleThe CriticsThe Foolish WomanFather and SonThe Discontented MalefactorA Call to QuitThe Man and the LightningThe Lassoed BearThe Ineffective Rooter...
Tales and Fantasiesby Robert Louis StevensonContentsThe Misadventures of John NicholsonThe Body-SnatcherThe Story of a LieTHE MISADVENTURES OF JOHN NICHOLSONCHAPTER I - IN WHICH JOHN SOWS THE WINDJOHN VAREY NICHOLSON was stupid; yet, stupider men than heare now sprawling in Parliament, and lauding themselves asthe authors of their own distinction. He was of a fat habit,even from boyhood, and inclined to a cheerful and cursoryreading of the face of life; and possibly this attitude ofmind was the original cause of his misfortunes. Beyond thishint philosophy is silent on his career, and superstition...
THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLESTHE GOLDENFLEECE AND THEHEROES WHO LIVEDBEFORE ACHILLESBY PADRAIC COLUM1- Page 2-THE GOLDEN FLEECE AND THE HEROES WHO LIVED BEFORE ACHILLESPart I.The Voyage to ColchisI. The Youth JasonA man in the garb of a slave went up the side of that mountain that isall covered with forest, the Mountain Pelion. He carried in his arms a little...