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Excerpt: Fables by Robert Louis Stevenson.

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Contents I. ? THE PERSONS OF THE TALE. ............................................................................................................................ 4 II. ? THE SINKING SHIP. ............................................................................................................................................ 7 III ? THE TWO MATCHES. ........................................................................................................................................ 9 IV. ? THE SICK MAN AND THE FIREMAN. ........................................................................................................... 10 V. ? THE DEVIL AND THE INNKEEPER. ............................................................................................................... 11 VI. ? THE PENITENT................................................................................................................................................ 11 VII. ? THE YELLOW PAINT. .................................................................................................................................... 12 VIII. ? THE HOUSE OF ELD. .........

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Excerpt: The Prince and the Page by Charlotte M. Yonge.

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Preface: What is exaggeration to one class of minds and perceptions, is plain truth to another. That which is commonly called a long-sight, perceives in a prospect innumerable features and bearings non-existent to a short-sighted person. I sometimes ask myself whether there may occasionally be a difference of this kind between some writers and some readers; whether it is always the writer who colors highly, or whether it is now and then the reader whose eye for color is a little dull?...

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Excerpt: The Moon and Sixpence by Somerset Maugham.

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Excerpt: It is nearly eight years since this book was first published. I present it, unaltered, in the Cheap Edition; and such of my opinions as it expresses, are quite unaltered too. My readers have opportunities of judging for themselves whether the influences and tendencies which I distrust in America, have any existence not in my imagination. They can examine for themselves whether there has been anything in the public career of that country during these past eight years, or whether there is anything in its present position, at home or abroad, which suggests that those influences and tendencies really do exist....

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Excerpt: I mentioned to Mr. Spenlow in the morning, that I wanted leave of absence for a short time; and as I was not in the receipt of any salary, and consequently was not obnoxious to the implacable Jorkins, there was no difficulty about it. I took that opportunity, with my voice sticking in my throat, and my sight failing as I uttered the words, to express my hope that Miss Spenlow was quite well; to which Mr. Spenlow replied, with no more emotion than if he had been speaking of an ordinary human being, that he was much obliged to me, and she was very well....

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Excerpt: Stray Pearls: Memoirs of Margaret De Ribaumont, Viscountess of Bellaise by Charlotte M. Yonge.

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Excerpt: ORLANDO. As I remember, Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will but poor a thousand crowns, and, as thou sayest, charged my brother, on his blessing, to breed me well: and there begins my sadness. My brother Jaques he keeps at school, and report speaks goldenly of his profit: for my part, he keeps me rustically at home, or, to speak more properly, stays me here at home unkept; for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an ox? His horses are bred better....

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Excerpt: The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad.

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Excerpt: Pictures from Italy by Charles Dickens.

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Excerpt: Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. Wells.

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Contents 1. FILMER ....................................................................................................................................... 4 2. THE MAGIC SHOP................................................................................................................... 21 3. THE VALLEY OF SPIDERS..................................................................................................... 31 4. THE TRUTH ABOUT PYECRAFT ......................................................................................... 41 5. MR. SKELMERSDALE IN FAIRYLAND .............................................................................. 51 6. THE STORY OF THE INEXPERIENCED GHOST .............................................................. 64 7. JIMMY GOGGLES THE GOD ................................................................................................ 76 8. THE NEW ACCELERATOR .................................................................................................... 88 9. MR. LEDBETTER?S VACATION.......................................................................................... 101 10. THE STOL...

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Excerpt: Volume I. Preface: Nothing is more easy than to state the subject of ?The Ambassadors,? which first appeared in twelve numbers of The North American Review (1903) and was published as a whole the same year. The situation involved is gathered up betimes, that is in the second chapter of Book Fifth, for the reader?s benefit, into as few words as possible-- planted or ?sunk,? stiffly and saliently, in the centre of the current, almost perhaps to the obstruction of traffic....

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Excerpt: The year 1866 was signalised by a remarkable inci dent, a mysterious and puzzling phenomenon, which doubtless no one has yet forgotten. Not to mention rumours which agitated the maritime population and excited the public mind, even in the interior of continents, seafaring men were particularly excited. Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, both of Europe and America, naval officers of all countries, and the Governments of several States on the two continents, were deeply interested in the matter....

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Excerpt: COUNTESS. In delivering my son from me, I bury a second husband. BERTRAM: And I in going, madam, weep o?er my father?s death anew: but I must attend his majesty?s command, to whom I am now in ward, evermore in subjection....

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Excerpt: In that pleasant district of merry England which is watered by the river Don, there extended in ancient times a large forest, covering the greater part of the beautiful hills and valleys which lie between Sheffield and the pleasant town of Doncaster. The remains of this extensive wood are still to be seen at the noble seats of Wentworth, of Warncliffe Park, and around Rotherham. Here haunted of yore the fabulous Dragon of Wantley; here were fought many of the most desperate battles during the Civil Wars of the Roses; and here also flourished in ancient times those bands of gallant outlaws, whose deeds have been rendered so popular in English song....

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Excerpt: Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare.

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Stephen Crane's first novel, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets has been called the first dark flower of American Naturalism for its distinctive elements of naturalistic fiction. The chief character, Maggie, descends into prostitution after being led astray by her lover. Rather than focusing on those that make up the very rich or middle class, the novel highlights the deplorable living conditions of the working class during the so-called Gilded Age in New York's Bowery. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia by Illiterati)...

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Fiction, Literature

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Excerpt: The Parsonage. All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity, that the dry, shriveled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut. Whether this be the case with my history or not, I am hardly competent to judge. I sometimes think it might prove useful to some, and entertaining to others; but the world may judge for itself. Shielded by my own obscurity, and by the lapse of years, and a few fictitious names, I do not fear to venture; and will candidly lay before the public what I would not disclose to the most intimate friend....

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Excerpt: Chapter 1. In the time before steamships, or then more frequently than now, a stroller along the docks of any considerable sea-port would occasionally have his attention arrested by a group of bronzed mariners, man-ofwar?s men or merchant-sailors in holiday attire ashore on liberty. In certain instances they would flank, or, like a body-guard quite surround some superior figure of their own class, moving along with them like Aldebaran among the lesser lights of his constellation....

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Introduction: The species of publication which has come to be generally known by the title of Annual, being a miscellany of prose and verse, equipped with numerous engravings, and put forth every year about Christmas, had flourished for a long while in Germany before it was imitated in this country by an enterprising bookseller, a German by birth, Mr. Ackermann. The rapid success of his work, as is the custom of the time, gave birth to a host of rivals, and, among others, to an Annual styled The Keepsake, the first volume of which appeared in 1828, and attracted much notice, chiefly in consequence of the very uncommon splendour of its illustrative accompaniments. The expenditure which the spirited proprietors lavished on this magnificent volume is understood to have been not less than from ten to twelve thousand pounds sterling!...