An Historical Mysteryby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Katharine Prescott WormeleyDEDICATIONTo Monsieur de Margone.In grateful remembrance, from his guest at the Chateau de Sache.De Balzac.AN HISTORICAL MYSTERYPART ICHAPTER IJUDASThe autumn of the year 1803 was one of the finest in the early part ofthat period of the present century which we now call "Empire." Rainhad refreshed the earth during the month of October, so that the treeswere still green and leafy in November. The French people werebeginning to put faith in a secret understanding between the skies and...　

THE STAR-CHILD[TO MISS MARGOT TENNANT - MRS. ASQUITH]Once upon a time two poor Woodcutters were making their way homethrough a great pine-forest. It was winter, and a night of bittercold. The snow lay thick upon the ground, and upon the branches ofthe trees: the frost kept snapping the little twigs on either sideof them, as they passed: and when they came to the Mountain-Torrent she was hanging motionless in air, for the Ice-King hadkissed her.So cold was it that even the animals and the birds did not knowwhat to make of it....　

Daisy Millerby Henry JamesIN TWO PARTSPART IAt the little town of Vevey, in Switzerland, there is aparticularly comfortable hotel. There are, indeed, many hotels,for the entertainment of tourists is the business of the place,which, as many travelers will remember, is seated upon the edgeof a remarkably blue lakea lake that it behooves every touristto visit. The shore of the lake presents an unbroken arrayof establishments of this order, of every category, from the"grand hotel" of the newest fashion, with a chalk-white front,...　

THE LOST PRINCESS OF OZby L. FRANK BAUMThis Book is DedicatedTo My GranddaughterOZMA BAUMTo My ReadersSome of my youthful readers are developing wonderfulimaginations. This pleases me. Imagination has broughtmankind through the Dark Ages to its present state ofcivilization. Imagination led Columbus to discoverAmerica. Imagination led Franklin to discoverelectricity. Imagination has given us the steam engine,the telephone, the talking-machine and the automobile,...　

Muratby Alexander Dumas, pereITOULONOn the 18th June, 1815, at the very moment when the destiny of Europewas being decided at Waterloo, a man dressed like a beggar wassilently following the road from Toulon to Marseilles.Arrived at the entrance of the Gorge of Ollioulles, he halted on alittle eminence from which he could see all the surrounding country;then either because he had reached the end of his journey, orbecause, before attempting that forbidding, sombre pass which iscalled the Thermopylae of Provence, he wished to enjoy themagnificent view which spread to the southern horizon a littl　

Liber Amoris, or, The New Pygmalionby William HazlittADVERTISEMENTThe circumstances, an outline of which is given in these pages, happened a very short time ago to a native of North Britain, who left his own country early in life, in consequence of political animosities and an ill-advised connection in marriage. It was some years after that he formed the fatal attachment which is the subject of the following narrative. The whole was transcribed very carefully with his own hand, a little before he set out for the Continent in hopes of benefiting by a change of scene, but he died soon after i　

Lecture IIITHE REALITY OF THE UNSEENWere one asked to characterize the life of religion in thebroadest and most general terms possible, one might say that itconsists of the belief that there is an unseen order, and thatour supreme good lies in harmoniously adjusting ourselvesthereto. This belief and this adjustment are the religiousattitude in the soul. I wish during this hour to call yourattention to some of the psychological peculiarities of such anattitude as this, or belief in an object which we cannot see....　

Eugenie Grandetby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Katharine Prescott WormeleyDEDICATIONTo Maria.May your name, that of one whose portrait is the noblest ornamentof this work, lie on its opening pages like a branch of sacredbox, taken from an unknown tree, but sanctified by religion, andkept ever fresh and green by pious hands to bless the house.De Balzac.EUGENIE GRANDETIThere are houses in certain provincial towns whose aspect inspiresmelancholy, akin to that called forth by sombre cloisters, drearymoorlands, or the desolation of ruins. Within these houses there is,...　

Early Kings of Norwayby Thomas CarlyleThe Icelanders, in their long winter, had a great habit of writing; and were, and still are, excellent in penmanship, says Dahlmann. It is to this fact, that any little history there is of the Norse Kings and their old tragedies, crimes and heroisms, is almost all due. The Icelanders, it seems, not only made beautiful letters on their paper or parchment, but were laudably observant and desirous of accuracy; and have left us such a collection of narratives (_Sagas_, literally "Says") as, for quantity and quality, is unexampled among rude nations. Snorro　

A Mountain WomanA Mountain WomanBy Elia Wilkinson PeattieTo My best Friend, and kindest Critic, My Husband.1- Page 2-A Mountain WomanIF Leroy Brainard had not had such a respect for literature, he wouldhave written a book.As it was, he played at being an architect and succeeded in being acharming fellow. My sister Jessica never lost an opportunity of laughing athis endeavors as an architect....　

In the Cageby Henry JamesCHAPTER IIt had occurred to her early that in her positionthat of a youngperson spending, in framed and wired confinement, the life of aguinea-pig or a magpieshe should know a great many personswithout their recognising the acquaintance. That made it anemotion the more livelythough singularly rare and always, eventhen, with opportunity still very much smotheredto see any onecome in whom she knew outside, as she called it, any one who couldadd anything to the meanness of her function. Her function was to...　

FABIUS270-203 B.C.by Plutarchtranslated by John DrydenHAVING related the memorable actions of Pericles, our history nowproceeds to the life of Fabius. A son of Hercules and a nymph, of somewoman of that country, who brought him forth on the banks of Tiber,was, it is said, the first Fabius, the founder of the numerous anddistinguished family of the name. Others will have it that they werefirst called Fodii, because the first of the race delighted in digging...　

A treatise on Good Worksby Dr. Martin Luthertogether with theLetter of Dedicationby Dr. Martin Luther, 1520INTRODUCTION1. The Occasion of the Work. Luther did not impose himself asreformer upon the Church. In the course of a conscientiousperformance of the duties of his office, to which he had beenregularly and divinely called, and without any urging on hispart, he attained to this position by inward necessity. In 1515he received his appointment as the standing substitute for thesickly city pastor, Simon Heinse, from the city council of...　

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 four...　

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 unavoidably...　

Essays and Lecturesby Oscar WildeContentsThe Rise of Historical CriticismThe English Renaissance of ArtHouse DecorationArt and the HandicraftmanLecture to Art StudentsLondon ModelsPoems in ProseTHE RISE OF HISTORICAL CRITICISMCHAPTER IHISTORICAL criticism nowhere occurs as an isolated fact in thecivilisation or literature of any people. It is part of thatcomplex working towards freedom which may be described as therevolt against authority. It is merely one facet of that...