The Dark Flowerby John Galsworthy"Take the flower from my breast, I pray thee,Take the flower too from out my tresses;And then go hence, for see, the night is fair,The stars rejoice to watch thee on thy way."From "The Bard of the Dimbovitza."THE DARK FLOWERPart ISpringIHe walked along Holywell that afternoon of early June with hisshort gown drooping down his arms, and no cap on his thick darkhair. A youth of middle height, and built as if he had come of twovery different strains, one sturdy, the other wiry and light. Hisface, too, was a curious blend, for, though it was strongly formed,...　

The Libraryby Andrew LangContents:PREFATORY NOTEAN APOLOGY FOR THE BOOK-HUNTERTHE LIBRARYTHE BOOKS OF THE COLLECTORILLUSTRATED BOOKSBooks, books again, and books once more!These are our theme, which some miscallMere madness, setting little storeBy copies either short or tall.But you, O slaves of shelf and stall!We rather write for you that holdPatched folios dear, and prize "the small,Rare volume, black with tarnished gold."A. D.PREFATORY NOTEThe pages in this volume on illuminated and other MSS. (with the exception of some anecdotes about Bussy Rabutin and Julie de Rambouillet) have been con　

Meditations on First Philosophyby Rene Descartes1641Prefatory Note To The Meditations.The first edition of the Meditations was published in Latin by Michael Soly of Paris "at the Sign of the Phoenix" in 1641 cum Privilegio et Approbatione Doctorum. The Royal "privilege" was indeed given, but the "approbation" seems to have been of a most indefinite kind. The reason of the book being published in France and not in Holland, where Descartes was living in a charming country house at Endegeest near Leiden, was apparently his fear that the Dutch ministers might in some way lay hold of it. His fr　

Elizabeth and her German Gardenby "Elizabeth" [Marie Annette Beauchamp]May 7th.I love my garden. I am writing in it now in the late afternoon loveliness, much interrupted by the mosquitoes and the temptation to look at all the glories of the new green leaves washed half an hour ago in a cold shower. Two owls are perched near me, and are carrying on a long conversation that I enjoy as much as any warbling of nightingales. The gentleman owl says [[musical notes occur here in the printed text]], and she answers from her tree a little way off, [[musical notes]], beautifully assenting to and comp　

The Spirit of Place and Other EssaysThe Spirit of Place andOther Essaysby Alice Meynell1- Page 2-The Spirit of Place and Other EssaysTHE SPIRIT OF PLACEWith mimicry, with praises, with echoes, or with answers, the poetshave all but outsung the bells. The inarticulate bell has found too muchinterpretation, too many rhymes professing to close with her inaccessible...　

Villainage in England: Essays in English Mediaeval Historyby Paul Vinogradoff1892First EssayThe Peasantry of the Feudal Age.Chapter OneThe Legal Aspect of Villainage. General ConceptionsIt has become a commonplace to oppose medieval serfdom to ancient slavery, one implying dependence on the lord of the soil and attachment to the glebe, the other being based on complete subjection to an owner. There is no doubt that great landmarks in the course of social development are set by the three modes hitherto employed of organising human labour: using the working man (1) as a chattel at will, (2) as 　

SHERLOCK HOLMESTHE ADVENTURE OF THE MAZARIN STONEby Sir Arthur Conan DoyleIt was pleasant to Dr. Watson to find himself once more in theuntidy room of the first floor in Baker Street which had been thestarting-point of so many remarkable adventures. He looked round himat the scientific charts upon the wall, the acid-charred bench ofchemicals, the violin-case leaning in the corner, the coal-scuttle,which contained of old the pipes and tobacco. Finally, his eyes cameround to the fresh and smiling face of Billy, the young but very...　

An Inland Voyageby Robert Louis StevensonPREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITIONTo equip so small a book with a preface is, I am half afraid, to sin against proportion. But a preface is more than an author can resist, for it is the reward of his labours. When the foundation stone is laid, the architect appears with his plans, and struts for an hour before the public eye. So with the writer in his preface: he may have never a word to say, but he must show himself for a moment in the portico, hat in hand, and with an urbane demeanour.It is best, in such circumstances, to represent a delicate sha　

The Doom of the Griffithsby Elizabeth GaskellCHAPTER I.I have always been much interested by the traditions which arescattered up and down North Wales relating to Owen Glendower (OwainGlendwr is the national spelling of the name), and I fully enter intothe feeling which makes the Welsh peasant still look upon him as thehero of his country. There was great joy among many of theinhabitants of the principality, when the subject of the Welsh prizepoem at Oxford, some fifteen or sixteen years ago, was announced tobe "Owain Glendwr." It was the most proudly national subject that...　

The Purcell Papers, Volume 2by Joseph Sheridan Le FanuWith a Memoir byALFRED PERCEVAL GRAVESCONTENTS OF VOL. II.PASSAGE IN THE SECRET HISTORY OF AN IRISH COUNTESSTHE BRIDAL OF CARRIGVARAHSTRANGE EVENT IN THE LIFE OF SCHALKEN THE PAINTERSCRAPS OF HIBERNIAN BALLADSTHE PURCELL PAPERS.PASSAGE IN THESECRET HISTORY OF AN IRISHCOUNTESS.Being a Fifth Extract from the Legacy of the late FrancisPurcell, P.P. of Drumcoolagh....　

The Queen of Heartsby Wilkie CollinsLETTER OF DEDICATION.-TOEMILE FORGUES.-AT a time when French readers were altogether unaware of theexistence of any books of my writing, a critical examination ofmy novels appeared under your signature in the _Revue des DeuxMoudes_. I read that article, at the time of its appearance, withsincere pleasure and sincere gratitude to the writer, and I havehonestly done my best to profit by it ever since.At a later period, when arrangements were made for thepublication of my novels in Paris, you kindly undertook, at some...　

Lays of Ancient RomeLays of Ancient RomeBy Thomas Babbington Macaulay1- Page 2-Lays of Ancient RomePrefaceHoratius The LayThe Battle of the Lake Regillus The LayVirginia The LayThe Prophecy of Capys The LayThat what is called the history of the Kings and early Consuls ofRome is to a great extent fabulous, few scholars have, since the time of...　

Main Street and Other Poemsby Joyce KilmerTo Mrs. Edmund LeamyContentsMain StreetRoofsThe Snowman in the YardA Blue ValentineHousesIn MemoryApologyThe Proud PoetLionel JohnsonFather Gerard Hopkins, S. J.Gates and DoorsThe Robe of ChristThe Singing GirlThe AnnunciationRosesThe VisitationMultiplicationThanksgivingThe ThornThe Big TopQueen Elizabeth SpeaksMid-ocean in War-timeIn Memory of Rupert BrookeThe New SchoolEaster WeekThe Cathedral of Rheims...　

Appendix to History of Friedrich II of Prussiaby Thomas CarlyleThis Piece, it would seem, was translated sixteen years ago;some four or five years before any part of the present HISTORY OFFRIEDRICH got to paper. The intercalated bits of Commentary were,as is evident, all or mostly written at the same time:these also,though they are now become, in parts, SUPERFLUOUS to a reader thathas been diligent, I have not thought of changing, where notcompelled. Here and there, especially in the Introductory Part,some slight additions have crept in;which the above kind of...　

The Enchanted Island of Yewby L. Frank BaumContents1. Once On a Time2. The Enchanted Isle3. The Fairy Bower4. Prince Marvel5. The King of Thieves6. The Troubles of Nerle7. The Gray Men8. The Fool-Killer9. The Royal Dragon of Spor10. Prince Marvel Wins His Fight11. The Cunning of King Terribus12. The Gift of Beauty13. The Hidden Kingdom of Twi14. The Ki and The Ki-Ki15. The High Ki of Twi16. The Rebellion of The High Ki17. The Separation of The High Ki18. The Rescue of The High Ki19. The Reunion of The High Ki20. Kwytoffle, the Tyrant...　

THE FROZEN DEEPby Wilkie CollinsFirst SceneThe Ball-roomChapter 1.The date is between twenty and thirty years ago. The place is anEnglish sea-port. The time is night. And the business of themoment isdancing.The Mayor and Corporation of the town are giving a grand ball, incelebration of the departure of an Arctic expedition from theirport. The ships of the expedition are two in numberthe_Wanderer_ and the _Sea-mew_. They are to sail (in search of theNorthwest Passage) on the next day, with the morning tide.Honor to the Mayor and Corporation! It is a brilliant ball. The...