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Framley Parsonage is the fourth novel in Anthony Trollope's series known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, first published in serial form in the Cornhill Magazine in 1860. (Summary by Wikipedia Of all novelists in any country, Trollope best understands the role of money. Compared with him even Balzac is a romantic. — W. H. Auden...

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Fiction

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The Portrait of a Lady is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly and Macmillan's Magazine in 1880-1881 and then as a book in 1881. It is the story of a spirited young American woman, Isabel Archer, who affronts her destiny and finds it overwhelming. She inherits a large amount of money and subsequently becomes the victim of Machiavellian scheming by two American expatriates. Like many of James's novels, it is set mostly in Europe, notably England and Italy. Generally regarded as the masterpiece of his early phase of writing, this novel reflects James's absorbing interest in the differences between the New World and the Old. It also treats in a profound way the themes of personal freedom, responsibility, betrayal, and sexuality. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Literature

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THAT a secret society, based upon the lines of similar institutions so notorious on the Continent during the last century, could ever have existed in the London of our day may seem impossible. Such a society, however, not only did exist, but through the instrumentality of a woman of unparalleled capacity and genius, obtained a firm footing. A century ago the Brotherhood of the Seven Kings was a name hardly whispered without horror and fear in Italy, and now, by the fascinations and influence of one woman, it began to accomplish fresh deeds of unparalleled daring and subtlety in London. By the wide extent of its scientific resources, and the impregnable secrecy of its organisations, it threatened to become a formidable menace to society, as well as a source of serious anxiety to the authorities of the law. (excerpt from The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings )...

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Mystery

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Preface: As the most striking lines of poetry are the most hackneyed, because they have grown to be the common inheritance of all the world, so many of the most noble deeds that earth can show have become the best known, and enjoyed their full meed of fame. Therefore it may be feared that many of the events here detailed, or alluded to, may seem trite to those in search of novelty; but it is not for such that the collection has been made....

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Excerpt: Right well I wote most mighty Soueraine, That all this famous antique history, Of some th?aboundance of an idle braine Will iudged be, and painted forgery, Rather then matter of iust memory, Sith none, that breatheth liuing aire, does know, Where is that happy land of Faery, Which I so much do vaunt, yet no where show, But vouch antiquities, which no body can know....

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Excerpt: The Second Part of Henry the Fourth Containing his Death and the Coronation of King Henry the Fifth; Actus Primus -- Scoena Prima -- INDUCTION. Enter Rumour. Open your Eares: For which of you will stop The vent of Hearing, when loud Rumor speakes? I, from the Orient, to the drooping West (Making the winde my Post- horse) still unfold The Acts commenced on this Ball of Earth. Upon my Tongue, continuall Slanders ride, The which, in every Language, I pronounce, Stuffing the Eares of them with false Reports: I speake of Peace, while covert Enmitie (Under the smile of Safety) wounds the World: And who but Rumour, who but onely I Make fearfull Musters, and prepar?d Defence, Whil?st the bigge yeare, swolne with some other griefes, Is thought with childe, by the sterne Tyrant, Warre, And no such matter? Rumour, is a Pipe Blowne by Surmises, Ielousies, Conjectures; And of so easie, and so plaine a stop, That the blunt Monster, with uncounted heads, The still discordant, wavering Multitude, Can play upon it. But what neede I thus My well- knowne Body to Anathomize Among my houshold? Why is Rumour heere? I run before King Harries vict...

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Table of Contents: The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, 1 -- Actus Primus. Scoena Prima., 1 -- Scena Secunda., 2 -- Scena Tertia., 7 -- Scena Quarta., 12 -- Actus Secundus. Scoena Prima., 14 -- Scena Secunda., 18 -- Scena Tertia., 22 -- Scaena Quarta., 24 -- Actus Tertius. Scena Prima., 32 -- Scena Secunda., 35 -- Actus Quartus. Scena Prima., 42 -- Scena Secunda., 53 -- Actus Quintus. Scoena Prima., 62 -- Scena Secunda., 64 -- Scena Tertia., 68 -- Scena Quarta., 71 -- Scena Quinta., 72 -- EPILOGVE., 74...

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Excerpt: The increase of the towns of Manhattan, as, for the sake of convenience, we shall term New York and her adjuncts, in all that contributes to the importance of a great commercial mart, renders them one of the most remarkable places of the present age. Within the distinct recollections of living men, they have grown from a city of the fifth or sixth class to be near the head of all the purely trading places of the known world. That there are sufficient causes for this unparalleled prosperity, will appear in the analysis of the natural advantages of the port, in its position, security, accessories, and scale....

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The Epistle of Paul to the Romans , often shortened to Romans , is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul, to explain that Salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is by far the longest of the Pauline epistles, and is considered his most important theological legacy....

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Religion

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Second Gospel or account of the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Commonly regarded as the first recorded gospel of Christ. (Summary by Simon)...

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History, Religion

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The Epistle of Paul to Philemon, usually referred to simply as Philemon, is a prison letter to Philemon from Paul of Tarsus. Philemon was a leader in the Colossian church. This letter, which is one of the books of the New Testament, deals with forgiveness....

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Ancient Texts, Religion

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The narrative poems in this collection are written by Sir Walter Scott - the well-known English poet and novelist. Each of these five poems are based loosely upon German ballads: rewritten in flowing English meter. * The Chase - a.k.a. The Wild Huntsman - A profligate, noble-born keeper of the royal forest - avidly addicted to the pleasures of the hunt - cruelly uses and mistreats his fellow-men. One day God's messengers come to test him: executing sentence immediately in just proportion to the huntsman's responses * William & Helen - William - long thought dead - unexpectedly returns at midnight from the crusades to marry his betrothed. Helen - relieved at his return - joyfully agree,s after initial misgivings: follows him on horseback into the night. Approaching the church in which they will celebrate their wedding: it is clear to Helen that all is not what it seems. But, with their mutual love strong enough to transcend death itself - what can possibly go wrong? * The Fire King - Count Albert never returns from crusade: having being imprisoned by Saracens. Rosalie, his betrothed, swears to leave at once for Lebanon to find him. R...

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Poetry

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Excerpt: The Heir of Redclyffe by Charlotte M. Yonge.

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Excerpt: CHORUS. Not marching in the fields of Thrasymene, Where Mars did mate the warlike Carthagens; Nor sporting in the dalliance of love, In courts of kings where state is overturn?d; Nor in the pomp of proud audacious deeds, Intends our Muse to vaunt her heavenly verse: Only this, gentles,--we must now perform The form of Faustus? fortunes, good or bad: And now to patient judgments we appeal, And speak for Faustus in his infancy....

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Excerpt: The malady of the age. On a fine evening in the month of September, 1836, a man about thirty years of age was leaning on the parapet of that quay from which a spectator can look up the Seine from the Jardin des Plantes to Notre-Dame, and down, along the vast perspective of the river, to the Louvre. There is not another point of view to compare with it in the capital of ideas. We feel ourselves on the quarter-deck, as it were, of a gigantic vessel. We dream of Paris from the days of the Romans to those of the Franks, from the Normans to the Burgundians, the Middle-Ages, the Valois, Henri IV., Louis XIV., Napoleon, and Louis-Philippe. Vestiges are before us of all those sovereignties, in monuments that recall their memory....

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Excerpt: The Volsunga Saga translated by William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson (1888).

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Contents INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................5 TRANSLATORS? PREFACE.......................................................................23 THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS AND NIBLUNGS.............................26 APPENDIX:.................................................................................................132 EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA.............................................................................................................. 132 PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1)................................................................................................................. 139 THE LAY CALLED .................................................................................................................................................. 142 THE SHORT LAY OF SIGURD.............................................................................................................................. 142 THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD ............................................................................................................................

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Excerpt: The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling by Henry Fielding: Volume Two, Containing Books IX through XVIII.

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Excerpt: PHILO: Nay, but this dotage of our general?s overflows the measure: those his goodly eyes, That o?er the files and musters of the war Have glow?d like plated Mars, now bend, now turn, The office and devotion of their view Upon a tawny front: his captain?s heart, Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper, And is become the bellows and the fan To cool a gipsy?s lust....

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This book is an early history of the Starved Rock Area in Northern Illinois. In the pre-Columbian era, the Starved Rock area was home to Native Americans, particularly the Kaskaskia who lived in the Grand Village of the Illinois across the river. Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette were the first Europeans recorded as exploring the region, and by 1683, the French had established Fort St. Louis on a large sandstone butte overlooking the river. According to a native legend, a group of Illinois Confederation (Illini) pursued by the Ottawa and Potawatomi fled to the butte in the late 18th century. The Ottawa and Potawatomi besieged the butte until all of the Illini had starved, and the butte became known as Starved Rock. The butte area was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1960. (Introduction by Wikipedia and Veronica Jenkins)...

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History

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Excerpt: I had better explain why, in this little piece d?occasion, written for a performance in aid of the funds of the project for establishing a National Theatre as a memorial to Shakespear, I have identified the Dark Lady with Mistress Mary Fitton. First, let me say that I do not contend that the Dark Lady was Mary Fitton, because when the case in Mary?s favor (or against her, if you please to consider that the Dark Lady was no better than she ought to have been) was complete, a portrait of Mary came to light and turned out to be that of a fair lady, not of a dark one. That settles the question, if the portrait is authentic....

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Preface: Like many other works of mine, this playlet is a piece d?occasion. In 1905 it happened that Mr. Arnold Daly, who was then playing the part of Napoleon in The Man of Destiny in New York, found that whilst the play was too long to take a secondary place in the evening?s performance, it was too short to suffice by itself. I therefore took advantage of four days continuous rain during a holiday in the north of Scotland to write How He Lied To Her Husband for Mr. Daly. In his hands, it served its turn very effectively....