FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE PUPPET-SHOW MANby Hans Christian AndersenON board a steamer I once met an elderly man, with such a merryface that, if it was really an index of his mind, he must have beenthe happiest fellow in creation; and indeed he considered himselfso, for I heard it from his own mouth. He was a Dane, the owner of atravelling theatre. He had all his company with him in a large box,for he was the proprietor of a puppet-show. His inborn cheerfulness,he said, had been tested by a member of the Polytechnic Institution,...　

The Two Captainsby Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-FouqueCHAPTER I.A Mild summer evening was resting on the shores of Malaga, awakeningthe guitar of many a merry singer among the ships in the harbor, andin the city houses, and in many an ornamental garden villa.Emulating the voices of the birds, the melodious tones greeted therefreshing coolness, and floated like perfumed exhalations frommeadow and water, over the enchanting region. Some troops ofinfantry who were on the shore, and who purposed to spend the nightthere, that they might be ready for embarkation early on the...　

The Man Who Was Afraidby Maxim GorkyTranslated by Herman BernsteinINTRODUCTORY NOTE.OUT of the darkest depths of life, where vice and crime and misery abound, comes the Byron of the twentieth century, the poet of the vagabond and the proletariat, Maxim Gorky. Not like the beggar, humbly imploring for a crust in the name of the Lord, nor like the jeweller displaying his precious stones to dazzle and tempt the eye, he comes to the world,nay, in accents of Tyrtaeus this commoner of Nizhni Novgorod spurs on his troops of freedom-loving heroes to conquer, as it were, the placid, self- satisfied li　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE STORKSby Hans Christian AndersenON the last house in a little village the storks had built a nest,and the mother stork sat in it with her four young ones, who stretchedout their necks and pointed their black beaks, which had not yetturned red like those of the parent birds. A little way off, on theedge of the roof, stood the father stork, quite upright and stiff; notliking to be quite idle, he drew up one leg, and stood on the other,so still that it seemed almost as if he were carved in wood. "It...　

THE LUTE PLAYEROnce upon a time there was a king and queen who lived happily andcomfortably together. They were very fond of each other and hadnothing to worry them, but at last the king grew restless. Helonged to go out into the world, to try his strength in battleagainst some enemy and to win all kinds of honour and glory.So he called his army together and gave orders to start for adistant country where a heathen king ruled who ill-treated ortormented everyone he could lay his hands on. The king then gavehis parting orders and wise advice to his ministers, took a...　

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVEThe June roses over the porch were awake bright and early on that morning, rejoicing with all their hearts in the cloudless sunshine, like friendly little neighbors, as they were. Quite flushed with excitement were their ruddy faces, as they swung in the wind, whispering to one another what they had seen, for some peeped in at the dining room windows where the feast was spread, some climbed up to nod and smile at the sisters as they dressed the bride, others waved a welcome to those who came and went on various errands in garden, porch, and hall, and all, from the rosiest f　

Confessions of an English Opium-Eaterby Thomas De QuinceyBEING AN EXTRACT FROM THE LIFE OF A SCHOLAR. From the "London Magazine" for September 1821.TO THE READERI here present you, courteous reader, with the record of a remarkable period in my life: according to my application of it, I trust that it will prove not merely an interesting record, but in a considerable degree useful and instructive. In THAT hope it is that I have drawn it up; and THAT must be my apology for breaking through that delicate and honourable reserve which, for the most part, restrains us from the public exposure of o　

Lachesby PlatoTranslated by Benjamin JowettINTRODUCTION.Lysimachus, the son of Aristides the Just, and Melesias, the son of theelder Thucydides, two aged men who live together, are desirous of educatingtheir sons in the best manner. Their own education, as often happens withthe sons of great men, has been neglected; and they are resolved that theirchildren shall have more care taken of them, than they received themselvesat the hands of their fathers....　

49 Of SuitorsMany ill matters and projects are undertaken; and private suits do putrefy the publicgood. Many good matters are undertaken with bad minds; I mean not only corrupt minds, but crafty minds, that intend not performance. Some embrace suits, which never mean to deal effectually in them; but if they see there may be life in the matter, by some other mean, they will be content to win a thank, or take a second reward, or at least to make use, in the mean time, of the suitor's hopes.Some take hold of suits only for an occasion, to cross some other, or to make an information, whereof the　

THE SUN-DOG TRAILSITKA CHARLEY smoked his pipe and gazed thoughtfully at the POLICEGAZETTE illustration on the wall. For half an hour he had beensteadily regarding it, and for half an hour I had been slylywatching him. Something was going on in that mind of his, and,whatever it was, I knew it was well worth knowing. He had livedlife, and seen things, and performed that prodigy of prodigies,namely, the turning of his back upon his own people, and, in so faras it was possible for an Indian, becoming a white man even in hismental processes. As he phrased it himself, he had come into the...　

The Modern Regime, Volume 1 [Napoleon]The Origins of Contemporary France, Volume 5by Hippolyte A. TaineContents:PREFACEBOOK FIRST. Napoleon Bonaparte.Chapter I. Historical Importance of his Character and Genius.Chapter II. His Ideas, Passions and Intelligence.BOOK SECOND. Formation and Character of the New State.Chapter I. The Institution of Government.Chapter II. Use and Abuse of Government Services....　

Hans Brinker or The Silver Skatesby Mary Mapes DodgeTo my father James J. Mapes this book is dedicated in gratitude and lovePrefaceThis little work aims to combine the instructive features of a book of travels with the interest of a domestic tale. Throughout its pages the descriptions of Dutch localities, customs, and general characteristics have been given with scrupulous care. Many of its incidents are drawn from life, and the story of Raff Brinker is founded strictly upon fact.While acknowledging my obligations to many well-known writers on Dutch history, literature, and art, I turn wi　

The Golden Asseby Lucius ApuleiusTranslated by William AdlingtonDedicationTo the Right Honourable and Mighty Lord, THOMAS EARLE OF SUSSEX, Viscount Fitzwalter, Lord of Egremont and of Burnell, Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter, Iustice of the forrests and Chases from Trent Southward; Captain of the Gentleman Pensioners of the House of the QUEENE our Soveraigne Lady.After that I had taken upon me (right Honourable) in manner of that unlearned and foolish Poet, Cherillus, who rashly and unadvisedly wrought a big volume in verses, of the valiant prowesse of Alexander the Great, to t　

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　

Of Commerceby David HumeThe greater part of mankind may be divided into two classes;that of shallow thinkers, who fall short of the truth; and thatof abstruse thinkers, who go beyond it. The latter class are byfar the most rare: and I may add, by far the most useful andvaluable. They suggest hints, at least, and start difficulties,which they want, perhaps, skill to pursue; but which may producefine discoveries, when handled by men who have a more just way ofthinking. At worst, what they say is uncommon; and if it shouldcost some pains to comprehend it, one has, however, the pleasure...　

Once upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes ofsnow were falling like feathers from the sky, a queen sat ata window sewing, and the frame of the window was made of blackebony. And whilst she was sewing and looking out of the windowat the snow, she pricked her finger with the needle, and threedrops of blood fell upon the snow. And the red looked prettyupon the white snow, and she thought to herself, would that I hada child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as thewood of the window-frame.Soon after that she had a little daughter, who was as white assnow, and as red