1　　World Without End　　If a killing type of virus strain should suddenly arise by mutation ... it could, because of the rapid transportation in which we indulge nowadays, be carried to the far corners of the earth and cause the deaths of millions of people.　　- W. M. Stanley, in Chemical and Engineering News, Dec. 22, 1947.　　　　Chapter 1　　... and the government of the United States of America is herewith suspended, except in the District of Columbia, as of the emergency. Federal officers, including those of the Armed Forces, will put themselves under the orders of the governors of the various 　

The Divine Comedyby DANTE ALIGHIERI(1265-1321)TRANSLATED BYHENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW(1807-1882)Incipit Comoedia Dantis Alagherii,Florentini natione, non moribus.The Divine Comedytranslated by Henry Wadsworth LongfellowINFERNOInferno: Canto IMidway upon the journey of our lifeI found myself within a forest dark,For the straightforward pathway had been lost.Ah me! how hard a thing it is to sayWhat was this forest savage, rough, and stern,Which in the very thought renews the fear.So bitter is it, death is little more;...　

Love of Life and other storiesby Jack LondonLOVE OF LIFE"This out of all will remain -They have lived and have tossed:So much of the game will be gain,Though the gold of the dice has been lost."THEY limped painfully down the bank, and once the foremost of thetwo men staggered among the rough-strewn rocks. They were tiredand weak, and their faces had the drawn expression of patiencewhich comes of hardship long endured. They were heavily burdenedwith blanket packs which were strapped to their shoulders. Head-...　

The Ancien Regimeby Charles KingsleyPREFACEThe rules of the Royal Institution forbid (and wisely) religious orpolitical controversy. It was therefore impossible for me in theseLectures, to say much which had to be said, in drawing a just andcomplete picture of the Ancien Regime in France. The passagesinserted between brackets, which bear on religious matters, wereaccordingly not spoken at the Royal Institution.But more. It was impossible for me in these Lectures, to bringforward as fully as I could have wished, the contrast between the...　

Martin Guerreby Alexandre Dumas, PereWe are sometimes astonished at the striking resemblance existingbetween two persons who are absolute strangers to each other, but infact it is the opposite which ought to surprise us. Indeed, whyshould we not rather admire a Creative Power so infinite in itsvariety that it never ceases to produce entirely differentcombinations with precisely the same elements? The more oneconsiders this prodigious versatility of form, the more overwhelmingit appears.To begin with, each nation has its own distinct and characteristic...　

SpringThe opening of large tracts by the ice-cutters commonly causes apond to break up earlier; for the water, agitated by the wind, evenin cold weather, wears away the surrounding ice. But such was notthe effect on Walden that year, for she had soon got a thick newgarment to take the place of the old. This pond never breaks up sosoon as the others in this neighborhood, on account both of itsgreater depth and its having no stream passing through it to melt orwear away the ice. I never knew it to open in the course of a...　

Life of Marion.Life of Marion.DOBEIN JAMES.1- Page 2-Life of Marion.Preface.During the siege of Charleston, in May, 1780, the grammar school atSalem, on Black river, where I had been placed by my father, Major JOHNJAMES, broke up; and I was compelled to abandon my school boy studies,and become a militia man, at the age of fifteen. At that time of life it was a...　

MUGBY JUNCTIONMUGBY JUNCTIONBy Charles Dickens1- Page 2-MUGBY JUNCTIONCHAPTER IBARBOXBROTHERSI"Guard! What place is this?""Mugby Junction, sir.""A windy place!""Yes, it mostly is, sir.""And looks comfortless indeed!""Yes, it generally does, sir."...　

Modern Customs and Ancient Laws of Russiaby Maxime KovalevskyLecture 6The Origin, Growth, and Abolition of Personal Servitude in RussiaAn account of the origin, growth, and abolition of serfdom inRussia might easily be made to fill volumes, so vast and sovarious are the materials on which the study of it is based. Butfor the purpose now in view, that of bringing before your noticethe general conclusion to which Russian historians and legistshave come as to the social development of their country, perhapsa single lecture will suffice. In it I cannot pretend to do more...　

History Of The BritonsHistory Of The BritonsNenniusTranslated by J. A. Giles1- Page 2-History Of The BritonsI. The Prologue.1. Nennius, the lowly minister and servant of the servants of God, bythe grace of God, disciple of St. Elbotus,* to all the followers of truthsendeth health. * Or Elvod, bishop of Bangor, A.D. 755, who first adopted...　

The Adventures of Pinocchioby C. Collodi[Pseudonym of Carlo Lorenzini]CHAPTER 1How it happened that Mastro Cherry, carpenter,found a piece of wood that wept and laughed like a childCenturies ago there lived"A king!" my little readers will say immediately.No, children, you are mistaken. Once upon a timethere was a piece of wood. It was not an expensive pieceof wood. Far from it. Just a common block of firewood,one of those thick, solid logs that are put on the fire inwinter to make cold rooms cozy and warm....　

CORIOLANUSCORIOLANUSWilliam Shakespeare16081- Page 2-CORIOLANUSDramatis PersonaeCAIUS MARCIUS, afterwards CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUSGenerals against the Volscians TITUS LARTIUS COMINIUSMENENIUS AGRIPPA, friend to CoriolanusTribunes of the People SICINIUS VELUTUS JUNIUS BRUTUSYOUNG MARCIUS, son to Coriolanus A ROMAN HERALD...　

A LOST OPPORTUNITY."Then came Peter to Him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brothersin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?" . . . ."So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if yefrom your hearts forgive not every one his brother theirtrespasses."ST. MATTHEW xviii., 21-35.In a certain village there lived a peasant by the name of IvanScherbakoff. He was prosperous, strong, and vigorous, and wasconsidered the hardest worker in the whole village. He had threesons, who supported themselves by their own labor. The eldest...　

A SIMPLIFIED ALPHABET(This article, written during the autumn of 1899, was aboutthe last writing done by Mark Twain on any impersonal subject.)I have had a kindly feeling, a friendly feeling, a cousinlyfeeling toward Simplified Spelling, from the beginning of themovement three years ago, but nothing more inflamed than that.It seemed to me to merely propose to substitute one inadequacyfor another; a sort of patching and plugging poor old dentalrelics with cement and gold and porcelain paste; what was reallyneeded was a new set of teeth. That is to say, a new ALPHABET....　

The Lost HouseThe Lost Houseby Richard Harding Davis1- Page 2-The Lost HouseIIt was a dull day at the chancellery. His Excellency the AmericanAmbassador was absent in Scotland, unveiling a bust to Bobby Burns,paid for by the numerous lovers of that poet in Pittsburg; the FirstSecretary was absent at Aldershot, observing a sham battle; the Military...　

Massacre at Parisby Christopher MarloweTable of Contents with inital stage directions* Dramatis Personae* Scene 1: Enter Charles the French King, [Catherine] the QueeneMother, the King of Navarre, the Prince of Condye, the Lord highAdmirall, and [Margaret] the Queene of Navarre, with others.* Scene 2: Enter the Duke of Guise.* Scene 3: Enter the King of Navar and Queen [Margaret], and his[olde] Mother Queen [of Navarre], the Prince of Condy, theAdmirall, and the Pothecary with the gloves, and gives them...