Dreams and AwakeningsWHY IS IT forbidden to write down specific knowledge of the magics? Perhaps because we all fear that such knowledge would fall into the hands of one not worthy to use it. Certainly there has always been a system of apprenticeship to ensure that specific knowledge of magic is passed only to those trained and judged worthy of such knowledge. While this seems a laudable attempt to protect us from unworthy practitioners of arcane lore, it ignores the fact that the magics are not derived from this specific knowledge. The predilection for a certain type of magic is eithe　

The Fifth StringThe Fifth StringBy John Philip Sousa1- Page 2-The Fifth StringIThe coming of Diotti to America had awakened more than usualinterest in the man and his work. His marvelous success as violinist in theleading capitals of Europe, together with many brilliant contributions tothe literature of his instrument, had long been favorably commented on by...　

On Books and the Housing of Themby William Ewart GladstoneIn the old age of his intellect (which atthis point seemed to taste a little ofdecrepitude), Strauss declared [1] that the doctrine ofimmortality has recently lost the assistanceof a passable argument, inasmuch as it hasbeen discovered that the stars are inhabited;for where, he asks, could room now be foundfor such a multitude of souls? Again, in viewof the current estimates of prospectivepopulation for this earth, some people have begun toentertain alarm for the probable condition of...　

Common Senseby Thomas PaineINTRODUCTIONPerhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages,are not YET sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favour;a long habit of not thinking a thing WRONG, gives it a superficialappearance of being RIGHT, and raises at first a formidable outcryin defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides.Time makes more converts than reason.As a long and violent abuse of power, is generally the Meansof calling the right of it in question (and in Matters too whichmight never have been thought of, had not the Sufferers been aggravated...　

THE DEAD WIFE[20][20] From the Iroquois.Once upon a time there were a man and his wife who lived in theforest, very far from the rest of the tribe. Very often theyspent the day in hunting together, but after a while the wifefound that she had so many things to do that she was obliged tostay at home; so he went alone, though he found that when hiswife was not with him he never had any luck. One day, when hewas away hunting, the woman fell ill, and in a few days she died.Her husband grieved bitterly, and buried her in the house whereshe had passed her life; but as the time went on he felt so.　

The Caged Lionby Charlotte M. YongePREFACEWhen the venture has been made of dealing with historical events and characters, it always seems fair towards the reader to avow what liberties have been taken, and how much of the sketch is founded on history. In the present case, it is scarcely necessary to do more than refer to the almost unique relations that subsisted between Henry V. and his prisoner, James I. of Scotland; who lived with him throughout his reign on the terms of friend rather than of captive, and was absolutely sheltered by this imprisonment throughout his nonage and early youth　

The French Revolution, Volume 2The Origins of Contemporary France, Volume 3by Hippolyte A. TaineTHE REVOLUTION. Volume II. THE JACOBIN CONQUEST.THE FRENCH REVOLUTION VOLUME II.THE JACOBIN CONQUEST.THE FRENCH REVOLUTION VOLUME II.BOOK FIRST. THE JACOBINS.CHAPTER I. The Establishment of the new political organ.I. The Revolutionary Party.II. The Jacobins.III. Jacobin Mentality.IV. What the Theory Promises.CHAPTER II. The Party....　

The Golden Fleeceby Julian HawthorneA RomanceCHAPTER I.The professor crossed one long, lean leg over the other, and punched down the ashes in his pipe-bowl with the square tip of his middle finger. The thermometer on the shady veranda marked eighty-seven degrees of heat, and nature wooed the soul to languor and revery; but nothing could abate the energy of this bony sage."They talk about their Atlantises,their submerged continents!" he exclaimed, with a sniff through his wide, hairy nostrils. "Why, Trednoke, do you realize that we are living literally at the bottom of a Mesozoicat any rate,　

THE WITCH IN THE STONE BOAT[31][31] From the Icelandic.There were once a King and a Queen, and they had a son calledSigurd, who was very strong and active, and good-looking. Whenthe King came to be bowed down with the weight of years he spoketo his son, and said that now it was time for him to look out fora fitting match for himself, for he did not know how long hemight last now, and he would like to see him married before hedied.Sigurd was not averse to this, and asked his father where hethought it best to look for a wife. The King answered that in a...　

Memoirs of the Comtesse du Barry With Minute Details of Her Entire Career as Favorite of Louis XV"Written by Herself"by Baron Etienne Leon Lamothe-LangonTABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER ILetter from LebelVisit from LebelNothing conclusiveAnother visit from LebelInvitation to sup with the kingInstructions of the comte Jean to the comtesseCHAPTER IIA slight prefaceArrival at VersaillesPortrait of the kingThe duc de RichelieuThe marquis de ChauvelinThe duc de la Vauguyon-Supper with the kingThe first nightThe following dayThe curiosity of comte JeanPresents from the kingHow disposed of...　

FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSENTHE BOTTLE NECKby Hans Christian AndersenCLOSE to the corner of a street, among other abodes of poverty,stood an exceedingly tall, narrow house, which had been so knockedabout by time that it seemed out of joint in every direction. Thishouse was inhabited by poor people, but the deepest poverty wasapparent in the garret lodging in the gable. In front of the littlewindow, an old bent bird-cage hung in the sunshine, which had not evena proper water-glass, but instead of it the broken neck of a bottle,...　

The Amateur Cracksmanby E. W. HornungTO A. C. D. THIS FORM OF FLATTERYTHE AMATEUR CRACKSMANTHE IDES OF MARCHIIt was half-past twelve when I returned to the Albany as a last desperate resort. The scene of my disaster was much as I had left it. The baccarat-counters still strewed the table, with the empty glasses and the loaded ash-trays. A window had been opened to let the smoke out, and was letting in the fog instead. Raffles himself had merely discarded his dining jacket for one of his innumerable blazers. Yet he arched his eyebrows as though I had dragged him from his bed....　

The Life of Flavius Josephusby Flavius JosephusTranslated by William Whiston1. The family from which I am derived is not an ignoble one, buthath descended all along from the priests; and as nobility amongseveral people is of a different origin, so with us to be of thesacerdotal dignity, is an indication of the splendor of a family.Now, I am not only sprung from a sacerdotal family in general,but from the first of the twenty-four (1) courses; and as amongus there is not only a considerable difference between one familyof each course and another, I am of the chief family of that...　

THE MONKEY AND THE JELLY-FISHChildren must often have wondered why jelly-fishes have noshells, like so many of the creatures that are washed up everyday on the beach. In old times this was not so; the jelly-fishhad as hard a shell as any of them, but he lost it through hisown fault, as may be seen in this story.The sea-queen Otohime, whom you read of in the story ofUraschimatoro, grew suddenly very ill. The swiftest messengerswere sent hurrying to fetch the best doctors from every countryunder the sea, but it was all of no use; the queen grew rapidlyworse instead of better. Everyone had al　

BOOK II: OF THEIR MAGISTRATESTHIRTY families choose every year a magistrate, who was ancientlycalled the syphogrant, but is now called the philarch; and overevery ten syphogrants, with the families subject to them, there isanother magistrate, who was anciently called the tranibor, but oflate the archphilarch. All the syphogrants, who are in number 200,choose the Prince out of a list of four, who are named by thepeople of the four divisions of the city; but they take an oathbefore they proceed to an election, that they will choose him whom...　

DEAD SOULSPART ICHAPTER ITo the door of an inn in the provincial town of N. there drew up a smart britchkaa light spring-carriage of the sort affected by bachelors, retired lieutenant-colonels, staff-captains, land-owners possessed of about a hundred souls, and, in short, all persons who rank as gentlemen of the intermediate category. In the britchka was seated such a gentlemana man who, though not handsome, was not ill-favoured, not over-fat, and not over-thin. Also, though not over-elderly, he was not over-young. His arrival produced no stir in the town, and was accompanied by no particular