The Virgin of the SunBy H. Rider HaggardDEDICATIONMy Dear Little,Some five-and-thirty years ago it was our custom to discuss manymatters, among them, I think, the history and romance of thevanished Empires of Central America.In memory of those far-off days will you accept a tale that dealswith one of them, that of the marvellous Incas of Peru; with thelegend also that, long before the Spanish Conquerors entered ontheir mission of robbery and ruin, there in that undiscovered landlived and died a White God risen from the sea?...　

The Symposiumby XenophonTranslation by H. G. DakynsXenophon the Athenian was born 431 B.C. He was a pupil of Socrates. He marched with the Spartans, and was exiled from Athens. Sparta gave him land and property in Scillus, where he lived for many years before having to move once more, to settle in Corinth. He died in 354 B.C.The Symposium records the discussion of Socrates and company at a dinner given by Callias for the youth Autolycus. Dakyns believed that Plato knew of this work, and that it influenced him to some degree when he wrote his own "Symposium."THE SYMPOSIUM...　

Lecture XXCONCLUSIONSThe material of our study of human nature is now spread beforeus; and in this parting hour, set free from the duty ofdescription, we can draw our theoretical and practicalconclusions. In my first lecture, defending the empiricalmethod, I foretold that whatever conclusions we might come tocould be reached by spiritual judgments only, appreciations ofthe significance for life of religion, taken "on the whole."Our conclusions cannot be as sharp as dogmatic conclusions would...　

The Mirror of the Seaby Joseph ConradContents:I. Landfalls and DeparturesIV. Emblems of HopeVII. The Fine ArtX. Cobwebs and GossamerXIII. The Weight of the BurdenXVI. Overdue and MissingXX. The Grip of the LandXXII. The Character of the FoeXXV. Rules of East and WestXXX. The Faithful RiverXXXIII. In CaptivityXXXV. InitiationXXXVII. The Nursery of the CraftXL. The TremolinoXLVI. The Heroic Age...　

TRUSTY JOHNONCE upon a time there was an old king who was soill that he thought to himself, "I am most likely on mydeath-bed." Then he said, "Send Trusty John to me."Now Trusty John was his favorite servant, and was socalled because all his life he had served him so faithfully.When he approached the bed the King spake to him:"Most trusty John, I feel my end is drawing near, and Icould face it without a care were it not for my son. Heis still too young to decide everything for himself, andunless you promise me to instruct him in all he should...　

The Swiss TwinsBy Lucy Fitch PerkinsCONTENTSI. THE RESPONSIBLE CUCKOOII. THE TWINS LEARN A NEW TRADEIII. A MOUNTAIN STORMIV. THE LONELY HERDSMANV. THE PASSVI. NEW FRIENDS AND OLDThis book belongs toI. THE RESPONSIBLE CUCKOOTHE RESPONSIBLE CUCKOOHigh on the kitchen wall of an old farm-house on a mountainsidein Switzerland there hangs a tiny wooden clock. In the tinywooden clock there lives a tiny wooden cuckoo, and every hour hehops out of his tiny wooden door, takes a look about to see whatis going on in the world, shouts out the time of day, and pops...　

The Patagoniaby Henry JamesCHAPTER IThe houses were dark in the August night and the perspective ofBeacon Street, with its double chain of lamps, was a foreshorteneddesert. The club on the hill alone, from its semi-cylindrical front,projected a glow upon the dusky vagueness of the Common, and as Ipassed it I heard in the hot stillness the click of a pair ofbilliard-balls. As "every one" was out of town perhaps the servants,in the extravagance of their leisure, were profaning the tables. Theheat was insufferable and I thought with joy of the morrow, of the...　

POPLICOLA500 B.C.by Plutarchtranslated by John DrydenSUCH was Solon. To him we compare Poplicola, who received this latertitle from the Roman people for his merit, as a noble accession to hisformer name, Publius Valerius. He descended from Valerius, a manamongst the early citizens, reputed the principal reconciler of thedifferences betwixt the Romans and Sabines, and one that was mostinstrumental in persuading their kings to assent to peace and union....　

To be Read at Duskby Charles DickensOne, two, three, four, five. There were five of them.Five couriers, sitting on a bench outside the convent on the summitof the Great St. Bernard in Switzerland, looking at the remoteheights, stained by the setting sun as if a mighty quantity of redwine had been broached upon the mountain top, and had not yet hadtime to sink into the snow.This is not my simile. It was made for the occasion by thestoutest courier, who was a German. None of the others took anymore notice of it than they took of me, sitting on another bench on...　

　　　　Dusk was beginning to creep down from the mountains when the Witchfinder rode into Craiglowrie. His hunched position in the saddle of the black mare disguised his true height, yet all the same he was tall and terrible, the features beneath the dark broad-brimmed hat seemed like those of a sun-bleached skull from a distance. The grimace that revealed black and broken teeth; the eyes that glowed with the fire of a personal hatred, and seemed to search out each and every one of the peasants who trembled and watched behind the windows of their tumbledown bothies.　　　　They remembered the last t　

OWL POSTHarry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways. For one thing, he hated the summer holidays more than any other time of year. For another, he really wanted to do his homework but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night. And he also happened to be a wizard.It was nearly midnight, and he was lying on his stomach in bed, the blankets drawn right over his head like a tent, a flashlight in one hand and a large leather-bound book (A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot) propped open against the pillow. Harry moved the tip of his eagle-feather quill down the page, frowning　

BOOK II: OF THEIR SLAVES, AND OF THEIR MARRIAGESTHEY do not make slaves of prisoners of war, except those that aretaken in battle; nor of the sons of their slaves, nor of those ofother nations: the slaves among them are only such as arecondemned to that state of life for the commission of some crime,or, which is more common, such as their merchants find condemnedto die in those parts to which they trade, whom they sometimesredeem at low rates; and in other places have them for nothing.They are kept at perpetual labor, and are always chained, but with...　

Bruceby Albert Payson TerhuneTO MY TEN BEST FRIENDS:Who are far wiser in their way and far better in every way, thanI; and yet who have not the wisdom to know itWho do not merely think I am perfect, but who are calmly andpermanently convinced of my perfection;and this in spite offifty disillusions a dayWho are frantically happy at my coming and bitterly woebegone inmy absenceWho never bore me and never are bored by meWho never talk about themselves and who always listen withrapturous interest to anything I may say...　

Theodore Roosevelt; An Intimate Biography,by William Roscoe Thayer1919PREFACEIn finishing the correction of the last proofs of this sketch, I perceive that some of those who read it may suppose that I planned to write a deliberate eulogy of Theodore Roosevelt. This is not true. I knew him for forty years, but I never followed his political leadership. Our political differences, however, never lessened our personal friendship. Sometimes long intervals elapsed between our meetings, but when we met it was always with the same intimacy, and when we wrote it was with the same candor. I count it fo　

The Water-Babiesby Charles KingsleyCHAPTER I"I heard a thousand blended notes, While in a grove I sate reclined; In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind."To her fair works did Nature link The human soul that through me ran; And much it grieved my heart to think, What man has made of man."WORDSWORTH.Once upon a time there was a little chimney-sweep, and his name was Tom. That is a short name, and you have heard it before, so you will not have much trouble in remembering it. He lived in a great town in the North country, where there were plenty of chimneys to 　

THE SKETCH BOOKA ROYAL POETby Washington IrvingThough your body be confined,And soft love a prisoner bound,Yet the beauty of your mindNeither check nor chain hath found.Look out nobly, then, and dareEven the fetters that you wear.FLETCHER.ON A soft sunny morning in the genial month of May, I made anexcursion to Windsor Castle. It is a place full of storied and...