The Pond in WinterAfter a still winter night I awoke with the impression that somequestion had been put to me, which I had been endeavoring in vain toanswer in my sleep, as what how when where? But there wasdawning Nature, in whom all creatures live, looking in at my broadwindows with serene and satisfied face, and no question on her lips.I awoke to an answered question, to Nature and daylight. The snowlying deep on the earth dotted with young pines, and the very slopeof the hill on which my house is placed, seemed to say, Forward!Nature puts no question and answers none which we mortals ask. Shehas long ago taken her resolution. "O Prince, our eyes contemplate...　

A UNITARIAN CREED_To Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse__Monticello, June 26, 1822_DEAR SIR, I have received and read with thankfulness andpleasure your denunciation of the abuses of tobacco and wine. Yet,however sound in its principles, I expect it will be but a sermon tothe wind. You will find it as difficult to inculcate these sanativeprecepts on the sensualities of the present day, as to convince anAthanasian that there is but one God. I wish success to bothattempts, and am happy to learn from you that the latter, at least,is making progress, and the more rapidly in proportion as ourPlatonizing Christians make more stir and noise about it. The...　

Vailima Lettersby Robert Louis StevensonCHAPTER IIN THE MOUNTAIN, APIA, SAMOA,MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, 1890MY DEAR COLVIN, - This is a hard and interesting andbeautiful life that we lead now. Our place is in a deepcleft of Vaea Mountain, some six hundred feet above the sea,embowered in forest, which is our strangling enemy, and whichwe combat with axes and dollars. I went crazy over outdoorwork, and had at last to confine myself to the house, orliterature must have gone by the board. NOTHING is sointeresting as weeding, clearing, and path-making; theoversight of labourers becomes a disease; it is quite an...　

350 BCON MEMORY AND REMINISCENCEby Aristotletranslated by J. I. Beare1WE have, in the next place, to treat of Memory and Remembering,considering its nature, its cause, and the part of the soul to whichthis experience, as well as that of Recollecting, belongs. For thepersons who possess a retentive memory are not identical with thosewho excel in power of recollection; indeed, as a rule, slow peoplehave a good memory, whereas those who are quick-witted and clever...　

Marquise de Brinvilliersby Alexandre Dumas, PereTowards the end of the year 1665, on a fine autumn evening, there was a considerable crowd assembled on the Pont-Neuf where it makes a turn down to the rue Dauphine. The object of this crowd and the centre of attraction was a closely shut, carriage. A police official was trying to force open the door, and two out of the four sergeants who were with him were holding the horses back and the other two stopping the driver, who paid no attention to their commands, but only endeavoured to urge his horses to a gallop. The struggle had been going on same time, when suddenly one of the doors violentiy pushed open, and a young officer in the uniform 　

THE BLUE MOUNTAINSThere were once a Scotsman and an Englishman and an Irishmanserving in the army together, who took it into their heads to runaway on the first opportunity they could get. The chance cameand they took it. They went on travelling for two days through agreat forest, without food or drink, and without coming across asingle house, and every night they had to climb up into the treesthrough fear of the wild beasts that were in the wood. On thesecond morning the Scotsman saw from the top of his tree a greatcastle far away. He said to himself that he would certainly dieif he stayed in the forest without anything to eat but the roots...　

At the Sign of the Cat and Racketby Honore de BalzacTranslated by Clara BellDEDICATIONTo Mademoiselle Marie de MontheauAT THE SIGN OF THE CAT AND RACKETHalf-way down the Rue Saint-Denis, almost at the corner of the Rue duPetit-Lion, there stood formerly one of those delightful houses whichenable historians to reconstruct old Paris by analogy. The threateningwalls of this tumbledown abode seemed to have been decorated withhieroglyphics. For what other name could the passer-by give to the Xsand Vs which the horizontal or diagonal timbers traced on the front,outlined by little parallel cracks in the plaster? It was evident thatevery beam quivered in its mortices at the passing of the lightest.　

Life Is A Dreamby Pedro Calderon de la BarcaTranslated by Edward FitzgeraldINTRODUCTORY NOTEPedro Calderon de la Barca was born in Madrid, January 17, 1600, ofgood family. He was educated at the Jesuit College in Madrid and atthe University of Salamanca; and a doubtful tradition says that hebegan to write plays at the age of thirteen. His literary activity wasinterrupted for ten years, 1625-1635, by military service in Italy andthe Low Countries, and again for a year or more in Catalonia. In 1637he became a Knight of the Order of Santiago, and in 1651 he enteredthe priesthood, rising to the dignity of Superior of the Brotherhood...　

What Diantha Didby Charlotte Perkins GilmanCHAPTER I.HANDICAPPEDOne may use the Old Man of the Sea,For a partner or patron,But helpless and hapless is heWho is ridden, inextricably,By a fond old mer-matron.The Warden house was more impressive in appearance than its neighbors.It had "grounds," instead of a yard or garden; it had wide pillaredporches and "galleries," showing southern antecedents; moreover, it hada cupola, giving date to the building, and proof of the continuingambitions of the builders.The stately mansion was covered with heavy flowering vines, also withheavy mortgages. Mrs. Roscoe Warden and her four daughters reposed...　

Remember the Alamoby Amelia E. BarrCHAPTER I.THE CITY IN THE WILDERNESS."What, are you stepping westward?" "Yea."* * * * *Yet who would stop or fear to advance,Though home or shelter there was none,With such a sky to lead him on!"WORDSWORTH."Ah! cool night wind, tremulous stars,Ah! glimmering water,Fitful earth murmur,Dreaming woods!"ARNOLD.In A. D. sixteen hundred and ninety-two, a few Franciscanmonks began to build a city. The site chosen was a lovelywilderness hundreds of miles away from civilization on every...　

applications to social philosophyby John Stuart MillPreliminary RemarksIn every department of human affairs, Practice long precedesScience systematic enquiry into the modes of action of the powersof nature, is the tardy product of a long course of efforts touse those powers for practical ends. The conception, accordingly,of Political Economy as a branch of science is extremely modern;but the subject with which its enquiries are conversant has inall ages necessarily constituted one of the chief practicalinterests of mankind, and, in some, a most unduly engrossing one.That subject is Wealth. Writers on Political Economy profess...　

"A Death in the Desert"Everett Hilgarde was conscious that the man in the seatacross the aisle was looking at him intently. He was a large,florid man, wore a conspicuous diamond solitaire upon his thirdfinger, and Everett judged him to be a traveling salesman of somesort. He had the air of an adaptable fellow who had been aboutthe world and who could keep cool and clean under almost anycircumstances.The "High Line Flyer," as this train was derisively calledamong railroad men, was jerking along through the hot afternoonover the monotonous country between Holdridge and Cheyenne....