Medical Essaysby Oliver Wendell Holmes1842-1882CONTENTS:I. HOMEOPATHY AND ITS KINDRED DELUSIONSII. THE CONTAGIOUSNESS OF PUERPERAL FEVERIII. CURRENTS AND COUNTER-CURRENTS IN MEDICAL SCIENCEIV. BORDER LINES OF KNOWLEDGE IN SOME PROVINCES OF MEDICAL SCIENCEV. SCHOLASTIC AND BEDSIDE TEACHINGVI. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN MASSACHUSETTSVII. THE YOUNG PRACTITIONERVIII. MEDICAL LIBRARIESIX. SOME OF MY EARLY TEACHERSPREFACE.The character of the opposition which some of these papers have met with suggests the inference that they contain really important, but unwelcome truths. Negatives multiplied into each other change their sign and become positives. Hostile criticisms meeting together are　

Memoir of Fleeming Jenkinby Robert Louis StevensonPREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION.ON the death of Fleeming Jenkin, his family and friends determinedto publish a selection of his various papers; by way ofintroduction, the following pages were drawn up; and the whole,forming two considerable volumes, has been issued in England. Inthe States, it has not been thought advisable to reproduce thewhole; and the memoir appearing alone, shorn of that other matterwhich was at once its occasion and its justification, so large anaccount of a man so little known may seem to a stranger out of allproportion. But Jenkin was a man much more remarkable than the...　

On the First Principles of Governmentby David HumeNothing appears more surprising to those, who consider humanaffairs with a philosophical eve, than the easiness with whichthe many are governed by the few; and the implicit submission,with which men resign their own sentiments and passions to thoseof their rulers. When we enquire by what means this wonder iseffected, we shall find, that, as FORCE is always on the side ofthe governed, the governors have nothing to support them butopinion. It is therefore, on opinion only that government isfounded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and mostmilitary governments, as well as to the most free and most...　

Phyllis of Philistiaby Frank Frankfort MooreCHAPTER I.AN ASTRONOMER WITHOUT A TELESCOPE."After all," said Mr. Ayrton, "what is marriage?""Ah!" sighed Phyllis. She knew that her father had become possessed of a phrase, and that he was anxious to flutter it before her to see how it went. He was a connoisseur in the bric-a-brac of phrases."Marriage means all your eggs in one basket," said he."Ah!" sighed Phyllis once more. She wondered if her father really thought that she would be comforted in her great grief by a phrase. She did not want to know how marriage might be defined. She knew that all definitions are indefinite. She knew that in the case of marriage everything depends upon the defin　

THE INNOCENCE OF FATHER BROWNby G. K. ChestertonContentsThe Blue CrossThe Secret GardenThe Queer FeetThe Flying StarsThe Invisible ManThe Honour of Israel GowThe Wrong ShapeThe Sins of Prince SaradineThe Hammer of GodThe Eye of ApolloThe Sign of the Broken SwordThe Three Tools of DeathThe Blue CrossBetween the silver ribbon of morning and the green glittering ribbon of sea, the boat touched Harwich and let loose a swarm of folk like flies, among whom the man we must follow was by no means conspicuousnor wished to be. There was nothing notable about him, except a slight contrast between the holiday gaiety of his clothes and the official gravity of his face. His clothes included a slight, p　

An Inland Voyageby Robert Louis StevensonPREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITIONTo equip so small a book with a preface is, I am half afraid, to sin against proportion. But a preface is more than an author can resist, for it is the reward of his labours. When the foundation stone is laid, the architect appears with his plans, and struts for an hour before the public eye. So with the writer in his preface: he may have never a word to say, but he must show himself for a moment in the portico, hat in hand, and with an urbane demeanour.It is best, in such circumstances, to represent a delicate shade of manner between humility and superiority: as if the book had been written by some one else, 　

The Friendly Road; New Adventures in Contentmentby David Grayson"Surely it is good to be alive at a time like this."A WORD TO HIM WHO OPENS THIS BOOKI did not plan when I began writing these chapters to make an entire book, but only to put down the more or less unusual impressions, the events and adventures, of certain quiet pilgrimages in country roads. But when I had written down all of these things, I found I had material in plenty."What shall I call it now that I have written it?" I asked myself.At first I thought I should call it "Adventures on the Road," or "The Country Road," or something equally simple, for I would not have the title arouse any appetite which the book itself could n　

James Nasmyth: Engineer, An Autobiography.Edited by Samuel SmilesPREFACEI have had much pleasure in editing the following Memoir of my friend Mr. Nasmyth. Some twenty years since (in April 1863), when I applied to him for information respecting his mechanical inventions, he replied: "My life presents no striking or remarkable incidents, and would, I fear, prove but a tame narrative. The sphere to which my endeavours have been confined has been of a comparatively quiet order; but, vanity apart, I hope I have been able to leave a few marks of my existence behind me in the shape of useful contrivances, which are in many ways helping on great works of industry."Mr. Nasmyth, nevertheless, kin　

Is Shakespeare Dead?by Mark TwainFROM MY AUTOBIOGRAPHYCHAPTER IScattered here and there through the stacks of unpublished manuscript which constitute this formidable Autobiography and Diary of mine, certain chapters will in some distant future be found which deal with "Claimants"claimants historically notorious: Satan, Claimant; the Golden Calf, Claimant; the Veiled Prophet of Khorassan, Claimant; Louis XVII., Claimant; William Shakespeare, Claimant; Arthur Orton, Claimant; Mary Baker G. Eddy, Claimantand the rest of them. Eminent Claimants, successful Claimants, defeated Claimants, royal Claimants, pleb Claimants, showy Claimants, shabby Claimants, revered Claimants, despised Claimants, t　

The Lady of LyonsorLove and Prideby Edward Bulwer LyttonTo the author of "Ion."Whose genius and example have alike contributed towards the regenerationof The National Drama,This play is inscribed.PREFACE.An indistinct recollection of the very pretty little tale,called "The Bellows-Mender," suggested the plot of this Drama.The incidents are, however, greatly altered from those in the tale,and the characters entirely re-cast.Having long had a wish to illustrate certain periods of the Frenchhistory, so, in the selection of the date in which the scenes of thisplay are laid, I saw that the era of the Republic was that in which...　

The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches-Volume Iby Lord MacaulayPREFACE.Lord Macaulay always looked forward to a publication of his miscellaneous works, either by himself or by those who should represent him after his death. And latterly he expressly reserved, whenever the arrangements as to copyright made it necessary, the right of such publication.The collection which is now published comprehends some of the earliest and some of the latest works which he composed. He was born on 25th October, 1800; commenced residence at Trinity College, Cambridge, in October, 1818; was elected Craven University Scholar in 1821; graduated as B.A. in 1822; was elected fellow of the college in October, 18　

The White Peopleby Frances Hodgson BurnettTO LIONEL "The stars come nightly to the sky; The tidal wave unto the sea; Nor time, nor space, nor deep, nor high Can keep my own away from me."THE WHITE PEOPLECHAPTER IPerhaps the things which happened could only have happened to me. I do not know. I never heard of things like them happening to any one else. But I am not sorry they did happen. I am in secret deeply and strangely glad. I have heard other people say thingsand they were not always sad people, eitherwhich made me feel that if they knew what I know it would seem to them as though some awesome, heavy load they had always dragged about with them had fallen from their shoulders. To