THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIACTHE LOVE AFFAIRSOF A BIBLIOMANIACBY EUGENE FIELD1- Page 2-THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF A BIBLIOMANIACIntroductionThe determination to found a story or a series of sketches on thedelights, adventures, and misadventures connected with bibliomania didnot come impulsively to my brother. For many years, in short during thegreater part of nearly a quarter of a century of journalistic work, he had...　

A MILLIONAIRE OF ROUGH-AND-READYA MILLIONAIRE OFROUGH-AND-READYby BRET HARTE1- Page 2-A MILLIONAIRE OF ROUGH-AND-READYPROLOGUEThere was no mistake this time: he had struck gold at last!It had lain there before him a moment agoa misshapen piece ofbrown-stained quartz, interspersed with dull yellow metal; yieldingenough to have allowed the points of his pick to penetrate itshoneycombed recesses, yet heavy enough to drop from the point of his...　

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　

The Adventure of Wisteria LodgeThe Adventure ofWisteria LodgeArthur Conan Doyle1- Page 2-The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge1. The Singular Experience of Mr.John Scott EcclesI find it recorded in my notebook that it was a bleak and windy daytowards the end of March in the year 1892. Holmes had received atelegram while we sat at our lunch, and he had scribbled a reply. He madeno remark, but the matter remained in his thoughts, for he stood in front ofthe fire afterwards with a thoughtful face, smoking his pipe, and casting an...　

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　

WHAT IS MAN?Ia. Man the Machine. b. Personal Merit[The Old Man and the Young Man had been conversing. The OldMan had asserted that the human being is merely a machine, andnothing more. The Young Man objected, and asked him to go intoparticulars and furnish his reasons for his position.]Old Man. What are the materials of which a steam-engine is made?Young Man. Iron, steel, brass, white-metal, and so on.O.M. Where are these found?Y.M. In the rocks.O.M. In a pure state?Y.M. Noin ores.O.M. Are the metals suddenly deposited in the ores?Y.M. Noit is the patient work of countless ages....　

THE STARIt was on the first day of the New Year that the announcementwas made, almost simultaneously from three observatories, that themotion of the planet Neptune, the outermost of all the planetsthat wheel about the sun, had become very erratic. Ogilvy hadalready called attention to a suspected retardation in its velocityin December. Such a piece of news was scarcely calculated tointerest a world the greater portion of whose inhabitants wereunaware of the existence of the planet Neptune, nor outside theastronomical profession did the subsequent discovery of a faintremote speck of light in the region of the perturbed planet cause...　

Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, V14by Louis Antoine Fauvelet de BourrienneHis Private SecretaryEdited by R. W. PhippsColonel, Late Royal Artillery1891CONTENTS:CHAPTER VII. to CHAPTER X. 1815CHAPTER VII.[By the Editor of the 1836 edition]1815.Napoleon at ParisPolitical manoeuvresThe meeting of the Champ-de-MaiNapoleon, the Liberals, and the moderate ConstitutionalistsHis love of arbitrary power as strong as everParis during theCent JoursPreparations for his last campaignThe Emperor leavesParis to join the armyState of BrusselsProclamation of Napoleonto the BelgiansEffective strength of the French and Allied armies...　

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　

Over the Teacupsby Oliver W. HolmesPREFACE.The kind way in which this series of papers has been received hasbeen a pleasure greater than I dared to anticipate. I felt that Iwas a late comer in the midst of a crowd of ardent and eagercandidates for public attention, that I had already had my day, andthat if, like the unfortunate Frenchman we used read about, I had"come again," I ought not to surprised if I received the welcome of"Monsieur Tonson."It has not proved so. My old readers have come forward in thepleasantest possible way and assured me that they were glad to see meagain. There is no need, therefore, of apologies or explanations. I...