Quick Excerpts, from a Library of 492 Titles

Generated 2022-07-28 13:26:45

Excerpt #1, from The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, by Selma Lagerlöf

…satisfied with little–can thrive up there. One understands best how poor and dry it is there, when one sees how small the field-plots are, that are ploughed up from the forest lands; and how many little cabins the people build for themselves; and how far it is between the churches. But on the middle step there is better soil, and it does not lie bound down under such severe cold, either. This one can see at a glance, since the trees are both higher and of finer quality. There you’ll find maple and oak and linden and weeping-birch and hazel trees growing, but no cone-trees to speak of. And it is still more noticeable because of the amount of cultivated land that you will find there; and also because the people have built themselves great and beautiful houses. On the middle step, there are many churches, with large towns around them; and in every way it makes a better and finer appearance than the top step. "But the very lowest step is the best of all. It is covered with good rich soil; and, where it lies and bathes in the sea, it hasn’t the slightest feeling of the Småland chill. Beeches and chestnut and walnut trees thrive down here; and they grow so big that they tower above the church-roofs. Here lie also the largest grain-fields; but the people have not only timber and farming to live upon, but they are also occupied with fishing and trading and seafaring. For this reason you will find the most costly residences and the prettiest churches here;…

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Excerpt #2, from A United States Midshipman in Japan, by Yates Stirling

…The midshipmen were more than ever suspicious of Impey’s honesty. What was his part in this international intrigue? What was Impey’s object? Why had he talked to them at the garden fête in the same strain as he had talked to the Japanese baron in the railroad train? “I’ve found out who the baron is, Syd,” Phil added. “His name is Kosuba, and he is president of the ‘Koko Kisen’ steamship line, the largest in Japan. They own over two hundred steamers. It’s quite natural that he should want a big navy.” “It’s very strange,” Sydney replied thoughtfully. “Impey persuades him that Japan must at once buy the Chinese squadron to prevent our getting it and goes to our ambassador the next day with the news that Japan has decided to buy or seize them.” “And all the time,” Phil returned angrily, “the United States is not giving a thought to the Chinese ships. No one can purchase ships without money, and Congress has not appropriated money for this purpose, and probably has no thought of so doing.” The entire affair puzzled the two midshipmen greatly. “I suppose the ambassador will send a cable to Washington giving Impey’s information,” Sydney said as they walked toward the hotel to dress themselves appropriately for the Japanese dinner to be given them by Takishima and his sister at their own house….

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Excerpt #3, from The Sea

…stage, do you hear me? NINA. It is the dream of my life, which will never come true. ARKADINA. Who knows? Perhaps it will. But let me present Monsieur Boris Trigorin. NINA. I am delighted to meet you. [Embarrassed] I have read all your books. ARKADINA. [Drawing NINA down beside her] Don’t be afraid of him, dear. He is a simple, good-natured soul, even if he is a celebrity. See, he is embarrassed himself. DORN. Couldn’t the curtain be raised now? It is depressing to have it down. SHAMRAEFF. [Loudly] Jacob, my man! Raise the curtain! NINA. [To TRIGORIN] It was a curious play, wasn’t it? TRIGORIN. Very. I couldn’t understand it at all, but I watched it with the greatest pleasure because you acted with such sincerity, and the setting was beautiful. [A pause] There must be a lot of fish in this lake. NINA. Yes, there are. TRIGORIN. I love fishing. I know of nothing pleasanter than to sit on a lake shore in the evening with one’s eyes on a floating cork. NINA. Why, I should think that for one who has tasted the joys of…

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Excerpt #4, from Science in Short Chapters, by W. Mattieu Williams

…who actually attempts to explain it by his infallible and ever applicable physiological nostrum of “unconscious cerebration.” No marvelous story either of ancient or modern date is too strong for this universal solvent, which according to the reviewer, is the sole and glorious invention of Dr. Carpenter. Space will not now permit me to further describe “unconscious cerebration” and its vast achievements, but I hope to find a corner for it hereafter. I may add that the name of the reviewer is kept a profound secret, and yet is perfectly well-known, as everybody who reads the article finds it out when he reaches those parts which describe Dr. Carpenter’s important physiological researches and discoveries. MATHEMATICAL FICTIONS. (BRITISH ASSOCIATION, 1871.) The President’s inaugural address, which was going through the press in London while being spoken in Edinburgh, has already been subject to an unusual amount of sharp criticism. For my own part I cannot help regarding it as one of the least satisfactory of all the inaugural addresses that have yet been delivered at these annual meetings. They have been of two types, the historical and the controversial; the former prevailing. In the historical addresses the President has usually made a comprehensive and instructive survey of the progress…

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Excerpt #5, from The Secret Service, the Field, the Dungeon, and the Escape, by Albert D. Richardson

…his troops was without parallel. At this moment the official ax fell. He received an order to turn over his command to Hunter. It was a trying ordeal, but he did a soldier’s duty, obeying silently and instantly. The first intelligence which the army received was conveyed by this touching farewell: SOLDIERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI ARMY: Agreeably to orders this day received, I take leave of you. Although our army has been of sudden growth, we have grown up together, and I have become familiar with the brave and generous spirit which you bring to the defense of your country, and which makes me anticipate for you a brilliant career. Continue as you have begun, and give to my successor the same cordial and enthusiastic support with which you have encouraged me. Emulate the splendid example already before you, and let me remain, as I am, proud of the noble army which I have thus far labored to bring together. [Sidenote: DISAFFECTION AMONG THE SOLDIERS.] Soldiers! I regret to leave you. Sincerely I thank you for the regard and confidence you have invariably shown me. I deeply regret that I shall not have the honor to lead you to the victory which you are just about to win, but I shall…

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Excerpt #6, from Jane Eyre: An Autobiography, by Charlotte Brontë

…one like a fostering sunbeam. How will she manage to please him when they are married? I do not think she will manage it; and yet it might be managed; and his wife might, I verily believe, be the very happiest woman the sun shines on.” I have not yet said anything condemnatory of Mr. Rochester’s project of marrying for interest and connections. It surprised me when I first discovered that such was his intention: I had thought him a man unlikely to be influenced by motives so commonplace in his choice of a wife; but the longer I considered the position, education, &c., of the parties, the less I felt justified in judging and blaming either him or Miss Ingram for acting in conformity to ideas and principles instilled into them, doubtless, from their childhood. All their class held these principles: I supposed, then, they had reasons for holding them such as I could not fathom. It seemed to me that, were I a gentleman like him, I would take to my bosom only such a wife as I could love; but the very obviousness of the advantages to the husband’s own happiness offered by this plan convinced me that there must be arguments against its general adoption of which I was quite ignorant: otherwise I felt sure all the world would act as I wished to act. But in other points, as well as this, I was growing very lenient to my master: I was forgetting all his faults, for which I had once kept a…

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Excerpt #7, from Around the World on a Bicycle Volume I, by Thomas Stevens

…Among other agreeable and sensible arrangements at the Hotel uu Loiret, there is no such thing as opening one’s room-door from the outside save with the key; and unless one thoroughly understands this handy peculiarity, and has his wits about him continually, he is morally certain, sometime when he is leaving his room, absent-mindedly to shut the door and leave the key inside. This is, of course, among the first things that happen to me, and it costs me half a franc and three hours of wretchedness before I see the interior of my room again. The hotel keeps a rude skeleton-key on hand, presumably for possible emergencies of this nature; but in manipulating this uncouth instrument le portier actually locks the door, and as the skeleton-key is expected to manage the catch only, and not the lock, this, of course, makes matters infinitely worse. The keys of every room in the house are next brought into requisition and tried in succession, but not a key among them all is a duplicate of mine. What is to be done. Le portier looks as dejected as though Paris was about to be bombarded, as he goes down and breaks the dreadful news to le proprietaire. Up comes le proprietaire - avoirdupois three hundred pounds - sighing like an exhaust-pipe at every step. For fifteen unhappy minutes the skeleton-key is wriggled and twisted about again in the key- hole, and the fat proprietaire rubs his bald head impatiently, but all to no purpose. Each returns to his respective avocation. Impatient to…

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Excerpt #8, from Everybody’s Book of Luck, by Anonymous

…you will be passably lucky; but luck will not come your way at all if spades are in the majority. Should two suits tie for first place the Fates require you to make the pyramid over again. SEVENS AND THREES The following method of consulting one’s luck must have been attempted many millions of times, but it is not known so well now as it was a century ago. The first thing is to shuffle a full pack thoroughly. This, of course, must be done by the person whose luck is being tested. And then, it is necessary that he or she cuts with the left hand. After these preliminaries, someone takes the pack and deals the cards one at a time, face downwards, on to the table, placing them in a heap. The consultant who is seeking to find out what the Fates are determining should really be blindfolded, but this is unnecessary if the cards are new and cannot be recognized by any markings on the backs. The consultant has to choose any three cards as they are being slowly dealt. They can be three cards coming together, or widely separated, or just as he or she fancies. As each card is selected, it is set aside and, when the three are chosen, not before, they are turned face up and arranged in the order of selection. Each card from one to nine stands for its own value, but…

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Excerpt #9, from Helps to Latin Translation at Sight, by Edmund Luce

…Gallorum captus spoliis et Caesaris auro. 820 Ius licet in iugulos nostros sibi fecerit ense Sulla potens Mariusque ferox et Cinna cruentus Caesareaeque domus series; cui tanta potestas Concessa est? Emere omnes, hic vendidit urbem. LUCAN, Pharsalia, iv. 799-804, 809-end. +Context.+ In 49 B.C. Curio was sent by Caesar to wrest the corn-province of Africa from the Pompeians. He won a signal success over Varus (allied with Juba) at Utica, but allowed himself to be surprised on the plain of the Bagradas, and, when all was lost, died sword in hand. [Linenotes: 800. +tribunicia arce+ = from the citadel of the tribune, i.e. the inviolability of the office and the right of veto. As tribune Curio played an all-important part in the crisis of 50 B.C. 801. +prodita iura senatus+, i.e. of the right of the senators to appoint governors of the provinces. –Haskins. 802. +gener atque socer:+ by the early death of Julia (54 B.C.)–a beloved wife and daughter–the personal relation between Pompeius and Caesar was broken up. 812. +senium+ (senex) = decay (of lapse of time)….

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Excerpt #10, from Poirot Investigates, by Agatha Christie

…I obeyed, devoured with curiosity. Meanwhile Poirot had emptied the waste-paper-basket on the floor, and was swiftly going through its contents. In a few moments the valet answered the bell. To him Poirot put the same question, and handed him the card to examine. But the response was the same. The valet had never seen a card of that particular quality among Mr. Opalsen’s belongings. Poirot thanked him, and he withdrew, somewhat unwillingly, with an inquisitive glance at the overturned waste-paper-basket and the litter on the floor. He could hardly have helped overhearing Poirot’s thoughtful remark as he bundled the torn papers back again: “And the necklace was heavily insured. . . .” “Poirot,” I cried, “I see——” “You see nothing, my friend,” he replied quickly. “As usual, nothing at all! It is incredible—but there it is. Let us return to our own apartments.” We did so in silence. Once there, to my intense surprise, Poirot effected a rapid change of clothing. “I go to London to-night,” he explained. “It is imperative.” “What?” “Absolutely. The real work, that of the brain (ah, those brave…

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Excerpt #11, from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare

…You sway the motion of Demetrius’ heart! HERMIA. I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. HELENA. O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill! HERMIA. I give him curses, yet he gives me love. HELENA. O that my prayers could such affection move! HERMIA. The more I hate, the more he follows me. HELENA. The more I love, the more he hateth me. HERMIA. His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine. HELENA. None but your beauty; would that fault were mine! HERMIA. Take comfort: he no more shall see my face; Lysander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lysander see,…

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Excerpt #12, from The King James Version of the Bible

…35:10 Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas the LORD was there: 35:11 Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee. 35:12 And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume. 35:13 Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have multiplied your words against me: I have heard them. 35:14 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate. 35:15 As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD. 36:1 Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD: 36:2 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession: 36:3 Therefore…

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