Quick Excerpts, from a Library of 492 Titles

Generated 2022-07-28 13:26:50

Excerpt #1, from Thought Forms, by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater

…dead man, but while one of them was still steeped in the dense ignorance with regard to super-physical life which is so painfully common in the present day, the other had the inestimable advantage of the light of Theosophy. In the thought of the former we see expressed nothing but profound depression, fear and selfishness. The fact that death has approached so near has evidently evoked in the mind of the mourner the thought that it may one day come to him also, and the anticipation of this is very terrible to him; but since he does not know what it is that he fears, the clouds in which his feeling is manifested are appropriately vague. His only definite sensations are despair and the sense of his personal loss, and these declare themselves in regular bands of brown-grey and leaden grey, while the very curious downward protrusion, which actually descends into the grave and enfolds the coffin, is an expression of strong selfish desire to draw the dead man back into physical life. [Illustration: FIG. 34. AT A FUNERAL] It is refreshing to turn from this gloomy picture to the wonderfully different effect produced by the very same circumstances upon the mind of the man who comprehends the facts of the case. It will be observed that the two have no single emotion in common; in the former case all was despondency and horror, while in this case we find none but the…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #2, from The Man with Two Left Feet, and Other Stories, by P. G. Wodehouse

…in your life. Presently Izzy gave tongue. The management expects him to be humorous on these occasions, so he did his best. ‘Num-bahs, seven, eleven, and twenty-one will kindly rejoin their sorrowing friends.’ This gave us a little more elbow-room, and the band started again. A few minutes later, Izzy once more: ‘Num-bahs thirteen, sixteen, and seventeen–good-bye.’ Off we went again. ‘Num-bah twelve, we hate to part with you, but–back to your table!’ A plump girl in a red hat, who had been dancing with a kind smile, as if she were doing it to amuse the children, left the floor. ‘Num-bahs six, fifteen, and twenty, thumbs down!’ And pretty soon the only couples left were Charlie and me, Mrs Charlie and the fellow I’d introduced her to, and a bald-headed man and a girl in a white hat. He was one of your stick-at-it performers. He had been dancing all the evening. I had noticed him from the balcony. He looked like a hard-boiled egg from up there. He was a trier all right, that fellow, and had things been otherwise, so to speak, I’d have been glad to see him win. But it was not to be. Ah, no!…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #3, from My Man Jeeves, by P. G. Wodehouse

…and when Motty turned up at three in the morning with a collection of hearty lads, who only stopped singing their college song when they started singing “The Old Oaken Bucket,” there was a marked peevishness among the old settlers in the flats. The management was extremely terse over the telephone at breakfast-time, and took a lot of soothing. The next night I came home early, after a lonely dinner at a place which I’d chosen because there didn’t seem any chance of meeting Motty there. The sitting-room was quite dark, and I was just moving to switch on the light, when there was a sort of explosion and something collared hold of my trouser-leg. Living with Motty had reduced me to such an extent that I was simply unable to cope with this thing. I jumped backward with a loud yell of anguish, and tumbled out into the hall just as Jeeves came out of his den to see what the matter was. “Did you call, sir?” “Jeeves! There’s something in there that grabs you by the leg!” “That would be Rollo, sir.” “Eh?” “I would have warned you of his presence, but I did not hear you come in. His temper is a little uncertain at present, as he has not yet settled down.” “Who the deuce is Rollo?”…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #4, from The Genetic Effects of Radiation, by Isaac Asimov and Theodosius Dobzhansky

…descendants through an indefinite number of generations. Of course, chromosome or gene mutations may take place in ordinary cells rather than in sex cells. Such changes in ordinary cells are somatic mutations. When mutated body cells divide, new cells with changed characteristics are produced. These changes may be trivial, or they may be serious. It is often suggested, for instance, that cancer may result from a somatic mutation in which certain cells lose the capacity to regulate their growth properly. Since somatic mutations do not involve the sex cells, they are confined to the individual and are not passed on to the offspring. Spontaneous Mutations Mutations that take place in the ordinary course of nature, without man’s interference, are spontaneous mutations. Most of these arise out of the very nature of the complicated mechanism of gene replication. Copies of genes are formed out of a large number of small units that must be lined up in just the right pattern to form one particular gene and no other. Ideally, matters are so arranged within the cell that the necessary changes giving rise to the desired pattern are just those that have a maximum probability. Other changes are less likely to happen but are not absolutely excluded. Sometimes through the accidental jostling of…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #5, from Mr. Midshipman Easy, by Frederick Marryat

…when I tell him of this new way of fighting a duel!" “Yes, sir, it is just the thing that will tickle old Tom.” “We must find out if they have got off the island, Sawbridge, which may not be the case.” But it was the case. Jack and Gascoigne had eaten a very good dinner, sent for the monkey to amuse them till it was dark, and there had waited till the padrone came to them. “What shall we do with the pistols, Easy?” “Take them with us, and load them before we go–we may want them: who knows but there may be a mutiny on board of the speronare?–I wish we had Mesty with us.” They loaded the pistols, took a pair each and put them in their waists, concealed under their clothes–divided the ammunition between them, and soon afterwards the padrone came to tell them all was ready. Whereupon Messrs. Gascoigne and Easy paid their bill and rose to depart, but the padrone informed them that he should like to see the colour of their money before they went on board. Jack, very indignant at the insinuation that he had not sufficient cash, pulled out a handful of doubloons, and tossing two to the padrone, asked him if he was satisfied. The padrone untied his sash, put in the money, and with many thanks and…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #6, from The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Arthur Conan Doyle

…“And now there’s this affair of the letter to me at the hotel. I suppose that fits into its place.” “It seems to show that someone knows more than we do about what goes on upon the moor,” said Dr. Mortimer. “And also,” said Holmes, “that someone is not ill-disposed towards you, since they warn you of danger.” “Or it may be that they wish, for their own purposes, to scare me away.” “Well, of course, that is possible also. I am very much indebted to you, Dr. Mortimer, for introducing me to a problem which presents several interesting alternatives. But the practical point which we now have to decide, Sir Henry, is whether it is or is not advisable for you to go to Baskerville Hall.” “Why should I not go?” “There seems to be danger.” “Do you mean danger from this family fiend or do you mean danger from human beings?” “Well, that is what we have to find out.” “Whichever it is, my answer is fixed. There is no devil in hell, Mr. Holmes, and there is no man upon earth who can prevent me from going to the home of my own people, and you may take that to…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #7, from The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

…“She doesn’t look like her father,” explained Daisy. “She looks like me. She’s got my hair and shape of the face.” Daisy sat back upon the couch. The nurse took a step forward and held out her hand. “Come, Pammy.” “Goodbye, sweetheart!” With a reluctant backward glance the well-disciplined child held to her nurse’s hand and was pulled out the door, just as Tom came back, preceding four gin rickeys that clicked full of ice. Gatsby took up his drink. “They certainly look cool,” he said, with visible tension. We drank in long, greedy swallows. “I read somewhere that the sun’s getting hotter every year,” said Tom genially. “It seems that pretty soon the earth’s going to fall into the sun—or wait a minute—it’s just the opposite—the sun’s getting colder every year. “Come outside,” he suggested to Gatsby, “I’d like you to have a look at the place.” I went with them out to the veranda. On the green Sound, stagnant in the heat, one small sail crawled slowly toward the fresher sea. Gatsby’s eyes followed it momentarily; he raised his hand and pointed…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #8, from Trouble on Titan, by Henry Kuttner

…He shut the port and departed. Quade silently turned to the controls and lifted the ship. Kathleen, standing beside him, was not silent. She finished by saying that her engagement to Quade was off, and that he was a rat. “Sure I am,” Quade said. “But this is my job and I think it’s a little dangerous. I’m sure I can handle it. Just the same, I don’t want you around. For one thing you distract me and for another I’m still wondering about that virus disease that killed Udell.” Kathleen sniffed. “Ha. Hey! We’re being followed.” Quade threw a magnifying plane on the scanner. A sleek projectile was rocketing along after the camera cruiser. “Oh, that’s Speedy,” Quade said. “One of the Zonals. He won’t follow us long.” But this proved inaccurate. Speedy stayed on the trail for twenty miles before he was lost in the distance. Then nothing was visible but the frigid, Cyclopean peaks of the Devil’s Range, icy and alien in the pale light of Saturn. Things began to happen with alarming suddenness. There are plenty of safety devices on spacecraft, but these depend on the assurance that you have a skilful and a conscious operator. Quade…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #9, from The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe

…[Exeunt.] Enter ROBIN and RALPH[126] with a silver goblet. ROBIN. Come, Ralph: did not I tell thee, we were for ever made by this Doctor Faustus’ book? ecce, signum! here’s a simple purchase[127] for horse-keepers: our horses shall eat no hay as long as this lasts. RALPH. But, Robin, here comes the Vintner. ROBIN. Hush! I’ll gull him supernaturally. Enter VINTNER. Drawer,[128] I hope all is paid; God be with you!–Come, Ralph. VINTNER. Soft, sir; a word with you. I must yet have a goblet paid from you, ere you go. ROBIN. I a goblet, Ralph, I a goblet!–I scorn you; and you are but a, &c. I a goblet! search me. VINTNER. I mean so, sir, with your favour. [Searches ROBIN.] ROBIN. How say you now? VINTNER. I must say somewhat to your fellow.–You, sir! RALPH. Me, sir! me, sir! search your fill. [VINTNER searches him.] Now, sir, you may be ashamed to burden honest men with a matter of truth….

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #10, from Famous Adventures and Prison Escapes of the Civil War, by Basil Wilson Duke et al.

…it does not suit me." “No, I didn’t find a house for you.” “You surely don’t expect me to run about in the dust and shelling to look for it, and Mr. L. is too busy.” “Well, madam, then we must share the house. We will take the lower floor.” “I prefer to keep the lower floor myself; you surely don’t expect me to go up and down stairs when you are so light and more able to do it.” He walked through the hall, trying the doors. “What room is that?” “The parlor.” “And this?” “My bedroom.” “And this?” “The dining-room.” “Well, madam, we’ll find you a house and then come and take this.” “Thank you, colonel; I shall be ready when you find the house. Good-morning, sir.” I heard him say as he ran down the steps, “We must go back, captain; you see I didn’t know they were this kind of people.” Of course the orderly had lied in the beginning to scare me, for General P. is too far away from Vicksburg to send an order. He is looking about for General Grant. We are told he has gone out to meet Johnston; and together they expect to annihilate Grant’s army and free Vicksburg forever. There is now a general hospital opposite this house, and a smallpox hospital next door. War, famine, pestilence, and fire surround…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #11, from Esperanto Self

…apple | pomo | poh’mo apricot | abrikoto | ahbree-ko’toh ash | frakseno | frahk-seh’noh asparagus | asparago | ahspah-rah’go banana | banano | bahnah’no bark | arbŝelo | ahrb-sheh’lo beans | faboj | fah’boy beech (-tree) | fago | fah’go beetroot | beto | beh’toh birch (-tree) | betulo | beh-too’lo blackberry | rubuso | roo-boo’so bouquet | bukedo | bookeh’do branch | branĉo | brahn’cho buttercup | ranunkulo | rahnoon-koo’lo cabbage | brasiko | brahsee’ko carrot | karoto | kahroh’toh cauliflower | florbrasiko | flohr’brah-see’ko celery | celerio | tseh-lehree’oh cherry | ĉerizo | chehree’zo chestnut (edible) | kaŝtano | kashtah’no chrysanthemum | krizantemo | krizahn-teh’mo…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #12, from The Tempest, by William Shakespeare

…Were I but where ’tis spoken. Pros. How? the best? 430 What wert thou, if the King of Naples heard thee? Fer. A single thing, as I am now, that wonders To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me; And that he does I weep: myself am Naples, Who with mine eyes, never since at ebb, beheld 435 The king my father wreck’d. Mir. Alack, for mercy! Fer. Yes, faith, and all his lords; the Duke of Milan And his brave son being twain. Pros. [Aside] The Duke of Milan And his more braver daughter could control thee, If now ’twere fit to do’t. At the first sight 440 They have changed eyes. Delicate Ariel, I’ll set thee free for this. [To Fer.] A word, good sir; I fear you have done yourself some wrong: a word. Mir. Why speaks my father so ungently? This Is the third man that e’er I saw; the first 445 That e’er I sigh’d for: pity move my father To be inclined my way!…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

A production of Friendlyskies.net