Quick Excerpts, from a Library of 492 Titles

Generated 2022-07-28 13:26:22

Excerpt #1, from The 1992 CIA World Factbook, by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

…Leaders: Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) Head of Government: Governor A. N. HOOLE Political parties and leaders: Saint Helena Labor Party, leader NA; Saint Helena Progressive Party, leader NA; note - both political parties inactive since 1976 Suffrage: NA Elections: Legislative Council: last held October 1984 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total, 12 elected) number of seats by party NA Member of: ICFTU Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK) Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features…

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Excerpt #2, from The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe

…[Footnote 93: fond– i.e. foolish.] [Footnote 94: What! walking, disputing, &c.– The later 4tos have “What, SLEEPING, EATING, walking, AND disputing!” But it is evident that this speech is not given correctly in any of the old eds.] [Footnote 95: let me have a wife, &c.– The ninth chapter of THE HISTORY OF DR. FAUSTUS narrates “How Doctor Faustus would have married, and how the Devill had almost killed him for it,” and concludes as follows. "It is no jesting [said Mephistophilis– with us: hold thou that which thou hast vowed, and we will peforme as we have promised; and more shall that, thou shalt have thy hearts desire of what woman soever thou wilt, be she alive or dead, and so long as thou wilt thou shalt keep her by thee.–These words pleased Faustus wonderfull well, and repented himself that he was so foolish to wish himselfe married, that might have any woman in the whole city brought him at his command; the which he practised and persevered in a long time." Sig. B 3, ed. 1648.] [Footnote 96: me– Not in 4to 1604. (This line is wanting in the later 4tos.)] [Footnote 97: no– So the later 4tos.–Not in 4to 1604.] [Footnote 98: Saba– i.e. Sabaea–the Queen of Sheba.] [Footnote 99: iterating– i.e. reciting, repeating.] [Footnote 100: And argue of divine astrology, &c.– In THE HISTORY OF…

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Excerpt #3, from A Guide to the Scientific Knowledge of Things Familiar, by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer

…Q. Why will the AIR SWELL, if the bladder be laid before the fire? A. Because the heat of the fire gets between the particles of air, and drives them further apart from each other; which causes the bladder to expand. Q. Why do unslit CHESTNUTS CRACK with a loud noise, when ROASTED? A. Chestnuts contain a great deal of air, which is expanded by the heat of the fire; and, as the thick rind prevents the air from escaping, it violently bursts through, slitting the rind, and making a great noise. Q. What occasions the loud CRACK or report which we hear? A. 1st–The sudden bursting of the rind makes a report, in the same way as a piece of wood or glass would do, if snapped in two: and 2ndly–The escape of hot air from the chestnut makes a report also, in the same way as gunpowder, when it escapes from a gun. Q. Why does the sudden BURSTING of the rind, or SNAPPING of a piece of wood, make a REPORT? A. As the attraction of the parts is suddenly overcome, a violent jerk is given to the air; this jerk produces rapid undulations in the air, which (striking upon the ear) give the brain the sensation of sound. Q. Why does the ESCAPE OF AIR from the chestnut, or the EXPLOSION of GUNPOWDER, produce a REPORT? A. Because a quantity of air (suddenly let loose) _pushes against the…

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Excerpt #4, from The Wave: An Egyptian Aftermath, by Algernon Blackwood

…He saw the Southern Cross, pitched low above the sandy rim. . . . Yet Africa had no call for him. It left him without a thrill, an uninviting, undesirable land. It was Egypt that made the intimate and personal appeal, as of a deeply loved and half-familiar place. It seemed to gather him in against its mighty heart. He lay in some niche of comforting warm sand against the ancient mass that claimed him, tucked in by the wonder and the mystery, protected, even mothered. It was an oddly stimulated imagination that supplied the picture–and made him smile. He snuggled down deeper and deeper into this figurative warm bed of sand the ages had pre-ordained. He felt secure and sheltered–as though the wonder and the mystery veiled something that menaced joy in him, something that concealed a notion of attack. Almost there seemed a whisper in the wind, a watchful and unclosing eye behind the dazzling sunshine: ‘Surrender yourself to me, and I will care for you. I will protect you against . . . yourself. . . . Beware!’ This peculiar excitement in his blood was somehow precisely what he had expected; the wonder and the thrill were natural and right. He had known that Egypt would mesmerise his soul exactly in this way. He had, it seemed, anticipated both the exhilaration and the terror. He thought much about it all, and each time Egypt looked him in the face, he saw Lettice too. They were inseparably connected, as it were. He saw her brilliant…

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Excerpt #5, from The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914 to 1918, Vol. 3 of 3, by Ponsonby

…“The term bomb is officially confined to projectiles fired from trench mortars or dropped from aeroplanes. Projectiles thrown by hand are ‘grenades.’”The G.O.C. Guards Division is in error in supposing that the Grenadier Guards are the only Regiment in which the word grenadier forms part of the title of the Regiment. “It would appear that the term Grenadiers is merely an unofficial abbreviation of Grenadier Guards, and does not appear in any official documents in relation to that Regiment.”The Grenade fired proper is the badge of many Regiments, and it would seem that a claim to the sole use of the title ‘Grenadier’ has as little foundation as one to be the only wearers of the Grenade badge. “It would seem that Modern Warfare has necessitated a partial return to the Grenadier Companies of former days which it is believed existed without any prejudice to the rights of the Grenadier Guards.” Lord Cavan, however, could not let the matter rest there, and again wrote to the Adjutant-General on December 22, meeting the arguments put forward by him. He said: "I beg respectfully to reply to the remarks of the A.G….

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Excerpt #6, from Sixty Years in Southern California, 1853

…John Butterfield was originally a New York stage-driver and later the organizer of the American Express Company, as well as projector of the Morse telegraph line between New York and Buffalo. As the head of John Butterfield & Company, he was one of my customers in 1857. He contracted with the United States, in 1858, as President of the Overland Mail Company, to carry mail between San Francisco and the Missouri River. To make this possible, sections of the road, afterward popularly referred to as the Butterfield Route, were built; and the surveyors, Bishop and Beale, were awarded the contract for part of the work. It is my recollection that they used for this purpose some of the camels imported by the United States Government, and that these animals were in charge of Greek George to whom I have already referred. Butterfield chose a route from San Francisco coming down the Coast to Gilroy, San José and through the mountain passes; on to Visalia and Fort Tejón, and then to Los Angeles, in all some four hundred and sixty-two miles. From Los Angeles it ran eastward through El Monte, San Bernardino, Temécula and Warner’s Ranch to Fort Yuma, and then by way of El Paso to St. Louis. In this manner, Butterfield arranged for what was undoubtedly the longest continuous stage-line ever established, the entire length being about two thousand, eight hundred…

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Excerpt #7, from The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Emmuska Orczy Orczy

…into the box, and the next moment was standing behind Marguerite’s chair. “A word with you, citoyenne,” he said quietly. Marguerite turned quickly, in alarm, which was not altogether feigned. “Lud, man! you frightened me,” she said with a forced little laugh, “your presence is entirely inopportune. I want to listen to Glück, and have no mind for talking.” “But this is my only opportunity,” he said, as quietly, and without waiting for permission, he drew a chair close behind her—so close that he could whisper in her ear, without disturbing the audience, and without being seen, in the dark background of the box. “This is my only opportunity,” he repeated, as she vouchsafed him no reply, “Lady Blakeney is always so surrounded, so fêted by her court, that a mere old friend has but very little chance.” “Faith, man!” she said impatiently, “you must seek for another opportunity then. I am going to Lord Grenville’s ball to-night after the opera. So are you, probably. I’ll give you five minutes then. . . .” “Three minutes in the privacy of this box are quite sufficient for me,” he rejoined placidly, “and I think that you would be wise to listen to me, Citoyenne St. Just.”…

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Excerpt #8, from The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

…“That I can’t say. To see some officer. Some one invited her and horses were sent to fetch her.” Mitya left him, and ran like a madman to Fenya. Chapter V. A Sudden Resolution She was sitting in the kitchen with her grandmother; they were both just going to bed. Relying on Nazar Ivanovitch, they had not locked themselves in. Mitya ran in, pounced on Fenya and seized her by the throat. “Speak at once! Where is she? With whom is she now, at Mokroe?” he roared furiously. Both the women squealed. “Aie! I’ll tell you. Aie! Dmitri Fyodorovitch, darling, I’ll tell you everything directly, I won’t hide anything,” gabbled Fenya, frightened to death; “she’s gone to Mokroe, to her officer.” “What officer?” roared Mitya. “To her officer, the same one she used to know, the one who threw her over five years ago,” cackled Fenya, as fast as she could speak. Mitya withdrew the hands with which he was squeezing her throat. He stood facing her, pale as death, unable to utter a word, but his eyes showed that he realized it all, all, from the first word, and guessed…

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Excerpt #9, from Arms and the Man, by Bernard Shaw

…have the skin taken off their backs. SERGIUS. (rising indignantly). I’ll say so. And if one of them is man enough to spit in my face for insulting him, I’ll buy his discharge and give him a pension. (He strides out, his humanity deeply outraged.) BLUNTSCHLI. (confidentially). Just see that he talks to them properly, Major, will you? PETKOFF. (officiously). Quite right, Bluntschli, quite right. I’ll see to it. (He goes to the door importantly, but hesitates on the threshold.) By the bye, Catherine, you may as well come, too. They’ll be far more frightened of you than of me. CATHERINE. (putting down her embroidery). I daresay I had better. You will only splutter at them. (She goes out, Petkoff holding the door for her and following her.) BLUNTSCHLI. What a country! They make cannons out of cherry trees; and the officers send for their wives to keep discipline! (_He begins to fold and docket the papers. Raina, who has risen from the divan, strolls down the room…

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Excerpt #10, from The Old East Indiamen, by E. Keble Chatterton

…of voyaging to the Orient, he made the maps and journals which came back in these ships useful to subsequent navigators and of the greatest interest to merchants and others. And when he died his work was in part carried on by Samuel Purchas of Pilgrimes fame. The second of these voyages, in which Lancaster again triumphs over what many would call sheer bad luck, has been taken from a letter which was sent to the East India Company by one of its servants, and is preserved in the archives of the India Office and will be dealt with in the following chapter. But for the present we will confine our attention to the voyage of those three ships mentioned at the end of the last chapter. After leaving Devonshire the Penelope, Marchant Royall and Edward Bonaventure arrived at the Canary Isles in a fortnight, having the advantage of a fair north-east wind. Before reaching the Equator they were able to capture a Portuguese caravel bound from Lisbon for Brazil with a cargo of Portuguese merchandise consisting of 60 tuns of wine, 1200 jars of oil, about 100 jars of olives and other produce. This came as a veritable good fortune to the English ships, for the latter’s crews had already begun to be afflicted with bad health. “We had two men died before wee passed the line, and divers sicke, which tooke their sicknesse in those hote climates: for they be wonderful unholesome from 8 degrees of Northerly latitude unto the line, at that…

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Excerpt #11, from The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance, by H. G. Wells

…And directly the crates were unpacked, the stranger went to the window and set to work, not troubling in the least about the litter of straw, the fire which had gone out, the box of books outside, nor for the trunks and other luggage that had gone upstairs. When Mrs. Hall took his dinner in to him, he was already so absorbed in his work, pouring little drops out of the bottles into test-tubes, that he did not hear her until she had swept away the bulk of the straw and put the tray on the table, with some little emphasis perhaps, seeing the state that the floor was in. Then he half turned his head and immediately turned it away again. But she saw he had removed his glasses; they were beside him on the table, and it seemed to her that his eye sockets were extraordinarily hollow. He put on his spectacles again, and then turned and faced her. She was about to complain of the straw on the floor when he anticipated her. “I wish you wouldn’t come in without knocking,” he said in the tone of abnormal exasperation that seemed so characteristic of him. “I knocked, but seemingly—” “Perhaps you did. But in my investigations—my really very urgent and necessary investigations—the slightest disturbance, the jar of a door—I must ask you—” “Certainly, sir. You can turn the lock if you’re like that, you know….

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Excerpt #12, from Desert Dust, by Edwin L. Sabin

…“Will you offer me a ride, sir?” My response was instant: a long “Whoa-oa!” in best mule-whacker. The eight-team hauled negligent, their mulish senses steeped in the drudgery of the trail; only the wheel pair flopped inquiring ears. When I hailed again, Jenks came puffing. “What’s the matter hyar?” He ran rapid eye over wagon and animals and saw nothing amiss. “Mrs. Montoyo wishes to ride.” “The hell, man!” He snatched whip and launched it, up the faltering team. The cracker popped an inch above the off lead mule’s cringing haunch twenty feet before. “You can’t stop hyar! Can’t hold the rest of the train. Joe! Baldy! Hep with you!” The team straightened out; he restored me the whip. His wrath subsided, for in less dudgeon he addressed her. “Want to ride, do ye?” “I did, sir.” “Wall, in Gawd’s name ride, then. But we don’t stop for passengers.” With that, in another white heat he had picked her up bodily, swung her upon the nearest mule; so that before she knew (she scarce had time to utter an astonished little ejaculation as she yielded to his arms) there she was, perched, breathless, upon the sweaty hide. I awaited results. Jenks chuckled….

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