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Excerpt: VARIABLE, and therfore miserable condition of Man; this minute I was well, and am ill, this minute. I am surpriz?d with a sodaine change, and alteration to worse, and can impute it to no cause, nor call it by any name. We study Health, and we deliberate upon our meats, and drink, and ayre, and exercises, and we hew, and wee polish every stone, that goes to that building; and so our Health is a long and regular work; But in a minute a Canon batters all, overthrowes all, demolishes all; a Sicknes unprevented for all our diligence, unsuspected for all our curiositie; nay, undeserved, if we consider only disorder, summons us, seizes us, possesses us, destroyes us in an instant. O miserable condition of Man, which was not imprinted by God, who as hee is immortall himselfe, had put a coale, a beame of Immortalitie into us, which we might have blowen into a flame, but blew it out, by our first sinne; wee beggard our selves by hearkning after false riches, a?nd infatuated our selves by hearkning after false knowledge. So that now, we doe not onely die, but die upon the Rack, die by the torment of sicknesse; nor that onely, but are ...

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Table of Contents: I., 1 -- II., 3 -- III., 4 -- IV., 6 -- V., 8 -- VI., 10 -- VII., 11 -- VIII., 13 -- IX., 15 -- X., 17 -- XI., 19 -- XII., 21 -- XIII., 23 -- XIV., 25 -- XV., 27 -- XVI., 29 -- XVII., 31 -- XVIII., 33 -- XIX., 35 -- XX., 37 -- XXI., 39 -- XXII., 41 -- XXIII., 43...

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Excerpt: All?s Well, that Ends Well; Actus Primus -- Scoena Prima -- Enter yong Bertram Count of Rossillion, his Mother, and Helena, Lord Lafew, all in blacke. Mother. In delivering my sonne from me, I burie a second husband. Ros. And I in going Madam, weep ore my fathers death anew; but I must attend his majesties command, to whom I am now in Ward, evermore in subjection. Laf. You shall find of the King a husband Madame, you sir a father. He that so generally is at all times good, must of necessitie hold his vertue to you, whose worthinesse would stirre it up where it wanted rather then lack it where there is such abundance. Mo. What hope is there of his Maiesties amendment? Laf. He hath abandon?d his Phisitions Madam, under whose practises he hath persecuted time with hope, and finds no other advantage in the processe, but onely the loosing of hope by time. Mo. This yong Gentlewoman had a father, O that had, how sad a passage tis, whose skill was almost as great as his honestie, had it stretch?d so far, would have made nature immortall, and death should have play for lacke of worke. Would for the Kings sake hee were living, I thin...

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Table of Contents: All?s Well, that Ends Well, 1 -- Actus primus. Scoena Prima., 1 -- Actus Secundus., 14 -- Actus Tertius., 31 -- Actus Quartus., 42 -- Actus Quintus., 57...

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Excerpt: Chapter 1; Olive will come down in about ten minutes; she told me to tell you that. About ten; that is exactly like Olive. Neither five nor fifteen, and yet not ten exactly, but either nine or eleven. She didn?t tell me to say she was glad to see you, because she doesn?t know whether she is or not, and she wouldn?t for the world expose herself to telling a fib. She is very honest, is Olive Chancellor; she is full of rectitude. Nobody tells fibs in Boston; I don?t know what to make of them all. Well, I am very glad to see you, at any rate.? These words were spoken with much volubility by a fair, plump, smiling woman who entered a narrow drawing-room in which a visitor, kept waiting for a few moments, was already absorbed in a book. The gentleman had not even needed to sit down to become interested: apparently he had taken up the volume from a table as soon as he came in, and, standing there, after a single glance round the apartment, had lost himself in its pages. He threw it down at the approach of Mrs. Luna, laughed, shook hands with her, and said in answer to her last remark, ?You imply that you do tell fibs. Perhaps that...

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Table of Contents: Book First 3 -- Chapter 1, 3 -- Chapter 2, 8 -- Chapter 3, 12 -- Chapter 4, 20 -- Chapter 5, 26 -- Chapter 6, 30 -- Chapter 7, 38 -- Chapter 8, 45 -- Chapter 9, 51 -- Chapter 10, 55 -- Chapter 11, 62 -- Chapter 12, 69 -- Chapter 13, 77 -- Chapter 14, 83 -- Chapter 15, 89 -- Chapter 16, 96 -- Chapter 17, 106 -- Chapter 18, 114 -- Chapter 19, 124 -- Chapter 20, 131 -- Book Second 145 -- Chapter 21, 145 -- Chapter 22, 153 -- Chapter 23, 163 -- Chapter 24, 173...

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Excerpt: The Second Part of Henry the Sixth with the Death of the Good Duke Humfrey; Actus Primus -- Scoena Prima -- Flourish of Trumpets: Then Hoboyes. Enter King, Duke Humfrey, Salisbury, Warwicke, and Beau-ford on the one side. The Queene, Suffolke, Yorke, Somerset, and Buckingham, on the other. Suffolke. As by your high Imperiall Majesty, I had in charge at my depart for France, As Procurator to your Excellence, To marry Princes Margaret for your Grace; So in the Famous Ancient City, Toures, In presence of the Kings of France, and Sicill, The Dukes of Orleance, Calaber, Britaigne, and Alanson, Seven Earles, twelve Barons, & twenty reverend Bishops I have perform?d my Taske, and was espous?d, And humbly now upon my bended knee, In sight of England, and her Lordly Peeres, Deliver up my Title in the Queene To your most gracious hands, that are the Substance Of that great Shadow I did represent: The happiest Gift, that ever Marquesse gave, The Fairest Queene, that ever King receiv?d. King. Suffolke arise. Welcome Queene Margaret, I can expresse no kinder signe of Love Then this kinde kisse: O Lord, that lends me life, Lend me a hear...

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Table of Contents: The second Part of Henry the Sixt, 1 -- Actus Primus. Scoena Prima., 1

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Excerpt: PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION; MUCH to the author?s surprise, and (if he may say so without additional offence) considerably to his amusement, he finds that his sketch of official life, introductory to THE SCARLET LETTER, has created an unprecedented excitement in the respectable community immediately around him. It could hardly have been more violent, indeed, had he burned down the Custom House, and quenched its last smoking ember in the blood of a certain venerable personage, against whom he is supposed to cherish a peculiar malevolence. As the public disapprobation would weigh very heavily on him, were he conscious of deserving it, the author begs leave to say, that he has carefully read over the introductory pages, with a purpose to alter or expunge whatever might be found amiss, and to make the best reparation in his power for the atrocities of which he has been adjudged guilty. But it appears to him, that the only remarkable features of the sketch are its frank and genuine good-humor, and the general accuracy with which he has conveyed his sincere impressions of the characters therein described. As to enmity, or ill f...

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Table of Contents: PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION, 1 -- THE CUSTOM HOUSE INTRODUCTORY, 2 -- 1 THE PRISON DOOR, 31 -- 2 THE MARKET-PLACE, 33 -- 3 THE RECOGNITION, 40 -- 4 THE INTERVIEW, 47 -- 5 HESTER AT HER NEEDLE, 52 -- 6 PEARL, 59 -- 7 THE GOVERNOR?S HALL, 66 -- 8 THE ELF-CHILD AND THE MINISTER, 72 -- 9 THE LEECH, 79 -- 10 THE LEECH AND HIS PATIENT, 87 -- 11 THE INTERIOR OF A HEART, 95 -- 12 THE MINISTER?S VIGIL, 100 -- 13 ANOTHER VIEW OF HESTER, 108 -- 14 HESTER AND THE PHYSICIAN, 114 -- 15 HESTER AND PEARL, 119 -- 16 A FOREST WALK, 124 -- 17 THE PASTOR AND HIS PARISHIONER, 129 -- 18 A FLOOD OF SUNSHINE, 136 -- 19 THE CHILD AT THE BROOKSIDE, 141 -- 20 THE MINISTER IN A MAZE, 147 -- 21 THE NEW ENGLAND HOLIDAY, 155 -- 22 THE PROCESSION, 162 -- 23 THE REVELATION OF THE SCARLET LETTER, 170 -- 24 CONCLUSION, 177...

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Excerpt: The Comedie of Errors; Actus Primus -- Scena Prima -- Enter the Duke of Ephesus, with the Merchant of Siracusa, Iaylor, and other attendants. Marchant. Proceed Solinus to procure my fall, And by the doome of death end woes and all. Duke. Merchant of Siracusa, plead no more. I am not partiall to infringe our Lawes; The enmity and discord which of late Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your Duke, To Merchants our well-dealing Countrimen, Who wanting gilders to redeeme their lives, Have seal?d his rigorous statutes with their blouds, Excludes all pitty from our threatning lookes: For since the mortall and intestine jarres Twixt thy seditious Countrimen and us, It hath in solemne Synodes beene decreed, Both by the Siracusians and our selves, To admit no trafficke to our aduerse townes: Nay more, if any borne at Ephesus Be seene at any Siracusian Marts and Fayres: Againe, if any Siracusian borne Come to the Bay of Ephesus, he dies: His goods confiscate to the Dukes dispose, Unlesse a thousand markes be levied To quit the penalty, and to ransome him: Thy substance, valued at the highest rate, Cannot amount unto a hundred Marke...

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Table of Contents: The Comedie of Errors, 1 -- Actus primus, Scena prima., 1 -- Actus Secundus., 7 -- Actus Tertius. Scena Prima., 14 -- Actus Quartus. Scoena Prima., 22 -- Actus Quintus. Scoena Prima., 33...

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Excerpt: CHAPTER I; DEPARTURE -- The fourteenth of August was the day fixed upon for the sailing of the brig Pilgrim on her voyage from Boston round Cape Horn to the western coast of North America. As she was to get under weigh early in the afternoon, I made my appearance on board at twelve o?clock, in full sea-rig, and with my chest, containing an outfit for a two or three years? voyage, which I had undertaken from a determination to cure, if possible, by an entire change of life, and by a long absence from books and study, a weakness of the eyes, which had obliged me to give up my pursuits, and which no medical aid seemed likely to cure....

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Table of Contents: CHAPTER I ? DEPARTURE, 1 -- CHAPTER II ? FIRST IMPRESSIONS???SAIL HO!??, 3 -- CHAPTER III ? SHIP?S DUTIES?TROPICS, 6 -- CHAPTER IV ? A ROGUE?TROUBLE ON BOARD???LAND -- HO!???POMPERO?CAPE HORN, 9 -- CHAPTER V ? CAPE HORN?A VISIT, 13 -- CHAPTER VI ? LOSS OF A MAN?SUPERSTITION, 18 -- CHAPTER VII ? JUAN FERNANDEZ?THE PACIFIC, 21 -- CHAPTER VIII ? ??TARRING DOWN???DAILY LIFE???GOING AFT???CALIFORNIA -- ., 25 -- CHAPTER IX ? CALIFORNIA?A SOUTH-EASTER, 28 -- CHAPTER X ? A SOUTH-EASTER?PASSAGE UP THE COAST, 32 -- CHAPTER XI ? PASSAGE UP THE COAST?MONTEREY, 35 -- CHAPTER XII ? LIFE AT MONTEREY, 38 -- CHAPTER XIII ? TRADING?A BRITISH SAILOR, 40 -- CHAPTER XIV ? SANTA BARBARA?HIDE-DROGHING?HARBOR -- DUTIES?DISCONTENT?SAN PEDRO, 46 -- CHAPTER XV ? A FLOGGING?A NIGHT ON SHORE?THE STATE OF THINGS ON -- BOARD?SAN DIEGO, 52 -- CHAPTER XVI ? LIBERTY-DAY ON SHORE, 59 -- CHAPTER XVII ? SAN DIEGO?A DESERTION?SAN PEDRO AGAIN?BEATING UP -- COAST, 63 -- CHAPTER XVIII ? EASTER SUNDAY???SAIL HO!???WHALES?SAN -- JUAN?ROMANCE OF HIDE-DROGHING?SAN DIEGO AGAIN, 67 -- CHAPTER XIX ? THE SANDWICH -- ISLANDERS?HIDE-CURING?WOOD-CUTTING? RATTLE-SNA...

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Excerpt: ON THE 31st of August, 1846, I left Concord in Massachusetts for Bangor and the backwoods of Maine, by way of the railroad and steamboat, intending to accompany a relative of mine engaged in the lumber-trade in Bangor, as far as a dam on the west branch of the Penobscot, in which property he was interested. From this place, which is about one hundred miles by the river above Bangor, thirty miles from the Houlton military road, and five miles beyond the last log-hut, I proposed to make excursions to Mount Ktaadn, the second highest mountain in New England, about thirty miles distant, and to some of the lakes of the Penobscot, either alone or with such company as I might pick up there. It is unusual to find a camp so far in the woods at that season, when lumbering operations have ceased, and I was glad to avail myself of the circumstance of a gang of men being employed there at that time in repairing the injuries caused by the great freshet in the spring. The mountain may be approached more easily and directly on horseback and on foot from the northeast side, by the Aroostook road, and the Wassataquoik River; but in that case...

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Table of Contents: Ktaadn, 1 -- Chesuncook, 51 -- The Allegash and East Branch, 96 -- Appendix, 184 -- I. TREES., 184 -- II. FLOWERS AND SHRUBS., 185 -- III. LIST OF PLANTS., 188 -- IV. LIST OF BIRDS, 196 -- V. QUADRUPEDS., 197 -- VI. OUTFIT FOR AN EXCURSION., 198 -- VII. A LIST OF INDIAN WORDS., 199...

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Excerpt: THE PREFACE; If ever the story of any private Man?s Adventures in the World were worth making Publick, and were acceptable when Publish?d, the Editor of this Account thinks this will be so. The Wonders of this Man?s Life exceed all that (he thinks)is to be found extant; the Life of one Man being scarce capable of a greater Variety. The Story is told with Modesty, with Seriousness, and with a religious Application of Events to the Uses to which wise Men always apply them (viz.) to the Instruction of others by this Example, and to justify and honour the Wisdom of Providence in all the Variety of our Circumstances, let them happen how they will. The Editor believes the thing to be a just History of Fact; neither is there any Appearance of Fiction in it: And however thinks, because all such things are dispatch?d, that the Improvement of it, as well to the Diversion, as to the Instruction of the Reader, will be the same; and as such, he thinks, without father Compliment to the World, he does them a great Service in the Publication....

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Table of Contents: THE PREFACE, 1 -- THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, &c., 2 -- THE JOURNAL., 51