Excerpt: FIRST QUARTER; THERE are not many people --and as it is desirable that a story-teller and a story-reader should establish a mutual understanding as soon as possible, I beg it to be noticed that I confine this observation neither to young people nor to little people, but extend it to all conditions of people: little and big, young and old: yet growing up, or already growing down again --there are not, I say, many people who would care to sleep in a church. I don?t mean at sermon-time in warm weather (when the thing has actually been done, once or twice), but in the night, and alone. A great multitude of persons will be violently astonished, I know, by this position, in the broad bold Day. But it applies to Night. It must be argued by night, and I will undertake to maintain it successfully on any gusty winter?s night appointed for the purpose, with any one opponent chosen from the rest, who will meet me singly in an old church-yard, before an old church-door; and will previously empower me to lock him in, if needful to his satisfaction, until morning ......

Table of Contents: ILLUSTRATION: TROTTY VECK., ii -- FIRST QUARTER, 1 -- THE SECOND QUARTER, 20 -- THIRD QUARTER, 36 -- FOURTH QUARTER, 52 -- ILLUSTRATION: MR. AND MRS. TUGBY., 68...

Excerpt: The double sorwe of Troilus to tellen, That was the kyng Priamus sone of Troye, In louynge how his auentures fellen ffro wo to wele, and after out of ioie, My purpos is, er that I parte fro ye. Thesiphone, thow help me for tendite Thise woful vers that wepen as I write. To the clepe I, thow goddesse of torment, Thow cruwel furie, sorwynge evere in peyne, Help me that am the sorwful instrument That helpeth loveres, as I kan, to pleyne; ffor wel sit it, the sothe for to seyne, A woful wight to han a drery feere, And to a sorwful tale a sory chere....

Table of Contents: Book I, 1 -- Book II, 29 -- Book III, 74 -- Book IV, 121 -- Book V, 165

Excerpt: The Second Part of Henry the Fourth Containing his Death and the Coronation of King Henry the Fifth; Actus Primus -- Scoena Prima -- INDUCTION. Enter Rumour. Open your Eares: For which of you will stop The vent of Hearing, when loud Rumor speakes? I, from the Orient, to the drooping West (Making the winde my Post- horse) still unfold The Acts commenced on this Ball of Earth. Upon my Tongue, continuall Slanders ride, The which, in every Language, I pronounce, Stuffing the Eares of them with false Reports: I speake of Peace, while covert Enmitie (Under the smile of Safety) wounds the World: And who but Rumour, who but onely I Make fearfull Musters, and prepar?d Defence, Whil?st the bigge yeare, swolne with some other griefes, Is thought with childe, by the sterne Tyrant, Warre, And no such matter? Rumour, is a Pipe Blowne by Surmises, Ielousies, Conjectures; And of so easie, and so plaine a stop, That the blunt Monster, with uncounted heads, The still discordant, wavering Multitude, Can play upon it. But what neede I thus My well- knowne Body to Anathomize Among my houshold? Why is Rumour heere? I run before King Harries vict...

Table of Contents: The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, 1 -- Actus Primus. Scoena Prima., 1 -- Scena Secunda., 2 -- Scena Tertia., 7 -- Scena Quarta., 12 -- Actus Secundus. Scoena Prima., 14 -- Scena Secunda., 18 -- Scena Tertia., 22 -- Scaena Quarta., 24 -- Actus Tertius. Scena Prima., 32 -- Scena Secunda., 35 -- Actus Quartus. Scena Prima., 42 -- Scena Secunda., 53 -- Actus Quintus. Scoena Prima., 62 -- Scena Secunda., 64 -- Scena Tertia., 68 -- Scena Quarta., 71 -- Scena Quinta., 72 -- EPILOGVE., 74...

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....

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

Excerpt: Loves Labour?s Lost; Actus Primus -- Enter Ferdinand King of Navarre, Berowne, Longavill, and Dumane. Ferdinand. Let Fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Live registred upon our brazen Tombes, And then grace us in the disgrace of death: when spight of cormorant devouring Time, Th? endevour of this present breath may buy: That honour which shall bate his sythes keene edge, And make us heyres of all eternitie. Therefore brave Conquerours, for so you are, That warre against your owne affections, And the huge Armie of the worlds desires. Our late edict shall strongly stand in force, Navar shall be the wonder of the world. Our Court shall be a little Achademe, Still and contemplative in living Art. You three, Berowne, Dumaine, and Longavill, Have sworne for three yeeres terme, to live with me: My fellow Schollers, and to keepe those statutes That are recorded in this scedule heere. Your oathes are past, and now subscribe your names: That his owne hand may strike his honour downe, That violates the smallest branch heerein: If you are arm?d to doe, as sworne to do, Subscribe to your deepe oathes, and keepe it to. Longavill. I...

Table of Contents: Loues Labour?s lost, 1 -- Actus primus., 1 -- Finis Actus Primus., 11 -- Actus Secunda., 12 -- Actus Tertius., 18 -- Actus Quartus., 22 -- Actus Quartus., 39...

Excerpt: As you Like it; Actus Primus -- Scoena Prima -- Enter Orlando and Adam. Orlando. As I remember Adam, it was upon this fashion bequeathed me by will, but poore a thousand Crownes, and as thou saist, charged my bro-ther on his blessing to breed mee well: and there begins my sadnesse: My brother Iaques he keepes at schoole, and report speakes goldenly of his profit: for my part, he keepes me rustically at home, or (to speak more properly) staies me heere at home unkept: for call you that keeping for a gentleman of my birth, that differs not from the stalling of an Oxe? his horses are bred better, for besides that they are faire with their feeding, they are taught their mannage, and to that end Riders deerely hir?d: but I (his brother) gaine nothing under him but growth, for the which his Animals on his dunghils are as much bound to him as I: besides this no-thing that he so plentifully gives me, the something that nature gave mee, his countenance seemes to take from me: hee lets mee feede with his Hindes, barres mee the place of a brother, and as much as in him lies, mines my gentility with my education. This is it Adam that g...

Table of Contents: As you Like it, 1 -- Actus primus. Scoena Prima., 1 -- Scoena Secunda., 4 -- Scena Tertius., 11 -- Actus Secundus. Scoena Prima., 14 -- Scena Secunda., 16 -- Scena Tertia., 16 -- Scena Quarta., 18 -- Scena Quinta., 21 -- Scena Sexta., 22 -- Scena Septima., 23 -- Actus Tertius. Scena Prima., 27 -- Scena Secunda., 28 -- Scoena Tertia., 37 -- Scoena Quarta., 39 -- Scena Quinta., 40 -- Actus Quartus. Scena Prima., 44 -- Scena Secunda., 48 -- Scoena Tertia., 49 -- Actus Quintus. Scena Prima., 53 -- Scoena Secunda., 55 -- Scoena Tertia., 57 -- Scena Quarta., 58...

Excerpt: The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eighth; THE PROLOGUE -- I Come no more to make you laugh, Things now, That beare a Weighty, and a Serious Brow, Sad, high, and working, full of State and Woe: Such Noble Scoenes, as draw the Eye to flow We now present. Those that can Pitty, heere May (if they thinke it well) let fall a Teare, The Subject will deserve it. Such as give Their Money out of hope they may beleeve, May heere finde Truth too....

Table of Contents: The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight, 1 -- THE PROLOGVE., 1 -- Actus Primus. Scoena Prima., 2 -- Scena Secunda., 8 -- Scaena Tertia., 13 -- Scena Quarta., 15 -- Actus Secundus. Scena Prima., 19 -- Scena Secunda., 24 -- Scena Tertia., 27 -- Scena Quarta., 30 -- Actus Tertius. Scena Prima., 37 -- Scena Secunda., 41 -- Actus Quartus. Scena Prima., 53 -- Scena Secunda., 57 -- Actus Quintus. Scena Prima., 62 -- Scena Secunda., 67 -- Scena Tertia., 73 -- Scena Quarta., 75...

Excerpt: WHEN I wrote the following pages, or rather the bulk of them, I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself, on the shore of Walden Pond, in Concord, Massachusetts, and earned my living by the labor of my hands only. I lived there two years and two months. At present I am a sojourner in civilized life again. I should not obtrude my affairs so much on the notice of my readers if very particular inquiries had not been made by my townsmen concerning my mode of life, which some would call impertinent, though they do not appear to me at all impertinent, but, considering the circumstances, very natural and pertinent. Some have asked what I got to eat; if I did not feel lonesome; if I was not afraid; and the like. Others have been curious to learn what portion of my income I devoted to charitable purposes; and some, who have large families, how many poor children I maintained. I will therefore ask those of my readers who feel no particular interest in me to pardon me if I undertake to answer some of these questions in this book. In most books, the I, or first person, is omitted; in this...

Table of Contents: Economy, 1 -- Where I Lived, and What I Lived For, 50 -- Reading, 62 -- Sounds, 69 -- Solitude, 80 -- Visitors, 87 -- The Bean-Field, 97 -- The Village, 105 -- The Ponds, 109 -- Baker Farm, 126 -- Higher Laws, 132 -- Brute Neighbors, 140 -- House-Warming, 149 -- Former Inhabitants; and Winter Visitors, 160 -- Winter Animals, 169 -- The Pond in Winter, 176 -- Spring, 186 -- Conclusion, 199...

Excerpt: Chapter 1; THE family of Dashwood had been long settled in Sussex. Their estate was large, and their residence was at Norland Park, in the centre of their property, where, for many generations, they had lived in so respectable a manner, as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance. The late owner of this estate was a single man, who lived to a very advanced age, and who for many years of his life, had a constant companion and housekeeper in his sister. But her death, which happened ten years before his own, produced a great alteration in his home; for to supply her loss, he invited and received into his house the family of his nephew Mr. Henry Dashwood, the legal inheritor of the Norland estate, and the person to whom he intended to bequeath it. In the society of his nephew and niece, and their children, the old Gentleman?s days were comfortably spent. His attachment to them all increased. The constant attention of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood to his wishes, which proceeded not merely from interest, but from goodness of heart, gave him every degree of solid comfort which his age could receive; and ...

Table of Contents: I 1 -- Chapter 1, 3 -- Chapter 2, 6 -- Chapter 3, 10 -- Chapter 4, 13 -- Chapter 5, 17 -- Chapter 6, 19 -- Chapter 7, 22 -- Chapter 8, 24 -- Chapter 9, 27 -- Chapter 10, 31 -- Chapter 11, 35 -- Chapter 12, 38 -- Chapter 13, 42 -- Chapter 14, 47 -- Chapter 15, 50 -- Chapter 16, 55 -- Chapter 17, 60 -- Chapter 18, 64 -- Chapter 19, 67 -- Chapter 20, 73 -- Chapter 21, 78 -- Chapter 22, 84 -- II 91 -- Chapter 23, 93 -- Chapter 24, 97...

Excerpt: PREFACE; Among many matters thrown into relief by a refreshed acquaintance with ?The Golden Bowl? what perhaps most stands out for me is the still marked inveteracy of a certain indirect and oblique view of my presented action; unless indeed I make up my mind to call this mode of treatment, on the contrary, any superficial appearance notwithstanding, the very straightest and closest possible. I have already betrayed, as an accepted habit, and even to extravagance commented on, my preference for dealing with my subject matter, for ?seeing my story,? through the opportunity and the sensibility of some more or less detached, some not strictly involved, though thoroughly interested and intelligent, witness or reporter, some person who contributes to the case mainly a certain amount of criticism and interpretation of it. Again and again, on review, the shorter things in especial that I have gathered into this Series have ranged themselves not as my own impersonal account of the affair in hand, but as my account of somebody?s impression of it--the terms of this person?s access to it and estimate of it contributing thus by some fi...

Table of Contents: PREFACE, iii -- Volume I 3 -- Book I 3 -- Chapter 1, 3 -- Chapter 2, 15 -- Chapter 3, 25 -- Chapter 4, 35 -- Chapter 5, 50 -- Chapter 6, 58 -- Book II 69 -- Chapter 1, 69 -- Chapter 2, 79 -- Chapter 3, 85 -- Chapter 4, 92 -- Chapter 5, 105 -- Chapter 6, 115 -- Chapter 7, 124 -- Book III 133 -- Chapter 1, 133 -- Chapter 2, 144 -- Chapter 3, 149 -- Chapter 4, 156 -- Chapter 5, 162 -- Chapter 6, 169...