Excerpt: The Life of Henry the Fifth; Enter Prologue. O For a Muse of Fire, that would ascend The brightest Heaven of Inuention: A Kingdome for a Stage, Princes to Act, And Monarchs to behold the swelling Scene. Then should the Warlike Harry, like himselfe, Assume the Port of Mars, and at his heeles (Leasht in, like Hounds) should Famine, Sword, and Fire Crouch for employment. But pardon, Gentles all: The flat unraysed Spirits, that hath dar?d, On this unworthy Scaffold, to bring forth So great an Object. Can this Cock- Pit hold The vastie fields of France? Or may we cramme Within this Woodden O, the very Caskes That did affright the Ayre at Agincourt? O pardon: since a crooked Figure may Attest in little place a Million, And let us, Cyphers to this great Accompt, On your imaginarie Forces worke. Suppose within the Girdle of these Walls Are now confin?d two mightie Monarchies, Whose high, up- reared, and abutting Fronts, The perillous narrow Ocean parts asunder. Peece out our imperfections with your thoughts: Into a thousand parts divide one Man, And make imaginarie Puissance. Thinke when we talke of Horses, that you see them Printi...

Table of Contents: The Life of Henry the Fift, 1 -- Actus Primus. Scoena Prima., 1 -- Actus Secundus., 23 -- Actus Tertius., 39 -- Actus Quartus., 55 -- Actus Quintus., 63...

Excerpt: Plashwater Weir Mill Lock looked tranquil and pretty on an evening in the summer time. A soft air stirred the leaves of the fresh green trees, and passed like a smooth shadow over the river, and like a smoother shadow over the yielding grass. The voice of the falling water, like the voices of the sea and the wind, were as an outer memory to a contemplative listener; but not particularly so to Mr. Riderhood, who sat on one of the blunt wooden levers of his lock-gates, dozing. Wine must be got into a butt by some agency before it can be drawn out; and the wine of sentiment never having been got into Mr. Riderhood by any agency, nothing in nature tapped him....

Excerpt: The Tempest; Actus Primus -- Scena Prima -- A tempestuous noise of Thunder and Lightning heard: Enter a Ship- master, and a Boteswaine. Master. Boteswaine. Botes. Heere Master: What cheere? Mast. Good: Speake to th? Mariners: fall too?t, yarely, or we run our selves a ground, bestirre, bestirre. Exit. Enter Mariners. Botes. Heigh my hearts, cheerely, cheerely my harts: yare, yare: Take in the toppe- sale: Tend to th? Masters whistle: Blow till thou burst thy winde, if roome enough. Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Anthonio, Ferdinando, Gonzalo, and others. Alon. Good Boteswaine have care: where?s the Ma-ster? Play the men. Botes. I pray now keepe below. Anth. Where is the Master, Boson? Botes. Do you not heare him? you marre our labour, Keepe your Cabines: you do assist the storme. Gonz. Nay, good be patient. Botes. When the Sea is: hence, what cares these roarers for the name of King? to Cabine; silence: trouble us not. Gon. Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboord. Botes. None that I more love then my selfe. You are a Counsellor, if you can command these Elements to silence, and worke the peace of the present, wee will not hand a...

Table of Contents: The Tempest, 1 -- Actus primus, Scena prima., 1 -- Scena Secunda., 3 -- Actus Secundus. Scoena Prima., 16 -- Scoena Secunda., 24 -- Actus Tertius. Scoena Prima., 28 -- Scoena Secunda., 31 -- Scena Tertia., 34 -- Actus Quartus. Scena Prima., 37 -- Actus quintus: Scoena Prima., 44...

Excerpt: Chapter 1. A South Sea Bridal. I saw that island first when it was neither night nor morning. The moon was to the west, setting, but still broad and bright. To the east, and right amidships of the dawn, which was all pink, the daystar sparkled like a diamond. The land breeze blew in our faces, and smelt strong of wild lime and vanilla: other things besides, but these were the most plain; and the chill of it set me sneezing. I should say I had been for years on a low island near the line, living for the most part solitary among natives. Here was a fresh experience: even the tongue would be quite strange to me; and the look of these woods and mountains, and the rare smell of them, renewed my blood....

Contents THE BEACH OF FALESA............................................ 4 THE BOTTLE IMP...................................................... 68 THE ISLE OF VOICES............................................... 95...

Excerpt: The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells.

Excerpt: The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.

Excerpt: Several of us, all more or less connected with the sea, were dining in a small river-hostelry not more than thirty miles from London, and less than twenty from that shallow and dangerous puddle to which our coasting men give the grandiose name of ?German Ocean.? And through the wide windows we had a view of the Thames; an enfilading view down the Lower Hope Reach. But the dinner was execrable, and all the feast was for the eyes....

Excerpt: What Is Coming? A Forecast of Things after the War by H. G. Wells.

Excerpt: The Champion Of His Country. When young Nevil Beauchamp was throwing off his midshipman?s jacket for a holiday in the garb of peace, we had across Channel a host of dreadful military officers flashing swords at us for some critical observations of ours upon their sovereign, threatening Africa?s fires and savagery....

Excerpt: BOOK I. INSCRIPTIONS. One?s-self I sing, a simple separate person, Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse. Of physiology from top to toe I sing, Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say the Form complete is worthier far, The Female equally with the Male I sing. Of Life immense in passion, pulse, and power, Cheerful, for freest action form?d under the laws divine, The Modern Man I sing....

Contents LEAVES OF GRASS.......................8 BOOK I. INSCRIPTIONS..................9 One?s-Self I Sing...................................9 As I Ponder?d in Silence.....................10 In Cabin?d Ships at Sea.......................11 To Foreign Lands................................12 To a Historian.....................................12 To Thee Old Cause..............................13 Eidolons................................................14 For Him I Sing....................................18 When I Read the Book........................18 Beginning My Studies.........................18 Beginners............................................19 To the States.......................................19 On Journeys Through the States..........19 To a Certain Cantatrice.......................20 Me Imperturbe....................................20 Savantism..............................................21 The Ship Starting................................21 I Hear America Singing......................21 What Place Is Besieged?......................22 Still Though the One I Sing................22 Shut Not Your Doors..........................