Quick Excerpts, from a Library of 492 Titles

Generated 2022-07-28 13:25:32

Excerpt #1, from Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen

…salmon to cod, or boiled fowls to veal cutlets. They reached town by three o’clock the third day, glad to be released, after such a journey, from the confinement of a carriage, and ready to enjoy all the luxury of a good fire. The house was handsome, and handsomely fitted up, and the young ladies were immediately put in possession of a very comfortable apartment. It had formerly been Charlotte’s, and over the mantelpiece still hung a landscape in coloured silks of her performance, in proof of her having spent seven years at a great school in town to some effect. As dinner was not to be ready in less than two hours from their arrival, Elinor determined to employ the interval in writing to her mother, and sat down for that purpose. In a few moments Marianne did the same. “I am writing home, Marianne,” said Elinor; “had not you better defer your letter for a day or two?” “I am not going to write to my mother,” replied Marianne, hastily, and as if wishing to avoid any farther inquiry. Elinor said no more; it immediately struck her that she must then be writing to Willoughby; and the conclusion which as instantly followed was, that, however mysteriously they might wish to conduct the affair, they must be engaged. This conviction, though not entirely satisfactory, gave her pleasure, and she continued her letter with greater alacrity….

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Excerpt #2, from Around the World on a Bicycle Volume II, by Thomas Stevens

…dhal held in check by his wife to prevent him following after with hostile intent. The men seem boiling over with rage and ready to chew each other up; but, judging from the supreme indifference of everybody else about, nobody expects anything serious, to happen. This is mentionable as being the first quarrel I have seen in India; as a general thing the people are gentleness personified. Several tattooed Hindoo devotees are observed this afternoon paying solemn devotions to bel-trees streaked with red paint, near the road. Many of the trees also shelter rude earthenware animals, and hemispherical vessels, which are also objects of worship, as representing the linga. The bel-tree is sacred to Siva the Destroyer, and the third person in the Hindoo Triad, whom Brahma himself is said to have worshipped, although he is regarded as the Creator. In the absence of Siva himself, the worship of the bel-tree is supposed to be as efficacious as worshipping the idol direct. Soon I overtake an individual doing penance for his sins by crawling on his stomach all the way to Benares, the Mecca of the Hindoo religion. In addition to crawling, he is dragging a truck containing his personal effects by a rope tied about his waist. Every fifty yards or so he stands up and stretches himself; then he lies prostrate again and worms his wearisome way along the road like a snake. Benares is still about a…

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Excerpt #3, from Utilitarianism, by John Stuart Mill

…(especially a person other than oneself) from great and unmerited evil, and when the withholding can only be effected by denial. But in order that the exception may not extend itself beyond the need, and may have the least possible effect in weakening reliance on veracity, it ought to be recognized, and, if possible, its limits defined; and if the principle of utility is good for anything, it must be good for weighing these conflicting utilities against one another, and marking out the region within which one or the other preponderates. Again, defenders of utility often find themselves called upon to reply to such objections as this–that there is not time, previous to action, for calculating and weighing the effects of any line of conduct on the general happiness. This is exactly as if any one were to say that it is impossible to guide our conduct by Christianity, because there is not time, on every occasion on which anything has to be done, to read through the Old and New Testaments. The answer to the objection is, that there has been ample time, namely, the whole past duration of the human species. During all that time mankind have been learning by experience the tendencies of actions; on which experience all the prudence, as well as all the morality of life, is dependent. People talk as if the commencement of this course of experience had hitherto been put off, and as if, at the moment when some man feels tempted to meddle with the…

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Excerpt #4, from The Republic of Plato, by Plato

…dissent, desire and avoidance. And one form {lxv} of desire is thirst and hunger: and here arises a new point–thirst is thirst of drink, hunger is hunger of food; not of warm drink or of a particular kind of food, 438 with the single exception of course that the very fact of our desiring anything implies that it is good. When relative terms have no attributes, their correlatives have no attributes; when they have attributes, their correlatives also have them. For example, the term ‘greater’ is simply relative to ‘less,’ and knowledge refers to a subject of knowledge. But on the other hand, a particular knowledge is of a particular subject. Again, every science has a distinct character, which is defined by an object; medicine, for example, is the science of health, although not to be confounded with health. 439 Having cleared our ideas thus far, let us return to the original instance of thirst, which has a definite object–drink. Now the thirsty soul may feel two distinct impulses; the animal one saying ‘Drink;’ the rational one, which says ‘Do not drink.’ The two impulses are contradictory; and therefore we may assume that they spring from distinct principles in the soul. But is passion a third principle, or akin to desire? There is a story of a certain Leontius which throws some light on this question. He was coming up from the Piraeus outside the north wall, and he passed a spot where there were dead bodies lying by the executioner. He felt a longing desire to see them and also an…

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Excerpt #5, from Rocks and Their Origins, by Grenville A. J. Cole

…to wind or rain, that the finest materials are carried far away, and the undecomposable quartz remains predominant. The alluvium in the upper reaches of streams is thus far more sandy than the mixed material supplied at the outset from the surrounding rocks. The more rapid flow of the water on the steeper upland slopes naturally removes the mud into the lowland. When the detritus, still somewhat mixed, reaches a sea-shore, wave-action is rapidly effective. Before the continual wash and pounding of the water, any residual clay, and the finely comminuted portion of the quartz, are carried down the coastal slope. The colour of the sea after storms is sufficient evidence of the work that it performs. Beaches, then, arrive at a great similarity of type. The inviting yellow sands, formed of comparatively coarse material, occur alike off shores formed of chalk, slate, granite, or boulder-clay. [Illustration: Fig. 5. Sand Developing from Sandstone, in semi-arid climate. Near Laingsburg, Cape of Good Hope.] From the beginning of sedimentation, sands have thus tended to accumulate, and to become cemented into sandstones. These rocks, in turn uplifted and exposed, have yielded other sandstones. Since coarse sand does not travel far from the region where it is washed out of the parent rock, a thick mass of sandstone extending over many square miles…

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Excerpt #6, from Let’s Get Together, by Isaac Asimov

…None of Them have ever come to Our conferences on robotics. None that I can remember." “Were They invited?” asked Breckenridge. Lynn, staring and worried, interposed quickly, “Of course.” Breckenridge said, “Do They refuse attendance to any other types of scientific conferences We hold?” “I don’t know,” said Laszlo. He was pacing the floor now. “I haven’t heard of any cases. Have you, Chief?” “No,” said Lynn. Breckenridge said, “Wouldn’t you say it was as though They didn’t want to be put in the position of having to return any such invitation? Or as though They were afraid one of Their men might talk too much?” That was exactly how it seemed, and Lynn felt a helpless conviction that Security’s story was true after all steal over him. Why else had there been no contact between sides on robotics? There had been a cross-fertilizing trickle of researchers moving in both directions on a strictly one-for-one basis for years, dating back to the days of Eisenhower and Khrushchev. There were a great many good motives for that: an honest appreciation of the supra-national character of science; impulses of friendliness that are hard to wipe out completely in the individual human being; the desire to be exposed…

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Excerpt #7, from The Terror: A Mystery, by Arthur Machen

…together to make a whole. Merritt, as the doctor guessed, had a kind of uneasy feeling–it scarcely amounted to a suspicion–as to the business of the marsh; chiefly because he thought the official talk about the railway embankment and the course of the river rank nonsense. But finding that nothing more happened, he let the matter drop from his mind, and settled himself down to enjoy his holiday. He found to his delight that there were no sentries or watchers to hinder him from the approach to Larnac Bay, a delicious cove, a place where the ashgrove and the green meadow and the glistening bracken sloped gently down to red rocks and firm yellow sands. Merritt remembered a rock that formed a comfortable seat, and here he established himself of a golden afternoon, and gazed at the blue of the sea and the crimson bastions and bays of the coast as it bent inward to Sarnau and swept out again southward to the odd-shaped promontory called the Dragon’s Head. Merritt gazed on, amused by the antics of the porpoises who were tumbling and splashing and gamboling a little way out at sea, charmed by the pure and radiant air that was so different from the oily smoke that often stood for heaven at Midlingham, and charmed, too, by the white farmhouses dotted here and there on the heights of the curving coast….

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Excerpt #8, from A United States Midshipman in Japan, by Yates Stirling

…The midshipmen were more than ever suspicious of Impey’s honesty. What was his part in this international intrigue? What was Impey’s object? Why had he talked to them at the garden fête in the same strain as he had talked to the Japanese baron in the railroad train? “I’ve found out who the baron is, Syd,” Phil added. “His name is Kosuba, and he is president of the ‘Koko Kisen’ steamship line, the largest in Japan. They own over two hundred steamers. It’s quite natural that he should want a big navy.” “It’s very strange,” Sydney replied thoughtfully. “Impey persuades him that Japan must at once buy the Chinese squadron to prevent our getting it and goes to our ambassador the next day with the news that Japan has decided to buy or seize them.” “And all the time,” Phil returned angrily, “the United States is not giving a thought to the Chinese ships. No one can purchase ships without money, and Congress has not appropriated money for this purpose, and probably has no thought of so doing.” The entire affair puzzled the two midshipmen greatly. “I suppose the ambassador will send a cable to Washington giving Impey’s information,” Sydney said as they walked toward the hotel to dress themselves appropriately for the Japanese dinner to be given them by Takishima and his sister at their own house….

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Excerpt #9, from The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas

…Hôtel de la Trémouille!” At these cries, all who were in the hôtel rushed out and fell upon the four companions, who on their side cried aloud, “To the rescue, Musketeers!” This cry was generally heeded; for the Musketeers were known to be enemies of the cardinal, and were beloved on account of the hatred they bore to his Eminence. Thus the soldiers of other companies than those which belonged to the Red Duke, as Aramis had called him, often took part with the king’s Musketeers in these quarrels. Of three Guardsmen of the company of M. Dessessart who were passing, two came to the assistance of the four companions, while the other ran toward the hôtel of M. de Tréville, crying, “To the rescue, Musketeers! To the rescue!” As usual, this hôtel was full of soldiers of this company, who hastened to the succor of their comrades. The mêlée became general, but strength was on the side of the Musketeers. The cardinal’s Guards and M. de la Trémouille’s people retreated into the hôtel, the doors of which they closed just in time to prevent their enemies from entering with them. As to the wounded man, he had been taken in at once, and, as we have said, in a very bad state. Excitement was at its height among the Musketeers and their allies, and they even began to deliberate whether they should not set fire to the hôtel to punish the insolence of M. de la Trémouille’s domestics in…

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Excerpt #10, from A Floating City, and The Blockade Runners, by Jules Verne

…boats which children play with on the lakes of Regent’s Park or the Serpentine. It was not long before the “Great Eastern” was opposite the Liverpool landing-stages, but the four cannons which were to have saluted the town, were silent out of respect to the dead, for the tender was disembarking them at this moment; however, loud hurrahs replaced the reports which are the last expressions of national politeness. Immediately there was a vigorous clapping of hands and waving of handkerchiefs, with all the enthusiasm with which the English hail the departure of every vessel, be it only a simple yacht sailing round a bay. But with what shouts they were answered! what echoes they called forth from the quays! There were thousands of spectators on both the Liverpool and Birkenhead sides, and boats laden with sight-seers swarmed on the Mersey. The sailors manning the yards of the “Lord Clyde,” lying at anchor opposite the docks, saluted the giant with their hearty cheers. But even the noise of the cheering could not drown the frightful discord of several bands playing at the same time. Flags were incessantly hoisted in honour of the “Great Eastern,” but soon the cries grew faint in the distance. Our steam-ship ranged near the “Tripoli,” a Cunard emigrant-boat, which in spite of her 2000 tons burden looked like a mere barge; then the houses grew fewer and more scattered on both shores, the…

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Excerpt #11, from Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich, by Stephen Leacock

…himself. “For Fred, of course,” he said, “it’s different. But out of such a lot as that it’ll be easy to keep enough for him. It’ll be a grand thing for Fred, this money. He won’t have to grow up like you and me. He’ll have opportunities we never got.” He was getting them already. The opportunity to wear seven dollar patent leather shoes and a bell-shaped overcoat with a silk collar, to lounge into moving-picture shows and eat chocolates and smoke cigarettes–all these opportunities he was gathering immediately. Presently, when he learned his way round a little, he would get still bigger ones. “He’s improving fast,” said mother. She was thinking of his patent leather shoes. “He’s popular,” said his father. “I notice it downstairs. He sasses any of them just as he likes; and no matter how busy they are, as soon as they see it’s Fred they’re all ready to have a laugh with him.” Certainly they were, as any hotel clerk with plastered hair is ready to laugh with the son of a multimillionaire. It’s a certain sense of humour that they develop. “But for us, mother,” said the Wizard, “we’ll be rid of it. The gold is there. It’s not right to keep it back. But we’ll just find a way to pass it on to folks that need it worse than we do.”…

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Excerpt #12, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll

…Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose— What made you so awfully clever?” “I have answered three questions, and that is enough,” Said his father; “don’t give yourself airs! Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff? Be off, or I’ll kick you down stairs!” “That is not said right,” said the Caterpillar. “Not quite right, I’m afraid,” said Alice, timidly; “some of the words have got altered.” “It is wrong from beginning to end,” said the Caterpillar decidedly, and there was silence for some minutes. The Caterpillar was the first to speak. “What size do you want to be?” it asked. “Oh, I’m not particular as to size,” Alice hastily replied; “only one doesn’t like changing so often, you know.” “I don’t know,” said the Caterpillar. Alice said nothing: she had never been so much contradicted in her life before, and she felt that she was losing her temper. “Are you content now?” said the Caterpillar. “Well, I should like to be a little larger, sir, if you wouldn’t mind,” said Alice: “three inches is such a wretched height to be.”…

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