Quick Excerpts, from a Library of 492 Titles

Generated 2022-07-28 13:26:43

Excerpt #1, from Trouble on Titan, by Henry Kuttner

…He shut the port and departed. Quade silently turned to the controls and lifted the ship. Kathleen, standing beside him, was not silent. She finished by saying that her engagement to Quade was off, and that he was a rat. “Sure I am,” Quade said. “But this is my job and I think it’s a little dangerous. I’m sure I can handle it. Just the same, I don’t want you around. For one thing you distract me and for another I’m still wondering about that virus disease that killed Udell.” Kathleen sniffed. “Ha. Hey! We’re being followed.” Quade threw a magnifying plane on the scanner. A sleek projectile was rocketing along after the camera cruiser. “Oh, that’s Speedy,” Quade said. “One of the Zonals. He won’t follow us long.” But this proved inaccurate. Speedy stayed on the trail for twenty miles before he was lost in the distance. Then nothing was visible but the frigid, Cyclopean peaks of the Devil’s Range, icy and alien in the pale light of Saturn. Things began to happen with alarming suddenness. There are plenty of safety devices on spacecraft, but these depend on the assurance that you have a skilful and a conscious operator. Quade…

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Excerpt #2, from Phrases for Public Speakers and Paragraphs for Study, by Grenville Kleiser

…You can not say that You do not pretend that You have the authority of You know as well as I do You may object at once, and say You may object that You may point, if you will, to You may search the history of You tell me that You will say that PARAGRAPHS FROM NOTABLE SPEECHES Let me here pause once more to ask whether the book in its genuine state, as far as we have advanced in it, makes the same impression on your minds now as when it was first read to you in detached passages; and whether, if I were to tear off the first part of it, which I hold in my hand, and give it to you as an entire work, the first and last passages, which have been selected as libels on the Commons, would now appear to be so when blended with the interjacent parts? I do not ask your answer–I shall have it in your verdict. THOMAS LORD ERSKINE. From “Speech in Behalf of Stockdale.” * * * * *…

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Excerpt #3, from An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, by David Hume

…still supposed imperfect, without the assistance of experience, which is alone able to give stability and certainty to the maxims, derived from study and reflection. But notwithstanding that this distinction be thus universally received, both in the active speculative scenes of life, I shall not scruple to pronounce, that it is, at bottom, erroneous, at least, superficial. If we examine those arguments, which, in any of the sciences above mentioned, are supposed to be the mere effects of reasoning and reflection, they will be found to terminate, at last, in some general principle or conclusion, for which we can assign no reason but observation and experience. The only difference between them and those maxims, which are vulgarly esteemed the result of pure experience, is, that the former cannot be established without some process of thought, and some reflection on what we have observed, in order to distinguish its circumstances, and trace its consequences: Whereas in the latter, the experienced event is exactly and fully familiar to that which we infer as the result of any particular situation. The history of a TIBERIUS or a NERO makes us dread a like tyranny, were our monarchs freed from the restraints of laws…

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Excerpt #4, from At the Earth’s Core, by Edgar Rice Burroughs

…for at best I could make but slow progress with my unfamiliar craft, which nosed stubbornly in every direction but that which I desired to follow, so that fully half my energy was expended in turning its blunt prow back into the course. I had covered some hundred yards from shore when it became evident that my pursuer must grasp the stern of the skiff within the next half-dozen strokes. In a frenzy of despair, I bent to the grandfather of all paddles in a hopeless effort to escape, and still the copper giant behind me gained and gained. His hand was reaching upward for the stern when I saw a sleek, sinuous body shoot from the depths below. The man saw it too, and the look of terror that overspread his face assured me that I need have no further concern as to him, for the fear of certain death was in his look. And then about him coiled the great, slimy folds of a hideous monster of that prehistoric deep–a mighty serpent of the sea, with fanged jaws, and darting forked tongue, with bulging eyes, and bony protuberances upon head and snout that formed short, stout horns. As I looked at that hopeless struggle my eyes met those of the doomed man, and I could have sworn that in his I saw an expression of hopeless appeal. But whether I did or not there swept through me a sudden compassion for the fellow. He was indeed a brother-man, and that he…

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Excerpt #5, from The Myths and Fables of To Day, by Samuel Adams Drake

…the vessel. I find that some people are strongly impressed with the idea that the month or day on which they were born will prove to them a most critical one throughout their whole lives. Indeed, many strange coincidences of this sort have come to my notice. If a man has happened to have a run of bad luck, he will often tell you that it is because he was born under an unlucky star; if, on the other hand, he has been unusually prosperous, it is commonly said of him that he was born to good luck. So wags the world! As a fitting pendant to Jernegan’s gold-from-sea-water scheme, Mrs. Howe’s bank, and Miller’s syndicate, all fresh in the memory of everyone, comes the “lucky-box” humbug and its humiliating exposure, as I write. Upon the simple assurance that the possessor of this marvellous box (which could be carried in the pocket) would become instantly lucky, thousands were quickly sold, and the sale of more thousands was only stopped by the prompt intervention of the law! [Illustration] VI CHARMS AGAINST DISEASE “I’ll do, I’ll do, and I’ll do.”–Shakespeare. Under this heading we shall first call attention to those plants having…

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Excerpt #6, from The Knights of the Round Table: Stories of King Arthur and the Holy Grail, by Frost

…land. The wind swept across it, and the rain came at us in sheets. We didn’t mind it much, with our mackintoshes on, but I did think that it was fair to ask Helen what she thought of the poet who said that this Avalon was a place “Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow.” “Maybe it is,” she answered, pulling her water-proof hood down so that scarcely a bit of her could be seen, except the tip of her nose; “this rain doesn’t fall; it just comes against us sideways.” So the poet’s reputation was saved. It could not rain so hard as this very long, and by and by it stopped altogether. Then it began again, and there were showers all day. Sometimes it looked as if it were going to stop for good, but we could scarcely get our waterproofs off before it began all over. “Isn’t it curious,” I said, “that a storm coming up just here should remind me of a story? It is about a time when Gawain had to go out in bad weather. This is the right time to tell the story, too, while we are looking for this particular Camelot. For the story begins at Camelot, and the learned man who first dug it out of its old manuscript and printed it says that Camelot was in Somerset.”King Arthur was keeping Christmas at Camelot with his knights. The feast lasted for many days. On New Year’s Day, as they all sat in the hall, the King and the Queen and the knights, there rode in the most…

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Excerpt #7, from A Study in Scarlet, by Arthur Conan Doyle

…the shelter of the hedge, which they skirted until they came to the gap which opened into the cornfields. They had just reached this point when the young man seized his two companions and dragged them down into the shadow, where they lay silent and trembling. It was as well that his prairie training had given Jefferson Hope the ears of a lynx. He and his friends had hardly crouched down before the melancholy hooting of a mountain owl was heard within a few yards of them, which was immediately answered by another hoot at a small distance. At the same moment a vague shadowy figure emerged from the gap for which they had been making, and uttered the plaintive signal cry again, on which a second man appeared out of the obscurity. “To-morrow at midnight,” said the first who appeared to be in authority. “When the Whip-poor-Will calls three times.” “It is well,” returned the other. “Shall I tell Brother Drebber?” “Pass it on to him, and from him to the others. Nine to seven!” “Seven to five!” repeated the other, and the two figures flitted away in different directions. Their concluding words had evidently been some form of sign and countersign. The instant that their footsteps had died away in the distance, Jefferson Hope sprang to his feet, and helping his companions through the gap, led the way across the fields at the top of his speed, supporting and half-carrying the girl when her strength…

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Excerpt #8, from The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Complete, by Suetonius

…divine majesty. He ordered all the images of the gods, which were famous either for their beauty, or the veneration paid them, among which was that of Jupiter Olympius, to be brought from Greece, that he might take the heads off, and put on his own. Having continued part of the Palatium as far as the Forum, and the temple of Castor and Pollux being converted into a kind of vestibule to his house, he often stationed himself between the twin brothers, and so presented himself to be worshipped by all votaries; some of whom saluted him by the name of Jupiter Latialis. He also instituted a temple and priests, with choicest victims, in honour of his own divinity. In his temple stood a statue of gold, the exact image of himself, which was daily dressed in garments corresponding with those he wore himself. The most opulent persons in the city offered themselves as candidates for the honour of being his priests, and purchased it successively at an immense price. The victims were flamingos, peacocks, bustards, guinea-fowls, turkey and pheasant hens, each sacrificed on their respective days. On nights when the moon was full, he was in the constant habit of inviting her to his embraces and his bed. In the day-time he talked in private to Jupiter Capitolinus; one while whispering to him, and another turning his ear to him: sometimes he spoke aloud, and in railing language. For he was overheard to threaten the god thus: Hae em’ anaeir’, hae ego se; [423]…

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Excerpt #9, from Robot nemesis, by E. E. Smith

…immune, and I don’t think they can, as I have so adjusted the screen that it is now absorbing, instead of radiating. “Tell the captain to put the ship into heaviest possible battle order, everything full on, as soon as the men can handle themselves. Then I want to make a few suggestions.” “What happened, anyway?” the Communications Officer, semi-conscious now, was demanding. “Something hit me and tore my brain all apart–I couldn’t think, couldn’t do a thing. My mind was all chewed up by curly pinwheels….” Throughout the vast battleship of space men raved briefly in delirium; but, the cause removed, recovery was rapid and complete. Martin explained matters to the captain, that worthy issued orders, and soon the flagship had in readiness all her weapons, both of defense and of offense. “Doctor Stone, who knows more about the automatons than does any other human being, will tell us what to do next,” the Flight Director said. “The first thing to do is to locate them,” Stone, now temporary commander, stated crisply. “They have taken over at least one of our vessels, probably one close to us, so as to be near the center of the formation. Radio room, put out tracers on wave point oh oh two seven one….” He went on to give exact and highly technical instructions as to the tuning of the detectors….

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Excerpt #10, from An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith

…interest of agriculture. The works constructed by the ancient sovereigns of Egypt, for the proper distribution of the waters of the Nile, were famous in antiquity, and the ruined remains of some of them are still the admiration of travellers. Those of the same kind which were constructed by the ancient sovereigns of Indostan, for the proper distribution of the waters of the Ganges, as well as of many other rivers, though they have been less celebrated, seem to have been equally great. Both countries, accordingly, though subject occasionally to dearths, have been famous for their great fertility. Though both were extremely populous, yet, in years of moderate plenty, they were both able to export great quantities of grain to their neighbours.

The ancient Egyptians had a superstitious aversion to the sea; and as the Gentoo religion does not permit its followers to light a fire, nor consequently to dress any victuals, upon the water, it, in effect, prohibits them from all distant sea voyages. Both the Egyptians and Indians must have depended almost altogether upon the navigation of other nations for the exportation of their surplus produce; and this dependency, as it must have confined the market, so it must have discouraged the increase of this surplus produce. It must have discouraged, too, the increase of the manufactured produce, more than that of the rude produce….

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Excerpt #11, from R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), by Karel Čapek

…HELENA. (Drawing back) No, no, I must do it myself. Just look at the flames. They are like hands, like tongues, like living shapes. (Raking fire with the poker) Lie down, lie down. NANA. That’s the end of them. (Fireplace slowly out.) HELENA. Nana, Nana! NANA. Good gracious, what is it you’ve burned? (Almost to herself.) HELENA. Whatever have I done? NANA. Well, what is it? (MEN’S laughter off L.2.) HELENA. Go quickly. It’s the gentlemen calling. NANA. Good gracious, what a place! (Exits L.1.) DOMIN. (Opens door L.2) Come along and offer your congratulations. (Enter HALLEMEIER and DR. GALL.) HALLEMEIER. (Crosses to R.C.) Madame Helena, I congratulate you on this festive day. HELENA. Thank you. (Coming to C.) Where are Fabry and Busman? DOMIN. They’ve gone down the harbor. (Closes the door and comes to C.) HALLEMEIER. Friends, we must drink to this happy occasion. HELENA. (Crosses L.) Brandy? With soda water? (Exits L.1.) HALLEMEIER. Let’s be temperate. No soda. DOMIN. What’s been burning here? Well, shall I tell her about it? DR. GALL. (L.C.) Of course. It’s all over now….

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Excerpt #12, from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle

…ruin. The central portion was in little better repair, but the right-hand block was comparatively modern, and the blinds in the windows, with the blue smoke curling up from the chimneys, showed that this was where the family resided. Some scaffolding had been erected against the end wall, and the stone-work had been broken into, but there were no signs of any workmen at the moment of our visit. Holmes walked slowly up and down the ill-trimmed lawn and examined with deep attention the outsides of the windows. “This, I take it, belongs to the room in which you used to sleep, the centre one to your sister’s, and the one next to the main building to Dr. Roylott’s chamber?” “Exactly so. But I am now sleeping in the middle one.” “Pending the alterations, as I understand. By the way, there does not seem to be any very pressing need for repairs at that end wall.” “There were none. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from my room.” “Ah! that is suggestive. Now, on the other side of this narrow wing runs the corridor from which these three rooms open. There are windows in it, of course?” “Yes, but very small ones. Too narrow for anyone to pass through.” “As you both locked your doors at night, your rooms were unapproachable…

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