Journeys Through Bookland Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the Journeys Through Bookland novel. A total of 424 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : Journeys Through Bookland.by Charles H. Sylvester.VOL 2.AESOP Many centuries ago, more t
Journeys Through Bookland.by Charles H. Sylvester.VOL 2.AESOP Many centuries ago, more than six hundred years before Christ was born, there lived in Greece a man by the name of Aesop. We do not know very much about him, and no one can tell exactly what he
- 224 Curl'd minion, dancer, coiner of sweet words!Fight, let me hear thy hateful voice no more!Thou are not in Afrasiab's gardens now With Tartar girls, with whom thou art wont to dance; But on the Oxus sands, and in the dance Of battle, and with me,
- 223 From their black tents, long files of horse, they stream'd; As when some gray November morn the files, In marching order spread, of long-neck'd cranes Stream over Casbin and the southern slopes Of Elburz, from the Aralian estuaries, Or some fror
- 222 "King Kaoos sealed the letter and gave it to a warrior named Giv. At the same time he said, 'Haste to Rustem. Tarry not on the way; and when you are come, do not rest there for an hour. If you arrive in the night, depart again the next morning.&
- 221 SOHRAB AND RUSTEM RUSTEM The Persians have a great epic which is to them about what the _Iliad_ and the _Odyssey_ were to the Greeks and the _aeneid_ was to the Romans.In character, however, the Persian epic is more like the English narrative _Morte d
- 220 She answered, "I am Ruth, thy handmaid."And Boaz said, "Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter, and fear not, for all the city of my people doth know thou art a virtuous woman. And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit, there
- 219 RUTH NOTE.--This charming story may be found complete in the book of _Ruth_ in the Old Testament by those who wish the literal Bible narrative as it is there given.Little is known as to the date of the writing of the book of _Ruth_. Some authorities belie
- 218 G.o.d speaketh to us in diverse ways without respect to persons.If thou wilt draw profit in reading, read meekly, simply and truly, not desiring to have a reputation for knowledge.OF INORDINATE AFFECTIONS Whenever a man coveteth anything inordinately, ano
- 217 Sublime words make not a man holy and righteous, but it is a virtuous life that maketh him dear to G.o.d.I desire rather to know compunction than its definition. If thou knewest all the sayings of all the philosophers, what should that avail thee without
- 216 "But Isabel, my mother will be your mother, too. Come, Bella, we will go ask her if we may go."And there I am, the happiest of boys, pleading with the kindest of mothers. And the young heart leans into that mother's heart--none of the void
- 215 SWEET AND LOW NOTE.--In Tennyson's long poem _The Princess_ is a little lullaby so wonderfully sweet that all who have read it wish to read it again. It is one that we all love, no matter whether we are little children and hear it sung to us or are o
- 214 NOTE.--Concerning the history of this song it is stated on good authority that there did really live, in the seventeenth century, an Annie Laurie. She was a daughter of Sir Robert Laurie, first baronet of the Maxwelton family, and was celebrated for her b
- 213 Rab behaved well, never moving, showing us how meek and gentle he could be, and occasionally, in his sleep, letting us know that he was demolis.h.i.+ng some adversary. He took a walk with me every day, generally to the Candlemaker Row; but he was sombre a
- 212 "Bite the tail!" and a large, vague, benevolent, middle-aged man, more desirous than wise, with some struggle got the bushy end of Yarrow's tail into his ample mouth, and bit it with all his might. This was more than enough for the much-end
- 211 And when its yellow l.u.s.tre smiled O'er mountains yet untrod, Each mother held aloft her child To bless the bow of G.o.d.The earth to thee her incense yields, The lark thy welcome sings, When, glittering in the freshen'd fields, The snowy mush
- 210 "Not I, by the light of Heaven!" answered Prince John: "this same springal,[83-15] who conceals his name and despises our proffered hospitality, hath already gained one prize, and may now afford to let others have their turn." As he sp
- 209 The signs and sounds of a tumultuous concourse of men lately crowded together in one place, and agitated by the same pa.s.sing events, were now exchanged for the distant hum of voices of different groups retreating in all directions, and these speedily di
- 208 However incensed at his adversary for the precautions he recommended, Brian de Bois-Guilbert did not neglect his advice; for his honor was too nearly concerned to permit his neglecting any means which might insure victory over his presumptuous opponent. H
- 207 The northern access to the lists terminated in a similar entrance of thirty feet in breadth, at the extremity of which was a large enclosed s.p.a.ce for such knights as might be disposed to enter the lists with the challengers, behind which were placed te
- 206 [Ill.u.s.tration: "BOATMAN, DO NOT TARRY!"]By this the storm grew loud apace, The water-wraith was shrieking; And in the scowl of heaven each face Grew dark as they were speaking.But still as wilder blew the wind, And as the night grew drearer,
- 205 And now he feels the bottom; Now on dry earth he stands; Now round him throng the Fathers To press his gory hands; And now, with shouts and clapping, And noise of weeping loud, He enters through the River-Gate, Borne by the joyous crowd.They gave him of t
- 204 Journeys Through Bookland.Vol. 6.by Charles H. Sylvester.HORATIUS _By_ LORD MACAULAY NOTE.--This spirited poem by Lord Macaulay is founded on one of the most popular Roman legends. While the story is based on facts, we can by no means be certain that all
- 203 FROUDE, _frood_ GALAHAD, _gal a had_ GHENT, _gent_ GRANTMESNIL, _groN ma neel_ GUINEVERE, _gwin e veer_ HOUYHNHNMS, _hoo in ms_ LEIODES, _le o deez_ MARACAIBO, _mahr ah ki bo_ OTAHEITE, _o tah he te_ POITIERS, _pwaht ya_ SEINE, _sayn_ SIOUX, _soo_ SKALD
- 202 "Throw whom?" says Brooke, coming up to the ring. "Oh! Williams, I see.Nonsense! of course he may throw him if he catches him fairly above the waist."Now, young Brooke, you're in the sixth, you know, and you ought to stop all figh
- 201 Arthur hesitated a moment, and then said, "We call it only forty lines, sir.""How do you mean, you call it?""Well, sir, Mr. Graham says we ain't to stop there, when there's time to construe more.""I understand,
- 200 On went the talk and laughter. Arthur finished his was.h.i.+ng and undressing, and put on his nightgown. He then looked round more nervously than ever. Two or three of the little boys were already in bed, sitting up with their chins on their knees. The li
- 199 He finished amid a perfect shriek of laughter. We said it was the funniest thing we had ever heard in all our lives. We said how strange it was that, in the face of things like these, there should be a popular notion that the Germans hadn't any sense
- 198 When Harris is at a party and is asked to sing, he replies: "Well, I can only sing a _comic_ song, you know"; and he says it in a tone that implies that his singing of _that_, however, is a thing that you ought to hear once, and then die."O
- 197 "1 lb. beefsteak, with 1 pt. bitter beer every six hours.1 ten-mile walk every morning.1 bed at 11 sharp every night.And don't stuff up your head with things you don't understand."I followed the directions, with the happy result--speak
- 196 the tune is changed."We listened again, and the musician struck up in a brisk and lively manner, _Over the Water to Charlie_."That's mighty mysterious," said one of my friends."Can't cipher it out nohow," said another.&q
- 195 VIII We all remember Captain Phipp's (now Lord Mulgrave) last voyage of discovery to the north. I accompanied the Captain, not as an officer, but a private friend. When we arrived in a high northern lat.i.tude I was viewing the objects around me with
- 194 JOHN (_the Porter_).In this volume a few of his most amusing stories are printed--all, perhaps, that it is worth while to read.I Some years before my beard announced approaching manhood, or, in other words, when I was neither man nor boy, but between both
- 193 I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps; They have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps; I have read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps.His day is marching on.I have read a fiery gospel, writ in burnis
- 192 These twenty parcels, well packed, were placed on as many horses, each parcel, with the horse, being intended as a present for one officer.They were very thankfully received, and the kindness acknowledged by letters to me from the colonels of both regimen
- 191 Notwithstanding Captain Morgan had promised to deliver the prisoners if the ransom was paid, he was so much in fear of destruction by sh.e.l.ls from the castle as he was pa.s.sing out of the lake that he told them he would release none of them until he wa
- 190 From time to time there arose among the buccaneers leaders whose success brought a large following from men of other companies, and in one or two instances a particularly strong man gathered about him almost all the men who were willing to engage in such
- 189 My mother was ill in bed, and the terrified maid summoned my father from outside, with the story that the baby's ankle was out of joint. He hurried in, gave it one look, and, being a hasty, impetuous man, he declared, "Yes, the child's ankl
- 188 And as the wind-gusts waft The sea-foam brightly, So the loud laugh of scorn, Out of those lips unshorn, From the deep drinking-horn Blew the foam lightly."She was a Prince's child, I but a Viking wild, And though she blushed and smiled, I was d
- 187 Sir William of Saint Clair is down; We may not leave him here!"But thicker, thicker grew the swarm, And sharper shot the rain, And the horses reared amid the press, But they would not charge again."Now Jesu help thee," said Lord James, &quo
- 186 The hero hailed the sign!And on the wished-for beam hung fast That slender, silken line; Slight as it was, his spirit caught The more than omen, for his thought The lesson well could trace, Which even "he who runs may read,"That Perseverance gai
- 185 When King Edward the First heard that Scotland was again in arms against him, he marched down to the Borders, with many threats of what he would do to avenge himself on Bruce and his party, whom he called rebels. But he was now old and feeble, and while h
- 184 But he had fallen into the power of a Scottish knight, who, though he served in the English army, did not choose to be the instrument of putting Bruce into their hands, and allowed him to escape. The conquerors executed their prisoners with their usual cr
- 183 The exploring party, however, were prevented from making any discovery, by a violent thunder storm, which soon drove them back to the s.h.i.+p. They saw plenty of deer, and soon after espied a number of small piles of stones, which they at first supposed
- 182 Speak out: what is it thou hast heard, or seen?"And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere: "Sir King, I closed mine eyelids, lest the gems Should blind my purpose, for I never saw, Nor shall see, here or elsewhere, till I die, Not tho' I live t
- 181 And fainter onward, like wild birds that change Their season in the night and wail their way From cloud to cloud, down the long wind the dream Shrill'd; but in going mingled with dim cries Far in the moonlit haze among the hills, As of some lonely ci
- 180 "Care thou not," said Galahad, "and arise up and shew thy good will."And so he a.s.sayed, and found himself as whole as ever he was. Then ran he to the table, and took one part against Galahad.And anon arose there great noise in the ci
- 179 "Now blessed be G.o.d and fortune," said Galahad. And then he asked his arms, and mounted upon his horse, and hung the white s.h.i.+eld about his neck, and commended them unto G.o.d.Then within a while came Galahad thereas[16] the White knight a
- 178 GALAHAD DRAWS THE SWORD OF BALIN LE SAVAGE Then the King took him by the hand, and went down from the palace to shew Galahad the adventures of the stone."Sir," said the King unto Sir Galahad, "here is a great marvel as I ever saw, and right
- 177 He and all they said, "Yea.""Then shall he," said Sir Launcelot, "receive the high order of knighthood as to-morn at the reverence of the high feast."That night Sir Launcelot had pa.s.sing good cheer; and on the morn at Galah
- 176 Then strode the brute Earl up and down his hall, And took his russet beard between his teeth; Last, coming up quite close, and in his mood Crying, "I count it of no more avail, Dame, to be gentle than ungentle with you; Take my salute," unknight
- 175 But here is one who loves you as of old; With more exceeding pa.s.sion than of old: Good, speak the word: my followers ring him round: He sits unarm'd; I hold a finger up; They understand: nay; I do not mean blood: Nor need ye look so scared at what
- 174 He spoke: the mother smiled, but half in tears, Then brought a mantle down and wrapt her in it, And claspt and kiss'd her, and they rode away.Now thrice that morning Guinevere had climb'd The giant tower, from whose high crest, they say, Men saw
- 173 [Footnote 2: _Vermeil-white_ means _red and white_, or _reddish white_.]He spake: the Prince, as Enid past him, fain To follow, strode a stride, but Yniol caught His purple scarf, and held, and said, "Forbear!Rest! the good house, tho' ruin'
- 172 And this forgetfulness was hateful to her.And by and by the people, when they met In twos and threes, or fuller companies, Began to scoff and jeer and babble of him As of a prince whose manhood was all gone, And molten down in mere uxoriousness.And this s
- 171 The brothers waited till Rience was opposite them, and then they rushed upon him and bore him down, wounding him severely. Wheeling from the charge they fell upon the followers of Rience and smote them to right and left, so that many fell dead or wounded
- 170 "That is right," said the king. "Now ask what you will and you shall have it if it lies in my power to give it.""I ask," returned the Lady, "the head of the knight that to-day has won the other sword, or else the head of
- 169 [Ill.u.s.tration: ARTHUR RECEIVES EXCALIBUR]"That is my sword, Excalibur," answered the maid, "and I will give it to you if you will give me a gift when I ask it.""Right willingly will I give you what you ask, so that I may have t
- 168 Arthur rode toward the robbers, and they turned and fled at the sight of an armed knight."O, Merlin," said Arthur, "this time certainly you would have been killed in spite of your magic if I had not appeared to rescue you.""No,&qu
- 167 Arthur willingly rode back, but when he came to the lodging he could not enter, because every one had gone out to see the jousting. Arthur loved Sir Kay dearly, and could not bear to think of his brother being kept out of the tourney because he had no swo
- 166 (Extract from _The History of Tom Long the Carrier._) As Tom Long the Carrier was travelling between Dover and Westchester, he fortuned to pa.s.s something near a House, where was kept a great Mastiff Dog, who, as soon as he espied Tom, came running open-
- 165 Which in his height of pride, King Henry to deride, His ransom to provide To the king sending; Which he neglects the while, As from a nation vile, Yet, with an angry smile, Their fall portending.And turning to his men, Quoth our brave Henry then: "Th
- 164 [Ill.u.s.tration: GULLIVER AND THE KING]_IV. A Wonderful Escape_ I had always a strong impulse that I should some time recover my liberty, though it was impossible to conjecture by what means, or to form any project with the least hope of succeeding. The
- 163 I was going to halloo after them, although it had been to little purpose, when I observed a huge creature walking after them in the sea, as fast as he could; he waded not much deeper than his knees, and took prodigious strides; but our men had got the sta
- 162 [Footnote 13: The Alcoran, or, as it is more commonly called, the Koran, is the Mohammedan Bible.]"Now, the Big-endian exiles have found so much credit in the emperor of Blefuscu's court, and so much private a.s.sistance and encouragement from t
- 161 [Footnote 6: _Lingua Franca_ was the name given to a mixed dialect used in some parts of the Mediterranean coasts as means of communication between people of different nationalities. It consisted largely of corrupted Italian words.]After about two hours t
- 160 Journeys Through Bookland.Vol. 5.by Charles Sylvester.JONATHAN SWIFT The father of Jonathan Swift was a Dublin lawyer who died just as he was beginning what might have been a profitable career, and before his only son was born. The widow was left with so
- 159 The council now broke up. Mr. Hunt transferred his camp across the river at a little distance below the village, and the left-handed chief placed some of his warriors as a guard to prevent the intrusion of any of his people. The camp was pitched on the ri
- 158 And he shook his fists and he tore his hair Till I really felt afraid, For I couldn't help thinking the man had been drinking, And so I simply said:-- "O elderly man, it's little I know Of the duties of men of the sea, And I'll eat my
- 157 Think of him faring on, as dear In the love of There as the love of Here; And loyal still, as he gave the blows Of his warrior strength to his country's foes.-- Mild and gentle, as he was brave,-- When the sweetest love of his life he gave To simple
- 156 [Ill.u.s.tration: The Celestial City]Now, as they walked in this land, they had more rejoicing than in parts more remote from the kingdom to which they were bound; and drawing near to the city, they had yet a more perfect view thereof. It was builded of p
- 155 But by this time the waters were greatly risen, by reason of which the way of going back was very dangerous. (Then I thought that it is easier going out of the way, when we are in, than going in when we are out.) Yet they adventured to go back; but it was
- 154 _Apol._ "Thou didst the same to me, and yet I am willing to pa.s.s by all, if now thou wilt yet turn again and go back."_Chr._ "What I promised thee was in my nonage; and beside, I count the Prince under whose banner now I stand is able to
- 153 Then said Evangelist, "Keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto: so shalt thou see the Gate; at which, when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do."So I saw in my dream that the man began to run. Now, he had not r
- 152 The father of John Bunyan was a poor tinker, a mender of pots and kettles, working sometimes in his own house and sometimes in the homes of others. His son followed the same occupation and did his work well.Even after he became a popular preacher and a gr
- 151 The first to make the attempt was Leiodes, a blameless priest, the best of all the suitors, the only one in the throng who was a decent man, and who detested the conduct of the wretches who hung about the queen.However strong his heart, his feeble fingers
- 150 Thessander,* Sthenelus, the first, Slide down the rope: Ulysses curst, Thoas and Acamas are there, And great Pelides' youthful heir, Machaon, Menelaus, last Epeus, who the plot forecast.They seize the city, buried deep In floods of revelry and sleep,
- 149 Now Dardan* swains before the king With clamorous demonstration bring, His hands fast bound, a youth unknown, Across their casual pathway thrown By cunning purpose of his own, If so his simulated speech For Greece the walls of Troy might breach, Nerved by
- 148 *[Footnote: The eagle was sacred to Jove.]*[Footnote: _Hesper_ was the old name for Venus, the evening star, the brightest of the planets.]*[Footnote: Patroclus was the friend of Achilles, whom Hector had killed. Hector had, after the usual custom, taken
- 147 Sometimes, as here, they simply watch the struggle from their home above Olympus; sometimes, as in the first lines of this selection, they actually descend to the battlefield and take part in the contest.]As through the forest, o'er the vale and lawn
- 146 _From_ HOMER'S ILIAD [Footnote: One of the greatest poems that has ever been written is the _Iliad,_ an epic of great length dealing with the siege of Troy. The author is generally considered to be the old Greek poet and singer Homer. although some a
- 145 "It is well thought upon," said De Bracy; "I will play my part.Templar, thou wilt not fail me?""Hand and glove, I will not!" said Bois-Guilbert. "But haste thee, in the name of G.o.d!"De Bracy hastily drew his men t
- 144 The evil conscience and the shaken nerves of Front-de-Boeuf heard, in this strange interruption to his soliloquy, the voice of one of those demons who, as the superst.i.tion of the times believed, beset the beds of dying men, to distract their thoughts, a
- 143 "The Black Knight," answered Rebecca, faintly; then instantly again shouted with joyful eagerness--"But no--but no! the name of the Lord of Hosts be blessed! he is on foot again, and fights as if there were twenty men's strength in his
- 142 "Yet shall not Scots or Scotland say But I will vengeance take; I'll be revenged on them all For brave Earl Percy's sake."This vow full well the King performed After at Humbledown; In one day fifty knights were slain With lords of high
- 141 Earl Douglas on his milk-white steed, Most like a baron bold, Rode foremost of his company, Whose armor shone like gold."Show me," said he, "whose men you be, That hunt so boldly here, That, without my consent, do chase And kill my fallow d
- 140 "I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies."When the waves of death compa.s.sed me, the floods of unG.o.dly men made me afraid; the sorrows of h.e.l.l compa.s.sed me about; the snares of death pr
- 139 II Now Absalom, the favorite son of David, was wroth at his brother Amnon who had dealt wickedly with his sister. And at a sheep-shearing where Absalom had invited Amnon and all his other brothers, Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, "Mark ye
- 138 And David said unto the young man that told him, "How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?"And the young man that told him said, "As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the ch
- 137 Nevertheless Saul spake not anything that day: for he thought, "Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean."And it came to pa.s.s on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty:
- 136 And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.Saul said, "I will give him her that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Wherefore Saul said to David, &
- 135 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and
- 134 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth- peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.By Nebo's lonely mountain, On this side Jordan's wave, In a vale in the land of Moab There lies a lonely grave.And no m
- 133 "And did they give thee my knife, together with thy leopard-skin purse, which I found on the ground, after I had dragged thee forth?""No; they said the purse was lost in the ca.n.a.l. It _was_ a leopard-skin purse, the gift of an African so
- 132 PANCRATIUS _By_ CARDINAL WISEMAN Note.--The selection following has been adapted from _Fabiola_, or _The Church of the Catacombs_, a tale by Cardinal Wiseman. Pancratius, one of the early Christian martyrs, was a boy of fourteen at the time the story open
- 131 A gush of smoke had overspread the scene. It rose heavily, as if it were loath to reveal the dreadful spectacle beneath it. Eleven of the sons of New England lay stretched upon the street. Some, sorely wounded, were struggling to rise again. Others stirre
- 130 The lieutenant-governor listened. But his ears were duller than those of his daughter: he could hear nothing more terrible than the sound of a summer breeze sighing among the tops of the elm trees."No, foolish child!" he replied, playfully patti
- 129 But Sir William Phipps had not always worn a gold-embroidered coat, nor always sat so much at his ease as he did in Grandfather's chair. He was a poor man's son, and was born in the province of Maine, where he used to tend sheep upon the hills i
- 128 "I only hear above his place of rest Their tender undertone, The infinite longings of a troubled breast, The voice so like his own."There in seclusion and remote from men The wizard hand lies cold, Which at its topmost speed let fall the pen, An
- 127 (b) He was gay and joyful, for he smiled as he dismounted from his horse, and he smiled as he fell dead.(c) That he was strong-willed, we know; for his tightly compressed lips held back the blood, and he concealed his suffering.(d) He was courageous: he p
- 126 What blessings Thy free bounty gives, Let me not cast away; For G.o.d is paid when man receives: T' enjoy is to obey.Yet not to earth's contracted span Thy goodness let me bound, Or think Thee Lord alone of man, When thousand worlds are round.If
- 125 Naturally Gaea was not pleased with this treatment of her children, so she helped Saturn, the youngest of the t.i.tans, to escape, and gave him a scythe with which he might revenge himself on his father.After defeating Ura.n.u.s, Saturn released all his b