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Harvard Classics - Reading Guide - JulyJul 1: Darwin's ORIGIN OF SPECIESDarwin Not First Evolutionist While Darwin was working on his theory of evolution, another scientist independently arrived at the same conclusions. Darwin, then, was not the first to study evolution. Read from Darwin's ORIGIN OF SPECIES ......... Vol. 11, pp. 5-17 Jul 2: Plutarch's CESAR"Julius" Becomes "July" So that the date for certain festivals would not fall one year in midwinter and in the heat of summer another year, Cesar reformed the calendar. July was named for him. Read from Plutarch's CESAR ...................... Vol. 12, pp. 310-315 Jul 3: Haskell's BATTLE OF GETTYSBURGGettysburg by an Eyewitness An officer in that momentous battle narrates every major action of both armies. Thus we see the swarming lines of Confederates advance—the hand-to-hand struggle. Read from Haskell's BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG .... Vol. 43, pp. 326-335 Jul 4: DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCESome Chose to Remain British Subjects Some Americans preferred to be loyal to England and did not want independent government. Their hesitation is better understood when the finality of the Declaration is realized. Read: DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ........... Vol. 43, pp. 150-155 Jul 5: THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTSA Tailor Entertains a King Here is another of those fanciful Oriental stories that proclaims the democracy of Eastern despotism. A tailor might talk with a king and receive either a death sentence or the office of Grand Vizier as a reward. Read from THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS .... Vol. 16, pp. 149-162 Jul 6: More's UTOPIAThe Origin of "Utopia" When Europe was suffering from evil rulers, heavy taxes, and despair, Sir Thomas More dreamed of a happy land where an intelligently managed state perfected happiness. Read from More's UTOPIA ................. Vol. 36, pp. 135-142 Jul 7: Sheridan's SCHOOL FOR SCANDALScandal That Lurked Behind Lace and Powder The painted lips of the eighteenth century ladies and gallants vied with one another in whispering scathing gossip, in gleefully furthering the destruction of a good name. Sheridan depicts this gay world with a brilliant spicy pen. Read from Sheridan's SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL ...... Vol. 18, pp. 115-128 Jul 8: Shelley's CENCIItaly's Fair Assassin When the monstrous Cenci forced his daughter Beatrice into a horrible situation, she revolted and boldly struck for freedom. Shelley tells her pitiful story in one of his best works. Read from Shelley's CENCI .................. Vol. 18, pp. 288-300 Jul 9: BACON'S ESSAYSA Little Lying Now and Then "What is Truth?" asked Pilate. For an answer Bacon discourses not on human nature as it should be, but as it is. These shrewd observations on making a life and a living admit occasional departures from truth. Read from BACON'S ESSAYS ............................... Vol. 3, pp. 7-19 Jul 10: THE VOYAGES TO VINLANDAmerica's First Immigrants The shadow of a phantom cast upon the cradle of Snorri, the first white child born in America, was a warning of an Indian attack on the settlement of courageous Norsemen who had risked the terrors of unknown seas to visit "Wineland." Read from THE VOYAGES TO VINLAND ..... Vol. 43. pp. 14-20 Jul 11: Newcomb's THE EXTENT OF THE UNIVERSEStar Gazing—A Cure for Tired Minds The greatest spectacle offered man is a view of the magnificent vault of heaven. Under the stupendous arch of the Milky Way the cares of the world roll off. Read: Newcomb's THE EXTENT OF THE UNIVERSE ..... Vol. 30, pp. 311-321 Jul 12: Thoreau's WALKINGBut He Walked! Thoreau's individuality was unique and original. He had no profession; he never married; he never went to church; he never voted or paid taxes; he never smoked; he never drank wine. His amusement was walking, to observe and meditate. Read from Thoreau's WALKING .................. Vol. 28, pp. 395-405 Jul 13: Plutarch's PERICLESAthenians Also Complained of Taxes Pericles used public money to beautify Athens. The citizens protested against the expense, as citizens in all ages do. By a clever stroke Pericles w o n their support to his ambitious plans. Read from Plutarch's PERICLES ................. Vol. 12, pp. 47-57 Jul 14: Burke's THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCEThe French People Triumph What the Fourth of July is to Americans, the Fourteenth of July is to Frenchmen. It commemorates an oppressive tyranny overthrown by a freedom-loving people. Read from Burke's THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE ..... Vol. 24, pp. 268-273 Jul 15: HOLINSHED'S CHRONICLESWhen Elizabeth Dined Meals in the houses of the gentry and noblemen in Elizabethan England were taken most seriously. No one spoke. Holinshed records the strange table etiquette of our ancestors. Read from HOLINSHED'S CHRONICLES ........ Vol. 35, pp. 271-288 Jul 16: THE KORANThe Mohammedan Jesus The sacred book of the Moslems, the Koran, gives an account of the birth of Christ. The Koran gives Jesus a high position among the prophets but holds the first place for Mohammed. Read from THE KORAN ......................... Vol. 45, pp. 908-913 Jul 17: Racine's PHAEDREA Throne for Son or Stepson? Phaedre first persecuted Hippolytus, her handsome stepson, then loved him. Suddenly he and her own son became rivals for the throne. Should she push her son's claims or let Hippolytus take the crown? Read from Racine's PHAEDRE ................... Vol. 26, pp. 133-148 Jul 18: Browning's BLOT IN THE 'SCUTCHEONThey Loved in Vain "Browning's play has thrown me into a perfect passion of sorrow," wrote Charles Dickens of "The Blot in the 'Scutcheon." Like Shakespeare's Juliet, Browning's Mildred plays the role of a youthful lover in a tragic drama. Read from Browning's BLOT IN THE 'SCUTCHEON ....... Vol. 18, pp. 359-368 Jul 19: Raleigh's DISCOVERY OF GUIANAShe Wanted Heroes All to Herself The famous gallant who spread his gorgeous cloak so the dainty slipper of his queen would be unspotted, soon lost the high favor this action won for him. In spite of his glorious voyages, Raleigh condemned himself when he fell in love with another woman. Read from Raleigh's DISCOVERY OF GUIANA ..... Vol. 33, pp. 311-320 Jul 20: Bunyan's PILGRIM'S PROGRESSA Cobbler in Jail John Bunyan, imprisoned for preaching without a license, gave to the world "Pilgrim's Progress," the greatest allegory in any language, second only to the Bible. Read from Bunyan's PILGRIM'S PROGRESS ....... Vol. 15, pp. 59-69 Jul 21: BURNS' POEMSScotland's Own Poet The songs of Burns are the links, the watchwords, the symbols of the Scots. He is the last of the ballad singers. In his works are preserved the best songs of his people. Read from BURNS' POEMS ....................... Vol. 6, pp. 70-79 Jul 22: Homer's ODYSSEYTrapped in a Cave with a Frenzied Giant Odysseus was wrecked with his men on an island inhabited by one-eyed giants. Trapped in the cave of a giant who gobbled up some of the crew for supper, the cunning Odysseus blinded the giant and rescued the survivors of his crew. Read from Homer's ODYSSEY ................... Vol. 22, pp. 120-129 Jul 23: BACON'S ESSAYSFriendship Above Love? There are styles in friendship as well as in clothes. The mode of friendship of Bacon's time went out with plumed hats and long hose. But Bacon knew the true test of a friend. Read from BACON'S ESSAYS ................... Vol. 3, pp. 65-72 Jul 24: Darwin's THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLEIndian Sorcery Blamed for an Earthquake Darwin visited a South American city ruined by an earthquake. There he heard the superstitious account of the phenomenon. The ignorant people accused Indian women of bewitching the volcano. But Darwin has another explanation. Read from Darwin's THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE ...... Vol. 29, pp. 306-316 Jul 25: LAY OF BRYNHILDA Goddess and Her Mortal Lover Brynhild, Woden's daughter, carried the dead heroes to Valhalla where they could feast and fight without dying; until a sin divested her of divinity, and she fell in love with Sigurd. Read: LAY OF BRYNHILD .......................... Vol. 49, pp. 391-395 Jul 26: Thomas a KempisPeace Amid Strife While Europe was shaken with wars, Thomas a Kempis lived in happy seclusion in his convent. His writings convincingly reflect the serenity and happiness of a man who has found peace— a peace that surpasses all understanding. Read from Thomas a Kempis ....................... Vol. 7, pp. 205-211 Jul 27: ON THE ANTISEPTIC PRINCIPLESOnce Surgeons Operated in Frock Coats The use of antiseptics in surgery is new. Hardly more than a half century ago surgeons operated in frock coats. Lord Lister, surgeon to Queen Victoria, was among the first to advocate scrupulous cleanliness in dressing wounds. Read: ON THE ANTISEPTIC PRINCIPLES .......... Vol. 38, pp. 257-267 Jul 28: Cowley's OF AGRICULTUREAn Idyl of Agriculture Cowley portrays the ideal life—that of a farmer, and blazons it forth in heraldry. "A plow in a field arable"—to him, the most honorable of all emblems. Read: Cowley's OF AGRICULTURE ............. Vol. 27, pp. 61-69 Jul 29: Emerson's STONEHENGEStonehenge—England's Unsolved Mystery Stonehenge, that group of huge, rudely architectural stones on a vast plain in England, was erected no man knows when, nor why, nor how. Emerson, America's greatest thinker, visited this monument and was amazed at the "uncanny stones." Read: Emerson's STONEHENGE ................. Vol. 5, pp. 453-462 Jul 30: Gilbert's VOYAGE TO NEWFOUNDLANDThe First English Colony in North America When the whole coast of America north of Florida was free to the first comer, Sir Humphrey Gilbert naively chose to settle on the rugged shores of Newfoundland. Read the glowing account of his great adventure "to plant Christian inhabitants in places convenient." Read: Gilbert's VOYAGE TO NEWFOUNDLAND ....... Vol. 33, pp. 263-273 Jul 31: Defoe's EDUCATION OF WOMENCharm School for Women Lack of education, writes Defoe, makes a woman "turbulent, clamorous, noisy—" Defoe defied his generation and preached equal education for women. To-day we have co-education, but have we the benefits Defoe predicted? Read: Defoe's EDUCATION OF WOMEN ......... Vol. 27, pp. 148-150 |