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Essays, Letters & Speeches — page 20
1,469 public-domain essays, letters & speeches books, summarised. Page 20 of 31.
AE in the Irish Theosophist
George William Russell
The bridge between the mundane world and a vast, unseen spiritual inheritance is the focus of these gathered writings, which seek to awaken the divine potential dormant within the modern soul.
Arizona Sketches
J. A. (Joseph Amasa) Munk
The American Southwest stands as a land of profound transformation, where an arid, seemingly desolate landscape conceals a rich history and untapped potential. This portrait of a frontier captures the raw beauty and rugged independence of a territory on the cusp of modern development.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 67, No. 411, January 1850
Various
This collection of mid-nineteenth-century essays captures the intellectual pulse of a turbulent era, blending geopolitical analysis, travelogue, and sharp debates over the economic future of British agriculture.
Lippincott's Magazine Of Popular Literature And Science, Old Series, Vol. 36—New Series, Vol. 10, July 1885
Various
This collection of essays, sketches, and serialized narratives offers a vivid, multifaceted portrait of the late Victorian intellectual landscape. It serves as a time capsule, capturing the era’s fascination with travel, antiquarianism, and the domestic lives of the genteel classes.
The Christian Foundation, Or, Scientific and Religious Journal, February, 1880
Various
This journal presents a collection of late nineteenth-century essays that fiercely defend biblical orthodoxy against the encroaching tide of Darwinism, atheism, and secular philosophy. It serves as a time capsule of the intellectual skirmishes that defined religious discourse in 1880.
The Fantasy Fan, March 1934: The Fans' Own Magazine
Various
A monthly bulletin for the early science fiction and fantasy community, this magazine serves as a vibrant, grassroots forum for readers and writers of the weird and fantastic during the Great Depression.
Through South Africa: His Visit to Rhodesia, the Transvaal, Cape Colony, Natal
Henry M. (Henry Morton) Stanley
This account captures the shifting political and economic landscape of turn-of-the-century South Africa, offering a stark perspective on the collision between colonial ambition and regional resistance. It serves as both a travelogue of industrial expansion and a sharp, partisan critique of the strained relations…
A Christmas Sermon
Robert Louis Stevenson
Life is a long, difficult struggle, yet grace lies in the quiet persistence of the everyday. Through the lens of a weary soldier, one finds that true success is not found in grand achievements, but in humble, imperfect service.
Folly as It Flies
Fanny Fern
The modern reader encounters here the candid, sharp-witted voice of a pioneering nineteenth-century columnist, offering a vital, unvarnished look at the domestic and social expectations of her era.
Have faith in Massachusetts
Calvin Coolidge
This collection of speeches and proclamations serves as a testament to the political philosophy of a man who equated public service with moral stewardship. It offers an intimate look at the ideals that defined a specific era of New England governance.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 09, No. 53, March, 1862: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics
Various
This March 1862 issue of The Atlantic Monthly captures the intellectual pulse of the American Civil War, blending urgent political commentary with literary reflection and scientific inquiry. It serves as a vital historical window into the wartime North.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 82, August, 1864: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics
Various
This mid-Civil War periodical captures the urgency of a nation in crisis, blending rigorous political commentary with the literary pulse of 1864 America.
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 04 (of 20)
Charles Sumner
These collected speeches and letters chronicle a pivotal transition in American history, as a dedicated legislator moves from principled dissent to the front lines of the intensifying moral crisis over slavery.
Ghosts in the Great War, and true tales of haunted houses
Unknown
The veil between the living and the dead is often paper-thin, particularly when grief or unfinished business lingers in the corners of an old house. These accounts suggest that human perception can reach beyond the physical to touch the unseen.
Poetic diction: A study of eighteenth century verse
Thomas Quayle
The poetry of the eighteenth century often stands accused of being artificial, mechanical, and overly formal, yet closer inspection reveals a complex struggle between linguistic tradition and the emerging spirit of Romanticism. This exploration re-evaluates that "age of prose and reason" by examining the…
Sermons on National Subjects
Charles Kingsley
This collection of sermons serves as a stirring, unvarnished call to moral responsibility, bridging the gap between personal spiritual devotion and the gritty, practical realities of 19th-century English life.
The Destiny of Man, Viewed in the Light of His Origin
John Fiske
This work offers a bridge between the cold precision of nineteenth-century evolutionary science and the persistent human longing for spiritual meaning. It seeks to harmonize biological ancestry with a hopeful vision of our future.
The World on Wheels, and Other Sketches
Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin) Taylor
A nostalgic and observational journey through the rapid transformation of the American landscape, tracking the evolution from the slow, rhythmic pace of the canal and stagecoach to the relentless, steam-powered velocity of the iron horse.
State of the Union Addresses
Rutherford Birchard Hayes
These annual reports document the stability and growth of a nation recovering from civil conflict, detailing a presidency defined by economic consolidation and the struggle to protect newly won constitutional rights.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 09, No. 56, June, 1862: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics
Various
A vibrant, multifaceted snapshot of the American mind at a pivotal moment, this collection captures a nation struggling to define itself through the lens of nature, art, and the furnace of civil conflict.
The Complete Writings of Charles Dudley Warner
Charles Dudley Warner
A collection of witty, observant essays and travel sketches that find profound charm in gardening failures, domestic pets, and the eccentricities of rural Nova Scotia.
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 6, February, 1835
Various
This vibrant window into 1835 captures the intellectual pulse of the American South, blending historical inquiry, literary critique, and the era’s restless pursuit of progress and moral self-improvement.
The World's Great Sermons, Volume 06: H. W. Beecher to Punshon
Unknown
These sermons capture the cadence and conviction of late nineteenth-century pulpit oratory, exploring the intersection of human nature, moral accountability, and the promise of the divine.
Canterbury Pieces
Samuel Butler
HOOK These early essays and letters capture the intellectual awakening of a colonial immigrant as he grapples with the explosive implications of evolutionary theory in the distant wilds of New Zealand.
Godey's Lady's Book, Philadelphia, Volume 48, March, 1854
Various
This volume serves as a comprehensive time capsule of 1854, capturing the intricate intersection of domestic industry, social expectation, and Victorian aesthetic standards for the American reading public.
On the art of writing fiction
Unknown
Hook A chorus of established Victorian authors gathers to demystify the novelist’s craft, offering a timeless apprenticeship in the discipline, observation, and character-driven patience required to breathe life into the written word.
Peking Dust
Ellen N. (Ellen Newbold) La Motte
In a city of shifting dust and crumbling empires, a traveler observes the slow, suffocating collision between a proud, ancient culture and the predatory ambitions of foreign powers.
The Complete Writings of Charles Dudley Warner
Charles Dudley Warner
This collection brings together the sharp, humorous observations of a nineteenth-century American essayist alongside his critical, investigative look at the foundational myths of colonial history.
The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, January 1844: Volume 23, Number 1
Various
This anthology captures the spirit of mid-nineteenth-century literary life, blending whimsical essays, travelogues, and social commentary into a vibrant portrait of an era in transition. It serves as a window into the intellectual pursuits of a bygone American audience.
A World of Wonders, with Anecdotes and Opinions Concerning Popular Superstitions
Unknown
The human mind often clings to old errors like winged seeds, spreading superstitions that modern science struggles to eradicate. This wide-ranging exploration of historical oddities invites the reader to replace fear with rational inquiry.
An Essay on the Lyric Poetry of the Ancients
John Ogilvie
This scholarly exploration of ancient lyric poetry serves as a thoughtful, mid-eighteenth-century guide to the origins and aesthetics of the Ode. It invites readers to look beyond the mere technical structure of verse to understand how early poets sought to capture the sublime.
Concerning Cats: My Own and Some Others
Helen M. (Helen Maria) Winslow
This observational study of feline character and history celebrates the cat not as a submissive pet, but as an individual companion worthy of dignity, affection, and scholarly attention.
Continental Monthly, Vol. 4, No 3, September 1863: Devoted to Literature and National Policy
Various
This collection serves as a vibrant, immediate dispatch from the heat of the American Civil War, capturing the urgent political anxieties and literary ambitions of the Union in 1863.
Gleanings by the Way
John A. (John Alonzo) Clark
An observant clergyman travels across 1840s America, recording the quiet beauty of the frontier while fervently documenting the rise of new, controversial religious movements.
Many furrows
A. G. (Alfred George) Gardiner
The humble, observant essayist finds the extraordinary within the ordinary, transforming simple encounters and daily routines into profound reflections on human nature. These pages offer a quiet, contemplative retreat into a world of thoughtful inquiry.
Notes and Queries, Number 192, July 2, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc
Various
This periodical serves as a Victorian-era clearinghouse for the curious, where scholars and enthusiasts gather to trade historical minutiae, resolve textual ambiguities, and share the fruits of their private research.
The Celtic Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 2, December 1875: A Monthly Periodical Devoted to the Literature, History, Antiquities, Folk Lore, Traditions, and the Social and Material Interests of the Celt at Home and Abroad
Various
A vibrant, scholarly preservation of Highland heritage, this periodical serves as a bridge between the living traditions of the nineteenth-century Celt and the ancient, often misunderstood, roots of his ancestors.
The Continental Monthly, Vol. 4, No. 6, December 1863: Devoted to Literature and National Policy
Various
This collection captures the fervent spirit and anxious pulse of a nation mid-conflict, documenting a pivotal moment where political resolve, literary ambition, and daily survival collide on the American frontier.
The Speeches & Table-Talk of the Prophet Mohammad
Prophet Muhammad
This collection gathers the foundational oratory and private sayings of the Arab prophet, bridging the gap between historical figure and legendary icon through his own reported words. It serves as an accessible, non-academic introduction to the core tenets of a faith that changed the course of history.
A New Atmosphere
Gail Hamilton
A stifling moral climate stunts the growth of the individual, but a deliberate change in perspective can purify the air. By choosing self-culture over societal pressure, every person may claim the dignity of an authentic life.
Bunyan Characters (2nd Series)
Alexander Whyte
This examination of John Bunyan’s classic allegory serves as a series of devotional lectures, peering into the hidden lives and spiritual struggles of the travelers who populate the pages of The Pilgrim’s Progress.
Joyous Gard
Arthur Christopher Benson
The search for inner serenity is a deliberate act of construction, requiring one to build a private stronghold of the soul amidst the noise and drudgery of a busy life.
The Peak in Darien, With Some Other Inquiries Touching Concerns of the Soul and the Body: An Octave of Essays
Frances Power Cobbe
This collection of essays offers a measured, contemplative defense of spiritual hope against the rising tides of Victorian pessimism, materialism, and the scientific secularism of the late nineteenth century.
A Little Book for Christmas
Cyrus Townsend Brady
Christmas transcends race, creed, and circumstance, serving as a universal invitation to set aside life’s burdens and embrace the fundamental, transformative power of good will toward men. This collection of stories and meditations captures that enduring spirit through the eyes of those who seek to share it.
A Watcher in The Woods
Dallas Lore Sharp
A naturalist leads the reader into the quiet, often overlooked corners of the American countryside to observe the hidden lives of birds, rodents, and nocturnal creatures in their natural habitats.
Critiques and Addresses
Thomas Henry Huxley
The pursuit of truth requires both the rigour of a laboratory and the courage to challenge long-held dogmas, whether they reside in the halls of government or the deep strata of the earth.
Letters from France
Isaac Alexander Mack
These dispatches from the front lines of the Great War capture the daily reality of a young officer, moving from the excitement of deployment to the gritty, repetitive exhaustion of trench warfare. They offer an unvarnished look at a soldier's life, ending abruptly with his final letter before the Somme.
Old Fashioned Flowers, and other out-of-door studies
Maurice Maeterlinck
To walk through a garden is to engage in a silent dialogue with the infinite, where every petal holds a secret about the nature of existence. This meditation invites readers to reconsider the profound relationship between human consciousness and the natural world.