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Essays, Letters & Speeches — page 29
1,469 public-domain essays, letters & speeches books, summarised. Page 29 of 31.
Essays of Michel de Montaigne
Michel de Montaigne
HOOK This work serves as a sprawling, intimate map of the human mind, finding that the only truly universal quality in our shared existence is our endless, irreconcilable variety.
Men of the Bible
George Milligan
This collection of biographical sketches invites readers to examine the lives of biblical figures not as static icons, but as complex, evolving human beings who wrestled with moral choices remarkably similar to our own.
Notes and Queries, Number 232, April 8, 1854: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc
Various
This mid-Victorian periodical serves as a vital bridge between the curious public and the learned experts of its time, functioning as a collaborative clearinghouse for human knowledge.
Our Unitarian Gospel
Minot J. (Minot Judson) Savage
This collection of sermons serves as a passionate, rational defense of liberal religious thought, urging readers to embrace a faith that evolves alongside human knowledge rather than fearing it.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 04, No. 24, October, 1859: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics
Various
This mid-nineteenth-century magazine issue offers a panoramic snapshot of American intellectual life, blending sharp cultural commentary, literary fiction, and scientific curiosity into a singular, cohesive portrait of its era.
A Residence in France During the Years 1792, 1793, 1794 and 1795, Part IV., 1795: Described in a Series of Letters from an English Lady: with General and Incidental Remarks on the French Character and Manners
Charlotte Biggs
An Englishwoman documents the fraying edges of the French Revolution, capturing the chilling instability and pervasive dread that defined the final days of the Reign of Terror and the uncertainty that followed.
Address by Honorable William C. Redfield, Secretary of Commerce at Conference of Regional Chairmen of the Highways Transport Committee Council of National Defense
United States. Council of National Defense. Highways Transport Committee
This address captures a pivotal moment in American infrastructure, arguing that the modern nation must integrate its waterways, railways, and highways into a single, seamless trinity to function efficiently.
Ladies in the Field: Sketches of Sport
Unknown
Women of the late nineteenth century share their expertise in outdoor pursuits, arguing that physical exertion and a connection to the natural world refine character rather than diminish femininity.
Peeps at People
Robert Cortes Holliday
The world is a stage of peculiar characters, and these brief, observational sketches offer a window into the lives of the neighbors, dreamers, and oddities passing by on the street.
State of the Union Addresses
Andrew Jackson
These annual messages offer a direct window into the governing philosophy of a pivotal American presidency. They detail the executive’s vision for a growing nation, from the expansion of the frontier to the management of its currency.
The Little Review, February 1915 (Vol. 1, No. 11)
Various
This magazine serves as a vibrant, unfiltered heartbeat for the 1915 modernist avant-garde, capturing the restless, anarchistic spirit of a generation determined to replace traditional authority with the primacy of imagination.
Anonymity
E. M. (Edward Morgan) Forster
The question of whether we should know the name behind a book’s words is far more profound and literary than it might first appear. By examining the distinct roles of language, a case is made for the inherent anonymity of great art.
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 430: Volume 17, New Series, March 27, 1852
Various
The modern world is a cacophony of loud opinions and relentless progress, captured here in the fragmented, bustling spirit of a mid-nineteenth-century weekly miscellany.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 15, No. 89, May, 1875
Various
This volume captures the diverse intellectual curiosity of 1875, blending travelogues, political biography, and literary analysis. It serves as a window into the Victorian era’s appetite for global discovery and rigorous self-improvement.
Search-Light Letters
Robert Grant
The pursuit of a meaningful life often feels like a navigation of conflicting social expectations and moral compromises. This collection of letters serves as a contemplative guide to balancing individual integrity with the pressures of an evolving American society.
The first essay on the political rights of women
Condorcet, Jean-Antoine-Nicolas de Caritat, marquis de
The fundamental right to self-governance belongs to every rational human being, and the exclusion of women from citizenship is a violation of natural law that defies logical defense.
Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 2 of 3), Essay 4: Joseph de Maistre
John Morley
This intellectual portrait explores the life and reactionary philosophy of Joseph de Maistre, a diplomat who sought to rebuild a shattered Europe through the restoration of absolute papal and monarchical authority.
Escape, and Other Essays
Arthur Christopher Benson
This collection of essays serves as a quiet, thoughtful meditation on the necessity of seeking beauty and personal meaning within a world that often feels indifferent or restrictive. It offers a gentle framework for finding intellectual and spiritual refuge in the midst of daily existence.
Small Talk at Wreyland. Third Series
Cecil Torr
A reclusive scholar chronicles the vanishing traditions, eccentric local characters, and historical curiosities of his Devonshire hamlet, preserving a vanishing world through sharp, unsentimental observations.
The Lord's Coming. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. II
Charles Henry Mackintosh
This collection explores the practical, daily life of faith through the lens of a coming Redeemer, urging readers to align their homes, discipleship, and hearts with an eternal perspective.
Thomas Hart Benton's Remarks to the Senate on the Expunging Resolution
Thomas Hart Benton
A fiery orator seeks to strike a stain from the record of history, championing the legacy of a embattled president against his congressional detractors.
An Address to Free Coloured Americans
Anti-slavery Convention of American Women
A passionate 1837 appeal to free African Americans, this document calls for moral resistance against slavery and challenges the nation to confront the systemic sin of human bondage.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 66, No. 407, September, 1849
Various
A dense, diverse collection of Victorian commentary, this volume captures the intellectual anxieties and literary passions of 1849. It navigates everything from Scottish marriage law to the moral weight of colonial life.
Moorland Idylls
Grant Allen
A naturalist finds profound purpose in the quiet corners of the Surrey moors, revealing the intricate dramas of survival unfolding within a small, wild patch of earth.
Publications of the Mississippi Historical Society, Volume 01 (of 14), 1898
Mississippi Historical Society
This collection of essays serves as a foundational record of late 19th-century efforts to institutionalize the preservation and scholarly study of regional history. It captures a moment where state pride and academic rigor converge to define a local identity.
Scenes and Portraits
Frederic Manning
This collection of imaginative dialogues bridges the chasm between ancient myth and modern skepticism, inviting readers to witness history’s great minds debating the nature of belief. It is a contemplative meditation on how humanity grapples with the silence of the divine.
Subject to Vanity
Margaret Benson
HOOK This collection of sketches observes the private lives of household creatures, finding in their small joys and tragedies a reflection of the human condition.
The Album Writer's Friend: Comprising More Than Three Hundred Choice Selections of Poetry and Prose, Suitable for Writing in Autograph Albums, Valentines, Birthday, Christmas and New Year Cards
Unknown
An invitation to leave a lasting mark, this collection offers a treasury of verse and prose designed to bridge the distance between friends, one autograph at a time.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 391, September 26, 1829
Various
This Victorian-era miscellany captures the restless curiosity of 1829, blending mechanical ingenuity, antiquarian wonder, and the polite social commentary of a rapidly industrializing England.
The Speeches (In Full) of the Rt. Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., and William O'Brien, M.P., on Home Rule, Delivered in Parliament, Feb. 16 and 17, 1888
W. E. (William Ewart) Gladstone
This record captures a pivotal parliamentary confrontation over Irish autonomy, showcasing the intense rhetorical battle between a legendary statesman and a firebrand nationalist against the backdrop of late-Victorian political volatility.
Three Prize Essays on American Slavery
R. B. (Richard Bowers) Thurston
Slavery represents a profound national crisis, and these essays seek a path toward resolution through the moral clarity and shared faith of the American Christian community.
Civilization the Primal Need of the Race, and The Attitude of the American Mind Toward the Negro Intellect: The American Negro Academy. Occasional Paper No. 3
Alexander Crummell
True liberation requires more than manual training or material wealth; it demands the cultivation of the high intellect, scientific rigor, and artistic achievement through a dedicated leadership of scholars.
Observations on the new constitution, and on the Federal and State conventions, by a Columbian patriot
Mercy Otis Warren
A newly liberated people stands on the precipice of trading a defeated foreign tyrant for an untried domestic despotism.
The Arena, Volume 18, No. 93, August, 1897
Various
A fierce public debate over American social identity, corporate power, and economic reform unfolds across every page of this classic late-nineteenth-century journal.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 01, No. 06, April, 1858: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics
Various
A vibrant portrait of a young nation's intellectual life, where high literary craft meets the urgent, gathering storm of the American Civil War.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 12, No. 325, August 2, 1828
Various
This collection of curiosities and commentary captures the restless, encyclopedic spirit of Georgian London, serving as a vibrant time capsule of 1828. It invites readers to survey a world of architectural debate, historical trivia, and scientific wonder.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 392, October 3, 1829
Various
This collection of miscellanies serves as a fascinating window into the intellectual appetites of 1829, offering a curated blend of historical inquiry, social satire, and scientific curiosities. It captures the rhythm of a public mind hungry for both enlightenment and diversion.
Letters from the Holy Land
Elizabeth (Elizabeth Southerden Thompson) Butler
At sunrise off the coast of Jaffa, a landscape long imagined in childhood turns suddenly real as open boats carry travelers across heavy surf toward the shores of Palestine.
Shelburne Essays, Third Series
Paul Elmer More
A serene, disciplined mind scrutinizes the turbulent currents of nineteenth-century literature, seeking the timeless principles of taste and restraint that quiet the modern soul.
State of the Union Addresses
John Tyler
A nation's Chief Executive navigates volatile foreign disputes, severe domestic monetary panics, and territorial expansion while maintaining that constitutional limits and public credit form the true bedrock of American liberty.
The woman of to-morrow
Helen M. (Helen Maria) Winslow
A thoughtful call to equilibrium, this essay collection envisions a future where female civic ambition and deep inner serenity nourish rather than destroy one another.
Thoughts upon slavery
John Wesley
A blazing moral broadside strips away the legal and economic excuses for human bondage, demanding an immediate end to the atrocity.
Conditions in Utah: Speech of Hon. Thomas Kearns of Utah, in the Senate of the United States
Thomas Kearns
A retiring senator issues a scathing farewell indictment against a powerful religious hierarchy, accusing its leaders of betraying their promises to the nation to secure statehood.
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXVII, No. 2, August 1850
Various
A vibrant snapshot of mid-nineteenth-century American popular print culture, this issue blends lofty aesthetic criticism, dramatic historical fiction, domestic romance, field sports, and literary reviews.
Humanly Speaking
Samuel McChord Crothers
When human logic rigidifies into uncompromising dogma, only an injection of humor, flexible common sense, and lively observation can restore balance to a rapidly shifting modern world.
Music after the great war, and other studies
Carl Van Vechten
A revolutionary spirit is sweeping through the arts, shattering centuries of rigid custom to make room for radical new form and feeling.
Studies in jocular literature
William Carew Hazlitt
Humor reveals the hidden history of human thought, transforming fleeting social quips and ancient caricatures into durable records of cultural identity.
The Kernel and the Husk: Letters on Spiritual Christianity
Edwin Abbott Abbott
Faith does not crumble when miracles fall away; stripped of physical wonders, a deeper, non-miraculous worship of Christ emerges.