Free summaries
Essays, Letters & Speeches — page 13
1,315 public-domain essays, letters & speeches books, summarised. Page 13 of 28.
The Rural Magazine, and Literary Evening Fire-Side, Vol. 1 No. 01 (1820)
Various
The nineteenth-century American landscape comes alive through this collection of practical advice, scientific observation, and moral reflection, painting a vivid portrait of a society deeply rooted in the rhythms of the earth.
A Letter on the Abolition of the Slave Trade: Addressed to the freeholders and other inhabitants of Yorkshire
William Wilberforce
A moral plea to end the slave trade, this work argues that national righteousness and economic stability are inextricably linked to the cessation of human trafficking.
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 18 (of 20)
Charles Sumner
The promise of the American experiment is measured here against the harsh realities of post-Civil War governance. These pages document a persistent fight to align the nation’s laws with the mandate of human equality.
Moral Poison in Modern Fiction
R. Brimley (Reginald Brimley) Johnson
This critical study examines how the changing moral landscape of early 20th-century literature—specifically the rise of "sex-revolt" themes—threatens the stability of social values, family life, and the emotional development of post-war youth.
The Birth-Time of the World and Other Scientific Essays
John Joly
The Earth is a vessel of hidden clocks, from the salt in the sea to the radioactive decay within its very stones, all ticking toward a vast and ancient understanding.
Europe After 8:15
H. L. (Henry Louis) Mencken
Three American travel writers strip away the romanticized myths of pre-war Europe, revealing a continent of artificial night life, provincial absurdities, and carefully manufactured pleasure.
Heart of Man
George Edward Woodberry
Poetry, politics, and religion spring from a single source deep in the human spirit, revealing that our highest cultural ideals and everyday democratic strivings are woven from the same universal heart.
Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll, Volume I: Including His Answers to the Clergy, His Oration at His Brother's Grave, Etc., Etc
Robert Green Ingersoll
A sweeping, fiery assault on religious dogma, this collection of nineteenth-century lectures champions human reason, scientific progress, and individual liberty over ancient superstition and fear.
Wild Apples
Henry David Thoreau
A wild, wind-bitten fruit, growing untouched on a rocky New England hillside, holds more vitality, ancient history, and genuine poetry than all the pampered, flawless produce of a cultivated garden.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 64, No. 393, July 1848
Various
This Victorian compendium captures the pulse of 1848, blending rigorous political commentary with rugged frontier narratives and the rhythmic, nostalgic longing of mid-century British literature.
Outspoken Essays
William Ralph Inge
The shadow of the Great War looms over these pages, yet the author finds in the decay of old institutions a stark, urgent clarity that remains bracingly relevant to any era of social upheaval.
The World's Great Sermons, Volume 07: Hale to Farrar
Unknown
A broad spectrum of nineteenth-century pulpit eloquence explores how eternal principles engage with practical life, human suffering, and modern progress.
Essays in Little
Andrew Lang
Delight in the lively company of a veteran man of letters as he roams through his favorite books, champions forgotten poets, and defends the enduring magic of a well-told tale.
Literary Taste: How to Form It: With Detailed Instructions for Collecting a Complete Library of English Literature
Arnold Bennett
Cultivating a lifelong appreciation for enduring books requires systematic effort, practical strategy, and an honest engagement with the emotions driving all creative expression.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 16, February, 1859: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics
Various
A mid-nineteenth-century literary journal brings together biting social satire, political upheaval, financial chicanery, and refined textual criticism in one eclectic volume.
Prose Fancies (Second Series)
Richard Le Gallienne
To find wonder in a world choked with routine, one must look past the grey roofs of the everyday and learn to see with the luminous, defiant eyes of an artist.
The Barbarism of Berlin
G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton
When a nation tears up its own solemn pledges, it abandons not just its honour, but the foundational principles that allow civilized society to exist.
The Little Review, November 1914 (Vol. 1, No. 8)
Various
Radical artists, pacifists, and iconoclasts clash across poetry, drama, and cultural criticism as Europe descends into the devastation of the First World War.
A Book of Jewish Thoughts
Unknown
An enduring faith shines through centuries of struggle to reveal a rich tapestry of spiritual wisdom and unyielding hope.
The Sacred Beetle, and Others
Jean-Henri Fabre
A tiny engineer labors in the dust, rolling a sphere of dung much larger than itself. This patient, observant natural history examines the intricate domestic lives and instinctive intelligence of earth’s humblest creatures.
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 04 (of 32)
John Wesley
Belief without practical action is an empty shell, and a life devoted to God demands strict stewardship of one's money, speech, time, and relationships in an indifferent world.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine
Various
An eclectic mid-nineteenth-century literary miscellany brings together European travelogues, Caucasian military adventures, art historical debates, romantic fiction, Victorian science, and high-stakes international trade policy.
Adventures in Contentment
David Grayson
Seeking a reprieve from the feverish pursuit of material success, a man retreats to the soil of a small farm to discover that true wealth lies in the simple beauty of daily work and companionship.
From the heart of a friend
Unknown
Friendship is a profound, sacred, and often difficult attainment that acts as a sanctuary for our joys, our sorrows, and our deepest intellectual pursuits.
Letters from a Sûfî Teacher
Sharaf al-Din Ahmad ibn Yahya Maniri
A collection of spiritual correspondence from the 14th century, these letters offer a rigorous, intimate map for the seeker aiming to bridge the gap between human limitation and divine reality.
Mezzotints in modern music
James Huneker
An unapologetic guide to the nineteenth century’s musical titans, this collection of essays captures the tension between the fading romantic era and the dawn of modernism through the eyes of a passionate, opinionated critic.
The Knickerbocker, Vol. 22, No. 5, November 1843
Various
This volume captures the intellectual and cultural pulse of mid-19th-century America, weaving together philosophical essays, maritime lore, and the quiet, observant spirit of a bygone era.
Great Possessions
David Grayson
The scent of pine needles, the taste of spring air, and the quiet dignity of a well-tended garden define the riches of a life lived in harmony with the earth.
Literary Taste: How to Form It: With Detailed Instructions for Collecting a Complete Library of English Literature
Arnold Bennett
To cultivate a true appreciation for the written word is to embark on a journey of self-transformation. This guide offers a practical, disciplined path toward building a library and refining one's internal capacity for lasting pleasure.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 65, No. 403, May, 1849
Various
This collection captures the intellectual pulse of mid-nineteenth-century Britain, offering a panoramic view of the Victorian era’s pressing concerns—from the mechanics of colonial expansion to the volatile political fractures of a transforming Europe.
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 15 (of 20)
Charles Sumner
The nineteenth century speaks through these pages with a relentless, formal intensity, documenting a nation grappling with its own expansion, the shadow of presidential impeachment, and the moral imperative of human equality.
In the open
Stanton Davis Kirkham
Nature acts as a perpetual, tax-free invitation, offering a vast estate of woods, mountains, and sea to anyone willing to step outside and cultivate a friendship with the wild.
Sermons Preached at Brighton: Third Series
Frederick William Robertson
These sermons offer a window into the inner life of a Victorian pastor, grappling with the tension between rigid tradition and the raw, individual experience of faith. They remain a testament to the pursuit of intellectual honesty within the structure of the church.
State of the Union Addresses
Bill Clinton
HOOK These annual addresses chronicle a presidency navigating a rapidly shifting global landscape, balancing the pursuit of economic prosperity with the persistent, fundamental challenge of building a more unified American community.
The Conservation of Races: The American Negro Academy. Occasional Papers No. 2
W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt) Du Bois
A pioneering manifesto argues that African Americans must embrace their unique identity and collective strength to contribute a distinct, vital message to the global human experience.
The Principles of Success in Literature
George Henry Lewes
True success in the written word requires more than mere talent; it demands the unflinching courage to see the world clearly and the honesty to express that vision without artifice or imitation.
The Romance of the Commonplace
Gelett Burgess
To see the world afresh, one must learn to look at the mundane with the wide-eyed wonder of a stranger and the seasoned wit of a philosopher. Finding magic in the ordinary is a deliberate, practiced art.
Some Irish Yesterdays
E. Oe. (Edith Oenone) Somerville
The Irish landscape and its inhabitants are captured here with a sharp, affectionate eye, balancing the humorous chaos of daily life against the enduring, stony silence of a country caught between eras.
The Spinster Book
Myrtle Reed
The secret to a happy marriage is not found in grand gestures, but in the art of feeding a man and knowing when to remain silent. This witty, cynical guide serves as a manual for the unattached woman navigating the treacherous waters of romance.
A Letter to Dion
Bernard Mandeville
A sharp-tongued defense of provocative ideas, this work serves as an intellectual counter-punch against those who seek to silence controversial thinkers through misrepresentation and moral posturing.
Feeding the Mind
Lewis Carroll
We expend immense effort nourishing our bodies, yet we often leave our minds to languish in neglect. This short, witty lecture argues that true intellectual health requires as much discipline and care as our physical diet.
Maids, Wives, and Bachelors
Amelia E. Barr
This collection of essays offers a measured, traditional look at the moral, social, and domestic expectations placed upon women at the close of the nineteenth century. It serves as a window into the values of a bygone era.
Pieces of Hate
Heywood Broun
This collection of journalistic essays offers a spirited, opinionated look at the American landscape in the early 1920s. It captures a restless mind grappling with theater, sports, and the persistent absurdities of public life.
Platform Monologues
T. G. (Thomas George) Tucker
This collection of public addresses offers a passionate defense of the literary arts, arguing that the study of great writing is an essential, life-affirming practice for the modern, thinking individual.
Editorials from the Hearst Newspapers
Arthur Brisbane
A series of newspaper columns from the turn of the twentieth century, these essays distill complex social, scientific, and moral questions into brief, conversational provocations for the common reader.
State of the Union Addresses
Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson) Grant
These addresses offer a direct, authoritative window into the American presidency during the volatile years of Reconstruction. They serve as a primary record of a nation transitioning from civil conflict to an era of industrial growth and continental expansion.
The Contemporary Review, Volume 36, September 1879
Various
This collection of essays offers an intimate window into the late Victorian intellectual landscape, capturing the diverse, restless, and deeply inquisitive spirit of 1879 through the lens of a prominent literary and political periodical.
Youth and Life
Randolph Silliman Bourne
The urgent, restless energy of early adulthood finds its most articulate voice in this collection of essays. It captures the friction between a vibrant younger generation and the rigid, conventional world they inherit.