ReadingList — Lines from the classics

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good… — Jane Austen

Jane Austen — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 1 (first line). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1342.

From Pride and Prejudice.

Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest-- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! — Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest-- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!”

Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, Chapter 1. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #120.

From Treasure Island.

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet — William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet

William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene 2. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1513.

From Romeo and Juliet.

I can talk a little shark language and porpoise dialect myself. — Hugh Lofting

Hugh Lofting — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

I can talk a little shark language and porpoise dialect myself.

Hugh Lofting, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, Part I. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1154.

From The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle.

Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There’s no better rule. — Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There’s no better rule.”

Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Chapter 40. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1400.

From Great Expectations.

He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it—namely, that in… — Mark Twain

Mark Twain — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it—namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.

Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Chapter 2. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #74.

From The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will — Charlotte Brontë

Charlotte Brontë — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will

Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, Chapter 23. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1260.

From Jane Eyre.

There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. — Jack London

Jack London — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise.

Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Chapter 3. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #215.

From The Call of the Wild.

Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change. — Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Chapter 23. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #84.

From Frankenstein.

There is no place like home. — L. Frank Baum

L. Frank Baum — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

There is no place like home.

L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chapter 4. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #55.

From The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. — F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Chapter IX (last line). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #64317.

From The Great Gatsby.

Might I,” quavered Mary, “might I have a bit of earth? — Frances Hodgson Burnett

Frances Hodgson Burnett — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“Might I,” quavered Mary, “might I have a bit of earth?”

Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden, Chapter 12. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #113.

From The Secret Garden.

Till this moment, I never knew myself. — Jane Austen

Jane Austen — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Till this moment, I never knew myself.

Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 36. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1342.

From Pride and Prejudice.

Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! — Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!”

Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, Chapter 10. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #120.

From Treasure Island.

Life’s but a walking shadow; a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the… — William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Life’s but a walking shadow; a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act V, Scene 5. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1533.

From Macbeth.

Saturday morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and fresh, and brimming… — Mark Twain

Mark Twain — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Saturday morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and fresh, and brimming with life.

Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Chapter 2. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #74.

From The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man. — Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.

Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Chapter X. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #23.

From Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

He was beaten (he knew that); but he was not broken. — Jack London

Jack London — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

He was beaten (he knew that); but he was not broken.

Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Chapter 1. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #215.

From The Call of the Wild.

Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the… — Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts.

Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Chapter 19. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1400.

From Great Expectations.

I think you are wrong to want a heart. It makes most people unhappy. — L. Frank Baum

L. Frank Baum — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

I think you are wrong to want a heart. It makes most people unhappy.

L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chapter 15. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #55.

From The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. — Charlotte Brontë

Charlotte Brontë — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.

Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, Chapter 1 (first line). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1260.

From Jane Eyre.

Where you tend a rose, my lad, A thistle cannot grow. — Frances Hodgson Burnett

Frances Hodgson Burnett — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“Where you tend a rose, my lad, A thistle cannot grow.”

Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden, Chapter 27. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #113.

From The Secret Garden.

Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. — Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, Chapter 1 (first line). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #514.

From Little Women.

I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. — Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend.

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Chapter 10. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #84.

From Frankenstein.

Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the… — F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Chapter I. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #64317.

From The Great Gatsby.

Parting is such sweet sorrow — William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Parting is such sweet sorrow

William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene 2. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1513.

From Romeo and Juliet.

There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The True courage is… — L. Frank Baum

L. Frank Baum — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.

L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chapter 15. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #55.

From The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. — Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom.

Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Chapter VI. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #23.

From Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped… — Mark Twain

Mark Twain — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

We said there warn’t no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don’t.

Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 18. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #76.

From The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

I want to do something splendid before I go into my castle, something heroic or… — Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

I want to do something splendid before I go into my castle, something heroic or wonderful that won’t be forgotten after I’m dead.

Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, Chapter 13. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #514.

From Little Women.

Beware, for I am fearless and therefore powerful. — Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Beware, for I am fearless and therefore powerful.

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Chapter 20. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #84.

From Frankenstein.

Fair is foul, and foul is fair — William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Fair is foul, and foul is fair

William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act I, Scene 1. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #1533.

From Macbeth.

Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. — Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, Part III. Translated by Constance Garnett (1914). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #2554.

From Crime and Punishment.

One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed… — Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin.

Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis, Part I (first line). Translated by David Wyllie (translation © David Wyllie). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #5200.

From The Metamorphosis.

Nothing, Lucilius, is ours, except time. — Seneca

Seneca — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Nothing, Lucilius, is ours, except time.

Seneca, Letter 1, On saving time. Translated by Richard M. Gummere (Loeb, 1917–25). Checked word for word against Wikisource, Letter 1.

From Letters from a Stoic.

It was kind of solemn, drifting down the big, still river, laying on our backs looking… — Mark Twain

Mark Twain — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

It was kind of solemn, drifting down the big, still river, laying on our backs looking up at the stars

Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 12. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #76.

From The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

I like good strong words that mean something — Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

I like good strong words that mean something

Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, Chapter 4. Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #514.

From Little Women.

Man is sometimes extraordinarily, passionately, in love with suffering, and that is a… — Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Man is sometimes extraordinarily, passionately, in love with suffering, and that is a fact.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground, Part I. Translated by Constance Garnett (1918). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #600.

From Notes from Underground.

Someone must have been telling lies about Josef K., he knew he had done nothing wrong… — Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Someone must have been telling lies about Josef K., he knew he had done nothing wrong but, one morning, he was arrested.

Franz Kafka, The Trial, Chapter One (first line). Translated by David Wyllie (translation © David Wyllie). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #7849.

From The Trial.

Man grows used to everything, the scoundrel! — Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Man grows used to everything, the scoundrel!

Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment, Part I. Translated by Constance Garnett (1914). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #2554.

From Crime and Punishment.

What’s happened to me?” he thought. It wasn’t a dream. — Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“What’s happened to me?” he thought. It wasn’t a dream.

Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis, Part I. Translated by David Wyllie (translation © David Wyllie). Checked word for word against Project Gutenberg #5200.

From The Metamorphosis.

While we are postponing, life speeds by. — Seneca

Seneca — Wed, 11 Nov 2026 12:00:00 GMT

While we are postponing, life speeds by.

Seneca, Letter 1, On saving time. Translated by Richard M. Gummere (Loeb, 1917–25). Checked word for word against Wikisource, Letter 1.

From Letters from a Stoic.