SIR FRANCIS BACON(1561—1626) 1
Narcissus or Self-Love 1
Of Studies 4
JONATHAN SWIFT(1667—1745) 7
A Meditation upon a Broomstick 7
JOSEPH ADDISON(1672—1719) 11
Defence and Happiness of Married Life 11
LORD CHESTERFIELD (1694—1773) 17
Upon Affectation 17
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN(1706—1790) 24
Too Dear for the Whistle 24
SAMUEL JOHNSON(1709—1784) 27
Conversation 27
The Decay of Friendship 33
OLIVER GOLDSMITH(1730—1774) 38
A Visit to Westminster Abbey 38
WASHINGTON IRVING(1783—1859) 48
The Broken Heart 48
PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY (1792—1822) 58
On Love 58
HENRY D. THOREAU(1817—1862) 62
Solitude(Excerpt) 62
SAMUEL BUTLER(1835—1902) 69
On Knowing What Gives Us Pleasure 69
MARK TWAIN(1835—1910) 73
High and Low Music 73
AdvicetoYouth 76
SAMUEL MCCHORD CROTHERS(1857—1927) 81
Every Man's Natural Desire to Be Somebody Else(Excerpts) 81
STEPHEN LEACOCK(1867—1944) 85
Borrowing a Match 85
E.V.LUCAS(1868—1938) 88
The Perfect Holiday 88
HILAIRE BELLOC(1870—1953) 94
A Conversation with a Cat 94
SIR MAX BEERBOHM(1872—1956) 100
Seeing People off 100
BERTRAND RUSSELL(1872—1970) 108
How to Grow Old 108
STEWART EDWARD WHITE(1873—1946) 113
On Lying Awake at Night 113
CHARLES S. BROOKS(1878—1934) 120
On the Difference between Wit and Humor 120
D.H.LAWRENCE(1885—1930) 128
Give Her a Pattern 128
CHRISTOPHER MORLEY(1890—1957) 136
On Laziness 136
KATHERINE ANNE PORTER(1890—1980) 141
The Necessary Enemy(Excerpt) 141
E.B.WHITE(1899—1985) 144
At Turtle Bay 144
GEORGE ORWELL(1903—1950) 148
WhyAre Beggars Despised? 148
Politics and the English Language(Excerpt) 150
RONALD DUNCAN(1914—1982) 164
The Three Peach Stones 165
ANDY ROONEY(1919—2011) 168
Silence Is a Wonderful Sound 168