There are a number of on line libraries, but my favorite is Project Gutenberg. For anyone who loves reading or writing Regency romances they have a fantastic Regency reference book. 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose This was published in 1811 and marketed at young men who wished to speak about vulgar things in front of the ladies without the ladies understanding. It could also be called A Dictionary of Cant for the year 1811. The snippets explaining the meaning of the words are more interesting than the words. They create this snapshot of the time. You can read it on line or download an e-book copy for free! How lucky is that?
For those interested in Gothic romances, Project Gutenberg has a section called Gothic Fiction. They have all the old classics (late 18th early 19th century) and more I’ve never heard of. I’m bookmarked!
Last, but not remotely least…I came across a section titled Love (Bookshelf). If you’re in need of a laugh I have a book for you! It’s called Hints for Lovers by T. Arnold Haultain. Published in 1909 apparently there were only 540 numbered copies printed which makes it even funnier. If you go to all the effort to write a book on hints for lovers, surely you want to reach as many lovers as possible. No. There were only 540 lucky lovers.
Here’s a sample. (Chapter one…page one…)
I. On Girls "A Pearl, A Girl." -Browning There are of course, girls and girls; yet at heart they are pretty much alike. In age, naturally, they differ wildly. But this is a thorny subject. Suffice it to say that all men love all girls-the maid of sweet sixteen equally with the maid of untold age. * * * There is something exasperatingly something-or-otherish about girls. And they know it--which makes them more something-or-otherish still:--there is no other word for it. * * * A girl is a complicated thing. It is made up of clothes, smiles, a pompadour, things of which space and prudence forbid the enumeration here. These things by themselves do not constitute a girl which is obvious; nor is any one girl without these things which is not too obvious. Where the things end and the girl begins many men have tried to find out. Many girls would like to be men--except on occasions. At least so they say, but perhaps this is just a part of their something-or-otherishness. Why they should want to be men, men cannot conceive. Men pale before them, grow hot and cold before them, run before them (and after them), swear by them (and at them), and a bit of a chit of a thing in short skirts and lisle-thread stockings will twist able-bodied males round her little finger. It is an open secret that girls are fonder of men than they are of one another--which is very lucky for the men. Girls differ; and the same girl is different at different times. When she is by herself, she is one thing. When she is with other girls she is another thing. When she is with a lot of men, she is a third sort of thing. When she is with a man. . . But this baffled even Agur the son of Jakeh. As a rule, a man prefers a girl by herself. This is natural. And yet is said that you cannot have too much of a good thing. If this were true, a bevy of girls would be the height of happiness. Yet some men would sooner face the bulls of Bashan. If you share my weird sense of humor and want to read more...go HERE .
Gutenberg is awesome. I especially love some of the charming late 19th century and early 20th romances they have there. They are a particular delight to read because they take place during an era when women were achieving a new degree of independence and were able to spread their wings and have adventures like living on their own, and getting jobs, and traveling, and treasure hunting, and having careers etc.
Smiles,
Teresa
@Teresa Thomas Bohannon
I know there’s some lovely stories on there. The other night I read The Princess and the Goblin which was a novel length fairytale. I think they forgot the S of Goblins in the title. I kept waiting for the princess to meet and fall in love with the Goblin prince, but she didn’t. That was disappointing (I love Goblins – that’s what I call my husband) but it was still lovely.
The Princess and the Goblin was one of the very first full length novels I ever read as a child. I can still recall sitting on my front porch one summer vacation reading all about Irene and Curdie and their adventures. Until I discovered Tolkien about age 12 or so it was my absolute all-time favorite. Although I have downloaded it a while back, I haven’t taken the time to read it yet; but I did go through and look at the wonderful illustrations.
@Teresa Thomas Bohannon
The online version didn’t have any illustrations. I’ll have to see if I can find a hard back copy. Sadly, I never came across the book as a young person. There is one thing the narrator mentions that I had to write down on a note card and add it to my quote stack.
‘…but that is the way fear serves us: it always sides with the thing we are afraid of.’
That is a wise statement! As I fight my irrational fears I’ll remember that! You inspired me today with your ‘one sentence a day’ goal. I finished reading over one of my nearly finished books and was feeling really discouraged (Silly wench that I am I’ve been questioning my artist’s decision to write it as if it’s any of my business what my artist wants to do) and then my brain clouded up when I tried to start the next chapter. I remembered your goal and I thought…I’ll just write one sentence and then I’ll go to bed. I wrote about half a page and I’m feeling SO much better. Cari 1 – Fear 0 🙂
That’s really great, I’m glad I was able to inspire you, and now you’ve returned the favor by inspiring me. I actually felt kind of bad because I did not get a new original line written this morning before I had to go to work; (My head just wasn’t into being creative.) but I did get a couple of paragraphs tweaked and improved.
There are a couple of illustrated versions online of the Princess and the Goblin and also one of the sequel The Princess and Curdie. I think google books has one too.
http://www.childrensnursery.org.uk/princess-goblin/
http://www.childrensnursery.org.uk/princess-curdie/