Percy Bysshe Shelley - "Peter Bell the Third"

P. G. Wodehouse - "Love Among the Chickens"

Maurice Maeterlinck - "The Life of the Bee"

Margot Asquith - "Margot Asquith, An Autobiography: Volumes I & II"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Letters of Pliny the Younger

P >> Pliny the Younger >> The Letters of Pliny the Younger





5.XX.--TO URSUS.

Within a short time of their impeaching Julius Bassus the Bithynians
brought a second action, this time against Rufus Varenus, their
proconsul, the very man whom, in their action against Bassus, they had
received permission, at their own request, to retain as their advocate.
On being brought into the Senate they applied for a commission to be
appointed to investigate their charges, and Varenus sought leave to be
allowed to bring witnesses from the province in his defence. To this
the Bithynians objected, and the matter came to a debate. I acted on
behalf of Varenus, and my pleading was not without good results. I am
justified in saying this, as my written speech will show whether I spoke
well or badly. For in delivering a speech chance has a controlling
influence on success or failure. A speech either gains or loses a good
deal according to the memory, voice, and gesture of the speaker, and
even the time taken in delivery, to say nothing of the popularity or
unpopularity of the accused; whereas a written speech profits nothing
from these advantages, loses nothing by these disadvantages, and is
subject neither to lucky nor unlucky accidents.

Fonteius Magnus, one of the Bithynians, replied to me at great length,
but he made very few points. Like most of the Greeks, he mistakes
volubility for fulness of treatment, and they pour forth in a single
breath a perfect torrent of long-winded and frigid periods. Julius
Candidus rather wittily says apropos of this that eloquence is one thing
and loquacity another. For there have been only one or two people who
can be described as eloquent--not one indeed if Marcus Antonius is to be
believed,--but scores of persons possess what Candidus calls loquacity,
and loquacity and impudence usually go together. On the following day,
Homullus spoke on behalf of Varenus, and delivered a skilful, powerful,
and polished speech, while Nigrinus replied with terseness, dignity, and
elegance. Acilius Rufus, the consul-designate, proposed that the
Commission of Enquiry asked for by the Bithynians should be allowed, and
said not a word about the request of Varenus, which was tantamount to
proposing that it should be negatived. Cornelius Priscus, the consular,
moved that the requests of both the accusers and the accused should be
granted, and he carried a majority with him. The point we asked for was
not within the four corners of the law and was not quite covered by
precedent, but none the less it was entirely reasonable, though why it
was reasonable I shall not tell you in this letter, in order to make you
ask for a copy of my pleading. For if it be true, as Homer says, that
"men always prize the song the most which rings newest in their ears," I
must beware lest by allowing myself to go chattering on in this letter I
destroy all the charm of novelty in that little speech of mine, which is
the main thing it has to commend itself to you. Farewell.


5.XXI.--TO SATURNINUS.

Your letter has aroused in me conflicting emotions, for part of the news
it contained made me glad, and part made me sorrowful. I was glad to
hear that you were detained in town, for though you say it was much
against your will, it was not against mine, especially as you promise
that you will give a reading as soon as I arrive. So I thank you for
waiting my coming. The bad news was that Julius Valens is lying
seriously ill, although even this should not sadden us, if we only think
of what is best for him, for it will be much better for him to obtain as
speedy a release as possible from a disease which is past all cure. No,
the real sad news, or rather heartrending news is that Julius Avitus
died on ship-board while returning from his quaestorship, miles away
from the brother who was devoted to him, and from his mother and
sisters. Those are circumstances which do not affect him now that he is
dead, but they did affect him on his death-bed, and they are a great
trouble to his surviving relatives, especially as he was a young man of
such promise and would have reached the highest offices in the State if
only his qualities had had time to ripen. And now he has been cut down
in the very flower of manhood! What a keen and enthusiastic student he
was, how well read, and what a number of essays he had made in writing!
Yet all have perished with him and left no fruit for posterity to reap.
But it is useless for me to indulge my sorrow, for if once one gives it
free play, even the slightest occasions for grief are magnified into
crushing blows. I will write no more, and so check the tears which this
letter has made to flow. Farewell.



END OF VOL. 1.