Alongside his monumental Notebooks and the poems collected in Canti, which make him one of Italy's greatest and best-loved poets, Giacomo Leopardi penned a number of fictional pieces, mostly in the form of gently humorous dialogues, in which he dealt with philosophical ideas and many of the metaphysical questions that preoccupied his restless spirit.First published in 1827 and here presented in a new translation by J.G. Nichols along with Thoughts, Leopardi's own selected pearls of wisdom ...

Admired for the poetical heights of his Canti, the gentle wit of his prose dialogues and the soul-searching questionings of his Zibaldone (Notebooks), Leopardi was also an acute social commentator and a sharp dissector of the human mind. Thoughts - a collection of philosophical and critical observations put together for publication by Leopardi himself shortly before his death in 1837 - shows a more light-hearted side to Leopardi's personality, and offers both those who are familiar with an...

The Library of Alexandria is an independent small business publishing house. We specialize in bringing back to live rare, historical and ancient Books. This includes manuscripts such as: classical fiction, philosophy, science, Religion, folklore, mythology, history, literature, politics and sacred texts, in addition to Secret and esoteric subjects, such as: occult, freemasonry, alchemy, hermetic, shamanism and ancient knowledge. Our Books are available in digital format. We have approximat...

In "Notes to the Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley," Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley delves into the complexities of her husband'Äôs poetry, offering insightful commentary that enriches the reader'Äôs understanding of romantic literature. Combining analytical rigor with personal reflections, she unravels the thematic depth of Shelley'Äôs work, including his radical politics, exploration of nature, and profound engagements with humanity. Shelley's poetic style, characterized by em...

Of all the buildings in Venice, later in date than the final additions to the Ducal Palace, the noblest is, beyond all question, that which, having been condemned by its proprietor, not many years ago, to be pulled down and sold for the value of its materials, was rescued by the Austrian government, and appropriated—the government officers having no other use for it—to the business of the Post-Office; though still known to the gondolier by its ancient name, the Casa Grimani. It is composed...

“Thus what the word Renaissance really means is new birth to liberty—the spirit of mankind recovering consciousness and the power of self-determination, recognizing the beauty of the outer world, and of the body through art, liberating the reason in science and the conscience in religion, restoring culture to the intelligence, and establishing the principle of political freedom. The Church was the schoolmaster of the Middle Ages. Culture was the humanizing and refining influence of the Ren...

"Rob Roy" by Walter Scott is a historical novel set in 18th-century Scotland. The story follows the adventures of the charismatic and noble outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor. Against a backdrop of political unrest and social injustice, the narrative explores themes of loyalty, honor, and the clash between the English and Scottish cultures. Scott vividly portrays the rugged landscapes and the spirit of the Highlanders, creating a compelling tale of courage and resilience. "Rob Roy" stands as a class...

In The Book of the Courtier (1528), Baldesar Castiglione, a diplomat and Papal Nuncio to Rome, sets out to define the essential virtues for those at Court. In a lively series of imaginary conversations between the real-life courtiers to the Duke of Urbino, his speakers discuss qualities of noble behaviour - chiefly discretion, decorum, nonchalance and gracefulness - as well as wider questions such as the duties of a good government and the true nature of love. Castiglione's narrative power...

The ‘Divine’ sculptor, painter, architect, poet and engineer, Michelangelo Buonarroti exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art, producing masterpieces that rank among the most famous in existence. Delphi’s groundbreaking ‘Masters of Art Series’ presents the world’s first digital e-Art books, allowing digital readers to explore the works of the world’s greatest artists in comprehensive detail. This volume presents the complete works of Michelangelo, with c...

In The Discarded Image, C.S. Lewis paints a lucid picture of the medieval world view, providing the historical and cultural background to the literature of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It describes the "image" discarded by later years as "the medieval synthesis itself, the whole organization of their theology, science and history into a single, complex, harmonious mental model of the universe." This, Lewis’s last book, has been hailed as "the final memorial to the work of a gr...

This file includes: Arata Pentelici (lectures on the elemens of sculpture), Ariadne Florentina (lectures on wood and metal engraving, The Ethics of the Dust (lectures to housewives on the elements of crystallization), Giotto and His Works in Padua, Harbors of Engalnd, Hortus Incusus (messsages from the wood to the garden), A Joy Forever and Its Price on the Market, The King of the Golden River, Lectures on Architecture and Painting, Lectures on Art, Lectures on Landscape, Love's Meinie (le...