In this dark story by Robert W. Chambers we are introduced to a detective, who is tasked to uncover a hoax in the Pacific Northwest. There he investigates the possible existence of a terrible porpoise-skinned humanoid with an insatiable hunger for human females.If you like reading dark and weird stories, then "The Harbor Master" from 1904 is the right one for you. Do not hesitate to embark on this journey and solve the mystery of the porpoise-skinned humanoid.

Pride, justice, and vengeance. Aristocracy and democracy vie for ultimate power over Rome, and each faction violently erupts when Coriolanus takes the political stage. After receiving glorious accolades for taking an enemy city when the plebian soldiers cowered without the gates, the common people find his arrogance and pride offensive. Now, banished from the very city for which he was prepared to lay down his life, he strikes up an unholy alliance with his country's enemies. His intent is...

A collection of short stories by Texas author William Harrison.“Harrison is that rare novelist who can write equally well of action and ideas.”—John Leonard, The New York Times“Harrison is a compelling storyteller with a sure touch.”—Kit Reed, The Washington Post, Book World

This edition features• illustrations• a linked Table of Contents and linked FootnotesCONTENTS. (abridged list)CHAPTER I. OF DEGREES OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLANDCHAPTER II. OF CITIES AND TOWNS IN ENGLANDCHAPTER III. OF GARDENS AND ORCHARDSCHAPTER IV. OF FAIRS AND MARKETSCHAPTER V. OF THE LAWS OF ENGLAND SINCE HER FIRST INHABITATION. . .CHAPTER XXV. OF UNIVERSITIESAPPENDIX

Elizabethan England offers a panoramic, first-hand survey of the realm under Elizabeth I, from topography and parish governance to markets, diets, apparel, sports, and social ranks. In the humanist chorographical mode and in plain yet capacious prose, Harrison blends lists and anecdote to register enclosures, urban growth, and new wealth. First written as the "Description of England" for Holinshed's Chronicles (1577; rev. 1587), it remains a foundational ethnography of late Tudor life. A c...

Ainsworth's last masterpiece, The Lancashire Witches proved a best-seller in its day and influenced many contemporary authors. The Lancashire Witches begins in the 16th century, in Lancashire, England. When a Cistercian monk, Borlace Alvetham, is falsely accused of witchcraft and condemned to death by his rival, Brother Paslew, he sells his soul to Satan and escapes. Years later, granted the powers of a warlock, he returns in the guise of Nicholas Demdike to witness Paslew's execution for ...

"The Star-Chamber" explores the political and legal intrigues surrounding the infamous court known as the Star Chamber. This court was known for its arbitrary and secretive proceedings, dealing with various cases of law and order, often with considerable power and without the usual legal safeguards.Ainsworth's novel delves into the machinations and scandals of the court, intertwining historical events with fictional characters and narratives. Through the story, readers are exposed to the a...

A master of drinking, whoring, theft - and escape!While Jack Sheppard seems marked from birth for a terrible end, his wit and charm might just be able to cheat fate. Fate, however, seems eager to cheat him out of an honest living, when Jack begins visiting the notorious Black Lion, drinking den of the worst criminals in London. Soon he is one of the most famous scoundrels in the city - not for his crimes, but for the wonderful fact that not one of the King's fine prisons can hold h...

In 'An Omnibus of Heresy and Civil War – 3 Classic British Tales,' readers are invited into a literary exploration of Britain's turbulent past as captured by the imaginative and formidable authors William Harrison Ainsworth, George MacDonald, and John Buchan. This collection showcases a spectrum of styles from the romanticism of Ainsworth to the mystical realism of MacDonald, and the thrilling adventure narrative of Buchan. It brilliantly weaves together tales that delve into themes of reb...

"The Star-Chamber" explores the political and legal intrigues surrounding the infamous court known as the Star Chamber. This court was known for its arbitrary and secretive proceedings, dealing with various cases of law and order, often with considerable power and without the usual legal safeguards.Ainsworth's novel delves into the machinations and scandals of the court, intertwining historical events with fictional characters and narratives. Through the story, readers are exposed to the a...

Auriol Darcy is surprised attempting to remove the heads of two traitors from the Southwark Gateway of Old London Bridge. He is injured by the warder, Baldred, and carried to the house of Dr Lamb, an alchemist and Auriol Darcy's grandfather, who is assisted by his faithful dwarf Flapdragon. Lamb, on the point of discovering the elixir of life, has a seizure and dies as his ungrateful grandson consumes the draught. (Excerpt from Wikipedia) This edition has been fully restored with modern ty...

Introduction to the Characters:The novel introduces the titular character, Auriol, a beautiful and mysterious young woman with an air of secrecy surrounding her origins. Other key characters include the protagonist, who becomes enamored with Auriol, as well as a cast of supporting characters who become entangled in the unfolding drama.The Quest for Immortality:Central to the plot is the concept of the elixir of life, a mythical substance believed to grant immortality to those who possess i...