A Message from the Sea

Charles Dickens

Book the First--Recalled to Life I. The Period It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was...

Charles Dickens

PREFACE I HAVE endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me.

Charles Dickens

Chapter I My father's family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip.

Charles Dickens

Washington Irving

A pleasing land of drowsy head it was, Of dreams that wave before the half-shut eye; And of gay castles in the clouds that pass, Forever flushing round a summer sky.

Ayn Rand

PART ONE It is a sin to write this.

Aristophanes

statement is made that it may be rejected.

William Strunk

This book aims to give in brief space the principal requirements of plain English style.