diff options
Diffstat (limited to '9208.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 9208.txt | 613 |
1 files changed, 613 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/9208.txt b/9208.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8cf2d0b --- /dev/null +++ b/9208.txt @@ -0,0 +1,613 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fancy's Show-Box (From "Twice Told Tales"), by +Nathaniel Hawthorne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fancy's Show-Box (From "Twice Told Tales") + +Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne + +Posting Date: November 27, 2010 [EBook #9208] +Release Date: November, 2005 +First Posted: August 23, 2003 +Last Updated: February 5, 2007 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FANCY'S SHOW-BOX *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + + + + + TWICE TOLD TALES + + FANCY'S SHOW-BOX + + A MORALITY + + By Nathaniel Hawthorne + + + +What is Guilt? A stain upon the soul. And it is a point of vast +interest, whether the soul may contract such stains, in all their depth +and flagrancy, from deeds which may have been plotted and resolved upon, +but which, physically, have never had existence. Must the fleshly hand +and visible frame of man set its seal to the evil designs of the soul, in +order to give them their entire validity against the sinner? Or, while +none but crimes perpetrated are cognizable before an earthly tribunal, +will guilty thoughts,--of which guilty deeds are no more than +shadows,--will these draw down the full weight of a condemning sentence, +in the supreme court of eternity? In the solitude of a midnight chamber, +or in a desert, afar from men, or in a church, while the body is kneeling, +the soul may pollute itself even with those crimes, which we are +accustomed to deem altogether carnal. If this be true, it is a fearful +truth. + +Let us illustrate the subject by an imaginary example. A venerable +gentleman, one Mr. Smith, who had long been regarded as a pattern of +moral excellence, was warming his aged blood with a glass or two of +generous wine. His children being gone forth about their worldly +business, and his grandchildren at school, he sat alone, in a deep, +luxurious arm-chair, with his feet beneath a richly carved mahogany +table. Some old people have a dread of solitude, and when better company +may not be had, rejoice even to hear the quiet breathing of a babe, +asleep upon the carpet. But Mr. Smith, whose silver hair was the bright +symbol of a life unstained, except by such spots as are inseparable from +human nature, he had no need of a babe to protect him by its purity, nor +of a grown person to stand between him and his own soul. Nevertheless, +either Manhood must converse with Age, or Womanhood must soothe him with +gentle cares, or Infancy must sport around his chair, or his thoughts +will stray into the misty region of the past, and the old man be chill +and sad. Wine will not always cheer him. Such might have been the case +with Mr. Smith, when, through the brilliant medium of his glass of old +Madeira, he beheld three figures entering the room. These were Fancy, +who had assumed the garb and aspect of an itinerant showman, with a box +of pictures on her back; and Memory, in the likeness of a clerk, with a +pen behind her ear, an inkhorn at her buttonhole, and a huge manuscript +volume beneath her arm; and lastly, behind the other two, a person +shrouded in a dusky mantle, which concealed both face and form. But Mr. +Smith had a shrewd idea that it was Conscience. + +How kind of Fancy, Memory, and Conscience to visit the old gentleman, +just as he was beginning to imagine that the wine had neither so bright a +sparkle nor so excellent a flavor as when himself and the liquor were +less aged! Through the dim length of the apartment, where crimson +curtains muffled the glare of sunshine, and created a rich obscurity, the +three guests drew near the silver-haired old mail. Memory, with a finger +between the leaves of her huge volume, placed herself at his right hand. +Conscience, with her face still hidden in the dusky mantle, took her +station on the left, so as to be next his heart; while Fancy set down her +picture-box upon the table, with the magnifying-glass convenient to his +eye. We can sketch merely the outlines of two or three out of the many +pictures which, at the pulling of a string, successively peopled the box +with the semblances of living scenes. + +One was a moonlight picture; in the background, a lowly dwelling; and in +front, partly shadowed by a tree, yet besprinkled with flakes of +radiance, two youthful figures, male and female. The young man stood +with folded arms, a haughty smile upon his lip, and a gleam of triumph in +his eye, as he glanced downward at the kneeling girl. She was almost +prostrate at his feet, evidently sinking under a weight of shame and +anguish, which hardly allowed her to lift her clasped hands in +supplication. Her eyes she could not lift. But neither her agony, nor +the lovely features on which it was depicted, nor the slender grace of +the form which it convulsed, appeared to soften the obduracy of the young +man. He was the personification of triumphant scorn. Now, strange to +say, as old Mr. Smith peeped through the magnifying-glass, which made the +objects start out from the canvas with magical deception, he began to +recognize the farm-house, the tree, and both the figures of the picture. +The young man, in times long past, had often met his gaze within the +looking-glass; the girl was the very image of his first love,--his +cottage love,--his Martha Burroughs! Mr. Smith was scandalized. "O, +vile and slanderous picture!" he exclaims. "When have I triumphed over +ruined innocence? Was not Martha wedded, in her teens, to David Tomkius, +who won her girlish love, and long enjoyed her affection as a wife? And +ever since his death, she has lived a reputable widow!" Meantime, Memory +was turning over the leaves of her volume, rustling them to and fro with +uncertain fingers, until, among the earlier pages, she found one which +had reference to this picture. She reads it, close to the old +gentleman's ear; it is a record merely of sinful thought, which never was +embodied in an act; but, while Memory is reading, Conscience unveils her +face, and strikes a dagger to the heart of Mr. Smith. Though not a +death-blow, the torture was extreme. + +The exhibition proceeded. One after another, Fancy displayed her +pictures, all of which appeared to have been painted by some malicious +artist, on purpose to vex Mr. Smith. Not a shadow of proof could have +been adduced, in any earthly court, that he was guilty of the slightest +of those sins which were thus made to stare him in the face. In one +scene, there was a table set out, with several bottles, and glasses half +filled with wine, which threw back the dull ray of an expiring lamp. +There had been mirth and revelry, until the hand of the clock stood just +at midnight, when murder stepped between the boon companions. A young +man had fallen on the floor, and lay stone dead, with a ghastly wound +crushed into his temple, while over him, with a delirium of mingled rage +and horror in his countenance, stood the youthful likeness of Mr. Smith. +The murdered youth wore the features of Edward Spencer! "What does this +rascal of a painter mean?" cries Mr. Smith, provoked beyond all patience. +"Edward Spencer was my earliest and dearest friend, true to me as I to +him, through more than half a century. Neither I, nor any other, ever +murdered him. Was he not alive within five years, and did he not, in +token of our long friendship, bequeath me his gold-headed cane and a +mourning ring?" Again had Memory been turning over her volume, and +fixed at length upon so confused a page, that she surely must have +scribbled it when she was tipsy. The purport was, however, that, while +Mr. Smith and Edward Spencer were heating their young blood with wine, a +quarrel had flashed up between them, and Mr. Smith, in deadly wrath, had +flung a bottle at Spencer's head. True, it missed its aim, and merely +smashed a looking-glass; and the next morning, when the incident was +imperfectly remembered, they had shaken hands with a hearty laugh. Yet, +again, while Memory was reading, Conscience unveiled her face, struck a +dagger to the heart of Mr. Smith, and quelled his remonstrance with her +iron frown. The pain was quite excruciating. + +Some of the pictures had been painted with so doubtful a touch, and in +colors so faint and pale, that the subjects could barely be conjectured. +A dull, semitransparent mist had been thrown over the surface of the +canvas, into which the figures seemed to vanish, while the eye sought +most earnestly to fix them. But, in every scene, however dubiously +portrayed, Mr. Smith was invariably haunted by his own lineaments, at +various ages, as in a dusty mirror. After poring several minutes over +one of these blurred and almost indistinguishable pictures, he began to +see that the painter had intended to represent him, now in the decline of +life, as stripping the clothes from the backs of three half-starved +children. "Really, this puzzles me!" quoth Mr. Smith, with the irony of +conscious rectitude. "Asking pardon of the painter, I pronounce him a +fool, as well as a scandalous knave. A man of my standing in the world, +to be robbing little children of their clothes! Ridiculous!" But while +he spoke, Memory had searched her fatal volume, and found a page, which, +with her sad, calm voice, she poured into his ear. It was not altogether +inapplicable to the misty scene. It told how Mr. Smith had been +grievously tempted, by many devilish sophistries, on the ground of a +legal quibble, to commence a lawsuit against three orphan children, joint +heirs to a considerable estate. Fortunately, before he was quite +decided, his claims had turned out nearly as devoid of law as justice. +As Memory ceased to read, Conscience again thrust aside her mantle, and +would have struck her victim with the envenomed dagger, only that he +struggled, and clasped his hands before his heart. Even then, however, +he sustained an ugly gash. + +Why should we follow Fancy through the whole series of those awful +pictures? Painted by an artist of wondrous power, and terrible +acquaintance with the secret soul, they embodied the ghosts of all the +never perpetrated sins that had glided through the lifetime of Mr. Smith. +And could such beings of cloudy fantasy, so near akin to nothingness, +give valid evidence against him, at the day of judgment? Be that the +case or not, there is reason to believe that one truly penitential tear +would have washed away each hateful picture, and left the canvas white as +snow. But Mr. Smith, at a prick of Conscience too keen to be endured, +bellowed aloud, with impatient agony, and suddenly discovered that his +three guests were gone. There he sat alone, a silver-haired and highly +venerated old man, in the rich gloom of the crimson-curtained room, with +no box of pictures on the table, but only a decanter of most excellent +Madeira. Yet his heart still seemed to fester with the venom of the +dagger. + +Nevertheless, the unfortunate old gentleman might have argued the matter +with Conscience, and alleged many reasons wherefore she should not smite +him so pitilessly. Were we to take up his cause, it should be somewhat +in the following fashion: A scheme of guilt, till it be put in execution, +greatly resembles a train of incidents in a projected tale. The latter, +in order to produce a sense of reality in the reader's mind, must be +conceived with such proportionate strength by the author as to seem, in +the glow of fancy, more like truth, past, present, or to come, than +purely fiction. The prospective sinner, on the other hand, weaves his +plot of crime, but seldom or never feels a perfect certainty that it will +be executed. There is a dreaminess diffused about his thoughts; in a +dream, as it were, he strikes the death-blow into his victim's heart, and +starts to find an indelible blood-stain on his hand. Thus a novel-writer, +or a dramatist, in creating a villain of romance, and fitting him with +evil deeds, and the villain of actual life, in projecting crimes that +will be perpetrated, may almost meet each other, half-way between reality +and fancy. It is not until the crime is accomplished, that guilt +clinches its gripe upon the guilty heart, and claims it for its own. +Then, and not before, sin is actually felt and acknowledged, and, if +unaccompanied by repentance, grows a thousand-fold more virulent by its +self-consciousness. Be it considered, also, that men often overestimate +their capacity for evil. At a distance, while its attendant +circumstances do not press upon their notice, and its results are dimly +seen, they can bear to contemplate it. They may take the steps which +lead to crime, impelled by the same sort of mental action as in working +out a mathematical problem, yet be powerless with compunction, at the +final moment. They knew not what deed it was that they deemed themselves +resolved to do. In truth, there is no such thing in man's nature as a +settled and full resolve, either for good or evil, except at the very +moment of execution. Let us hope, therefore, that all the dreadful +consequences of sin will not be incurred, unless the act have set its +seal upon the thought. + +Yet, with the slight fancy-work which we have framed, some sad and awful +truths are interwoven. Man must not disclaim his brotherhood, even with +the guiltiest, since, though his hand be clean, his heart has surely been +polluted by the flitting phantoms of iniquity. He must feel, that, when +he shall knock at the gate of heaven, no semblance of an unspotted life +can entitle him to entrance there. Penitence must kneel, and Mercy come +from the footstool of the throne, or that golden gate will never open! + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fancy's Show-Box (From "Twice Told +Tales"), by Nathaniel Hawthorne + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FANCY'S SHOW-BOX *** + +***** This file should be named 9208.txt or 9208.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/9/2/0/9208/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |