A Book of Golden Deeds

A Book of Golden Deeds

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Charlotte M. Yonge #41 in our series by Charlotte M. Yonge
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Title: A Book of Golden Deeds
Author: Charlotte M. Yonge
Release Date: September, 2004 [EBook #6489] [Yes, we are more than
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This Project Gutenberg Etext of 'A Book of Golden Deeds' by Charlotte
M Yonge was prepared by HanhVu [email protected] and
Sandra Laythorpe [email protected].

A BOOK OF GOLDEN DEEDS
BY
CHARLOTTE M YONGE

CONTENTS

What is a Golden Deed? The Stories of Alcestis and Antigone The Cup
of Water How One Man has saved a Host The Pass of Thermopylae
The Rock of the Capitol The Two Friends of Syracuse The Devotion of
the Decii Regulus The brave Brethren of Judah The Chief of the
Arverni Withstanding the Monarch in his Wrath The last Fight in the
Coliseum The Shepherd Girl of Nanterre Leo the Slave The Battle of
the Blackwater Guzman el Bueno Faithful till Death What is better than
Slaying a Dragon The Keys of Calais The Battle of Sempach The
Constant Prince The Carnival of Perth The Crown of St. Stephen
George the Triller Sir Thomas More's Daughter Under Ivan the Terrible
Fort St. Elmo The Voluntary Convict The Housewives of Lowenburg
Fathers and Sons The Soldiers in the Snow Gunpowder Perils Heroes
of the Plague The Second of September The Vendeans

PREFACE

As the most striking lines of poetry are the most hackneyed, because
they have grown to be the common inheritance of all the world, so
many of the most noble deeds that earth can show have become the best

known, and enjoyed their full meed of fame. Therefore it may be feared
that many of the events here detailed, or alluded to, may seem trite to
those in search of novelty; but it is not for such that the collection has
been made. It is rather intended as a treasury for young people, where
they may find minuter particulars than their abridged histories usually
afford of the soul-stirring deeds that give life and glory to the record of
events; and where also other like actions, out of their ordinary course of
reading, may be placed before them, in the trust that example may
inspire the spirit of heroism and self-devotion. For surely it must be a
wholesome contemplation to look on actions, the very essence of which
is such entire absorption in others that self is forgotten; the object of
which is not to win promotion, wealth, or success, but simple duty,
mercy, and loving-kindness. These are the actions wrought, 'hoping for
nothing again', but which most surely have their reward.
The authorities have not been given, as for the most [Page] part the
narratives lie on the surface of history. For the description of the
Coliseum, I have, however, been indebted to the Abbé Gerbet's Rome
Chrétienne; for the Housewives of Lowenburg, and St. Stephen's
Crown, to Freytag's Sketches of German Life; and for the story of
George the Triller, to Mr. Mayhew's Germany. The Escape of Attalus is
narrated (from Gregory of Tours) in Thierry's 'Lettres sur l'Histoire de
France;' the Russian officer's adventures, and those of Prascovia
Lopouloff
, the
true Elisabeth of Siberia, are from M. le Maistre; the shipwrecks chiefly
from Gilly's 'Shipwrecks of the British Navy;' the Jersey Powder
Magazine from the Annual Registrer, and that at Ciudad Rodrigo, from
the traditions of the 52nd Regiment.
There is a cloud of doubt resting on a few of the tales, which it may be
honest to mention, though they were far too beautiful not to tell. These
are the details of the Gallic occupation