April 14: A raid on Spanish Treasure in America (Vol. 33, pp. 229-242)

Walter Biggs' "Drake's Great Armada" is today's reading. More imperialist rot about the English soldiers of fortune who raided Spanish settlements in the New World for fun and profit.

April 13: Michelangelo His Boon Companion (Vol. 31, pp. 23-35)

More Renaissance name-dropping by Cellini. Not interesting.

April 12: The Perfect Argument (Vol. 37, pp. 230-240)

More from Berkeley's "Three Dialogues." Today, Hylas and Philonius yak away on how an argument should be conducted and the existence of God.

"Few men think, yet all have opinions," should be the epitaph for our time.

April 11: Danger in Being Young and Fair (Vol. 19, pp. 115-131)

In today's selection from Goethe's "Faust," our hero is totally smitten by the lovely young Margaret. With Satan's help, Faust whips out a box of dazzling gems that melts Margaret's heart. Mildly interesting.

April 10: Americans — by Will of the King (Vol. 43, pp. 49-58)

King James granted the royal charter for what became Virginia this day in 1606. The text of the charter is today's reading. In those days, before one could go to the New World to seek his fortune, he had to ask the king's permission. He also had to pledge total obedience to God and the king. A hell of a way to settle a continent.

April 9: A Perfect Land in a Wilderness of Waters (Vol. 3, pp. 145-155)

Sir Francis Bacon died this day in 1629, and the selection today from "New Atlantis" seems at first to be just another adventure story. However, this piece written toward the end of his life is really more of a vision of what the world could be like if truth and science could be used to promote human freedom and happiness.

April 8: Beware the Vengeful Hounds! (Vol. 8, pp. 111-121)

Aeschylus may have been one of the inventors of drama, but this selection from "The Libation Bearers," doesn't do it for me. Sound and fury signifying nothing.