June 30: Rather King Than Majority (Vol. 25, pp. 195-203)

A selection from John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty," where he discusses the tyranny of the majority and how it is as much an evil as the misrule of king.

This reading might be more a reflection of the fear of the editors of a populist uprising against the elites, but "On Liberty" remains one of the essential essays on the meaning of democracy. Mill is dense and wordy and tough to read, but his thoughts are undeniably important.

June 29: "Is That a Dagger I See Before Me?" (Vol. 46, pp. 357-365)

On this day in 1613, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was destroyed by fire, which is why get "MacBeth" — the story of a king who killed his way to the top — for today's reading. Of course, since this is a play, our protagonist expresses remorse for his actions. There are no ghosts haunting the real life MacBeths who have blood on their hands.

June 28: Pages from the Pampas Book of Etiquette (Vol. 29, pp. 51-60)

Darwin and his merry band land in what is today's Uruguay and hang out with the Spaniards in today's selection from "Voyage of the Beagle." Not compelling at all.

June 27: Do You Take Poison Daily? (Vol. 3, pp. 22-26)

Sir Francis Bacon enrolled in Cambridge University on this day in 1576. In today's selection from his "Essays," Sir Francis makes the not exactly earthshaking observation that envy is a poison, an infection that ruins sound men's souls.

June 26: In the Lair of the Green-Eyed Monster (Vol. 49, pp. 45-50)

"Beowulf," the epic poem that is the bane of every high school student's existence, is today's selection. Ugh! Fortunately, it's only a small taste.

June 25: Advice to Virgins from a Wise Man (Vol. 40, pp. 334-340)

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying; And this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow will be dying?" Advice from Robert Herrick, an oversexed country minister to convince young women to marry, lest they become old maids.

For a man of the cloth, Herrick's poems spend an inordinate amount of time dwelling on young love and sex — albeit camouflaged in flower allusions.

June 24: Had No Right Hand (Vol. 16, pp. 120-133)

Another selection from "The Thousand and One Nights," this time about a handsome man who did everything with his left hand — out of necessity since the right one got lopped off in his pursuit of gold and riches.