Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog Project Gutenberg 1997-09-01 Public domain in the USA. 569 Van Dyke, Henry 1852 1933 Dyke, Henry Van Dyke, Henry Jackson Van Dyke, Henry I. Van The Ruling Passion: Tales of Nature and Human Nature A lover of music — The reward of virtue — A brave heart — The gentle life — A friend of justice — The white blot — A year of nobility — The keeper of the light. Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer, and David Widger "The Ruling Passion: Tales of Nature and Human Nature" by Henry Van Dyke is a collection of short stories written in the late 19th century. The book explores the concept of ruling passions that govern human behavior and perception, enshrining themes of love, nature, and the complexities of the human experience. It’s divided into various tales featuring characters that confront their passions in relation to the world around them, revealing insights into their true natures. The opening of the collection begins with a reflective piece where the author addresses the responsibilities of a writer, expressing a desire to weave narratives that resonate with genuine human emotions. This preface sets the stage for the exploration of life's many passions—whether they be love, ambition, honor, or devotion—highlighting how these elements shape individual stories. Following this is the story of “A Lover of Music,” introducing the character Jacques Tremblay—a mysterious fiddle player who arrives in a backwoods village during a New Year's Eve celebration. His arrival, seemingly by chance, brings music into a gathering that was teetering toward disappointment over the absence of a band. This tale establishes the central theme of music as a powerful passion and sets a whimsical tone for the stories to come. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 80.3 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Fiction Short stories, American PS Text Category: Short Stories Category: American Literature 378469 2025-08-01T08:21:49.274697 text/html 389374 2021-01-27T22:48:26 text/html; charset=utf-8 225917 2025-08-01T08:21:57.320678 application/epub+zip 231268 2025-08-01T08:21:52.812675 application/epub+zip 211590 2025-08-01T08:21:51.532696 application/epub+zip 472918 2025-08-01T08:22:00.759670 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 445438 2025-08-01T08:21:56.387657 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 356190 2022-09-01T09:23:44.724049 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 325026 2025-08-01T08:21:48.750702 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 324890 2018-03-09T13:45:00 text/plain; charset=utf-8 16759 2025-08-01T08:22:00.888607 application/rdf+xml 19899 2025-08-01T08:21:52.039654 image/jpeg 4209 2025-08-01T08:21:51.787681 image/jpeg 220036 2025-08-01T08:21:49.303680 application/octet-stream application/zip en.wikipedia