
Transcriber's Note
THE SECRET LIFE
June 21. L'Enfant Terrible.
July 7. An Optimistic Cynic.
July 20. A Poet Sheep-rancher.
September 4. An Eaten Cake.
September 12. Concerning Elbows on the Table.
October 14. An Autumn Impulse.
November 1. John-a'-Dreams.
November 6. The Fountain of Salmacis.
A weary yet mischievous narrator confides in a private diary, using it as a sanctuary for thoughts too daring to utter aloud. He muses on the invisible tricks of midsummer night, the temptation to expose hidden sins, and the paradox of speaking truth in a world that pretends to see only what it wishes. Through a playful fable about a king, two cunning weavers, and an imagined robe visible only to the honest, he illustrates how societies cling to comforting illusions while denying their own blindness.
The memoir unfolds as a series of candid reflections, witty anecdotes, and sharp observations on the constraints of propriety. Readers are invited into the author’s “secret garden,” a space where conventional decorum is unbound and the honest voice, however fragile, finds a quiet audience on blank pages. The tone is both reflective and gently rebellious, offering a glimpse into the inner life of a self‑styled heretic who dares to question the accepted narratives of his time.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (336K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2014-06-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1861–1929
A sharp-eyed journalist and world traveler, she is still remembered for her bold race around the globe against Nellie Bly. Her writing blends adventure, literary taste, and the curiosity of a born observer.
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