## The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Seven Ages of Childhood

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: The Seven Ages of Childhood

Author: Carolyn Wells

Illustrator: Jessie Willcox Smith

Release date: March 31, 2014 [eBook #45270]
Most recently updated: October 24, 2024

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45270

Credits: Produced by Suzanne Shell, Emmy and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEVEN AGES OF CHILDHOOD ***

THE SEVEN AGES
OF
CHILDHOOD

First the Infant in Its Mother's Arms

# THE SEVEN AGES
OF
CHILDHOOD

PICTURES BY
JESSIE WILLCOX SMITH
VERSES BY
CAROLYN WELLS
NEW YORK
MOFFAT, YARD AND COMPANY
1909

Copyright, 1908, 1909, by
The Curtis Publishing Company
——————
Copyright, 1909, by
Moffat, Yard and Company
NEW YORK
——————
All rights reserved
The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass. U.S.A.

To
THE SEVEN LITTLE FRIENDS
WHO SO KINDLY HELPED ME IN MAKING
THESE PICTURES, THIS BOOK
IS AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATED

First the Infant in Its Mother's Arms | Frontispiece | PAGE
Then the Toddling Baby Boy | 10
Then the Epicure | 18
Then the Lover sighing like a furnace | 26
Then the Scholar | 34
The Sixth Age shifts To lean and slender maidenhood | 46
Last scene of all that ends This strange eventful History | 54

[1]

## I
First the Infant in Its Mother's Arms

[2]

[3]

Baby, of all mysterious things,
You're stranger far than stars or kings.
You stare superbly day by day,
Nor let your large reserve give way.
Unfathomable mysteries
Lurk in your big, unseeing eyes,
Making brave memories, and yet,
Making them only to forget.
But though reflectively you blink,
Trying to make us think you think,
We know you cannot think or talk,
You cannot run, you cannot walk;
You little human mystery,
You can't do anything but be.
You small, content, safe-guarded thing,
Nestling beneath your mother's wing.
[4]You're all so new; your roseleaf skin,
Your dewy eyes and dimpled chin,
Your pinch of hair and pound of flesh
Are all so delicate and fresh.
Then, Baby, every little while
You cry. And then perhaps you smile.
You cry without a bit of reason,
You laugh both in and out of season;
A wise proceeding, I suppose,
If that is all the speech one knows.
But sometimes do the dull hours drag?
And sometimes does your patience flag?
Long days and nights you must get through,
Without a single thing to do.
And though perhaps you see and hear,
It means naught to your eye and ear.
But, Baby, you don't seem to care,
[5]You hark at silence,—look at air!
And in the stillness, or the dark,
Absorbedly you look and hark.
So, then, what difference can it make,
Whether you are asleep or 'wake?
You cannot think, and it would seem
You do not know enough to dream.
How can you dream, not knowing words?
Or is it like the song of birds,
Or scent of flowers, or sunshine bright,
Or South breeze on a summer's night?
Perhaps your thoughts just flounder 'round
In seas of color, waves of sound;
In notions vague of shape or form.
As,—Life is something soft and warm.
Mother is just a happy place;
Nurse is a sort of vacant space.
And father is a kind of stuff,
[6]That's woolly, black and rather rough.
And then some day into your eyes
There comes a look exceeding wise.
And then your brain begins to grow;
You learn "How does the Kitty go?"
You learn to "Love the Lambie Baa,"
And "Make a Face at Grandmamma!"
And then upon your own account
You seem to learn a large amount,
As you laboriously prove
That your own fingers really move!
And if you have accomplished this,
And if you've learned "a Spanish kiss;"
And if three times you've said "Goo—goo!"
Why, that's a busy day for you!

[7]

## II

Then the Toddling Baby Boy,
With shining morning face,
Creeping like a snail.

[8]

[9]

Queer, drifting fancies, vague and dim,
'Neath his gold curls are hid.
The kitchen steps appear to him
Those of a pyramid.
With mighty purpose in his mind,
He clambers up. And then,
With purpose quite as well defined,
He scrambles down again.
Then, of all busy ones of earth,—
Toilers beneath the sun,
Working away for all they're worth,
He is the busiest one!
Down in the sand he has to dig
A hole, exceeding deep;
And by its side, all smooth and big,
[10]He piles a lovely heap.
With both hands then he scatters it
Round the verandah floor;
And when he's scattered every bit,
He scoops it up once more.
He has to watch the rainy drops
Drip, dripping from the wall;
Then, quick as anything, he stops
To go and roll his ball.
Across the lawn he seems to see
A funny little stick;
So he must needs go hastily
And give the thing a kick.
The laughing sunshine sifts right through
His mop of tangled curls;
Turning it to a golden hue,
And kinking it in twirls.
Then the Toddling Baby Boy—
With shining morning face,
Creeping like a snail.

[11]

And then he hums with all his might
A funny little song;
Some of the notes are almost right,
And some are sort of wrong.
Then he must watch a lady-bird
That crawls across the floor;
Then listen! for he thinks he heard
An awful lion roar!
He has to stop and 'member things;
"Once out at Gran'ma's house
They was a birdy wiv red wings!
And kitty caught a mouse!
"And then in Sunday-school one day,
The children all stood 'round,
And sang a song 'bout why—delay,—
[12]It had a lovely sound."
Whatever can, or can't be known,
He much desires to know;
For suddenly his wonder-bone
Has just begun to grow.
"I wonder what that birdy's at
Over to Gran'ma's house.
I wonder why a kitty cat
Is 'llowed to catch a mouse.
"I wonder why the doggie whines,
I wonder why he does;
I wonder why the dandylines
All turns to fuzzy-fuzz.
"I wonder why my shadow-boy
Hops fast along as me;
I wonder why my newest toy
[13]So broken seems to be.
"I wonder why they disappear
That sharp and shiny tool;
I wonder why my muvver dear
Won't let me go to school.
"I wonder why a deaded fly
Won't ever come alive;
I wonder why I'm only free,
An Dorofy is five!"
Each hour with wonder new is fraught;
Until he thinks so fast,
He wonders what it was he thought
When he was thinking last.
Wondering, singing, 'membering,—
He learns anew each day,
The world is but a bounding ball
For him to kick in play.

[14]

[15]

## III

Then the Epicure
With fine and greedy taste for porridge.

[16]

[17]

Next to the Epicure we turn,
With a discerning taste in porridge;
Yet careful, lest her mouth she burn,
Like the o'er hasty man from Norwich,
For now, her judging powers have grown;
She thinks with wisdom all her own.
In tones that leave no room for doubt
She intimates she is unable
To eat her bread and milk without
Her bear and dolly on the table.
And nurse, because of her insistence,
[18]Follows the line of least resistance.
She does not want a nice clean dress;
She's very, very sure she doesn't!
She wants to go to Grandma's,—yes!
She wasn't naughty,—no, she wasn't!
And knows with wilful, shaking head,
She does not want to go to bed!
She doesn't want to speak her piece;
She doesn't want her hair all curly;
She isn't Auntie's pressus niece!
She isn't mother's darling girlie!
Then suddenly, a change pacific,—
And her new mood is beatific!

Then the Epicure,
With fine and greedy taste for porridge

[19]

Cherubic smiles drive frowns away,
She vows that she loves evvybuddy!
She will be goody-girl all day;
Nor get her shoes and stockings muddy.
She will not go outside the yard;
And she "loves muvver awful hard!"
Sometimes the martyr mood appears,
She's good in meek, submissive fashion;
Reproachful eyes show signs of tears,
And red cheeks hint a stifled passion.
She wonders, "when she gets to heaven,
[20]If children go to bed at seven!"
She favors games of "let's p'tend,"
And with an energy unfailing,
She plays the role of calling friend,
Dressed up in anything that's trailing.
From, "Ding-a-ling!" "Come in"; a bow,—
To, "Well, I must be going now."
Her reasoning powers have come alive,
Her mind is rapidly awaking.
The sharpest bargains she can drive,
Conditions she is ever making.
"I'll sing my song for uncle,—yes,
[21]If you will make my doll a dress."
Her mind, obeying nature's law,
Like morning-glory's soft unfolding,
Fills with a deep, enchanting awe
Those who are breathlessly beholding;
And they exclaim, "Well, did you ever!"
"She's surely going to grow up clever!"
She dances down Life's primrose way
Unconscious of her faults and merits;
The grown-ups watch her at her play,
And they opine that "she inherits
Her mother's gentleness; but still
She seems to have her father's will."

[22]

[23]

## IV

Then the Lover, sighing like a furnace.

[24]

[25]

In the soft soil of little lives
Affection quickly springs and thrives
And grows like anything;
Its tiny tendrils Love puts out,
Not knowing what it's all about,
But glad to smile and sing.
Perhaps it is a favorite doll,
Often the raggedest of all,
That bids affection start.
Unstinted love is gladly poured
Upon the dolly so adored
[26]By little Tenderheart.
Now love grows very fast, and so
The little heart will overflow,
And love will run to waste;
It must needs fall on this or that,—
The dog, the baby or the cat;
Quite Catholic its taste.
Perhaps a schoolmate gets a share;
The little girl with braided hair,
That sits next in the class;
The one with wide, pathetic eyes,
Blue as the warm midsummer skies,
A timid little lass.

Then the Lover, sighing like a furnace

[27]

A bashful glance,—a furtive look,—
Some words about a lesson book;
And then a smile or two.
Then,—"You're the nicest girl I know!"
And, "So are you!" "I love you so."
And, "So do I love you!"
Together arm in arm they walk,
They do not care for others' talk,
Nor with the others play;
In softest whispers they impart
The secrets of each little heart,
[28]Intimate friends are they.
And yet, though fair and sweet the fruits,
So fragile are affection's roots,
A trifle works them ill;
A single hasty word, or curt,
The little tendrils oft will hurt;
A frown perhaps may kill.
"She told me what you said 'bout me!"
"I think she's mean as she can be!"
"I'm mad at you! So there!"
"I'll never speak to you again!"
"All right, Miss Meany, don't you then!
[29]You needn't think I care!"
And then, just as the big tears start,
Homeward runs little Broken-heart,
And to her own room flies;
"Dolly, my darling dolly, pet,
You love me, dear, you love me yet!"
She whispers with wet eyes.
Ah, human love brings but unrest,
Once more she catches to her breast
The love that cannot fail;
The love that makes her heartache cease,
The love that brings a soothing peace,
[30]No other can avail.
Instinctive love, that can't be taught,
That giveth all and asketh naught,
Reigns in one heart alone.
Its own reward it can create,
It makes the heart inanimate
Responsive to her own.

[31]

## V

Then the Scholar;
With eyes severe, and hair of formal cut.

[32]

[33]

Nothing is quite so hard, I think,
As drawing maps with pen and ink.
You dot the cities, every one,
And make long lines where rivers run.
And every single coasting line
Must wave in curves as fine as fine.
The rivers wriggle up and down
[34]Across the green and through the brown;
You have to measure all the while,—
A half an inch is 'most a mile.
I do think maps are awful queer,
They seem to bring the whole world here.
Why, as I sit here in my chair,
I see the countries everywhere.
I see across to far Japan,
With funny people, like a fan.

Then the Scholar,
With eyes severe and hair of formal cut

[35]

All red and purple clothes they wear,
And knobby hatpins in their hair,
And flowers and trees of simple kind,
And that big mountain far behind.
Then, in the class, we have to give
Description where the natives live.
The countries that are colored pink
[36]Are where the natives live, I think.
The people that live there, I'm sure
Must be extremely sad and poor,
With only rice and things to eat,
And not a single shady street.
I wonder if they ever think
They live in countries colored pink.
But drawing maps,—that isn't all;
I was promoted in the Fall,
And now I've lots of bigger books.
[37]Reading is harder than it looks.
You have to say your words just so,
You mustn't read too fast or slow.
It 'stracts you so, you can't find out,
Sometimes, what stories are about.
But reader stories, anyway,
Are never very glad or gay;
They're mostly 'bout some noble deed,
[38]With fine, high-sounding words to read.
And though it sounds quite loud and grand,
It's pretty hard to understand.
But Friday afternoon's the time!
We all speak pieces made of rhyme.
Next week, mine is the loveliest one,
About "The South Wind and the Sun."
It has such soft and singing words,
[39]Like "lily-bells, and humming birds."
The south wind and the sun, you see,
Were comrades, just like May and me.
And they went wandering all about,
Just full of laugh, and gleeful shout.
Dancing all springy on their toes;
Wait! This is the way it goes:
"Arm in arm they went together,
[40]Over heights of morning haze.
"Over slanting slopes of lawn,
They went on and on and on,
Where the daisies looked like star-tracks,
Trailing up and down the dawn."
Don't you think that is nice to say
Upon a breezy, shiny day?
Some poets just know how to write,
[41]The loveliest pieces to recite;
So many that I'd love to speak,
And just one Friday in each week!
But then I study other things,—
The Civil War, and Saturn's rings,—
I have to study hard, for, oh!
There is so much I want to know.
There's lots of knowledge, I suppose,
[42]More even than my Grandpa knows.
I look ahead, and seem to see
That knowledge waiting there for me.
I think, when I grow big and tall,
I prob'ly shall have learned it all.

[43]

## VI

The Sixth Age shifts
To lean and slender maidenhood,
With thoughtful eyes and quiet mien.

[44]

[45]

When all the others are at play,
Sometimes I like to go away
And sit beneath the willow tree,
And wait for thought to come to me.
It's just the dearest quiet spot,
Where I can think as well as not;
And little breezes softly blow,
That seem to make my feelings grow.
And all the sunny, golden air
Is full of living, everywhere.
Then, with a happy little sound,
[46]The branches murmur all around,
So close, I scarcely can see through
The willow leaves against the blue.
Yet far less clearly can I see
Through tangled thoughts that come to me.
There seem to be, on every side,
Doors suddenly flung open wide;
Leading to places strange and fair;
I want to go,—yet don't quite dare.
I've been a little girl so long,
That, somehow, it seems almost wrong
To think how grown-up I shall be
In days that have to come to me.

The Sixth Shifts
To lean and slender maidenhood,
With thoughtful eyes and quiet mien

[47]

Then, with my mind, I seem to look
At life, spread open as a book;
And I am almost glad, at last,
That I am growing old so fast.
Cornelia,—she just wants to be
A lady, and have friends to tea.
But I should like,—I'm sure I should,—
To be more nobly great and good.
Some one like Joan of Arc, you know;
Saint Katharine, or Mrs. Stowe;
And do brave deeds as they have done.
[48]I wouldn't marry any one;
Unless,—well, maybe, if there came
A noble knight of doughty fame,
Or else an Emperor or King
Who wanted me like anything,
Maybe,—perhaps,—I might say yes,—
But likely I'd say no, I guess,
Well, as to that, some thought I'd give;
But of one thing I'm positive,
I'll have a softly trailing gown,—
Blue velvet edged with snow-white down.
But, such a robe as that to wear,
[49]I'd have to be a Princess Fair.
And I'm quite sure I'd rather be
Nothing but just a grown-up me,
And have the wonders all come true
That through those opening doors I view.

[50]

[51]

## VII

Last scene of all that ends
This strange eventful History—
Is First Love and mere enchantment—
Sans mother, sans father, sans brother—sans everything.

[52]

[53]

The year was at its very Spring,
A dawning glory filled the air;
So marvelous, it seemed to bring
A sense of something strange and fair.
Slowly along the blossomed lane,
Strolled, wondering, a girl and boy,
Happy,—yet powerless to explain
Whence came this new and mystic joy.
The pinky blooms upon the trees
Swam in a fragrant, rosy blur;
And suddenly he knew that these
[54]Had not the loveliness of her.
The knowledge made his heart stand still;
Exquisite fancies filled his mind;
He felt a power to voice at will
Speech of the most exalted kind.
Poetic lines sang in his ears,
Strophes ran riot in his head;
And, almost with a thrill of tears,
"It—it's a lovely day!" he said.
Unconsciously her hand met his;
His simple nearness seemed to bless;
She only murmured, "Yes, it is!"
But all the world breathed tenderness.

Last scene of all that ends
This strange eventful history—
Is First Love and mere enchantment—
Sans Mother, Sans Father, Sans Brother, Sans Everything

[55]

Again the raptured silence fell;
There was no need of spoken word;
For each was conscious of the spell,
And each the silent music heard.
From heart to heart the glad thoughts flew,
Such sympathy the clasped hands gave,
Her shyness made him timid, too,—
His daring made her also brave.
Joy's cup seemed suddenly to brim,
With magic nectar, sweet and rare.
He was so glad she walked by him;
[56]She was so glad that he was there.
With silent lips and hearts aglow,
They entered on life's Primrose way.
Then, moved to speech, he cried out, "Oh!
I think it's beautiful to-day!"
She looked, unheeding, at the skies,
She gazed, unseeing, at the blue;
Then glancing straight into his eyes,
She softly said, "Oh, I do, too!"
A glory fell on each young brow,
As, through an ever-widening rift
Between the days of Then and Now,
Shone promise of Life's fairest gift.

Transcriber's Notes: Page 26, facing, illustration, word "a" added to text (sighing like a furnace)

All full plate illustrations have small print on the lower left that reads: Copyright, 1909, Moffat, Yard & Co.

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEVEN AGES OF CHILDHOOD ***
Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will be renamed.
Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.
START: FULL LICENSE

## THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project Gutenberg License available with this file or online at www.gutenberg.org/license.
Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg electronic works
1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property (trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg electronic works in your possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project Gutenberg electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg electronic works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project Gutenberg electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.
1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project Gutenberg electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg name associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg License when you share it without charge with others.
1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project Gutenberg work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any country other than the United States.
1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg License must appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed:

> This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg™ License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is posted with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked to the Project Gutenberg License for all works posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg.
1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project Gutenberg License.
1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg work in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg website (www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg works unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg electronic works provided that:

- • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg trademark, but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.”
- • You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™ works.
- • You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of receipt of the work.
- • You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
1.F.
1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.
1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the problem.
1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is synonymous with the free distribution of electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from people in all walks of life.
Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg’s goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg collection will remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg and future generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org.
Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.
The Foundation’s business office is located at 41 Watchung Plaza #516, Montclair NJ 07042, USA, +1 (862) 621-9288. Email contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact
Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS.
The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.
While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who approach us with offers to donate.
International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.
Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg electronic works
Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project Gutenberg eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
Most people start at our website which has the main PG search facility: www.gutenberg.org.
This website includes information about Project Gutenberg, including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.