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The Charles Reade Library

The Charles Reade Library

Written by: Charles Reade
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 Welcome, Reader. Here you shall find no abridgement, no timid excerpt, no mutilated chapter smoothed for idle ears. Here the tale stands whole. The Charles Reade Library restores to the living voice the full vigour of those romances in which wrong is confronted, justice pursued, and the human heart tried as by fire. Prisons shall clang, cloisters shall echo, hearth-fires shall glow, and the oppressed shall speak. For what is a novel, if not a protest against falsehood, a plea for mercy, a trumpet against cruelty? And what is reading, if not the communion of earnest minds across the gulf of years?

Come then. Sit close. The page is opened. The truth, though resisted, shall be heard.Public domain
Episodes
  • It is Never Too Late to Mend Chapter XXVI

    It is Never Too Late to Mend Chapter XXVI
    Apr 28 2026
    In which a determined clergyman exposes the cruel neglect within a prison, confronting its brutal jailer and restoring hope and humane treatment to the afflicted inmates. The triumph ushers in renewal and quiet gratitude amongst friends, as vigilance and mercy begin to dispel the shadows of suffering.
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    22 mins
  • It is Never Too Late to Mend Chapter XXV

    It is Never Too Late to Mend Chapter XXV
    Apr 27 2026
    In which Mr. Eden conducts a harrowing inquiry into the brutal punishments meted out within the jail walls, revealing grim tales of cruelty, despair, and the silent suffering of prisoners under a cruel regime. The stark contrast between official records and an honest jailer's journal exposes the chilling reality of systemic injustice, culminating in a solemn encounter with the tragic consequences of such merciless discipline.
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    34 mins
  • It is Never Too Late to Mend Chapter XXIV, part 2

    It is Never Too Late to Mend Chapter XXIV, part 2
    Apr 26 2026
    In which the visiting justices conduct a rigorous inspection of the prison, uncovering grim evidence of harsh and illegal punishments, including the dreaded punishment jacket and the devastating effects of solitary confinement. The narrative gently but firmly reveals the tragic consequences wrought by neglect of humane regulations, underscoring the vital need for mercy and justice within penal discipline.
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    31 mins
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