Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
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By John Constable (1776-1837), via Tate Britain and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Alice was given a choice between her carriage and lady’s maid on the one hand, and Richard Grey on the other.
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© Фальшивомонетчик, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Herbert Bury distinguished two kinds of overseas investment, and only one was worthy of Englishmen.
© Andrej Putilov, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Herbert Bury believed that it was the British way to profit with another country, not to profit from it.
© Rafa Esteve, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
When Ranulf Flambard, Bishop of Durham, became the Tower of London’s first prisoner he did not intend making a long stay.
Photo by Karl Ficher (1906), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna was a grand-daughter of Queen Victoria, but to one ordinary Russian she was simply ‘dear Elizabeth’.
© Jim Clark (US Fish and Wildlife Service), Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
A wily predator dons a sheepskin so he can help himself to the whole flock.