Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
By John Leech (1817–1864), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Kitty Beighton enters an archery contest where the prize is one very beautiful bracelet and one very ugly Commissioner.
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From Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
American historian David Montgomery credited King Edward VII with bringing peace to Europe, the Empire and the world.
© Jason Zhang, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.
American historian David Montgomery explains why Britain’s Empire Day really was a cause for celebration.
Anonymous photograph ca. 1875, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
When a Tahitian sailor was denied his well-earned wages, the rumour got about that Granville Sharp was on the case.
© Wojciech Migda, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.
A. A. Milne analyses the popularity of golf, and decides that it’s good to be bad.
By Carl Rudolf Huber (1839-1896), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
The tale of how a prim little English horse cleaned up his Continental stables.