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Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.

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373

© Mary Harrsch, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Trouble With Men by Aristophanes

The exasperated women of Athens challenge the men of the City to decide whether women are a blessing or a curse.

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374

By Lovis Corinth (1858–1925), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

Mrs Nickleby’s Cold Cure by Charles Dickens

Charmed by their attentions to her daughter Kate, Mrs Nickleby rewards Mr Pyke and Mr Pluck with a reminiscence about her favourite home remedy for colds.

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375

© Ryzhkov Sergey, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.

‘Your Child Shall Be Healed’ by St Bede of Jarrow

When the plague once again visited Northumbria, Bishop Cuthbert of Lindisfarne left his island retreat and brought comfort and healing to the suffering.

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376

© Lorenza Liandru, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.

A Quick Study by St Bede of Jarrow

After the monastery of St Paul in Jarrow was devasted by an epidemic, the Abbot had only a boy in his early teens to rely on.

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377

© Mildeep, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Firebird’s Nest attributed to Cynewulf

Like the legendary phoenix, the Christian must spend his life making a nest fit for his rebirth in fire.

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378

By Walker and Boutall (fl. 1887-1900), via the Wellcome Collection and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

Away with Compulsion! by John Wesley

John Wesley called for a world in which no one was forced to go against his conscience or to serve against his will.

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© Nicholas Armitage / Clay Lane, 2025

May 29 NS

May 16 OS

The Last Commandment : Anglo-Saxon poet Cynewulf imagines the farewell between Jesus and his Apostles, forty days after his resurrection.
The Fall of Constantinople : Hospitality and sympathy, but no help - the Byzantine Emperor learns a bitter lesson about western diplomacy.
The Return of King Charles II : Almost nine years after Oliver Cromwell’s army drove him from England, King Charles II returned at their invitation, and John Evelyn was there to see it.
Lost and Found : What would you in these difficult situations?
They Might Not Need Me : Read these lines of verse out aloud.
The Turn : Ben Jonson tells us how we should measure a life well lived.
Music Video : Julius Benedict, Piano Concerto in E flat: II. Andante,
The Character of George Washington : Thomas Jefferson recalls the virtues (and a few faults) of the first US President.
Amen to That : John Bright declared it was time stop fighting wars around the world for ‘British interests’.
Arena : Use these nouns in sentences of at least ten words in length.
Q & A :
Deep Harmony : In the midst of the US Civil War, a simple melody briefly brought the warring factions together.
Thirty Minutes : Describe half an hour in one of these places.
And is there Care in Heaven? : Sir Guyon lies in an enchanted swoon, but he is not without help.
Pirate : For each of these words, suggest others that seem to go with it, and use them to bring a scene to life.
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