Clay Lane › The Copy Book

Passages for reading. Read them out aloud. Paraphrase or précis them. Discuss them with friends. Does anything surprise or impress you? How does the author work your feelings? Would you use his words? How would you direct the scene in a movie — and who would your stars be?

More …

On This Day

Sunday September 8 ns August 26 os

For Church feasts falling on September 8 in the New Style calendar, see The Feast of Nativity of the Virgin Mary and Finding of the Kursk icon.

August 26, 1395 os

Meeting of the ‘Vladimir’ Icon (1)

The Theotokos of Vladimir

It is one of the world’s most recognisable works of art, and a symbol of God’s blessing on all Christian Rus’.

September 8, 1380

The Battle of Kulikovo (1)

Dmitri of the Don

Grand Duke Dmitri of Moscow loosened the grip of the Tartar Horde on the people of Russia, but treachery robbed him of triumph.

by Lucy Cazalet 1870-1956

Recently Added

See all

International Relations

A Credit to His Country

The diplomat’s task is to see the best in other peoples, not to scold them for their failings.

by François de Callières 1645-1717

Lives of the Saints

The Synod of Whitby

In 664, a council at Whitby decided to align the traditions of the Northumbrian Church with those of Rome and Constantinople.

by John Richard Green 1837-1883

From the Archive

See all

Anecdotes

Left Holding the Baby

A gentleman travelling home from London by train reached his destination carrying more than he set out with.

by Richard Pike 1884

The British Constitution

Wait and See

Edmund Burke urged Englishmen not to congratulate the French revolutionaries on their new-found liberty until they knew what they would do with it.

by Edmund Burke 1729-1797

Classical History

Fiddling While Rome Burns

In 64, Nero watched on with fascination as Rome was consumed by fire — the Emperor’s idea of performance art.

by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus ?69-?122

Lives of the Saints

St David of Wales

The popular monk was elected as bishop of Menevia in Wales in 550.

See All Posts (1522)

Selected Authors

See all

Benjamin Franklin

How I Learnt to Write

A. G. Gardiner

The Letter of the Law

Thomas Babington Macaulay

Roses and Poor-Rates

W. Somerset Maugham

The Lessons of Empire

Arthur Penrhys Stanley

Christ is Risen!

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Living Past

See all Posts by Author

Selected Topics

See all

Bible and Saints

Tales from the Bible, including the parables of Jesus and the story of Esther, and miracles from the lives of saints, such as our own Cuthbert the Wonderworker.

See all (211)

India

Stories from the ancient and mighty civilisation of India, from classical mythology to the Mughal Emperors, the East India Company and the British Raj.

See all (88)

Abolition of Slavery

Heart-breaking tales of slavery, in which Britain played a shameful part; and heart-warming tales of Abolition, in which she played a courageous one.

See all (36)

Sport and Sportsmen

Stories from the world of cricket, football and other sports, and the men and women who have played them.

See all (27)

Free Speech and Conscience

Passages defending the right and obligation of every citizen to judge whatever is good and true, and to talk back to those who govern him.

See all (23)

Classical History

Tales of tragedy, ambition and heroism from the Battle of Marathon and Hannibal’s passage of the Alps to Caesar’s fateful crossing of the Rubicon.

See all (57)

See All Topics (A-Z)

The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature

The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature