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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?

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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

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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

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Georgian Era

Three Criminal Types

Karl Philipp Moritz described three kinds of criminal in Georgian England, from the gentlemanly cutpurse to the deadly footpad.

by Karl Philipp Moritz 1756-1793

Norman Era

England’s Lost Civilisation

Orderic Vitalis regrets the passing of a society far more refined and advanced than that which supplanted it.

by Orderic Vitalis 1075-?1142

Indian History

Money Well Spent

Sir Bartle Frere, Governor of Bombay, welcomed the way that railway construction had taught Indian navvies to demand a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s labour.

by Sir Bartle Frere 1815-1884

Kings and Queens of England

William I to John

A quick overview of the Kings of England from William I in 1066 to John in 1199.

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Selected Authors

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Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington

Trunk and Disorderly

John Milton

At a Solemn Musick

Sir Walter Scott

Duet for a Captive King

Frédéric Bastiat

The Broken Window

Samuel Pepys

Interview with a Shepherd

Jawaharlal Nehru

The First Opium War

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Music and Musicians

The artistic struggles and triumphs of composers from the British Isles and abroad, many in their own words — and accompanied by their music.

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Character and Conduct

Stories illustrating noble deeds in matters both great and small, such as the noble gesture of Sir Philip Sidney, and the determination of Benjamin Disraeli.

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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.

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International Relations

Britain has always demanded respect, open seas, and to be left in peace to ‘work out our own salvation’ — a courtesy we should extend to others.

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Greece

Tales about the cradle of Western civilisation, from Socrates and the first democracies to the fall of the Roman Empire, the Ottoman yoke, and Britain’s part in the fight for independence.

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Extracts from Fiction

Romance, adventure and comedy from the very best fiction writers, including Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Charles Dickens, John Buchan, and many more.

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The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature

The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature