Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
© Andy Mitchell. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Within little more than half a century a British penal colony turned into a prosperous, free-trade democracy.
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Painted by Francis Cotes (1726-1770). Licence: Public domain.
A sympathetic understanding of the trials of other people is essential for getting along.
Photo by Tamerlan, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
The mother of the Roman Emperor goes to Jerusalem on a quest close to her heart.
From the Imperial War Museums collection, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain
The closure of slave plantations following the Abolition of Slavery Act in 1833 had a curious side-effect.
© Andy F, Geograph. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.
Britain’s desperate defence against a much larger, better-prepared military machine was a costly victory.
© Colin Pyle, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Wilfrid Israel used his Berlin department store as cover for smuggling thousands of Jewish children to safety in Britain.