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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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History of Africa

David Livingstone

The Scottish missionary and medic believed that slavery could better be eradicated by trade than by force.

Mediaeval History

The Selfless Courage of Leo the Cook

In 6th century France, a faithful kitchen servant sold himself into slavery to rescue a kidnapped boy.

Cat Stories

A Cut above the Rest

With the aid of a slice of beef, a Perth puss takes feline scheming to a new level.

by Charles H. Ross 1835-1897

Music and Musicians

A Touch of Silk

A Dubliner with a roving eye and a gift for melody, John Field challenged Europe’s pianists to demand more of themselves.

music by John Field 1782-1837

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Selected Authors

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Karl Philipp Moritz

Three Criminal Types

Sir Richard Steele

Jibe and Joke

Frédéric Bastiat

The Broken Window

Joseph Addison

Sweet Counsel

Arthur Penrhys Stanley

Christ is Risen!

John Milton

The Firstborn Liberty

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Poets and Poetry

Passages from English verse, from Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf to Shakespeare’s sonnets, Tennyson’s Charge of the Light Brigade, Kipling’s If and many more.

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France

Stories about our friends across the Channel, from Roman times to the Hundred Years’ War, her bloody Revolution, and the giddying rise and fall of Emperor Napoleon.

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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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Railways

Stories about the British transport revolution that changed the world, from the first locomotive and the first whistle to Flying Scotsman.

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Animal Stories

Fables and true tales about animals, including a dog who regularly commuted to Matlock, a horse who didn’t approve of bad language, and a cat who saved her owners from an earthquake.

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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.

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The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature

The Copy Book

Readings in history, society and literature