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Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) remains one of the most popular of all English novelists. Many of his characters have become proverbial: Mr Micawber for naive optimism, Wackford Squeers for harsh school discipline, Uriah Heep for false humility, and of course Ebenezer Scrooge for misanthropy. His stories were one of the chief driving forces behind rising literacy in the Victorian age, and changes in public policy from schools to welfare and sanitation. All was done with charm, humour and common sense.

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13

Tom Pinch Goes Up to London

By Charles Dickens

Tom Pinch, who has seen at last what kind of man his apprentice-master Seth Pecksniff is, leaves Salisbury to seek a new life in London.

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Picture: By James Pollard (1792–1867), via the Tate Gallery and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted February 15 2021

14

A New Year’s Resolution

By Charles Dickens

Toby ‘Trotty’ Veck used to love hearing the church bells ring the New Year in, but now the chimes make him feel guilty, and afraid for the world.

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Picture: © Qazwsx777, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted December 21 2020

15

Exit Lord Pudding

By Charles Dickens

Piqued by the way French and German literati mocked the English, Charles Dickens urged his compatriots to be the better men.

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Picture: George Cruikshank (1792–1878), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.. Source.

Posted September 8 2020

16

‘Let’s Be a Comfortable Couple’

By Charles Dickens

The offices of the Cheeryble Brothers are humming with excitement over two upcoming weddings, and Tim Linkinwater finds the mood is catching.

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Picture: By Barbara Krafft (1764–1825), Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted June 25 2020

17

Virtue in Rags and Patches

By Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens explains to the young men of Boston MA what it is that motivates him to write.

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Picture: By Paul Sandy, via Wikimedia-Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted March 2 2020

18

The Dissolution of the Monasteries

By Charles Dickens

Between 1536 and 1539, King Henry VIII’s government divided up the Church’s property amongst themselves and left a trail of devastation.

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Picture: © Neil Reed, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.. Source.

Posted September 25 2019

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★ Annunciation Cynewulf reflects on the mystery of the appearance of the angel Gabriel to Mary.

For Today • March 25 • The Feast of the Annunciation to Mary

In This Sign Conquer Bishop Eusebius recalls what Constantine told him about the vision that brought him the crown.

Posted February 26 • The Copy Book

Phrases Use phrases such as ‘to the town’ in sentences, with nouns or with verbs.

Posted February 26

The Marks of a Tyrant Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle explains what it is that defines a tyranny.

Posted February 25 • The Copy Book

Keep It Short Plutarch argues that it when it comes to strong speech, less is always more.

Posted February 24 • The Copy Book

Anagrams Shuffle the letters of each of these words to make new ones. See if you can match the number indicated.

Posted February 23 • Think and Speak

Polyword: Mere Make as many words as you can using the letters of one nine-letter word. Can you beat our score?

Posted February 21 • Think and Speak

Go to the Ant Solomon recommends taking lessons from one of God’s smallest but most hard-working creatures.

Posted February 20 • The Copy Book

Chariots of Steam Erasmus Darwin imagines how steam power will change the world.

Posted February 16 • The Copy Book

Music Video Modest Mussorgsky: Sorochinsky Fair: Gopak

Posted February 16

Fragments Develop these short phrases into complete sentences.

Posted February 15 • Think and Speak

The Moral Case for Family Farms Richard Cobden called on Parliament to support small, family-owned farms.

Posted February 14 • The Copy Book

Hiawatha Takes a Photograph Lewis Carroll records a suburban photoshoot in the style of Longfellow.

Posted February 13 • The Copy Book

Nouns of Number William Cobbett gives his son James some helpful examples of collective nouns.

Posted February 13 • The Copy Book

Hiawatha’s Inspiration Henry Longfellow tells us how his tale of a heroic Native American warrior came to him.

Posted February 12 • The Copy Book

Near Synonyms These words have very similar meaning but they are not the same — can you show the difference?

Posted February 12

Music Video Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Hiawatha: And They Said Farewell Forever

Posted February 12

Music Video Leroy Anderson: Irish Suite: II. The Minstrel Boy

Posted February 11

The Travellers and the Axe Two men find an axe, and then find some trouble, but they aren’t keen on sharing either of them.

Posted February 11 • The Copy Book

Train

Posted February 9 • Think and Speak

The Prophecy of Peter of Pomfret Peter foretold that King John would cease to be England’s sovereign, and he was right, though John still wore his crown.

Posted February 9 • The Copy Book