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241

Joseph Boruwlaski

By William Burdon

William Burdon gives us a character sketch of his friend the ‘Count’, who did not let his small stature cramp his style or narrow his mind.

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Picture: By Philip Reinagle (1748-1833), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted March 2 2021

242

Bergen’s Blessings

By Charles Isaac Elton

In the days of Henry II, relations with our cross-Channel neighbours were fractious, but we were fast friends with the people of Norway.

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Picture: © Guywestern, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.. Source.

Posted March 1 2021

243

A Debt to a Hero

By Joseph Boruwlaski

A veteran of the Battle of Salamanca in 1812 was boasting of his lieutenant’s bravery when his wife sprung some unwelcome news upon him.

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Picture: Anonymous, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted March 1 2021

244

An Odious Monopoly

By Ian Colvin

The privileges granted to European merchants in fifteenth-century London led to seething resentment in the City.

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Picture: © J. Hannan-Briggs, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.. Source.

Posted February 27 2021

245

Lord Great Novgorod

By Lucy Cazalet

The city of Great Novgorod in Russia was a mediaeval pioneer of a decidedly rumbustious kind of parliamentary democracy.

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Picture: © Konstantin hramov, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.. Source.

Posted February 26 2021

246

Mistress Liberty

By George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax

Lord Halifax tacks gratefully into the Winds of Liberty, though he trims his sails to avoid being blown into republicanism.

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Picture: By Frans van Mieris the Younger (1689–1763), via the Fitzwilliam Museum and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.

Posted February 25 2021

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★ Trial and Crucifixion In ‘Do-bet,’ the sequel to his popular ‘Vision of Piers the Ploughman,’ Will Langland dreams about the trial of Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate, and what followed.

For Today • April 5 • Good Friday

★ The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere When Parliament sent the Army against American colonists, people still calling themselves ‘British’ had to decide very quickly what that meant to them.

For Today • April 18 • Paul Revere warns American Colonists

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