Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
By Edwin Landseer (1802–1873), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Vige was the inseparable companion of swashbuckling Viking warlord Olaf Tryggvason, who picked him up in Ireland.
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By Richard Burchett (1815–75), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
On the night when Edward IV won his crown back from Henry VI, he had to decide how to deal with those who had still been backing Henry during the day.
By Ary Scheffer (1795-1858), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Richard Cobden told an Edinburgh peace conference that the biggest threat to the United Kingdom’s security was her own foreign policy.
By Joseph Edgar Boehm (1834-1890), photographed by Simon Speed, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
As Christian is making his way along the highway that leads to the Celestial City, he finds his way barred by a foul fiend.
By Pietro Bellotti (1625-1700), via the Dallas Museum of Art and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
When literary critics decide that a book is not worthy of their notice they expect the public to follow their lead, but ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ was different.
By Poliphilo, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
In the thirteenth century, wealthy English homeowners began to think more about the inside of their stately homes.