Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
By Charles A. Buchel (1872-1950), via the Victoria and Albert Museum and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
With King John dead and the threat of invasion fading, Philip Faulconbridge reflects that the danger within is always greater than the danger without.
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© Ad Meskens, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0.
Mr Gradgrind and a Government expert on education make sure that the children of Coketown have the right opinions about everything.
© David Dixon, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
A sophisticated City Mouse went to see his Country cousin, and pitied his simple fare.
© Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
In Jim Baker’s considered opinion, the bluejay had a much better command of language than Mark Twain’s cats did.
From Royal MS 14 B VI, via the British Library and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
In 917, King Edward embarked on a swashbuckling tour of the midlands, and brought their towns under one crown for the first time in five hundred years.
By Andrey Rublev (?-?1430), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
In a lonely castle upon a remote island, Sir Lancelot’s wanderings brought him once more into the presence of the elusive cup of Christ’s blood.