Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
© Evelyn Simak, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Inspired by economists in Britain, Frédéric Bastiat explained to his own Government why their initiatives to boost the economy so often fail.
Read
© Kevin Gordon, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
On a visit to an English parish church, American author Washington Irving was treated to an eye-opening contrast between Georgian society’s Old Money and her New.
From the LSE Women’s Library Collection, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Educational reformer Emily Davies argued that Victorian women had more to offer society than a purely ornamental erudition.
© Antonio Borrillo, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
After winning the English crown at the Battle of Hastings, William of Normandy ensured everyone understood what kind of man their new King was.
© Des Colhoun, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Sir Humphry Davy explains in simple terms what it is that leads to scientific progress.
By Philip Reinagle (1748-1833), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
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.