Short passages for reading, drawn from history, legend, poetry and fiction.
By John Trumbull (1756-1843), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
On July 4th, 1776, a group of American colonists gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to present delegates of the Thirteen Colonies with a historic document.
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© Colin Haywood-Gray, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Macaulay recalled an Italian fable about a fairy doomed every now and then to take the form of a snake, and drew from her a lesson about Liberty.
By an Anonymous artist, via the Museum of London and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
The day after the Great Fire of London finally burned itself out, John Evelyn walked through the charred streets.
Jakub Hałun, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sir Henry Craik had heard such glowing reports of Agra’s Taj Mahal, that he was afraid it might prove to be an anticlimax.
By Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827), via the Wellcome Collection and Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
Politicians who demand that everyone in the country unite behind their vision of society are standing in the way of real progress.
© Julian Paren, Geograph. Licence: CC BY-SA 2.0.
Edward III enticed over-regulated Dutch textile workers across the Channel with the promise of English beef and English beauties.