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Recent Posts The Abuse of Literacy Among Old Friends A Reckless Indifference to Life Dear Anne Elliot

River Doubs, Besançon, France.

© Patrick. CC BY-SA 2.0. Source

Charles Dickens 1812-1870

My being on the Dover line, and my being very fond of France, occasion me to cross the Channel perpetually. Whenever I feel that I have worked too much, or am on the eve of over-doing it, and want a change, away I go by the mail-train, and turn up in Paris or anywhere else that suits my humour, next morning.

Letter, 1864

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France

Stories about our friends across the Channel, from Roman times to the Hundred Years’ War, her bloody Revolution, and the giddying rise and fall of Emperor Napoleon.

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There are twenty-nine posts in The Copy Book tagged France. To see all our posts, go to the Archive.

The posts are currently listed with the most recent shown first. You can also list them alphabetically, and shuffle them to see posts you may have missed.

Most Recent A-Z Shuffle

1

Tree of Life

By Edith Louise Marsh

Jacques Cartier made history and made friends along the St Lawrence, but then threw all that goodwill away.

Posted November 28 2024

2

The Oath of Harold Godwinson

By Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall

William the Conqueror’s chaplain used to tell this story to those who doubted his master’s claim to the English crown.

Posted November 18 2024

3

A Hot Tip

By Benjamin Disraeli

Benjamin Disraeli revealed the secret behind holding one’s place at the top of Parisian society.

Posted November 8 2024

4

Rest Cure

By Charles Dickens

Whenever Charles Dickens felt his exhausting workload was starting to take its toll, he knew just what to do.

Posted November 8 2024

5

A Credit to His Country

By François de Callières

The diplomat’s task is to see the best in other peoples, not to scold them for their failings.

Posted December 28 2023

6

Émilie’s Plan

By Antoine Marie Chamans, Comte de Lavalette

The night before the Comte de Lavalette was to be executed, his wife Émilie came to visit him with a proposal that left him speechless.

Posted October 14 2023

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