Who said "I should have drunk more champagne"? Did Nelson really utter "Kiss me Hardy" from his deathbed? Which statesman was, at the end, "bored with it all"? Which king begged, "Let not poor Nelly starve..." An extraordinary number of deathbed say...

Here is a real treat for lovers of English – the very first dictionary in our language. Contrary to popular opinion, this honour goes not to Samuel Johnson, whose definitive tome appeared in 1755, but to Robert Cawdrey, who published his "Table Alpha...

Many important and valuable manuscripts, rare books, and artefacts related to Korea have been acquired by donations throughout the long history of the Bodleian Library and the museums of the University of Oxford. However, due to an early lack of spec...

The English poet John Gower (ca. 1340-1408) wrote important Latin poems witnessing the two crucial political events of his day: the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 and in 1399 the deposition of Richard II, in the "Visio Anglie" ("A Vision of England") and "...

The first known rules of golf were drawn up in 1744 in Edinburgh for the world's first open golf competition at Leith by the Gentlemen Golfers of Edinburgh, who became The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. In the nineteenth century, the rules...

"The Rule Book of The FA from 1863" is one of the most important books ever published – according to the writer and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg. Drawing on his recently published work, he explains in the Introduction why this book is one of the Twelve B...

All you need is love? Not according to W. H. Collingridge, the author of this essential guide to finding, wooing, and securing a suitable partner. Originally published in 1855, this brisk, no-nonsense handbook still has much to teach lovers and their...