Lucretius’s description of the symptoms are terrifying: fever, red eyes, sweating blood and coughing up yellow spittle.
Lucretius’ Plague | Stephen Basdeo
Dr Stephen Basdeo
Stephen Basdeo is a historian and writer based in Leeds, UK. He is the author of several peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and popular history books.
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity (1875) | William Jones
This pro-democracy poem titled ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’ was written by William Jones in 1875 and published in the socialist People’s Advocate newspaper.
The Historian and His Cat | Stephen Basdeo
In the midst of this wreck of ancient books and utensils, with a gravity equal to Marius among the ruins of Carthage, sat a large black cat.
British Library Selects Reynolds’s News and Miscellany for Inclusion in Digital Archive | Stephen Basdeo
“The British Library would like to archive your website in the UK Web Archive and to make it publicly available … It contains specially selected websites that represent different aspects of UK heritage.”
The Athenian Plague | Stephen Basdeo
“People in good health were all of a sudden attacked by violent heats in the head, and redness and inflammation in the eyes, the inward parts, such as the throat or tongue, becoming bloody and emitting an unnatural and fetid breath.”
Bridal Festivity (1832) | Victor Hugo
‘Bridal Festivity’ was written by Victor Hugo in August 1832 and published in his Chants des Crepuscules. The poem itself takes a somewhat dark turn towards the end, as readers will see. Perhaps this was an allegory on the dangers that awaited the French ruling classes
If Thou Hast Lost a Friend (1853) | Charles Swain
Charles Swain’s poem ‘If thou hast lost a friend’ appeared in the London Journal in 1853 and has been transcribed by Stephen Basdeo
The Sea (1845) | G. W. M. Reynolds
The following poem, titled ‘The Sea’, was written by G.W.M. Reynolds and first appeared in the London Journal in 1845. It has been transcribed by Stephen Basdeo.
Meeting Eugene Sue in 1832 | G. W. M. Reynolds
“He appeared to me to be a West Indian, born of European parents; for his complexion is darker than even that of a Spaniard, and his hair black as jet. His face was at that time singularly handsome.”
Innocent Florence Nightingale Tweet Provokes Social Media Anger | Stephen Basdeo
Twitter can be good for research and for asking questions from experts, but we now live in a post-truth world where, to some CRT activists, facts simply do not matter.
Ode to England (1855) | J. M.
This poem was originally printed in the London Journal in 1855 and celebrates England. It has been transcribed by Stephen Basdeo.
Man of Titles Won with Blood: A Poem on the Duke of Wellington (1835) | Charles Cole
Man of Titles Won with Blood was how the radical poet Charles Cole described the Duke of Wellington in 1835. In his eyes, he was clearly not the national hero that everyone thought…
A Lay from the Trenches: A Poem of the Crimean War (1855) | P. J. Questel
‘A Lay from the Trenches’ was a poem, written in 1855, by a soldier serving in the Crimean War. It was first published in the London Journal.
Ladies of Stockton (1772) | Joseph Ritson
The following lines were written by the antiquary Joseph Ritson (1752–1803) and were first printed in the Newcastle Miscellany in 1772, then later as a standalone tract.
Monarchy vs Republic (1848) | François-Vincent Raspail
There are many kinds of monarchy but there is only one kind of republic. It is the government where every one contributes to the social burdens, and has a right to share in the social advantages.
Aristocratic Violence; or, The Peer who Punched Reynolds | Stephen Basdeo
As Reynolds approached the Prime Minister to ask permission, Lord Harrowby jumped upon him in a rage — here was a lord attempting to silence the representative of the people!
The Knights of Palestine (1838) | G. W. M. Reynolds
The following poem was written by George W.M. Reynolds and originally appeared in his novel Alfred: The Adventures of a French Gentleman (1838), which was originally serialised in the Monthly Magazine. The poem is about the deeds of a knight errant in medieval Palestine during the crusades.
A friend, lads, a friend (1888) | Frederick Langbridge
The following poem appeared in the Leisure Hour in December 1888 and was written by Frederick Langbridge. It has been transcribed by Stephen Basdeo.
“A Rascal … but rich”: Karl Marx and G. W. M. Reynolds | Stephen Basdeo
“Reynolds is a rascal,” said Marx, “but a rich and able speculator. Find out what the father of communism thought about the biggest-selling novelist of the Victorian era.
Errors of the Christian Religion (1832) | G. W. M. Reynolds
I defy any living soul to refute Thomas Paine’s arguments. I have read answers to them, and attempts at refutation; but none succeed–all sink into the ground.
A Call to the People (1850) | Anonymous
The following pro-democracy hymn was written by a writer known only as “Bandiera” and was published in the Red Republican magazine, edited by George Julian Harney. It has been transcribed by Stephen Basdeo.
To Some Birds Flown Away (1837) | Victor Hugo
The following poem was written by Victor Hugo in 1837 and translated by Mrs Newton Crossland.
The Sacking of the City (1825) | Victor Hugo
The following poem was written by Victor Hugo in 1825 and translated by John Sullivan. It has been transcribed by Stephen Basdeo.
Three Glorious Days | Victor Hugo
The following poem, written by Victor Hugo to celebrate the French Revolution of 1830, was translated by Elizabeth Collins.