What! Can the devil speak true?...

Shakespeare doesn't relate to the modern age, or so we often hear said as an excuse. Yet, as if it did anyway, that excuse will no longer wash, as an interactive graphic novel of 'Macbeth', is set to be introduced in schools. Produced by Classical Comics, the 'novel' combines the artwork of Jon Haward, with the voiceovers of  Juliet Stevenson and experienced Shakespearian actor Derek Jacobi, to create the ultimate multimedia experience. Jacobi himself, described the project as 'truly inspirational, creating, as it does so magnificently, an accessible and fascinating mix of visual and audible drama'. Readers are able to either flick through one panel at a time, or deploy 'movie mode' complete with language and context notes. If successful, Classical Comics is plaaning to release a whole new range, including such titles as 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Julius Caesar' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Yet many, not without justification, will argue, that it is yet another method of diluting and so damaging the rich literary culture of our country.

On this day...

British author D.H. Lawrence died in 1930. Described by E.M. Forster as, 'the greatest imaginative novelist of our generation', Lawrence was born into a coal mining community and working class background, an upbringing which provided material for some of his early works. Having completed both education and a teaching certificate, in was in 1907 that Lawrence first gained real recognition for his literary exploits, winning a short story competition in the 'Nottingham Guardian'.

He continued to teach, moving from his childhood home to Croydon, and there came to the attention of the publisher of the influential 'The English Review', a contact which he utilised, after bouts of pneumonia left him a full-time author. Three years later, Lawrence's wife, of German parentage, meant that the pair were viewed with suspicion during the First World War, and they left the country to begin a 'savavge pilgrimage', only returning twice. Therefore, it was abroad that Lawrence wrote most of his famous works, including the highly controversial, 'Lady Chattereley's Lover', which underwent an obscenity trial, and 'Women in Love'.  Having travelled to Australia, Sri Lanka and the U.S.A., it was in France that Lawrence died, 80 years age today.

Bottoms up...

Pubs. Drinks, socialising, football - what more could you want? Yet pubs, not that you would know it now, have, through the past, held literary significance. From Chaucer's 'The Tabard', from which the pilgrims set out, to Shakespeare's 'The Board Head', home to Sir John Falstaff, pubs have been places of meetings, robberies, love and secrets. The theme is explored in a programme by Radio 4, which can be heard here

On this day...

National Pig Day is celebrated, albeit on a small scale, in the U.S. The holiday first started in 1972, and lists it purpose as being, 'to accord the pig its rightful, though generally unrecognised, place as one of man's most intellectual and domesticated animals'. Events take place right across the country, including a parade, pig crafts, and, of course, the consumption of BLTs, chops and sausages. Pigs have, though maybe not as many as they deserve, several fictional representatives.

Perhaps the most famous, or at least most commercial, is Dick King-Smith's Babe, the protagonist of short story 'The Sheep-Pig'. Yet surely the most important is Napolean of George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'. Based on Stalin whilst named after Bonaparte, Napolean's role within the communist allegory, that of 'President of Animal Farm' - a corrupted dictator who exploits the other animals. On a less serious note, Piglet, is one of the most cherished children's characters, having featured in A.A. Milne's 'Winnie the Pooh'. Based on one of his son's stuffed toys, Piglet is generally timid, yet often conquers his fears. Pigs also feature in works by, Beatrix Potter, Terry Pratchett, and P.G. Wodehouse.

Lenten literature...

It may have only been eleven days, but I'm sure there are many already guiltily reaching for the biscuit tin and raiding the cupboards. Self-imposed rationing is a painful thing, both for those doing it and also for their friends, whose duty it is to listen to all the subsequent complaining, albeit whilst tucking in themselves. It's Lent again, and a small ounce of discipline is all that stands in the way of losing a few pounds, but for many characters in literature the lack of food is not through choice. From Dickens to Tolkein, this latest Guardian quiz examines the various degrees of literary starvation.

On this day...

American author Daniel Handler, better known by pseudonym Lemony Snicket, was born in 1970. Having followed a reasonably usual education route, graduating from university in 1992, Handler attempted to publish under his own name. Yet having had his first novel, 'The Basic Eight', rejected 37 times due to the dark nature of its subject matter, Handler decided to acquire an alias, and chose to use Lemony Snicket.

The name has since been given a family history, a personal story, which includes felonies and secret societies, and the honour of narrating Handler's most famous works, 'The Series of Unfortunate Events'. The thirteen books, revolving around the lives and the ever increasing misery of circumstances of three orphans, have been translated into 41 languages and, as of May 2007, have sold 55 million copies. Handler has since further blurred the distinction of reality, by making several television appearances in which he is said to be Snicket's handler, or Snicket himself. Handler's next work, will be an adult novel about pirates.

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock...

A man appeared in court yesterday, on charges of stealing a £3 million Shakespearian 'First Folio'. Published seven years after Shakespeare's death, the folio dates back to 1623 and is the only reliable source for at least 20 of his 38 plays. The world's largest collection of 'First Folios', 79, is located in the Folger Library in Washington D.C., and it was here that the investigation started which led to Raymond Scott's arrest. A man in possession of the book, which he claimed to have found in Cuba, walked into the library to enquire if it was genuine. Experts suspected it was stolen and tipped off the British Embassy and FBI. Scott, an antiques dealer, is accused of stealing the folio from Durham Universiy in 1998, and yesterday pleaded not guilty to all charges.

On this day...

Romantic poet Lord Byron made his maiden speech at the House of Lords in 1812. Receiving his peerage at the age of 10, upon the death of his great uncle, Byron did not actually take his seat in the House until the age of 23. In the few years previous, Byron had been abroad on a 'Grand Tour' including Albania, Greece and Portugal, a journey customary for such noblemen.Yet in was in 1812 that Byron first spoke in Parliament, and on an issue, supposedly close to his heart, or a least, close to his birthplace.

The Luddite 'frame-breakers' in Nottinghamshire had taken to destroying the texile machines, products of the industrial revolution, that were putting them out of work. Under a new Tory bill, such workers would face the death penalty, and it was against this 'most unparalleled distress' and 'squalid wretchedness' that Byron spoke. Opponents thought the speech not 'at all suited to our common notions of Parliementary [sic] eloquence', and even Byron himself thought he came across as 'a bit theatrical'. As it happened, the publication of 'Childe Harold's Pilgrimage' less than two weeks later, ensured Byron's success was in the poetic, rather than political, field.

Bones falling apart?....

Last week saw the release of 'The Lovely Bones' in UK cinemas. The film is an adaptation of Alice Seabold's 2002 novel of the same name, in which a murdered girl narrates from heaven. Starring such names as Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz, it is directed by New Zealander Peter Jackson, of 'The Lord of the Rings' fame.

Despite an original budget of $15 million, the film has received mixed reviews, many of which are indeed negative. 'An expensive-looking mess that fails to capture the mood, and the poetry, of its source material', is not an unusual comment amongst critics, yet the film has graced several award nominations lists. 'Screen Actors Guild Awards',  'Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards' 'The Golden Globes' and even the latest 'Academy Awards' have recognised the film, however, it must be said that this is mainly for actor Stanley Tucci. It is too early to determine the film's success, but it might not be long before the questions start coming.

On this day...

English playwright Christopher Marlowe, was baptised in 1564. Although the exact dates of neither man's birth is known, Marlowe arrived just two months before his great contemporary and rival, William Shakespeare. Gaining his place on a scholarship, Marlowe was educated at Cambridge and received his degree in 1584. However, three years later, when Marlowe was due to receive his Masters, the university under the impression of a Catholic conversion, hesitated to award it to him, resulting in an intevention by the crown. His 'good service' and 'faithful dealing' to the Queen has led to much subsequent speculation, some even suspecting him of being a secret agent in Sir Francis Walsingham's intelligence service.

Marlowe's literary career began at much the same time. 'Tamburlaine', Marlowe's first major work, is one of the first English plays to have been written in blank verse, and is considered by many, alongside Thomas Kyd's 'The Spainish Tragedy', to be the beginning of mature Elizabethan drama. Numerous succesful works followed, including, 'The Jew of Malta', 'The Massacre at Paris' and 'The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus'. Yet it is, perhaps, Marlowe's death which has aroused most interest for scholars over the years. On May 30th 1593, Marlowe was stabbed in a Deptford inn. Quite why this happened, no one is sure. Some speculate it was a row over the bill, others, that it was connected to his arrest only 10 days before. Regardless, Marlowe will go down in history as a true genius of his craft.

Short stories ooze diversity...

It is a long title, yet is one, conversely, rewarding succinctness of prose. Nominations for 'The Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award', have been announced. Former glamour model, Kay Sexton, who used to pose for risque calenders before finding a talent in writing,is just one of 20 authors to be long-listed for the award. Perhaps unusually 6 of the names are actually award-winning poets, including  Jackie Kay and John Burnside. Indeed diversity seems to be a priority, with a gender split of 13 women to 7 men, ages from 28 to 78, and residences from New Zealand, America and Zimbabwe. The £25,000 prize will be awarded at The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival on March 26th.

On this day...

John Burgess Wilson, published under pen name Anthony Burgess, was born in 1917. More than just a novelist, Burgess excelled in fields of poetry, drama, criticism, linguistics, translation, and even music, composing over 250 musical works. Only months after his first birthday, tragedy hit the Wilson household, as both young Anthony's mother and sister died within four days of each other. This, said Burgess, led him to being 'either distractedly persecuted or ignored' by a father who resented him for having survived.

Denied doing music at university, sue to poor physics grades, Burgess went on to graduate in English, yet was soon enrolled in the services. Here, Burgess' flair for languages was utilised by army intelligence, and indeed from that time, Burgess was frequently involved in a teaching capacity. Following posts in Malaysia and Borneo, Burgess published his work famous work, the dystopian novel, 'A Clockwork Orange', in 1962. Although not perhaps met with wild enthusiasm at the time of publication, the novel is now considered a modern classics, and was voted by 'Time Magazine' as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005.

Rushdie reveals all...

Salman Rushdie, is planning to write a book about the decade he spent in hiding. 2008 marked the 20th anniversary of the publication of 'The Satanic Verses', a novel which provoked street protests and book burnings across much of the Arab world. For many believed the book to have insulted Islam, and indeed Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran, issued a fatwa against Rushdie, calling for his execution.

Such was the threat to Rushdie's safety, that, under police protection, he spent the next 10 years in hiding. 'It's my story, and at some point, it does need to be told. That point is getting closer, I think', said Rushdie. Indeed, as comments John Howells of Waterstones, 'The ironic thing is that this may be his most commercial book in years...this is one of the most fascinating chapters in recent literary history, and cannot but have affected Rushdie as a writer and as a man'.

On this day...

London's Drury Theatre, already in its third incarnation, burnt down in 1809. The site itself dates back to 1663, making it London's oldest theatre, yet following first a fire, then demolition, then another fire, the building today is the theatre's fourth. The particular installment that burnt down in 1809, had only been built 15 years previously, in an attempt to increase the capacity and therefore success of the theatre. This was duly achieved, and £160,000, 3,600 spectators and five tiers of gallery later, the building was completed.

Yet disaster was close at hand. Following a failed assassination attempt on King George III in 1800, a frequent visitor to the performances, the theatre was razed to the ground only nine years later, spelling ruin for the, already financially unstable, owner, Richard Sheridan. The Grade I listed building, now owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber, has received the support of aforementioned royalty, diarist Samuel Pepys, Poet Laureate Colly Cibber and, in  recent times, Monty Python. 'Oliver!' is the current production performed at the theatre.

Collectible Spoons of the Third Reich...

Old news it may be, but still worth a look. Last week, the shortlist for the 'Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year' was announced. A hotly contested title, there have been two occasions, since the award's conception in 1978, that no prize has been given out as no title title was deemed odd enough. Voted for by the public since 2000, the prize last year, saw more votes than the 'Best of Booker Prize'. The current champion is 'The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-milligram Containers of Fromage Frais', but these are the contenders for this year.....

• 'Afterthoughts of a Worm Hunter' by David Crompton
• 'Collectible Spoons of the Third Reich' by James A Yannes 
• 'Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes' by Daina Taimina 
• 'Governing Lethal Behavior in Autonomous Robots' by Ronald C. Arkin 
• 'The Changing World of Inflammatory Bowel Disease' by Ellen Scherl and Maria Dubinsky
• 'What Kind of Bean is This Chihuahua?' by Tara Jansen-Meyer

The winner will be announced on March 26th and will receive either a magnum of champagen or a bottle of claret.

On this day...

The Gutenberg Bible, thought to spark the 'Gutenberg revolution' of printed books, was traditionally first printed in 1455. Often cited as the first Western book to have been printed using movable type, they were produced by Johannes Gutenberg in his famous press of Mainz, Germany. Preparation of the book is said to have begun soon after 1450, yet it was not until 1454 or 1455 that the first copies were available. Such a time lapse is due to the enormous labour that just one Bible required.

Each Bible was made up of 49, 290 sheets of paper, themselves imported from Italy for quality, and each sheet contained approximately 2600 characters, a single one of which might take a craftsman a day to cut. It is therefore of no surprise that only 180 copies were made, 135 on paper and 45 on vellum. As of 2009, 47 of the Bibles were known to survive, 21 of which were complete. 8 of these are located in Britain, in the illustrious locations of the British, Bodleian, Eton, University libraries to name but a few. Such beautiful, but complicated volumes undoubtedly had influence on future books and editions of the Bible alike.

British literary festivals get new investment...

Baillie Gifford, an independent investment firm, has announced that they will be sponsoring some of the UK's biggest literary festivals in 2010. With assets of around £55 billion at the end of last year, the firm are certainly in a position to be active in the promotion of literature throughout the country. Starting with the Bath Literature Festival, which opens on February 27th, Baillie Gifford will support seven festivals in total, including those in Cheltenham, Edinburgh and Windsor. They will also support the newly named, 'Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book Award'. The marketing director of the firm said, 'We like to believe in a correlation with the dilliegence and imagination that sucessful writers bring to the creative process and what we bring to investments here at Baillie Gifford'.

On this day...

The Republican Party opened with its first national meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1856. The GOP, or 'Grand Old Party', sits on the right of the American political spectrum and has boasted such presidents as Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reegan and, latterly, the Bush family. Often considered strong on defence and international affairs, the party can be seen as advocating traditional values and of course, tax reduction.

Of course, as with many American companies, musicians and celebrities, writers are often allied with one of the two major political parties. Among the supposed Republican contributors are: Thriller writers Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler, crime author Patricia Cornwell and even teenage favourite Stephanie Meyer. Clancy in particular has donated vast sums of money and has even been mentioned in conjunction with office. On the other side of the aisle, horror writer Stephen King, blockbuster John Grisham and civil rights activist Maya Angelou are seen to be prominenet supporters. Yet whatever party, whichever political affiliation, American writers are some of the best in the world.

Books in BAFTA...

It's the film award season again, and the preview to the Oscars, comes in the shape of the BAFTAs. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, will this evening present awards to the best actors, actresses, designers, composers and writers to honour the latest cinematic year. Many of this year's nominees, as with so many successful film franchises, find their roots in the literary world.

• 'An Education' - based on 2009 memoir by Lynn Barber

Nominated for: Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Leading Actress, Supporting Actor, Costume, Hair & Make-Up

• 'Up in the Air' - based on 2001 novel by Walter Kirn

Nominated for: Best Film, Adapted Screenplay, Leading Actor, Supporting Actress (twice), Editing

• 'Precious' - based on 1996 novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Nominated for: Best Film, Adapted Screenplay, Leading Actress, Supporting Actress

Numerous others join the list, and as the stars arrive, everyone waits in anticipation to see whether they are justly rewarded.

On this day...

Highly influential political work 'The Communist Manifesto'. was published in 1848. It was supposedly authored by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, yet the latter himself somewhat disputed this, saying; ' the basic thought... belongs solely and exclusively to Marx...Marx was a genius; we others were at best talented'. Published in London by a group of German refugees in 1848, its popularity spread to the extent that within a few years, the work had been translated into numerous European languages, most notably an English edition two years later. The manifesto itself, is divided into three sections, with a conclusion:

• Bourgeois and Prolaterians 

                                               
details how the Proletarians will one day rise to power through creation of unions
'The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles'  

• Proletarians and Communists  

defends communism from various attacks and outlines short-term demands 
'Political power... is merely the organized power of one class for oppressing another'

• Socialist and Communist Literature

distinguishes communism from other socialist doctrines which fail to recognise the role of working class

• Position of the Communists in Relation to the Various Existing Opposition Parties

briefly discusses communist positions in countries such as France, Switzerland, Poland, and Germany 
'Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution'

Is Potter just plagiarism?...

'Harry Potter' publishers Bloomsbury could face legal action over claims that J.K. Rowling stole her ideas for the best-selling series. Earlier this week, the estate of Adrian Jacobs, extended its claim, originally filed against Bloomsbury, to include the author herself. A spokesperson for the estate said, 'we believe that she personally plagiarised the Willy the Wizard book...all of Willy the Wizard is in "The Goblet of Fire"...we now have a case which is not just against Bloomsbury.'

Claims surround an episode in the Rowling novel, in which Harry is required to solve a task as part of a contest, which he achieves in a bathroom by the aid of clues. A similar episode is to be found in Jacob's 36-page work. Rowling challenged the suit, saying, 'I am saddened that yet another claim has been made that I have taken material from another source to write Harry. The fact is I had never heard of the author or the book before the first accusation by those connected to the author's estate in 2004; I have certainly never read the book'.

On this day...

Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier was born in 1927. Altough without obvious immediate literary connections, Poitier's exploitations in the film world had an undeniable impact on literature, ensuring both greater sales and interest. Growing up on remote Cat Island, Poitier's parents made a living by selling tomatoes and other farm produce. At the age of 17, and with the hope of theatrical success, Poitier moved to New York and indeed won a place at the American Negro Theatre, yet was criticised for his perceived lack of ability to sing or dance.

Nevertheless, Poitier's subsequent acting career, is something to be admired. The star of such films as 'The Defiant Ones', 'To Sir, with Love' and 'In the Heat of the Night', all of which are novels, Poitier hit the heights when he became the first black person to win an Academy Award. This he achieved in 1963, for 'Lilies of the Field', a film based on the eponymous book by William Edmund Barrett. Poitier's consequential fame and international reknown, led him to being named the Bahamian ambassador to Japan, and, on August 12th last year, him being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama.

War Horse charges on...

It is nominated for a Laurence Olivier award. The Queen, Prince Philip and Prince William have all seen it. Now, hit West End play, 'War Horse' is set transfer to Broadway. First performed at the 'National' in 2007, the adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's book generated huge success, and earned itself a booking at the 'New London Theatre' until February 2011. Yet the month after, the play will move to 'New York's Lincoln Center' and it is already reported that Steven Spielberg has bought the film rights, ensuring continuing publicity for many years to come.

On this day...

British author Helen Fielding, was born in 1958. A graduate of English at Oxford, Fielding entered the commercial literary field through a media and journalistic route. Armed already with a group of comic writers and performers as friends, including Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, Fielding worked first on the BBC, especially their Sports Relief initiative, and then Thames TV.She then opted for a change of medium, spending the next nine years as journalist and columnist on several big-name London newspapers, such as 'The Sunday Times', 'The Telegraph' and 'The Independent'.

Indeed, it is 'The Independent' that forms the backbone of her wider literary success. It was here that, as an anonymous column in 1995, 'Bridget Jones's Diary' started life, eventually spawning two bestselling novels, and two even more successful movie adaptations, starring the likes of Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. The novels themselves, have been published in over 40 countries, and have sold over 15 million copies, becoming, according to the Guardian, one of the ten novels that best defined the 20th century.

Donmar's new directors...

The Donmar Warehouse is to launch a new scheme promoting the work of young directors. For 12 weeks per year, graduates of the Resident Assistant Director (RAD) scheme will be able to showcase their talent at the Trafalgar Studios under the banner of the Covent Garden theatre. The scheme, regarded as the most prestigious training programme for young directors in the country, already has a fine pedigree in producing the director of the future, having given rise to names such as Sam Buntrock and Rupert Goold. This latest initiative will take place for three years, with the first three names being Charlotte Westenra, Chris Rolls and Roisin McBrinn.

On this day...

'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' was first published in America in 1885, two months after it hit British and Canadian shelves. The novel, written by Samuel Clemens under the frequently used pen-name of Mark Twain, and considered one of the 'Great American Novels', is the first major work of American literature to be written in the vernacular. The protagonist had previously been introduced in Twain's 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' and narrated two subsequent adventures, leading many to believe that Twain intended the novel to be a sequel.

Two decades on from the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War, the novel explores themes of racial prejudice, often depicting the white characters as selfish, stupid or even violent. Thus it incurred much controversy, the Concord Libray dismissed it as 'tawdry' and 'coarse', lending itself better to 'slums than to intelligent, respectable people'. Such a reception earned it the title of fifth most challenged book of the 1990s in the United States. Yet, it was not without praise. Ernest Hemmingway deemed it 'the best book we've had' from which 'all modern American literature comes'. 

What fools these mortals be....

Almost 50 years after her last performance for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Judi Dench has once again taken to the stage. Sir Peter Hall's production, at the Rose Theatre in Kingston, portrays the Queen of the fairies, Titania, as Queen Elizabeth I, who is in love with the theatre. The play, hugely popular in sales, yesterday received its first press reviews. Overwhelmingly in praise of the production, they included the such remarks as; 'Dench can send a thrill of wonder through a line of Shakespeare like wind rippling through a field of wheat' and 'Hall's latest production of A Midsummer Night's Dream is exquisitely well judged in its light-footed, lucid, poetically persuasive, wonderfully funny and brilliantly well-spoken way'.

On this day...

American journalist and author, Randy Shilts died in 1994, at the age of 42. Shilts' talent for writing became evident at a young age. Having majored in journalism at the University of Oregon, Shilts went on to become an award winning managing editor for the university's newspaper. Yet at the age of 20, he publicly came out as gay, a decision which was to have major repercussions, as he subsequently struggled to find a job in a homophobic media industry. After several years of freelance work, and a stint at the 'San Fransisco Chronicle', Shilts found his niche in novel writing.

'The Life and Times of Harvey Milk' was Shilts' first published novel, recounting the career and assasination of the gay politician. Such was the effect of the book, that it was made into a film in 2008 - a Sean Penn work, that won two Oscars and gained a further six Academy Award nominations. Likewise, his second major work, 'And the Band Played On', was also adapted for the big screen, attracting high profile cast members such as Richard Gere, Ian McKellen, Lily Tomlin and Alan Alda. Tragically, it was AIDS, a disease that Shilts had played a great part in bringing to the attention of the public, that claimed his life at such a young age.

Hey Jude, don't carry the world upon your shoulders...

It almost seems boring, it's now so predictable. But the amount of theatre awards being won by the same people are only testament to the skill of their craft. Once again this weekend, it was Jude Law and Rachel Weisz who came out on top, both winning a Whatsonstage.com award for their performances in 'Hamlet' and 'A Streetcar Named Desire' respectively. The Shakespearian tragedy won on all fronts, with Sir Patrick Stewart picking up best supporting actor and the play itself being voted the best Shakespearian production. Rowan Atkinson and 'Oliver!' co-star Jodie Prenger also received awards for best musical role and best supporting actress respectively. In a slight twist, these awards were voted for by the public, but it seems critic or layman, they just can't enough of Rachel and Jude.

On this day...

Thomas Gray's 'Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard', was published in 1751. Known as one of the 'graveyard poets' of the late 1700s, along with Oliver Goldsmith, Christopher Smart and William Cowper, Gray wrote the poem in a graveyard of a church Stoke Pages, Buckinghamshire. Its stoic and reflective tone endeared it to the British public upon its publication, and also leant it to being translated into Latin and Greek.

It is still one of the most fequently quoted poems in the English language, and indeed a passage was used by General James Wolfe in the Seven Years War to rouse his troops. Such was the poem's success, it was the most reprinted poem of the 18th century, that Gray was offered the post of Poet Laureate in 1757 upon the death of Colly Cibber, yet he refused. The poem has donated several phrases into the English lexicon, including; 'paths of glory', 'kindred spirits' and 'far from the madding crowd', which Hardy famously used for the title of one of his novels.