A Book of English Prose

This compact volume brings together a carefully chosen selection of English prose, designed especially for secondary and high‑school study. Edited by a Cambridge scholar, it weaves together historic speeches, literary essays, and reflective sketches from the early modern period to the turn of the twentieth century. Each piece is presented with clear headings and notes that help students grasp context and style.

Among the highlights is the full text of Queen Elizabeth I’s address to her last Parliament in 1601, a vivid illustration of regal rhetoric and political persuasion. The anthology also includes excerpts from Walter Pater’s aesthetic essays, Robert Louis Stevenson’s memoirs, and Cardinal Newman’s historical sketches, offering a broad view of England’s intellectual heritage. Teachers will find it a useful resource for developing close reading, critical discussion, and an appreciation of the language that has shaped public discourse.