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Context and Money
Four thousand pounds in 1811 had the purchasing power of about $380,000 in 2015 U.S. dollars.
£4,000 a-year, along with his other income, marks John Dashwood as a wealthy man. £4,000-£5,000 a year is the same income as the attractively wealthy Mr. Bingley in Pride and Prejudice. This is enough income to have a house in London as well as a house in the country, at least 12 servants, and at least one or two carriages. John Dashwood is one of the wealthiest, or possibly the wealthiest, character in the novel, which makes his uncharitability even more marked.
(Norland Park and its servants)
For more context, see Pride and Prejudice Economics: Or Why a Single Man with a Fortune of £4,000 Per Year is a Desirable Husband
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An anonymous ballad in the “mad song” genre, likely dating to the early 17th century. Critic Harold Bloom has pronounced it “the greatest anonymous lyric” in English.
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The General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales was probably written in the late 1380s, and was among the first parts of the work to be composed.
In the prologue, Chaucer sets out the framing narrative of the poem: he is travelling on a pilgrimage to Canterbury, and all of the pilgrims will tell a tale along the way.
A description of each pilgrim is given, and many of these are laced with irony, though some seem sincere. Scholars have debated these for centuries.
The picture shows Chaucer the pilgrim from the Ellesmere manuscript, which was produced in the 15th century though reflects the style of dress appropriate for the late 1300s.
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Swedish novelist, playwright, and children’s book author who became internationally famous for her children’s book The Wonderful Adventures of Nils.
Lagerlöf was the first female Nobel laureate in literature, and the first of six umlauted authors to win the prize. Frans Eemil Sillanpää actually had two umlauts in his name, bringing the grand total among literature Nobelists to seven.
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sweet, smooth and musical; pleasant to hear (generally used of a person’s voice, tone or writing style) [Wiktionary]
Can also mean “flowing like honey,” since it derives from the Latin mel (honey) and fluere (to flow). A good word to casually drop during Honey Nut Cheerios commercials.
The duke's name; his wife, Baptista: you shall see
Anon; 'tis a knavish piece of work: William Shakespeare – Hamlet Act 3 Scene 2
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Unicorns are traditionally conceived as holy, innocent and pure animals. “Jewelled” makes them even more luminous, rare and significant.
At least in medieval french folklore, the unicorn is frequently a representative image of the Christ. (sorry for my bad english…)