Episodes

  • A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland - St. Andrews

    A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland - St. Andrews
    Jul 27 2026
    In which the traveller arrives at St. Andrews, a city once resplendent with ecclesiastical grandeur but now diminished to ruins and academic decline, rendered poignantly by the dilapidation of its cathedral and the dissolution of one of its colleges. Observations are made on the city’s melancholy decay, the diminished vigour of its university, and the lingering yet fading fervour of religious zeal, all contrasted with the kindness extended by learned inhabitants.
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland - Inch Keith

    A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland - Inch Keith
    Jul 23 2026
    In which the journey to the Western Islands of Scotland commences with a reflective visit to the diminutive and solitary Inch Keith, whose barren rocks and modest fort evoke thoughts on the varied fortunes of land according to proximity to civilisation. The travellers then proceed along well-kept roads through modest market towns, observing the serene yet sparse traffic and the humble conveyances that mark the commerce of this part of Scotland.
    Show More Show Less
    5 mins
  • Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XLVIII, XLIX

    Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XLVIII, XLIX
    Jul 19 2026
    In which the company contemplates the ancient custom of embalming, leading to a profound discourse on the nature and immortality of the soul, examining reason, matter, and immateriality with philosophical rigour. They then reflect on human aspirations and limitations while confined by the Nile’s inundation, sharing their hopes and resolutions as they prepare to return to Abyssinia.
    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XLVI, XLVII

    Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XLVI, XLVII
    Jul 16 2026
    In which the Princess and Pekuah, moved by curiosity, seek acquaintance with the reclusive astronomer and, through sincere and respectful discourse, gradually draw him from solitary study into the companionship and varied pursuits of mortal society. They explore questions of life’s choices and happiness in philosophic converse, culminating in a solemn visit to the ancient catacombs that lays them amidst the silent monuments of a departed world.
    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XLIV, XLV

    Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XLIV, XLV
    Jul 13 2026
    In which the perilous dominion of imagination is examined as a common frailty of the human mind, revealing how solitary reveries may seduce reason and ensnare the spirit in fancied felicities or woes. The discourse closes with an encounter with an aged sage, whose reflective melancholy tempers the expectations of youth and intimates the sober tranquillity that may await the declining years.
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XL-XLIII

    Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XL-XLIII
    Jul 10 2026
    In which we are presented with the tale of a venerable astronomer whose profound learning and benevolence have not shielded him from a secret melancholy borne of his great unshared burden of regulating the natural world. His confidant, Imlac, becomes the recipient of the astronomer’s remarkable disclosure and solemn counsel concerning the weighty duties and immutable laws that govern the heavens and the earth.
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXIV-XXXVII

    Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXIV-XXXVII
    Jul 4 2026
    In which the Princess Nekayah struggles with the loss of her favourite Pekuah, enduring the slow progress of hope and despair amidst the inefficacy of authority and the solicitations of private agents, all the while wrestling with self-reproach and the discipline of virtue. At last, after many months of sorrowful suspense, a messenger brings news that Pekuah is alive and held for ransom, leading to a cautious negotiation and a tender reunion marked by affectionate tears and solemn recounting of trials.
    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXVIII, XXXIX

    Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Chapters XXXVIII, XXXIX
    Jul 7 2026
    In which the Lady Pekuah recounts her sudden abduction and subsequent ransom by an Arab chief, whose avaricious yet courteous disposition dictates the terms of her captivity and movement. She reflects with composure on her constrained life amid scant diversions, the futility of her captors' company, and the gradual, uneasy evolution of her conditions as she awaits deliverance.
    Show More Show Less
    25 mins