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Alfred the Great

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His unique importance in the history of English letters comes from his conviction that a life without knowledge or reflection was unworthy of respect, and his determination to bring the thought of the past within the range of his subjects' understanding. The translations of ancient books by which he tried to reach this end form the beginning of English prose literature.
--
Sir Frank Stenton Anglo-Saxon England (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975) pp. 269-70

 
Alfred the Great

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