Nineteenth-century English can in many ways be claimed to have laid the foundations for the present-day language, but until recently it has not received as much attention from scholars of linguistics as the English of earlier periods. This book provides an introduction to the distinctive features of nineteenth-century English in England, from spelling to text-types. It examines a wide range of varieties, including political speeches, newspaper articles, advertisements, obituaries, Sunday School poetry, and culinary recipes, so as to illustrate the range of dialects and levels found in the language of that period. The first part of the book provides an overview of the subject, while the second part contains an extensive selection of texts. 100 exercises spread throughout the book serve to introduce the student to the problems and methods involved in English historical linguistics.