Romance of words

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

1806

Coleridge's famous poem lays the foundation for the Romantic Movement, which is characterized by a focus on nature and the sublime, with highs and lows of feeling, and the supernatural.

He preferred to write in a handy notebook. The British Library holds 55 of the 72 Coleridge notebooks in existence.

Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte

1847

A widely read novel in China, Ault says the work is generally considered to be the first example of the modern novel, because of its characterization and narrative.

"There is so much depth in terms of the object, the story and the author," she says.

On show at the National Library of China is a fair copy of the book.

"It's the copy that was sent to Bronte's publisher and finally launched her career, and it thus changed the way British read and understand novels," says Ault.

Printers' fingerprints are visible, as well as Bronte's pen name, Currer Bell, which is crossed out. "Bronte felt that the male pseudonym would give her novels more credibility," the display's notes say, revealing the limited social status of women writers at the time.

Mei Jia