It is not necessary to apply for permission to quote prose extracts shorter than this.
Permission is required for one or more lines of poetry.
Works in the UK are copyright for seventy years after the author's death, or after publication, whichever is the later. If the publisher is not the copyright-holder they must let you know who is, so that you may write to them. For an anthology or collection of papers, permission must be obtained for all material in copyright. It should be stressed that the book will be a scholarly one, for the academic market. When publishers grant permission they will often charge a fee, usually quite modest, or ask for a copy of your book when it is published.