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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

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Listings for Reader:  

William Henry Davies

 

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William Henry Davies : 'Love's Silent Hour' and three other poems

'Yesterday my Elizabeth and I went to the most remarkable poets' Reading I have ever attended. It was held at Lord Byron's beautiful house in Piccadilly... I was moved by Mr de la Mare reading five poems of great beauty. Elizabeth was thrilled at seeing for the first time W.H. Davies, a strange tiny poet. He read "Love's Silent Hour" and three others. Hilary [Hilaire Belloc] read "The Poor of London" and "the Dons". He got a big reception'.

Unknown
Century: 1900-1945     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      

  

unknown  : [Penny Dreadfuls]

'Despite his grandmother's strictures on reading, Davies read widely. His first attraction was to the penny dreadfuls of his day, which he read in secret... The school books he read contained poems that stirred him deeply. One of the school texts he used contained long passges from "The Lady of the Lake" with a prose commentary attached. And then there was a favourite schoolboy poem starting with the resounding line: "The Soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers", with a refrain that the boys loved to chant at play. There were extracts from Shakespeare, the usual lyrics, and a few heavily didactic poems intended to inculcate morality in the boyish heart'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

Walter Scott : [from 'The Lady of the Lake']

'Despite his grandmother's strictures on reading, Davies read widely. His first attraction was to the penny dreadfuls of his day, which he read in secret... The school books he read contained poems that stirred him deeply. One of the school texts he used contained long passges from "The Lady of the Lake" with a prose commentary attached. And then there was a favourite schoolboy poem starting with the resounding line: "The Soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers", with a refrain that the boys loved to chant at play. There were extracts from Shakespeare, the usual lyrics, and a few heavily didactic poems intended to inculcate morality in the boyish heart'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

unknown  : 'The Soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers

'Despite his grandmother's strictures on reading, Davies read widely. His first attraction was to the penny dreadfuls of his day, which he read in secret... The school books he read contained poems that stirred him deeply. One of the school texts he used contained long passges from "The Lady of the Lake" with a prose commentary attached. And then there was a favourite schoolboy poem starting with the resounding line: "The Soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers", with a refrain that the boys loved to chant at play. There were extracts from Shakespeare, the usual lyrics, and a few heavily didactic poems intended to inculcate morality in the boyish heart'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

William Shakespeare : [extracts in school textbook]

'Despite his grandmother's strictures on reading, Davies read widely. His first attraction was to the penny dreadfuls of his day, which he read in secret... The school books he read contained poems that stirred him deeply. One of the school texts he used contained long passages from "The Lady of the Lake" with a prose commentary attached. And then there was a favourite schoolboy poem starting with the resounding line: "The Soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers", with a refrain that the boys loved to chant at play. There were extracts from Shakespeare, the usual lyrics, and a few heavily didactic poems intended to inculcate morality in the boyish heart'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

unknown  : [didactic poems]

'Despite his grandmother's strictures on reading, Davies read widely. His first attraction was to the penny dreadfuls of his day, which he read in secret... The school books he read contained poems that stirred him deeply. One of the school texts he used contained long passges from "The Lady of the Lake" with a prose commentary attached. And then there was a favourite schoolboy poem starting with the resounding line: "The Soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers", with a refrain that the boys loved to chant at play. There were extracts from Shakespeare, the usual lyrics, and a few heavily didactic poems intended to inculcate morality in the boyish heart'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

George Gordon, Lord Byron : 

'In the [italics]Autobiography[end italics] he tells us of the impact of Byron on him and his friend Dave: "His influence on Dave was so great that it was publicly shown to all the boys and girls in the chapel's schoolroom... While we were playing kiss in the ring, singing and laughing... Dave would lean his figure... against a pillar, biting his lips and frowning at our merrymaking"... His friend soon tired of this Byronic posing, but Davies marks the occasion as the first time he was really attracted to poetry with enjoyment and serious purpose. He went on to read Shelley, Marlowe's plays, and some further Shakespeare. Wordsworth failed to attract him, though he later studied him very diligently'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

Percy Bysshe Shelley : 

'In the [italics]Autobiography[end italics] he tells us of the impact of Byron on him and his friend Dave: "His influence on Dave was so great that it was publicly shown to all the boys and girls in the chapel's schoolroom... While we were playing kiss in the ring, singing and laughing... Dave would lean his figure... against a pillar, biting his lips and frowning at our merrymaking"... His friend soon tired of this Byronic posing, but Davies marks the occasion as the first time he was really attracted to poetry with enjoyment and serious purpose. He went on to read Shelley, Marlowe's plays, and some further Shakespeare. Wordsworth failed to attract him, though he later studied him very diligently'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

Christopher Marlowe : 

'In the [italics]Autobiography[end italics] he tells us of the impact of Byron on him and his friend Dave: "His influence on Dave was so great that it was publicly shown to all the boys and girls in the chapel's schoolroom... While we were playing kiss in the ring, singing and laughing... Dave would lean his figure... against a pillar, biting his lips and frowning at our merrymaking"... His friend soon tired of this Byronic posing, but Davies marks the occasion as the first time he was really attracted to poetry with enjoyment and serious purpose. He went on to read Shelley, Marlowe's plays, and some further Shakespeare. Wordsworth failed to attract him, though he later studied him very diligently'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

William Shakespeare : [works not reproduced in schoolbooks]

'In the [italics]Autobiography[end italics] he tells us of the impact of Byron on him and his friend Dave: "His influence on Dave was so great that it was publicly shown to all the boys and girls in the chapel's schoolroom... While we were playing kiss in the ring, singing and laughing... Dave would lean his figure... against a pillar, biting his lips and frowning at our merrymaking"... His friend soon tired of this Byronic posing, but Davies marks the occasion as the first time he was really attracted to poetry with enjoyment and serious purpose. He went on to read Shelley, Marlowe's plays, and some further Shakespeare. Wordsworth failed to attract him, though he later studied him very diligently'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

William Wordsworth : 

'In the [italics]Autobiography[end italics] he tells us of the impact of Byron on him and his friend Dave: "His influence on Dave was so great that it was publicly shown to all the boys and girls in the chapel's schoolroom... While we were playing kiss in the ring, singing and laughing... Dave would lean his figure... against a pillar, biting his lips and frowning at our merrymaking"... His friend soon tired of this Byronic posing, but Davies marks the occasion as the first time he was really attracted to poetry with enjoyment and serious purpose. He went on to read Shelley, Marlowe's plays, and some further Shakespeare. Wordsworth failed to attract him, though he later studied him very diligently'.

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

unknown : Freddie's Friend

[When in hospital in Renfrew, Canada, W.H. Davies] 'commented on the inappropriateness of some of the reading matter supplied him - "Freddie's Friend", "Little Billie's Button", "Sally's Sacrifice".'

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

unknown : Little Billie's Button

[When in hospital in Renfrew, Canada, W.H. Davies] 'commented on the inappropriateness of some of the reading matter supplied him - "Freddie's Friend", "Little Billie's Button", "Sally's Sacrifice".'

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

  

unknown : Sally's Sacrifice

[When in hospital in Renfrew, Canada, W.H. Davies] 'commented on the inappropriateness of some of the reading matter supplied him - "Freddie's Friend", "Little Billie's Button", "Sally's Sacrifice".'

Century: 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: William Henry Davies      Print: Book

 

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