Record Number: 20703

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'When he [Johnson] was a child in petticoats, and had learnt to read, Mrs Johnson one morning put the common prayer-book into his hands, pointed to the collect for the day, and said, "Sam, you must get this by heart". She went upstairs, leaving him to study it: But by the time she had reached the second floor, she heard him following her. "What's the matter?" said she. "I can say it", he replied; and repeated it distinctly, though he ciould not have read it over more than twice'.

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1712 and 31 Dec 1712

Country:

England

Time

morning

Place:

city: Lichfield
county: Staffordshire

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Samuel Johnson

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

18 Sep 1709

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

later writer

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Title:

Book of Common Prayer [collect for the day]

Genre:

Other religious

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned
owned by his mother

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Source Information:

Record ID:

20703

Source:

Print

Author:

James Boswell

Editor:

R. W. Chapman

Title:

Life of Johnson

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

n/a

Page:

30

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R. W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson  (Oxford, 1980), p. 30, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=20703, accessed: 25 April 2024

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Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791.