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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
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Record Number: 20708


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'he read a great deal in a desultory manner, without any scheme of study, as chance threw books in his way, and inclination directed him through them. He used to mention one curious instance of his casual reading, when but a boy. Having imagined that his brother had hid some apples behind a large folio upon an upper shelf in his father's shop, he climbed up to search for them. There were no apples; but the large folio proved to be Petrarch, whom he had seen mentioned in some preface, as one of the restorers of learning. His curiosity having been thus excited, he sat down with avidity and read a great part of the book'.

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1712 and 18 Sep 1727

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Lichfield
county: Staffordshire
other location: his father's shop

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


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



Text Being Read:

Author:

Petrarch

Title:

[works]

Genre:

Essays / Criticism, Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

borrowed (other)
owned by his father


Source Information:

Record ID:

20708

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:

43-4

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R. W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson  (Oxford, 1980), p. 43-4, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=20708, accessed: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791.

   
   
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