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

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Record Number: 21033


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Swift having been mentioned, Johnson, as usual, treated him with little respect as an author. Some of us endeavoured to support the Dean of St. Patrick's, by various arguments. One in particular praised his "Conduct of the Allies." Johnson. "Sir, his 'Conduct of the Allies,' is a performance of very little ability." "Surely, Sir, (said Dr. Douglas,) you must allow it has strong facts." Johnson. "Why yes, Sir; but what is that to the merit of the composition? In the Sessions-paper of the Old Bailey there are strong facts. Housebreaking is a strong fact; and murder is a mighty strong fact; but is great praise due to the historian of those strong facts? No, Sir, Swift has told what he had to tell distinctly enough, but that is all. He had to count ten, and he has counted it right."'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 1 Sep 1768

Country:

n/a

Time

n/a

Place:

n/a

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:

Dr Douglas

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

n/a

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Jonathan Swift

Title:

The Conduct of the Allies, and of the Late Ministry, in Beginning and Carrying on the Present War

Genre:

Politics

Form of Text:

Print: Pamphlet

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

21033

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:

399

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 399, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=21033, accessed: 28 March 2024


Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791.

   
   
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