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

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Record Number: 21349


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'My discouragement is from many causes: among others the re-reading of my Italian story. Forgive me, Colvin, but I cannot agree with you; it seems green fruit to me, if not really unwholesome; it is profoundly feeble, damn its weak knees!'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

Until: 19 Jul 1875

Country:

Scotland

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Edinburgh
county: Lothian
specific address: [Swanston Cottage, Lothianburn]

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:

Robert Louis Stevenson

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

13 Nov 1850

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer (he has now passed his law exams and can start to devote himself entirely to writing).

Religion:

Uncommitted

Country of Origin:

Scotland

Country of Experience:

Scotland

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Robert Louis Stevenson

Title:

When the Devil Was Well.

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned


Source Information:

Record ID:

21349

Source:

Print

Author:

Robert Louis Stevenson

Editor:

Bradford A. Booth

Title:

The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson, April 1874-July 1879

Place of Publication:

New Haven and London

Date of Publication:

1994

Vol:

2

Page:

152

Additional Comments:

Letter 406, To Sidney Colvin, [c. 19 July 1875], [Swanston]. Co-editor Ernest Mehew. The material in square brackets has been added by the editors.

Citation:

Robert Louis Stevenson, Bradford A. Booth (ed.), The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson, April 1874-July 1879 (New Haven and London, 1994), 2, p. 152, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=21349, accessed: 26 April 2024


Additional Comments:

I take it that RLS refers here to a re-reading of his story in progress “When the Devil Was Well”, on which he had sought Colvin’s opinion (see e.g. Letter 402 and ID 20730.

   
   
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