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

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Record Number: 22120


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'[from Bennet Langton's collection of 1780 Johnsoniana, passed to Boswell] 'One night at The Club he produced a translation of an Epitaph which Lord Elibank had written in English, for his Lady, and requested of Johnson to turn into Latin for him. Having read "Domina de North et Gray", he said to Dyer, "You see, Sir, what barbarisms we are compelled to make use of, when modern titles are to be specifically mentioned in Latin inscriptions." When he had read it once aloud, and there had been a general approbation expressed by the company, he addressed himself to Mr. Dyer in particular, and said, "Sir, I beg to have your judgement, for I know your nicety." Dyer then very properly desired to read it over again; which having done, he pointed out an incongruity in one of the sentences.'

Century:

Date:

Until: 31 Dec 1780

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London
other location: meeting of the 'Club' of literary friends of Johnson

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:

Mr Dyer

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:

England

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Lord Elibank

Title:

[Epitaph on his Lady]

Genre:

epitaph

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Unknown

Publication Details

translated into Latin by Johnson

Provenance

read in situ


Source Information:

Record ID:

22120

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:

1072

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 1072, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=22120, accessed: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791.

   
   
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