Switch to English Switch to French

The Open University  |   Study at the OU  |   About the OU  |   Research at the OU  |   Search the OU

Listen to this page  |   Accessibility

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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
  RED International Logo

RED Australia logo


RED Canada logo
RED Netherlands logo
RED New Zealand logo

Record Number: 22121


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'[from Bennet Langton's collection of 1780 Johnsoniana, passed to Boswell] Goldsmith one day brought to the Club a printed Ode, which he, with others, had been hearing read by its authour in a publick room at the rate of five shillings each for admission. One of the company having read it aloud, Dr. Johnson said, "Bolder words and more timorous meaning, I think never were brought together."'

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:

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

Dr Johnson, Goldsmith and others


Additional Comments:

member of Johnson's literary Club



Text Being Read:

Author:

Title:

[an ode]

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

read in situ


Source Information:

Record ID:

22121

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:

1074

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 1074, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=22121, accessed: 02 May 2024


Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791.

   
   
Green Turtle Web Design