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: 24061


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Robert Southey to Charles Collins, 10-11 December 1791: 'As I have nothing else to say take a story I read yesterday as a true one which strikes me as an instance of more refined barbarity than any in the annals of cruelty – a prisoner in the dreary cells of the Bastile had familiarized a spider the only tenant except himself of the miserable spot. to a man secluded thus from the light of day & every living creature this reptile was a kind of mournful companion. the Keeper at length took notice of it & told the Governor – the Governor commanded him to tread upon it.'

Century:

Date:

10 Dec 1791

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Bath

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 Southey

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

12 Aug 1774

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

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:

Mary Wollstonecraft

Title:

Original Stories from Real Life

Genre:

Fiction, Social Science, Biography

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

London, 1791

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

24061

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Author:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 2. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 17 April 2009.,

Citation:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 2. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 17 April 2009., http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=24061, accessed: 28 March 2024


Additional Comments:

None

   
   
Green Turtle Web Design