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: 24129


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 16-21 January 1793: 'I do not know in the annals of history & barbarity any character which I so much abhor as that of the vain the vile Augustus — the death of Cicero the banishment of Ovid — the black boys & the incestuous daughter the total suppression of liberty these are blots which all the art of Flattery cannot hide from the eye of Reason. “With the same hand & probably with the same frame of mind did he sign the proscription of Cicero & the pardon of Cinna” — you remember Gibbons remark upon Augustuss appearance at the banquet in that very elegant piece of the virtuous Julian.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 13 Jan 1793

Country:

England

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:

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:

Edward Gibbon

Title:

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Genre:

History

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

London, 1788. 12 vols.

Provenance

owned


Source Information:

Record ID:

24129

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Author:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 40. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 21 April 2009. ,

Citation:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 40. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 21 April 2009. , http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=24129, accessed: 25 April 2024


Additional Comments:

Source eds note that a copy of the edition cited was in Southey's library - see "Sale Catalogues of Libraries of Eminent Persons", gen. ed. A. N. L. Munby, vol. 9 "Poets and Men of Letters", ed. Roy Park (London, 1974), p. 138.

   
   
Green Turtle Web Design