Reading Experience Database
1450-1945

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Record 20783

Reading Experience:

Evidence:
'Sir Joshua Reynolds told me, that upon his return from Italy he met with it [Johnson's "Life of Savage"] in Devonshire, knowing nothing of its authour [sic], and began to read it while he was standing with his arm leaning against a chimney piece. It seized his attention so strongly, that, not being able to lay down the book till he had finished it, when he attempted to move, he found his arm totally benumbed'.
Century: 1700-1799
Date: Between 1 Jan 1744 and 31 Dec 1744
Country: England
Time: n/a
Place: county: Devon
other location: leaning on a chimney piece
   
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:Joshua Reynolds
Age Adult (18-100+)
Gender Male
Date of Birth 16 Jul 1723
Socio-economic group: Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation: painter
Religion: n/a
Country of origin: England
Country of experience: England
Listeners present if any:
(e.g. family, servants, friends, workmates)
n/a
Additional comments: n/a

 

Text Being Read:

Author: Samuel Johnson
Title: Life of Savage
Genre: Biography
Form of Text: Print: Book
Publication details: n/a
Provenance: read in situ

 

Source Information:

Record ID: 20783  
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: 121
  Additional comments: n/a

Citation: James Boswell , R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 121, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/reading/recorddetails2.php?id=20783, accessed: 19 April 2024

Additional comments:

Originally published 1791.

 

 

Reading Experience Database version 2.0.  Page updated: 27th Apr 2016  3:15pm (GMT)