Reading Experience Database
1450-1945

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Record 21364

Reading Experience:

Evidence:
'[Letter from Boswell to Johnson] Be pleased to accept of my best thanks for your "Journey to the Hebrides", which came to me by last night's post. I did really ask the favour twice; but you have been even with me by granting it so speedily. [italics] Bis dat qui cito dat [end italics]. Though ill of a head cold, you kept me up the greatest part of last night: for I did not stop till I had read every word of your book. I looked back to our first talking of a visit to the Hebrides, which was many years ago, when sitting by ourselves in the Mitre tavern, in London, I think about [italics] witching time o'night [end italics]; and then exulted in contemplating our scheme fulfilled, and a [italics]monumentum perenne [end italics] of it erected by your superiour abilities. I shall only say, that your book has afforded me a high gratification. I shall afterwards give you my thoughts on particular passages. In the mean time, I hasten to tell you of your having mistaken two names, which you will correct in London, as I shall do here, that the gentlemen who deserve the valuable compliments which you have paid them, may enjoy their honours. In page 106, for [italics] Gordon [end italics], read [italics] Murchison [end italics]; and in page 357, for [italics] Maclean [end italics] read [italics] Macleod [end italics].'
Century: 1700-1799
Date: 18 Jan 1775
Country: Scotland
Time: night
Place: city: Edinburgh
   
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:James Boswell
Age Adult (18-100+)
Gender Male
Date of Birth 29 Oct 1740
Socio-economic group: Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation: writer and lawyer
Religion: n/a
Country of origin: Scotland
Country of experience: Scotland
Listeners present if any:
(e.g. family, servants, friends, workmates)
n/a
Additional comments: n/a

 

Text Being Read:

Author: Samuel Johnson
Title: Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland.
Genre: Geography / Travel
Form of Text: Print: Book
Publication details: n/a
Provenance: owned
gift from Johnson

 

Source Information:

Record ID: 21364  
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: 572-3
  Additional comments: n/a

Citation: James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 572-3, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/reading/recorddetails2.php?id=21364, accessed: 28 March 2024

Additional comments:

Originally published 1791.

 

 

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