Reading Experience Database
1450-1945

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Record 21711

Reading Experience:

Evidence:
'He [Johnson] observed, that a gentleman of eminence in literature [Thomas Warton] had got into a bad style of poetry of late. "He puts (said he) a very common thing in a strange dress till he does not know it himself, and thinks other people do not know it". BOSWELL. "That is owing to his being so much versant in old English poetry".JOHNSON. "What is the purpose, Sir? If I say a man is drunk, and you tell me it is owing to his taking much drink, the matter is not mended. No, Sir, ---- has taken to an odd mode. For example; he'd write thus: 'Hermit hoar, in solemn cell, Wearing out life's evening gray'. [italics] Gray evening [end italics] is common enough; but [italics] evening gray [end italics] he'd think fine".'[Johnson continues to critique Warton's style]
Century: 1700-1799
Date: Until: 18 Sep 1777
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:Samuel Johnson
Age Adult (18-100+)
Gender Male
Date of Birth 18 Sep 1709
Socio-economic group: Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation: writer
Religion: Anglican
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: Thomas Warton
Title: [poems]
Genre: Poetry
Form of Text: Print: Book
Publication details: n/a
Provenance: unknown

 

Source Information:

Record ID: 21711  
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: 842
  Additional comments: n/a

Citation: James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 842, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/reading/recorddetails2.php?id=21711, accessed: 28 March 2024

Additional comments:

Originally published 1791.

 

 

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