Reading Experience Database
1450-1945

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Record 22837

Reading Experience:

Evidence:
'Doctor Grainger, Author of the fine Ode to Solitude printed in Dodsley's Miscellanies wrote a poem while he was in the West Indies and called it the Sugar Cane; it was sent over hither of Course, & when Dr Johnson first laid hold of it he put it in his Pocket without Examination, & carrying it to a place where he was to meet some Literary Friends, told them he had something about him that might in the reading afford them some Amusement: & according begun at the opening of the Poem thus Where shall the Muse her arduous Task begin? where breathless end? Say shall [italics] we sing of Rats? [end italics] Thus does an Author differ from himself, & a great Mind deviate into Absurdity merely for want of friends to look over their Performance.'
Century: 1700-1799
Date: Until: 30 Apr 1778
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)
members of his literary Club
Additional comments: n/a

 

Text Being Read:

Author: James Grainger
Title: Sugar Cane, The
Genre: Poetry
Form of Text: Print: Book
Publication details: n/a
Provenance: owned

 

Source Information:

Record ID: 22837  
Source - Print  
  Author: Hester Lynch Thrale
  Editor: Katharine C. Balderston
  Title: Thraliana
  Place of Publication: Oxford
  Date of Publication: 1951
  Vol: I
  Page: 246
  Additional comments: n/a

Citation: Hester Lynch Thrale, Katharine C. Balderston (ed.), Thraliana (Oxford, 1951), I, p. 246, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/reading/recorddetails2.php?id=22837, accessed: 28 March 2024

Additional comments:

 

 

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