Listings for Author:
Fenn
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Daniel Fenning : Algebra
'Gifford had read only some ballads, the black-letter romance Parismus and Parismenus, some odd loose magazines of his mother's, the Bible (which he studied with his grandmother) and "The Imitation of Christ" (read to his mother on her deathbed). He then learned algebra by surreptitiously reading Fenning's textbook: his master's son owned the book and had deliberately hidden it from him'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: William Gifford Print: Book
Daniel Fenning : The Universal Spelling Book
'Of grammar neither myself nor my schoolfellows were taught aything, except to repeat by rote the brief grammatical exercises contained in the "Universal Spelling Book", but as the Master gave no explanation of these, either as to their nature or use, they were nearly, if not quite, unintelligible to his pupils.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carter Print: Book
Daniel Fenning : The universal spelling-book: or, a new and easy guide to the English Language. Containing I Tables of Words [...] V Chronological Tables of the Succession of the Kings of England [...]
'a circumstance occurd which nearly stopd me from writing even for my own amusement borrowing a school book of a companion, having some entertaining things in it both in prose and Verse with an introduction by the compiler, who doubtless like myself knew little about either [...] in this introduction was rules both for writing as well as reading Compositions in prose and verse, were, stumbling on a remark that a person who knew nothing of grammer was not capable of writing a letter nor even a bill of parcels, I was quite in the suds, seeing that I had gone on thus far without learing the first rudiments of doing it properly for I had hardly h[e]ard the name of grammer, while at school ? but as I had an itch for trying at every thing I got hold of I determ[i]ned to try grammer, and for that purpose, by the advice of a friend, bought the "Universal Spelling Book" as the most easy assistant for my starting out, but finding a jumble of words classd under this name and that name and this such a figure of speech and that another hard worded figure I turned from further notice of it in disgust for as I knew I could talk to be understood I thought by the same method my writing might be made out as easy and as proper, so in the teeth of grammer I pursued my literary journey' [In the suds = In the dumps]
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Clare Print: Book
Stephen Hobhouse and A. Fenner Brockway, eds : English Prisons Today. Being the Report of the Prison System Enquiry Committee
Tuesday 12 September: 'Lytton drove off an hour ago; I have been sitting here, unable to read or collect myself -- such is the wreckage dealt by 4 days of conversation [...] I told Lytton I should try to write down his talk -- which sprang from a conversation about Boswell [...] Lytton had of course read Mrs Thrale [...] One night he gave us a complete account of the prison system, based on reports which he has been reading -- thoroughly, with mastery, & a kind of political ability which impresses me.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Lytton Strachey Print: Book
Fenn : Sermons
Harriet, Countess Granville to her sister, Lady Carlisle, 31 July 1832: 'I have the greatest pleasure in reading religious books. I find that I understand the Bible better than I ever did before, that I know much better what I am not and what I ought to be, that the subject interests and occupies me deeply, whilst I am employed on it [...] I have been reading Fenn's sermons and like most of them extremely as explaining and directing. Bradley's third volume is excellent. Adams' "Private Thoughts" one likes better and better. There are parts that one cannot, but these always redeemed by something so true, so feeling, so practical.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Countess Granville Print: Book
Fenning : 'Introduction' [on algebra]
'Though [William Gifford] had few means of improvement, he made the most of what he had. A treatise on algebra had been given him by a young woman, who had found it in a lodging-house. This he considered as a treasure, and he was enabled to study it by means of "Fenning's Introduction," which he found hid away among the books of his master's son. The way in which he was enabled to produce algebraic signs was remarkable. Being deprived by his hard master of pen, ink, and paper, he beat out pieces of leather as smooth as possible, and worked out his problems on them with a blunted awl.'
