Switch to English Switch to French

The Open University  |   Study at the OU  |   About the OU  |   Research at the OU  |   Search the OU

Listen to this page  |   Accessibility

the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
  RED International Logo

RED Australia logo


RED Canada logo
RED Netherlands logo
RED New Zealand logo

Listings for Reader:  

Bertram

 

Click here to select all entries:

 


  

[unknown] : [unknown]

[description of work while employed as an apprentice at the warehouse of Mr Tait, proprietor of 'Tait's Edinburgh Magazine'] 'This accomplished, my next duties were to sweep the floor and dust the counter and desks in the front shop, in the course of which an occasional brief pause on my work was made that I might take a peep at the contents of some book, the title of which took my fancy.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

[unknown] : [various English periodicals]

'At the beginning of each month, too, there fell to be collected from the various agents a large number of English magazines for Mr Tait's customers, as also a few copies of "Blackwood"; and at the contents of some of those I often contrived to get a surreptitious "read".'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

  

[n/a] : Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine

'At the beginning of each month, too, there fell to be collected from the various agents a large number of English magazines for Mr Tait's customers, as also a few copies of "Blackwood"; and at the contents of some of those I often contrived to get a surreptitious "read".'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

  

William Cobbett : Advice to young men

'Much is being said and written now-a-days about the influence of books on the formation of character; let me therefore mention that my prime favourites while at Tait's were "Cobbett's advice to young men", and Charles Knight's "Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties"; which I read over and over again with great zest, and, I hope, much benefit. As a matter of course, I also read "Tait's Magazine" regularly, making myself familiar with its contents even before publication; the elaborate reviews of many of the best books of the period affording me the opportunity of picking up a considerable amount of useful information. Curiously enough, the reading of the "Waverley novels" was to me a task of difficulty; and I am ashamed to say that I have only read few of them, "Guy Mannering", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "St Ronan's Well". "Waverley", although attempted more than once, failed to attract.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

George L. Craik : Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties

'Much is being said and written now-a-days about the influence of books on the formation of character; let me therefore mention that my prime favourites while at Tait's were "Cobbett's advice to young men", and Charles Knight's "Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties"; which I read over and over again with great zest, and, I hope, much benefit. As a matter of course, I also read "Tait's Magazine" regularly, making myself familiar with its contents even before publication; the elaborate reviews of many of the best books of the period affording me the opportunity of picking up a considerable amount of useful information. Curiously enough, the reading of the "Waverley novels" was to me a task of difficulty; and I am ashamed to say that I have only read few of them, "Guy Mannering", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "St Ronan's Well". "Waverley", although attempted more than once, failed to attract.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

William Tait : Tait's Edinburgh Magazine

'Much is being said and written now-a-days about the influence of books on the formation of character; let me therefore mention that my prime favourites while at Tait's were "Cobbett's advice to young men", and Charles Knight's "Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties"; which I read over and over again with great zest, and, I hope, much benefit. As a matter of course, I also read "Tait's Magazine" regularly, making myself familiar with its contents even before publication; the elaborate reviews of many of the best books of the period affording me the opportunity of picking up a considerable amount of useful information. Curiously enough, the reading of the "Waverley novels" was to me a task of difficulty; and I am ashamed to say that I have only read few of them, "Guy Mannering", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "St Ronan's Well". "Waverley", although attempted more than once, failed to attract.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

  

Walter Scott : Guy Mannering

'Much is being said and written now-a-days about the influence of books on the formation of character; let me therefore mention that my prime favourites while at Tait's were "Cobbett's advice to young men", and Charles Knight's "Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties"; which I read over and over again with great zest, and, I hope, much benefit. As a matter of course, I also read "Tait's Magazine" regularly, making myself familiar with its contents even before publication; the elaborate reviews of many of the best books of the period affording me the opportunity of picking up a considerable amount of useful information. Curiously enough, the reading of the "Waverley novels" was to me a task of difficulty; and I am ashamed to say that I have only read few of them, "Guy Mannering", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "St Ronan's Well". "Waverley", although attempted more than once, failed to attract.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

Walter Scott : The Heart of Midlothian

'Much is being said and written now-a-days about the influence of books on the formation of character; let me therefore mention that my prime favourites while at Tait's were "Cobbett's advice to young men", and Charles Knight's "Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties"; which I read over and over again with great zest, and, I hope, much benefit. As a matter of course, I also read "Tait's Magazine" regularly, making myself familiar with its contents even before publication; the elaborate reviews of many of the best books of the period affording me the opportunity of picking up a considerable amount of useful information. Curiously enough, the reading of the "Waverley novels" was to me a task of difficulty; and I am ashamed to say that I have only read few of them, "Guy Mannering", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "St Ronan's Well". "Waverley", although attempted more than once, failed to attract.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

Walter Scott : The Bride of Lammermoor

'Much is being said and written now-a-days about the influence of books on the formation of character; let me therefore mention that my prime favourites while at Tait's were "Cobbett's advice to young men", and Charles Knight's "Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties"; which I read over and over again with great zest, and, I hope, much benefit. As a matter of course, I also read "Tait's Magazine" regularly, making myself familiar with its contents even before publication; the elaborate reviews of many of the best books of the period affording me the opportunity of picking up a considerable amount of useful information. Curiously enough, the reading of the "Waverley novels" was to me a task of difficulty; and I am ashamed to say that I have only read few of them, "Guy Mannering", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "St Ronan's Well". "Waverley", although attempted more than once, failed to attract.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

Walter Scott : St Ronan's Well

'Much is being said and written now-a-days about the influence of books on the formation of character; let me therefore mention that my prime favourites while at Tait's were "Cobbett's advice to young men", and Charles Knight's "Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties"; which I read over and over again with great zest, and, I hope, much benefit. As a matter of course, I also read "Tait's Magazine" regularly, making myself familiar with its contents even before publication; the elaborate reviews of many of the best books of the period affording me the opportunity of picking up a considerable amount of useful information. Curiously enough, the reading of the "Waverley novels" was to me a task of difficulty; and I am ashamed to say that I have only read few of them, "Guy Mannering", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "St Ronan's Well". "Waverley", although attempted more than once, failed to attract.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

Walter Scott : Waverley

'Much is being said and written now-a-days about the influence of books on the formation of character; let me therefore mention that my prime favourites while at Tait's were "Cobbett's advice to young men", and Charles Knight's "Pursuit of knowledge under difficulties"; which I read over and over again with great zest, and, I hope, much benefit. As a matter of course, I also read "Tait's Magazine" regularly, making myself familiar with its contents even before publication; the elaborate reviews of many of the best books of the period affording me the opportunity of picking up a considerable amount of useful information. Curiously enough, the reading of the "Waverley novels" was to me a task of difficulty; and I am ashamed to say that I have only read few of them, "Guy Mannering", "The Heart of Midlothian", "The Bride of Lammermoor" and "St Ronan's Well". "Waverley", although attempted more than once, failed to attract.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

Walter Scott : The Monastery

'My father, who was in the employment of Mr Cadell, Sir Walter's publisher, brought home "The Monastery" and "The Fortunes of Nigel", and several others, much to the delight of my mother, who never could understand how so voracious a reader as myself did not take to them; but so it was, and now my children express the same surprise, and unsuccessfully recommend me to try once more.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group:      Print: Book

  

Walter Scott : The Fortunes of Nigel

'My father, who was in the employment of Mr Cadell, Sir Walter's publisher, brought home "The Monastery" and "The Fortunes of Nigel", and several others, much to the delight of my mother, who never could understand how so voracious a reader as myself did not take to them; but so it was, and now my children express the same surprise, and unsuccessfully recommend me to try once more.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group:      Print: Book

  

John Galt : Lives of the players

'The novels of John Galt were always much to my taste. I fancy I have read every book that came from his pen, including his "Lives of the players", and once every year I peruse "Sir Andrew Wyllie"; also that most realistic production, the "Annals of the Parish": both books undeserving of the neglect which has befallen them.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

John Galt : Sir Andrew Wyllie

'The novels of John Galt were always much to my taste. I fancy I have read every book that came from his pen, including his "Lives of players", and once every year I peruse "Sir Andrew Wyllie"; also that most realistic production, the "Annals of the Parish": both books undeserving of the neglect which has befallen them.'

Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

John Galt : Annals of the Parish

'The novels of John Galt were always much to my taste. I fancy I have read every book that came from his pen, including his "Lives of players", and once every year I peruse "Sir Andrew Wyllie"; also that most realistic production, the "Annals of the Parish": both books undeserving of the neglect which has befallen them.'

Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

Samuel Smiles : [biographies of men]

'As an apprentice I was a subscriber to the Mechanic's Library, from which I borrowed a great supply of books - my tastes lying largely in the direction of biography ... series of books of Mr Smiles, is still worth the attention of young men in search of wholesome reading.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

James Lackington : [autobiography]

'Another book I read with much zest was the autobiography of Lackington, the bookseller, a copy of which amusing and instructive work I still possess and read occasionally.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

James Hogg : Shepherd's Calendar

'In Mr Tait's warehouse I read Hogg's "Shepherd's Calendar" and some of his poems also, while, at various times, many opportunities of hearing much about him.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Book

  

[n/a] : Bentley's Miscellany

'I pursued a similar plan with others of the magazines whenever I got a chance, especially "Bentley's Miscellany", which contained in my young days "Jack Sheppard".'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

  

Robert Chambers : Chambers's Journal

'One Saturday afternoon in the summer of 1838, whilst crossing Brumsfield links on my way home to Morningside, endeavouring as I walked over the grass to read a story in one of the volumes of "Chambers's Journal", then of a somewhat unwielding size, I was stopped by two gentlemen, one of whom asked what I was reading...'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

  

William Harrison Ainsworth : Jack Sheppard

'I pursued a similar plan with others of the magazines whenever I got a chance, especially "Bentley's Miscellany", which contained in my young days "Jack Sheppard".'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

  

Mrs Johnstone : The Schoolmaster

'When, in the course of a year or two, we removed to the vicinity of Edinburgh, matters in respect of books brightened a little. I then obtained access to a greater variety, and, as I well remember, greatly enjoyed reading some numbers of a periodical called "The Schoolmaster", edited by Mr Johnstone, or, to speak more correctly, by Mrs Johnstone.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

  

Samuel Warren : Diary of a late physician

'When in my early apprentice days I was first enabled to dip into the pages of "Maga", its chief attraction was the later series of "The Diary of a late physician". I greatly enjoyed the papers, and also, later on, the same author's story of "Ten Thousand a Year". [when the journal came out] I would sit on the steps [of George Street] for nearly an hour engrossed by the perusal of some interesting portion of its pages, munching at the same time my dinner of bread-and-cheese. The pages of the copies of the magazine in my custody as collector were, of course, uncut, but having as many as eight or ten in my charge, I managed without it being discovered to cut open one leaf in each of the numbers in order to master the narrative.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

  

Samuel Warren : Ten thousand a year

'When in my early apprentice days I was first enabled to dip into the pages of "Maga", its chief attraction was the later series of "The Diary of a late physician". I greatly enjoyed the papers, and also, later on, the same author's story of "Ten Thousand a Year". [when the journal came out] I would sit on the steps [of George Street] for nearly an hour engrossed by the perusal of some interesting portion of its pages, munching at the same time my dinner of bread-and-cheese. The pages of the copies of the magazine in my custody as collector were, of course, uncut, but, having as many as eight or ten in my charge, I managed without its being discovered to cut open one leaf in each of the numbers in order to master the narrative.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

  

James Hogg : [poems]

'In Mr Tait's warehouse I read Hogg's "Shepherd's Calendar" and some of his poems also, while, at various times, many opportunities of hearing much about him.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Unknown

  

[n/a] : Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine

'When in my early apprentice days I was first enabled to dip into the pages of "Maga", its chief attraction was the later series of "The Diary of a late physician". I greatly enjoyed the papers, and also, later on, the same author's story of "Ten Thousand a Year". [when the journal came out] I would sit on the steps [of George Street] for nearly an hour engrossed by the perusal of some interesting portion of its pages, munching at the same time my dinner of bread-and-cheese. The pages of the copies of the magazine in my custody as collector were, of course, uncut, but, having as many as eight or ten in my charge, I managed without its being discovered to cut open one leaf in each of the numbers in order to master the narrative.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: James Glass Bertram      Print: Serial / periodical

 

Click here to select all entries:

 

   
   
Green Turtle Web Design