Record Number: 11251

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'...a small thick volume, bound in black morocco, and comprising four reprinted works of the eighteenth century. Gloomy, funeral poems of an order as wholly out of date as are the cross-bones an druffled cherubim on the gravestones in a country churchyard. The four - and in this order, as I never shall forget - were "The Last Day" of a Dr. Young, "Blair's Grave", "Death" by Bishop Beilby Porteus, and "The Deity" of Samuel Boyse ... How I came to open this solemn volume is explained by the oppressive exclusiveness of our Sundays ... [explains how this reading matter was approved, and how it was taken into the garden] Thither then I escaped with my grave-yard poets, and who shall explain the rapture with which I followed their austere morality?' Later, 'It was Blair's "Grave" that really delighted me, and I frightened myself with its melodious doleful images in earnest.'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

Between 1 Jun 1861 and 31 Aug 1861

Country:

England

Time

afternoon: Sunday afternoon

Place:

county: Devon
location in dwelling: garden of family home , in Devon

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

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Edmund Gosse

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1849

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

son of zoological writer

Religion:

Plymouth Brethren

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Robert Blair

Title:

The Grave

Genre:

Other religious, Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

11251

Source:

Print

Author:

Edmund Gosse

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Father and Son: a study of two temperments

Place of Publication:

Keele: Ryburn Publishing

Date of Publication:

1994

Vol:

n/a

Page:

164-166

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Edmund Gosse, Father and Son: a study of two temperments (Keele: Ryburn Publishing, 1994), p. 164-166, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=11251, accessed: 19 April 2024

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Additional Comments:

None