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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
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Record Number: 12229


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Soon after, the old mamma hobbled to me,? and began a furious panegyric upon my Book,? saying at the same Time "I wonder, miss, how you could get at them low characters! ? as to the Lords and Ladies that?s no wonder at all, ? why as to t?other, ?why I have not stirred night nor morning while I?ve been reading it,? if I don?t wonder how you could be so clever! ? ... . . . you?ve writ the best and prettiest book? that Lord there, I forget his Name, that marries her at last, what a fine Gentleman he is! You deserve everything for Drawing such a Character, ? & then Miss Elena there? Miss Belmont as she is at last, ?what a Noble Couple of ?em you have put together! As to the t?other Lord, I was glad he had not her, for I see he had nothing but a bad design."

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1778 and 6 May 1780

Country:

unknown

Time

daytime
night

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:

Mary Lawes

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

1701

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

widow of diplomat, John Lawes

Religion:

Christian

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

unknown

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Frances Burney

Title:

Evelina

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

London, 1778

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

12229

Source:

Print

Author:

Fanny Burney

Editor:

Betty Rizzo

Title:

The Early Journals and Letters of Fanny Burney

Place of Publication:

London: Oxford University Press

Date of Publication:

2003

Vol:

n/a

Page:

104 and 106

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Fanny Burney, Betty Rizzo (ed.), The Early Journals and Letters of Fanny Burney (London: Oxford University Press, 2003), p. 104 and 106, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=12229, accessed: 26 April 2024


Additional Comments:

comments suggest she read the novel in one sitting. editor's note on p. 85 re. 'Mrs Lawes' - 'probably Mary Lawes'

   
   
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