Record Number: 1417

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Dorothy Wordsworth writes to Catherine Clarkson (12 November 1810) with description of three nights' stay during October (c.26-29) 1810 at Hackett (overlooking Langdale and other Lakeland locations) with William and Mary Wordsworth, their four children and a maid: 'The weather was heavenly, when we were there, and the first morning we sate in hot sunshine on a crag, twenty yards from the door, while William read part of the 5th Book of the Paradise Lost to us. He read the Morning Hymn, while a stream of white vapour, which covered the Valley of Brathay, ascended slowly and by degrees melted away. It seemed as if we had never before felt deeply the power of the Poet ... '

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 26 Oct 1810 and 29 Oct 1810

Country:

England

Time

morning

Place:

specific address: Hackett

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

William Wordsworth

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

7 Apr 1770

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer

Religion:

Church of England

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

Dorothy Wordsworth, as well as possibly Mary Wordsworth, and the four children of William and Mary Wordsworth.

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

John Milton

Title:

Paradise Lost

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

1417

Source:

Print

Author:

William and Dorothy Wordsworth

Editor:

Ernest De Selincourt

Title:

The Letters of William and Dorothy Wordsworth: The Middle Years Part I (1806-1811)

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1969

Vol:

1

Page:

447

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Ernest De Selincourt (ed.), The Letters of William and Dorothy Wordsworth: The Middle Years Part I (1806-1811) (Oxford, 1969), 1, p. 447, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=1417, accessed: 19 April 2024

---

Additional Comments:

None