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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: 16320


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Then there is Mr Brand's lantern and his Highland cloak; and the tale of how he, John Brand, right royally attired in the garb of old Gaul, presented a nosegay of roses to the Queen of the Netherlands.'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

27 Nov 1872

Country:

Scotland

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Bridge of Allan

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:

Robert Louis Stevenson

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

13 Nov 1850

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

student

Religion:

atheist

Country of Origin:

Scotland

Country of Experience:

Scotland

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

letter to mother, Margaret Stevenson


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Henry Erskine

Title:

The Garb of Old Gaul

Genre:

song lyric

Form of Text:

Print: Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

16320

Source:

Print

Author:

Robert Louis Stevenson

Editor:

Bradford Booth

Title:

The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson

Place of Publication:

New Haven and London

Date of Publication:

1994

Vol:

1

Page:

267

Additional Comments:

additional editor Ernest Mehew

Citation:

Robert Louis Stevenson, Bradford Booth (ed.), The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson (New Haven and London, 1994), 1, p. 267, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=16320, accessed: 19 April 2024


Additional Comments:

Booth/Mehew footnote page 267 suggests that RLS is referring to the title of the regimental slow march (lyric by Lieut-Gen Sir Harry Erskine Bart), but I think, from the context, the lack of initial capital letters and the use of the word 'royally', that RLS is referring to Sir Walter Scott's well-known promise to George IV that he (the king) would wear the 'garb of old Gaul' (ie the kilt) on his visit to Edinburgh in 1822.

   
   
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