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

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Record Number: 21173


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'In Archbishop Laud's Diary I found the following passage, which I read to Dr. Johnson: "1623. February 1, Sunday. I stood by the most illustrious Prince Charles, at dinner. He was then very merry, and talked occasionally of many things with his attendants. Among other things, he said, that if he were necessitated to take any particular profession of life, he could not be a lawyer, adding his reasons: 'I cannot (saith he) defend a bad, nor yield in a good cause.'" Johnson. "Sir, this is false reasoning; because every cause has a bad side: and a lawyer is not overcome, though the cause which he has endeavoured to support be determined against him".'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

9 Apr 1773

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London
specific address: Johnson's house

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:

James Boswell

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

29 Oct 1740

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer and lawyer

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

Scotland

Country of Experience:

England

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

Samuel Johnson


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

William Laud

Title:

[diary]

Genre:

Autobiog / Diary

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

read in situ
read at Johnson's house


Source Information:

Record ID:

21173

Source:

Print

Author:

James Boswell

Editor:

R.W. Chapman

Title:

Life of Johnson

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

n/a

Page:

511

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 511, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=21173, accessed: 23 April 2024


Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791.

   
   
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