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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: 21735


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'I asked whether Prior's Poems were to be printed entire: Johnson said they were. I mentioned Lord Hailes's censure of Prior, in his Preface to a collection of "Sacred Poems", by various hands, published by him at Edinburgh a great many years ago, where he mentions, "those impure tales which will be the eternal opprobrium of their ingenious authour". JOHNSON. "Sir, Lord Hailes has forgot. There is nothing in Prior that will excite to lewdness. If Lord Hailes thinks there is, he must be more combustible than other people". I instanced the tale of Paulo Purganti and his Wife. JOHNSON. "Sir, there is nothing there, but that his wife wanted to be kissed when poor Paulo was out of pocket. No, Sir, Prior is a lady's book. No lady is ashamed to have it standing in her library".'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 22 Sep 1777

Country:

n/a

Time

n/a

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:

Samuel Johnson

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

18 Sep 1709

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer

Religion:

Anglican

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

n/a

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Matthew Prior

Title:

[Poems]

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

21735

Source:

Print

Author:

James Boswell

Editor:

R.W. Chapman

Title:

Life of Boswell

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

n/a

Page:

869

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Boswell (Oxford, 1980), p. 869, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=21735, accessed: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791

   
   
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