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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: 22414


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'[speaking of some verses in the notes to Pope's Dunciad, Boswell and Miss Seward wonder who they are by] He was prompt with his answer: "Why, Sir, they were written by one Lewis, who was either under-master or an usher of Westminster-school, and published a Miscellany, in which "Grongar Hill" first came out". Johnson praised them highly, and repeated them with a noble animation. In the twelfth line, instead of "one establish'd fame", he repeated "one unclouded flame", which he thought was the reading in former editions: but I believe was a flash of his own genius. It is much more poetical than the other.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 15 Jun 1784

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:

Mr Lewis

Title:

[verses on Pope in notes to the 'Dunciad']

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

printed with Pope's 'Dunciad'

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

22414

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:

1302-3

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 1302-3, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=22414, accessed: 25 April 2024


Additional Comments:

Original date of publication 1791

   
   
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