Record Number: 22421

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Johnson was present when a tragedy was read, in which there occurred this line:-- "Who rules o'er freemen should himself be free". The company having admired it much, "I cannot agree with you (said Johnson). It might as well be said,-- "Who drives fat oxen should himself be fat".'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 30 Jun 1784

Country:

England

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 reactive unknown
single serial unknown

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Listener:

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:

England

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

Johnson and others

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

Henry Brooke

Title:

Gustavus Vasa The Deliverer Of His Country

Genre:

Drama

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

22421

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:

1307

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 1307, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=22421, accessed: 01 May 2024

---

Additional Comments:

Original date of publication 1791.