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Record Number: 22684


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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Many MS notes, incl. some copied from Lord Macaulay's own copy of Livy: "I copied these marginal notes, and lines, from Macaulay's Bipontine edition in the winter of 1910 at Wallington. GOT." Sir George's dates of reading include 1914,1915,1917,1918, "read with C[aroline] Jan 14 1919"; 1927. At end of v.4: "I read this book in the same number of days as Macaulay. But he was likewise constructing the penal code, and establishing the Indian education system." Sir George's notes in Livy often comment on Macaulay's earlier observations, almost as if they are having a conversation, e.g. where in book XXVI ch 32 Macaulay writes: "The conduct of the Roman senate was on the whole honorable to them, the state of public opinion among the ancients considered", Trevelyan comments: "How differently the Reichstag is showing in the case of Belgium. On Jan 28 1915 he writes: " I have now, day for day kept up, through these five books, exactly the same pace as my uncle. Shall now ease off. My age is more than twice his; and he [underlined] was Macaulay. Would I could talk Livy over with him, and tell him about this [underlined] war! How he would have recognised the spirit and self-sacrifice of the country." 1918: "I have now finished my war-time reading of the whole of Livy." Sir George's notes draw parallels between Livy and current affairs: "very different from the actions of the Germans towards Pointcarre's property"; p.679: "I wish such a speech as this could be made in Russia today (Sep. 10 1917). P.2877: "Jan 17 1915. A beautiful winter Sunday. Colonel Charrington Smith and his party came to tea. They are going to take part in a greater war than Hannibal, Philip and Antiochus together." Throughout, he uses his book to comment on events in his own life, e.g. Feb 12 1915: "George [i.e. G.M. Trevelyan] returned from Serbia yesterday. God be thanked for it." At the end of the book: "I seldom have been more interested in any history. I read the account of the great battle of Antiochus in a translation of Livy when I was a little boy at Mr Seawell's and never since. Feb. 1 1915". Note on p.3034 gives the date of reading as July 30, 1928 i.e. 18 days before Sir George died.

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1910 and 1928

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Cambo
county: Northumberland
specific address: Wallington

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:

George Otto Trevelyan

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

20 Jul 1838

Socio-Economic Group:

Gentry

Occupation:

Historian and statesman

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

Lady Caroline Trevelyan


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Livy

Title:

Historiorum libri

Genre:

Classics, History

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

London: Valpy, 1928 (20 v. Delphin ed.)

Provenance

owned


Source Information:


Additional Comments:

These volumes have much marginalia - I have not transcribed it all.

   
   
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