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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: 25180


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Robert Southey to John May, 26 June, 1797: '...the French never can have a good epic poem till they have republicanized their language; it appears to me a thing impossible in their metres; & for the prose of Fenelon Florian & Bitaubè — I find it peculiarly unpleasant. I have sometimes read the works of Florian aloud; his stories are very interesting & well conducted, but in reading them I have been felt obliged to simplify as I read & omit most of the similes & apostrophes. they disgusted me & I felt ashamed to pronounce them. Ossian is the only book bearable in this stile, there is a melancholy obscurity in the history of Ossian & of almost his heroes that must please — ninety nine readers in an hundred cannot understand Ossian & therefore they like the book. I read it always with renewed pleasure.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 26 Jun 1797

Country:

unknown

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:

Robert Southey

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

12 Aug 1774

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer and lawyer

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

unknown

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Paul Jérémie Bitaubè

Title:

unknown

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

25180

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Author:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 228 http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 29 April 2009. ,

Citation:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 228 http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 29 April 2009. , http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=25180, accessed: 20 April 2024


Additional Comments:

None

   
   
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