Record Number: 25731

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Lady Harriet Cavendish to her former governess, Selina Trimmer, 24 November 1803: 'I lament the reason I am going to give you for keeping to one book at a time. I find from the long habits of inattention and unsteadiness of reading to which I have accustomed myself that I cannot remember or connect what I am about as well if I vary the subject, as when I keep steadily to one, and in fact, I gain as much information from constantly having my book [italics]near[end italics] or [italics]about[end italics] me, I get on very fast [sic]. I am now in the 5th volume of Madame de Sevigne's letters, and I own myself to be quite captivated by her style, wit and variety of sentiment. I think people are much mistaken who only dip into this book, as it is impossible to do her, or one's own judgement of her, justice without reading it through with attention and I am sure then with delight.'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 1 Nov 1803 and 24 Nov 1803

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Bath

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

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Lady Harriet Cavendish

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

Aug 1785

Socio-Economic Group:

Royalty / aristocracy

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Madame de Sevigne

Title:

Letters (vol. 5)

Genre:

Autobiog / Diary

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

25731

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Sir George Leveson Gower and Iris Palmer

Title:

Hary-o: The Letters of Lady Harriet Cavendish 1796-1809

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1940

Vol:

n/a

Page:

84

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Sir George Leveson Gower and Iris Palmer (ed.), Hary-o: The Letters of Lady Harriet Cavendish 1796-1809 (London, 1940), p. 84, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=25731, accessed: 22 September 2023

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Additional Comments:

Reader and family on a two-month stay in Bath.