Record Number: 27200

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Sharon Turner (lawyer) to John Murray, 31 January 1822: 'Mr. Shadwell, whom I have just seen, has told me that he had read "Cain" some time ago, -- that he thinks it contains nothing but what a bookseller can be fairly justified in publishing, that it is not worse in many parts than "Paradise Regained" and in "Paradise Lost" [...] He is King's Counsel and a religious man. He thinks it can hurt no reasonable mind. He will lead the case.'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 1 Dec 1821 and 31 Jan 1822

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

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Shadwell

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Barrister

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

n/a

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

George Gordon Lord Byron

Title:

Cain, a Mystery

Genre:

Bible, Drama, Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

Published by John Murray, together with Byron's plays Sardanapalus and The Two Foscari, December 1821

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

27200

Source:

Print

Author:

Samuel Smiles

Editor:

n/a

Title:

A Publisher and His Friends: Memoir and Correspondence of the Late John Murray

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1891

Vol:

1

Page:

428

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Samuel Smiles, A Publisher and His Friends: Memoir and Correspondence of the Late John Murray (London, 1891), 1, p. 428, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=27200, accessed: 16 April 2024

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Additional Comments:

Shadwell was retained by Murray to apply to the Chancellor (Lord Eldon) for an injunction to protect Murray from pirate publishers of text; Murray was concerned that this might be refused, were text to be judged as blasphemous (see p.428 in source).