Switch to English Switch to French

The Open University  |   Study at the OU  |   About the OU  |   Research at the OU  |   Search the OU

Listen to this page  |   Accessibility

the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
  RED International Logo

RED Australia logo


RED Canada logo
RED Netherlands logo
RED New Zealand logo

Record Number: 8594


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

?? in looking over the title pages, I met with Hobbes translation of Homer, I had some how or other heard that Homer was a great poet, but unfortunately I had never heard of Pope?s translation of him, so we eagerly purchased that by Hobbes. At this stall I also purchased Walker?s Poetical paraphrase of Epictetus?s Morals; and home we went, perfectly well pleased with our bargains. We that evening began with Hobbes's Homer; but found it very difficult for us to read, owing to the obscurity of the translation, which together with the indifferent language, and the want of poetical merit in the translator somewhat disappointed us; however we had from time to time many a hard puzzling hour with him. But as Walker's Epictetus, although it had not much poetical merit, yet it was very easy to be read, and as easily understood; and the principles of the Stoic [underlined] charmed me so much, that I made the book my companion wherever I went, and read it over and over...?

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1768 and 31 Dec 1769

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Bristol

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:

James Lackington

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

11 Sep 1746

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Apprentice shoemaker

Religion:

Wesleyan

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

John Jones


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Epictetus

Title:

Morals

Genre:

Classics, Philosophy

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

Walker's translation

Provenance

owned


Source Information:

Record ID:

8594

Source:

Print

Author:

James Lackington

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Memoirs of the first forty-five years of the life of James Lackington

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1791

Vol:

n/a

Page:

85

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Lackington, Memoirs of the first forty-five years of the life of James Lackington (London, 1791), p. 85, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=8594, accessed: 28 March 2024


Additional Comments:

None

   
   
Green Turtle Web Design