Evidence: | 'I am much obliged by your present of The Monastery, which I have read, and which I must frankly confess I admire less than any of the others - much less. Such I think you will find the judgement of the public to be. The idea of painting ancient manners in a fictitious story and in well-known scenery is admirable, and the writer has admirable talents for it; but nothing is done without pains, and I doubt whether pains have been taken in The Monastery, - if they have, they have failed. It is quite childish to introduce supernatural agency; as much of the terrors and follies of supersition as you please, but no actual ghosts and hobgoblins. I recommend one novel every year, and more pains. So much money is worth getting; so much deserved fame is worth keeping, so much amusement we ought all to strive to continue for the public good. You will excuse my candour - you know I am your wellwisher. I was the first to praise Ivanhoe, as I shall be to praise the next, if I can do so conscientiously'. |
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Century: | 1800-1849 | ||||||||||
Date: | Until: 25 Mar 1820 | ||||||||||
Country: | England | ||||||||||
Time: | n/a | ||||||||||
Place: | city: Foston county: Yorkshire |
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Type of Experience (Reader): |
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Type of Experience (Listener): |
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Reader: | Sydney Smith |
Age | Adult (18-100+) |
Gender | Male |
Date of Birth | 3 Jun 1771 |
Socio-economic group: | Clergy (includes all denominations) |
Occupation: | clergyman |
Religion: | Christian |
Country of origin: | England |
Country of experience: | England |
Listeners present if any: (e.g. family, servants,
friends, workmates) |
n/a |
Additional comments: | n/a |
Author: | Walter Scott |
Title: | The Monastery |
Genre: | Fiction |
Form of Text: | Print: Book |
Publication details: | n/a |
Provenance: | owned present from Constable |
Record ID: | 13410 | |
Source - | ||
Author: | n/a | |
Editor: | Nowell C. Smith | |
Title: | The Letters of Sydney Smith | |
Place of Publication: | Oxford | |
Date of Publication: | 1953 | |
Vol: | I | |
Page: | 350-1 | |
Additional comments: | n/a |
Citation: | Nowell C. Smith (ed.), The Letters of Sydney Smith (Oxford, 1953), I, p. 350-1, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/reading/recorddetails2.php?id=13410, accessed: 18 April 2024 |
Letter to Archibald Constable |
Reading Experience Database version 2.0. Page updated: 27th Apr 2016 3:15pm (GMT)