Reading Experience Database
1450-1945

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Record 22155

Reading Experience:

Evidence:
'[from the Johnsoniana imparted by Bennet Langton to Boswell in 1780] In the latter part of his life, in order to satisfy himself whether his mental faculties were impaired, he resolved that he would try to learn a new language, and fixed upon the Low Dutch, for that purpose, and this he continued till he had read about one half of "Thomas a Kempis"; and finding that there appeared no abatement of his power of acquisition, he then desisted, as thinking the experiment had been duly tried'.
Century: 1700-1799
Date: Until: 31 Dec 1780
Country: England
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:Samuel Johnson
Age Adult (18-100+)
Gender Male
Date of Birth 18 Sep 1709
Socio-economic group: Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation: writer
Religion: Anglican
Country of origin: England
Country of experience: England
Listeners present if any:
(e.g. family, servants, friends, workmates)
n/a
Additional comments: n/a

 

Text Being Read:

Author: Thomas a Kempis
Title: Imitation of Christ
Genre: Other religious
Form of Text: Print: Book
Publication details: in Dutch
Provenance: unknown

 

Source Information:

Record ID: 22155  
Source - Print  
  Author: James Boswell
  Editor: R.W. Chapman
  Title: Life of Johnson
  Place of Publication: Oxford
  Date of Publication: 1980
  Vol: n/a
  Page: 1080
  Additional comments: n/a

Citation: James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson (Oxford, 1980), p. 1080, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/reading/recorddetails2.php?id=22155, accessed: 28 March 2024

Additional comments:

Originally published 1791. This is possibly the title in question - or it could be a book about Thomas a Kempis.

 

 

Reading Experience Database version 2.0.  Page updated: 27th Apr 2016  3:15pm (GMT)