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

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Hans Christen Andersen : [tales]

'Wet all day. Read Andersen's tales. There is a strange mingling of false sentiment - unchildlike - with their delicate fancy and wit; too much of rosebowers and crystal palaces, prettily heaped together but without detail of parts or bearing on the story. On the whole, I am disappointed in him. The ugly duck is perfect; the "fat needle" very good. Nearly all the others, too much of opera nymph in them, or of pure ugliness and painfulness - the princess maing the nettle-shirts, and the "grand Klaus" killing his nurse, and many other such pieces, quite spoiling the tone of the book for me.'

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin      Print: Book

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