'Reading; First book of Lucretius, 6th book of the Iliad; Samson Agonistes, Warton's History of English Poetry; Grote 2nd vol; Marcus Aurelius; Vita Nuova; vol IV, Chapter 1 of the Politique positive; Guest on English Rhythms, Maurice's Lectures on Casuistry'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Eliot [pseud.] Print: Book
'Read the articles Phoenicia and Carthage in Ancient Geography. Looked into Smith's "Universal History" again for Carthaginian religion. Looked into Sismondi's "Litterature du Midi", for Roman de Rose, and ran through the first chapter, about the formation of the Romance Languages. Read about the Thallogens and Acrogens in "the Vegetable World". Drayton's Nymphidia - a charming poem. A few pages of his Polyolbion. Re-read Grote v-vii on Sicilian affairs down to rise of Dionysius'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Eliot [pseud] Print: Book
'Reading Quintus Fixlein aloud to G. in the evening. Grote on Sicilian history'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Eliot [pseud] Print: Book
'Grote on the Sophists - then History of Philosophy to compare'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Eliot [pseud] Print: Book
'Read Grote on the Sophists'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Eliot [pseud] Print: Book
'So it was you that sent me "Miss Berry"! That was a real good deed. I don't find that anybody enjoys it half so much as I do; but nobody I see had any clear idea of that trio, or cares about their times as I do. I have not finished it even yet, I am glad to say. I read it as you do; and moreover, a big book has come in which must be read at once, - Mr Grote's "Plato". That too is an immense enjoyment in its way. At first, it was pure delight; but as I go on I am rather dismayed at the amount of repetition in it...'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Martineau Print: Book
'I wonder whether you have read that first book of Miss Eyre's ("Mary Eyre" of the Times) "A Lady's Walks in the South of France". What a disgusting book it is, - a begging book, avowedly written to get money, and disclosing the family poverty, and bemoaning herself all the way through, and preaching and censuring, right and left, and with such adulation of Brougham, as the patron!'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Martineau Print: Book
'I am reading Mr Procter's "Ch.Lamb", - so full of affecting signs of his own failure, and so interesting in all ways. I could not help enjoying Ld Cornwallis, though half-ashamed to own it. Mrs Grote sends me her vol: of "Collected Papers", and some unpublished records of our time, - very interesting. They and I seemed to have rushed into a more vigorous intercourse than ever, as by a sort of accident'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Harriet Martineau Print: Book
'I took Lubbock's List as a guide in my book hunting and persevered until I had acquired and read every single book in Lubbock's "hundred". It took time, of course: it was only after many years that I could happen upon and acquire, secondhand, Grote's "History of Greece". But as I found them, so, doggedly, I set myself to read them, and to puzzle out, as well as I could, why they had acquired the repute in which they stood. It was, at times, hard going; I got little pleasure or profit from Keble's "Christian Year", and, though his gorgeous word tapestry impressed me greatly, little of either from Jeremy Taylor's "Holy Living" and "Holy Dying".'
Century: 1850-1899 / 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas A. Jackson Print: Book
John Gibson Lockhart to John Wilson Croker, 12 January 1849, on Macaulay's recently-published History of England:
'He has written some very brilliant essays [...] but he has written [italics]no history[end italics] [...] his bitter hatred of the Church of England all through is evident; it is, I think, the only very strong feeling in the book [...]
'Then his treatment of the Whig criminals Sidney and Russell, is very shabby [...]
'You will tell me by-and-bye what you think of this. I own that I read the book with breathless interest, in spite of occasional indignations, but I am now reading Grote's new volume of his "History of Greece," and, upon my word, I find the contrast of his calm, stately, tranquil narrative very soothing. In short, I doubt if Macaulay's book will go down as a standard addition to our [italics]historical[end italics] library, though it must always keep a high place among the specimens of English rhetoric.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Gibson Lockhart Print: Book
G. C. Lewis to George Grote, 5 April 1846:
'I cannot resist writing to express to you the satisfaction, as well as instruction, which I have
gained from reading the two published volumes of your "History." You have succeeded
completely in placing the whole question of the mythology and legendary narrations of the
Greeks upon what I believe to be their true footing [comments further on text].'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: G. C. Lewis Print: Book
Henry Hallam to George Grote, 7 December 1846:
'I have a good apology for writing to you so late about your "History" -- namely, that the
avocations of London at the one time, and a tour on the Continent afterwards, gave me no
leisure till lately to do more than look cursorily at one volume. I have now had the pleasure of
going through it, and cannot refuse myself that also of telling you how greatly I admire your
work, and of congratulating you on the very high place it entitles you to take among living
historians [comments further].'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Henry Hallam Print: Book
Henry Hallam to George Grote, 7 December 1846:
'I have a good apology for writing to you so late about your "History" -- namely, that the
avocations of London at the one time, and a tour on the Continent afterwards, gave me no
leisure till lately to do more than look cursorily at one volume. I have now had the pleasure of
going through it, and cannot refuse myself that also of telling you how greatly I admire your
work, and of congratulating you on the very high place it entitles you to take among living
historians [comments further].'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Henry Hallam Print: Book
The Bishop of St David's to George Grote, 21 June 1847:
'My expectations, though they had been raised very high, were more than fulfilled by your first
two volumes; and in its progress the work appears to me to have been continually rising, not
perhaps in merit, but in value.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bishop of St David's Print: Book
The Bishop of St David's to George Grote, 21 June 1847:
'My expectations, though they had been raised very high, were more than fulfilled by your first
two volumes; and in its progress the work appears to me to have been continually rising, not
perhaps in merit, but in value.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Bishop of St David's Print: Book
G. C. Lewis to George Grote, 5 November 1847:
'I received yesterday the volume on "Swiss Politics" which you were so good as to send me. I
have since read it with great interest, and feel much indebted to you, both for having written
the book, and having sent me a copy of it. The narrative is lucid and flowing, and the view
taken of the whole series of events appears to me perfectly just and discriminating. It carries
one back to the seventeenth century and seems to place one in the midst of the Thirty Years'
War.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: G. C. Lewis Print: Book
Sarah Austin to Harriet Grote, wife to George Grote, 29 August 1847:
'His [Austin's husband John] great comfort, during his tedious illness, has been Mr. Grote's
History, which Alexander Gordon brought over to him. To me it has been a heartfelt pleasure
to hear him ejaculating at intervals, "What a conscientious book!" "It is delightful!" "There is
all Grote's honesty!" and so on.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Austin Print: Book
John Stuart Mill to George Grote, January 1849:
'I have just finished reading the two volumes with the greatest pleasure and admiration.
'The fifth volume seems to be all that we had a right to expect, and the sixth is splendid! [...]
Every great result which you have attempted to deduce seems to me most thoroughly made
out.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Stuart Mill Print: Book
'Sir William Gomm served for some time in India, and indeed had been commander of the forces there. Being at Simla, he occupied himself with the study of Grote's "History of Greece," having got hold of the first five volumes. He was so absorbed in the book, that he made copious notes upon portions of it; which I have since had the privilege of reading, and Mr. Grote also looked through them. The observations and comments indicate an attentive following of the author's text, especially in connection with the military incidents, on which Sir W.'s remarks are pertinent and even instructive.'
Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Sir William Gomm Print: Book
'We saw dimly some of the lovely African coast. Lots of porpoises lying on the surface of the water, lazily turning up a fin. Hugo and I sat all morning in the sun reading. The temperature was 70° in our sheltered corner. My cold is rather a nuisance. We saw the Illustrious this morning, sister ship to the Caesar. Finished Freeman and began Grote. Rather a long boring afternoon. Bridge after dinner and gladly to bed.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Gertrude Bell Print: Book