'To set against your new Novel, of which nobody ever heard before & perhaps never may again, We have got "Ida of Athens" by Miss Owenson; which must be very clever, because it was written as the Authoress says, in three months. - We have only read the Preface yet; but her Irish Girl does not make me expect much. - If the warmth of her Language could affect the Body, it might be worth reading in this weather.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Austen Family Print: Book
'To set against your new Novel, of which nobody ever heard before & perhaps never may again, We have got "Ida of Athens" by Miss Owenson; which must be very clever, because it was written as the Authoress says, in three months. - We have only read the Preface yet; but her Irish Girl does not make me expect much. - If the warmth of her Language could affect the Body, it might be worth reading in this weather.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Jane Austen Print: Book
'[Shelley] reads Montaigne - read Clarendon and O'Donnel'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Godwin Print: Book
'Sunday July 23rd. Read Florence Macarthy all day by Lady Morgan which I finish.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book
'Saturday September 1st. [...] Finish Anastasius and begin Lady Morgan's Italy.
[...]
'Sunday Sept -- 2nd. [...] Read Lady Morgan's Italy --
[...]
''Monday Sept. 3rd. Finish [...] 1st. Vol. Lady Morgan's Italy'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book
'Monday Dec. 10th. [...] Read Lady Morgan's Italy'.
[further readings in this text recorded in journal entries for 11, 12, 14, 15, 25, 27 December
1821, with 'Finish Lady Morgan's Italy' recorded on 28 December].
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Claire Clairmont Print: Book
'Since I have been in London I have read nothing but Miss Seward's letters and Miss Owenson's Missionary. Of Miss Seward I am bound to speak well, as she doth so of me; and her monodies are beauiful; but the letters are naught; they abound in false sentiment, and a great many other false things. As to the Missionary, Ambrosio is his father, and Matilde his mother; but, wanting the indelicacy of papa, and the delicacy of mamma, he's a dull fellow. I could think of nothing else but poor Margaret Stewart of Blantyre, and her presbyterian minister, while I read this. Miss Luxina brought her hogs to a bad market, for Hilarion was little better than a beast. Walter Scott's last poem I have also seen, but so hastily that I can be no competent judge of its merits. Talking of words, allow me to recommend to you Ford's plays, lately re-published. Some of them are excellent; the first in the series (which hath an awkward name, I must confess) and the Broken Heart, are particularly admirable. I am sure that you will be struck with them; for Ford is almost as moving as Otway or Lee, - who is the mad poet I adore, yet I can persuade nobody to read him. The History of the Somerville Family, which I have seen in MS., is soon to be printed, and that of Sutherland is to be out shortly'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe Print: Book
'"At that time [ca 1809]", continued Lady [-], "all the world was engaged in reading Ida of Athens. I think it was likely to please a [italics] vivid imagination [end italics], but would displease the matter of fact reader. The language is, in my opinion, pedantic, and fatigues the eye and ear with a constant glitter of high flown words; though some parts of it are doubtless very beautiful. But the sentiments are so bedizened with tinsel that they are hardly to be made out".'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady [-] Print: Book
Tuesday, 14 March 1826:
'I have amused myself occasionally very pleasantly during the few last days by reading over
Lady Morgan's novel of O'Donnel which has some striking and beautiful passages of situation
and description and in the comic part is very rich and entertaining. I do not remember being
so much pleased with it at first -- there is a want of story always fatal to a book the first
reading and it is well if it gets the chance of a second [...]
'Also read again and for the third time at least Miss Austen's very finely written novel of Pride
and Prejudice. That young lady had a talent for describing the involvements and feelings and
characters of ordinary life which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with [...] What a pity
such a gifted creature died so early.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Walter Scott Print: Book