"In Holloway ... ['General' Drummond] read Jane Porter's The Scottish Chiefs and Samuel Smiles's Life and Labour."
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: General Drummond Print: Book
Felicia Browne to Matthew Nicholson, 17 July 1811: 'I have been reading lately the memoirs of Sir Joshua Reynolds, with his discourses to the Royal Academy, & I am so enthusiastic an admirer of the beauties of painting, that I derived both pleasure and instruction from the perusal [...] I have also [underlined]been guilty[end underlined] of reading a [underlined]Romance[end underlined] [...] It is "The Scottish Chiefs," by Miss Porter, & though I am by no means an Advocate for [underlined]Historical[end underlined] Novels as they bewilder our ideas, by confounding truth with fiction, yet this animated Authoress has painted her Hero [...] in such glowing colours, that you cannot avoid catching a spark of her own enthusiasm".
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Felicia Browne Print: Book
'What Books have you been perusing - and how did you like Sha[ke]spea[re]? - Since I saw you I have toil'd thro' many a thick octa[vo] - many of them to little purpose. Byron's and Scott's "Poems" I have read and must admire - tho' you recollect, we used to give Campbell a de[cided] preference - and I still think, with justice. Have you ever seen Hoole's "Tas[so?]" I have among many others read, it, "Leonidas", "The Epigoniad", "Oberon", "Savage[e's] Poems" &.c. Miss Porter's "Scottish Chiefs" and "Waverl[e]y" have been the principal of my Novels - With regard to "Waverl[e]y" I cannot help remarking t[hat] in my opinion it is the best novel that has been published these thirty years. The characters of Ebenezer Cru[i]ckshank[s] mine host of the garter, the Reverend Mr. Gowk - thrapple and Squire Bradwardian display a Cervantic vein of humour which has seldom been surpassed - whilst the descriptions of the gloomy caverns of the Highlands, and the delineations of the apathic Callum Beg and enterprising Vich Ian Vohr show a richness of [italics]Scottean[end italics] colouring which few have equalled. Give me your opinion of it if you have read it; - and if not - endeavour by all means to procure it.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book
'Great and manifold are the books I have read since I saw you. You recommended "Thaddeus of Warsaw" long ago you may remember - and the work in my judgement fully deserves it. Miss Porter has no wit - she invariably bungles a picture of the conversatio[n] of ordinary persons, whenever she attempts it - why does she delight in unfolding the forward weaknesses of the female heart, and making even Mary Beaufort love first? - Yet with all her deficiencies she is interesting; - never failing to excite our sympathy, tho she cannot rank with our Fielding or Smollett?she infinitely surpasses the insipid froth of
"The mob of Gentlemen, who write with ease".'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book
'I am confined Teusday 2nd. Read Rhoda - Pastors Fire Side - Missionary - Wild Irish Girls - The Anaconda. Glenarvon - 1st Vol Percy's Northern antiquities'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book
Elizabeth Barrrett to Mary Russell Mitford, 28 November 1837:
'Hearing of Miss Porter is like being a child again. I remember weeping & wailing over her
romances, when I had nothing besides to weep and wail for. Whatever their faults may be,
they have in them an elevation & an heroism which this learned age wd do well to learn.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett Print: Book
'Madame de C[-] praised Miss Porter's "Scottish Chiefs", and said, it quite [italics] monted [end italics] her imagination about Scotch persons and Scotland. Had she known the excellent and high-minded authoress, she would have added an additional note of praise on the rare character of the writer'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Madame de [C-] Print: Book
