'Read the Clementina part of "Sir Charles Grandison". I have never met with anything which affected me so powerfully; at present I feel disposed to place this work above all other works of fiction I know. It is very, very grand, and has, I think, a greater practical effect on me for good than anything I ever read in my life.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: John Ruskin Print: Book
[?Sarah] Fielding to Samuel Richardson, 6 July 1754:
'Here are a set of young women endued with the most exemplary patience I ever met with; for Miss L---- and Miss B---- agree'd to read Sir Charles Grandison together, and really waited from time to time till they could meet, each honourably performing their covenant, and not so much as taking one unlawful peep in the absence of the other.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: 'Miss L----' and 'Miss B----' Print: Book
'Please, if you have not, and I don’t suppose you have, already read it, institute a search in all Melbourne for one of the rarest and certainly one of the best of books − [italics]Clarissa Harlowe[end italics]. For any man who takes an interest in the problem of the two sexes, that book is a perfect mine of documents. And it is written, sir, with the pen of an angel. Miss Howe and Lovelace, words cannot tell how good they are! And the scene where Clarissa beards her family, with her fan going all the while; and some of the quarrel scenes between her and Lovelace; and the scene where Colonel Marsden goes to Mr Hall, with Lord M. trying to compose matters, and the Colonel with his eternal "finest woman in the world", and the inimitable affirmation of Mowbray − nothing could be better! You will bless me when you read it for this recommendation; but, indeed, I can do nothing but recommend [italics]Clarissa[end italics].'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Louis Stevenson Print: Book
