Sup'd by myself in own chamber. Read 'Tale of a Tub'. Bed 11...
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Gertrude Savile Print: Book
Read 'Tale of Tub' 1 hour. Bed past 10.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Gertrude Savile Print: Book
[Marginalia by Macaulay on Swift's "Essay on the Fates of Clergymen"]: 'People speak of the world as they find it. I have been more fortunate or prudent than Swift or Eugenio.'
Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Babington Macaulay Print: Book
"Towards the end of his life, W[ordsworth] recalled that during his 'earliest days at school' he read 'any part of Swift that I liked: Gulliver's Travels, and the Tale of the Tub, both being much to my taste' (Prose Works vol 3 p.372)."
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: William Wordsworth Print: Book
"Towards the end of his life, W[ordsworth] recalled that during his 'earliest days at school' he read 'any part of Swift that I liked: Gulliver's Travels, and the Tale of the Tub, both being much to my taste' (Prose Works vol 3 p.372)."
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: William Wordsworth Print: Book
'"I next succeeded in discovering for myself a child's book, of not less interest than even The Iliad." It was Pilgrim's Progress, with wonderful woodcut illustrations. And from there it was a sort step to Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Travels'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Hugh Miller Print: Book
[due to the fact that books in working class communities were generally cheap out of copyright reprints, not new works] Welsh collier Joseph Keating was able to immerse himself in Swift, Pope, Fielding, Richarson, Smollett, Goldsmith, Sheridan, Goldsmith, Keats, Byron, Shelley, Dickens and Greek philosophy, as well as the John Dicks edition of Vanity Fair in weekly installments. The common denominator among these authors was that they were all dead. "Volumes by living authors were too high-priced for me", Keating explained. "Our schoolbooks never mentioned living writers; and the impression in my mind was that an author, to be a living author, must be dead and that his work was all the better if he died of neglect and starvation".'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Keating Print: Book
'every day Spike Mays ran to his East Anglia school, where he studied "Robinson Crusoe", "Gulliver's Travels" and "Tales from Shakespeare".'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Spike Mays Print: Book
'As a collier [Joseph Keating]... heard a co-worker sigh, "Heaven from all creatures hides the book of fate". Keating was stunned: "You are quoting Pope". "Ayh", replied his companion, "me and Pope do agree very well". Keating had himself been reading Pope, Fielding, Smollett, Goldsmith and Richardson in poorly printed paperbacks. Later he was reassigned to a less demanding job at a riverside colliery pumping station, which allowed him time to tackle Swift, Sheridan, Byron, Keats, Shelley and Thackeray'.
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Joseph Keating Print: Book
'Mary Paley Marshall ... one of Newnham's first students, recalls her father in the 1860s reading aloud "The Arabian Nights", "Gulliver's Travels", the "Iliad" and "Odyssey", Shakespeare, and, above all, Scott's novels ...'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Paley Print: Book
'I remember once to have seen a little collection of letters and poetical scraps of Swift's, which passed between him and Mrs Van Homrigh, this same Vanessa, which the bookseller then told me were sent him to be published, from the originals, by this lady, in resentment of his perfidy'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Richardson Manuscript: Letter
[List of books read in 1943, in diary for 1943]:
'The Farthing Spinster; Guy Mannering; Whereas I was Blind; And So to Bath; The Story of San Michele; Attack Alarm; The Murders in Praed Street; Lover's Meeting; The Secret Battle; Witch Wood; MD - Doctor of Murder; Murder at the Keyhole; That Girl Ginger; Ten Minute Alibi; Diary of a District Officer; Tarzan the Untamed; Peter Abelard; Pip; Pied Piper; A Man Lay Dead; Random Harvest; Madame Curie; Stalky and Co; Bellarion; Down the Garden Path; The Three Musketeers vol 1; The House in Cornwall; A Tall Ship; The Two Saplings; Farewell Victoria; Quinneys; House of Terror; Penguin Parade 4; Guy Mannering[presumably a re-reading]; The Man Born to be King; Casterton Papers; Old Saint Paul's; The Moon is Down; 1066 and all That; My Brother Jonathon; Gulliver's Travels; Ensign Knightley; Men Against Death; Fame is the Spur; Gone with the Wind; Mesmer; First Nights; The Hound of the Baskervilles; Little Gidding; Beau Geste; Beau Sabreur; The Amazing Theatre; The Pleasure of Your Company; Dandelion Days; Humour and Fantasy; Juno and the Paycock; The Beautiful Years; Teach Yourself to Think; Salar the Salmon; The Cathedral; The Mysterious Mr I; The Picts and the Martyrs; The Dream of Fair Women; The Star-born; Three Short Stories; A Thatched Roof; The Surgeon's Log; The Healing Knife; Nine Ghosts; While Rome Burns; The Star Spangled Manner; The Day Must Dawn; The Tower of London; Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; The Old Man's Birthday; A little Princess; Ego 5; The Lighter Side of School Life; Kidnapped; The Trail of the Sandhill Stag; Ballet Lover's Notebook; Lorna Doone; The Plays of JM Barrie; Jane Eyre; I'll Leave it to You; Henry Fifth; Longer Poems; Antony and Cleopatra; The Man in Grey; The House in Dormer Forest; The Writing of English; Miss Mapp; The Song of Bernadette; Happy and Glorious; Sixty Poems; The Birth of Romance; The Comedy of Life; Some Little Tales; Dream Days; Royal Flush.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Hilary Spalding Print: Book
?Excepting "Pilgrim?s Progress", "Gulliver?s Travels" and the "Arabian Nights", I saw and read none of the books which entrance young minds. The religious meaning of the first, the satirical meaning of the second, and the doubtful meaning of the third were, of course, not understood. The story was the great thing ? the travels of Christian, the troubles of Gulliver, the adventures of Aladdin??
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Edwin Adams Print: Book
'[A]nd so you have never heard of Beppo--I think you said so at Devonshire House supper. Now Heaven fail in granting me pardon for all my offenses if it is not by himself [Byron], & in his very best wit as good as any thing Swift ever wrote a flatterer would say better.'
Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Caroline Lamb Print: Unknown
'So in time she was able to read Grimms' "Fairy Tales", "Gulliver's Travels", "The Daisy Chain" and Mrs. Molesworth's "Cuckoo Clock" and "Carrots".'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Flora Thompson Print: Book
'He [Edward Austen] made an important purchase Yesterday; no less than a pair of Coach Horses; his friend Mr Evelyn found them out & recommended them, & if the judgement of a Yahoo can ever be depended on, I suppose it may now, for I beleive [sic] Mr Evelyn has all his life thought more of Horses than of anything else.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Jane Austen Print: Book
[Marginalia]
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Taylor Coleridge Print: Book
'Read in library; for first time, in Swift's "Ode to Athenian Society". Not in good state to judge, but thought it bit heavy, though not worse perhaps than odes generally are. Mem.: to read it again.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Windham Print: Unknown
'there was nothing in the house which was worth reading, apart from the Bible, "The Pilgrim's Progress", "Gulliver's Travels", and a book by R.M. Ballantyne about Hudson Bay.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Edwin Muir Print: Book
'Tuesday, 9th March,
Club ? ?Currency and Unemployment? - Arthur Robinson.
The finest lecture of the year. Mr. Robinson gave an introductory explanation of money and credit, and then discussed the most important of the modern schools of Financial and Economist thought. His view, and the point of the lecture, was that a managed currency could be used alleviate, and perhaps cure, the present state of affairs ? the internal trade crisis and the principle problem ? unemployment.
Smith off work today.
Read ? ?Journal to Stella? (Swift)'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Gerald Moore Print: Book
'Wednesday, 17th March,
Last rehearsal. Things are in trim now I think. I prepared the programme. I think it O. K. though the humour is hardly my line ? ?De Heiny and his Piccadilly Orchestra?, for example, as the Mayor?s name ? Mr. Bill Sticker? (a hit at R. P. Fletcher). The use of the stage trap as a tunnel entrance is an idea.
Read ? ?Journal to Stella? (Swift).'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Gerald Moore Print: Book
'Finished, afterwards, "Gulliver's Travels". Could this severe satire....'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Green Print: Book
'Read Swift's "Four last Years of Queen Anne"; a clear, connected detail of facts, exhibited with exquisite art...'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Green Print: Book
[Mary Shelley's Reading List for 1815. Only those titles not mentioned in journal entries are given separate database entries. xs denote books also read by Percy Shelley]
'Posthumous Works. 3.
Sorrows of Werter
Don Roderick - by Southey
Gibbons Decline & fall.
x Paradise Regained
x Gibbons Life and Letters - 1st edition 2
x Lara
New Arabian Nights 3
Corinna
Fall of the Jesuits
Rinaldo Rinaldini
Fo[n]tenelle's Plurality of the Worlds
Hermsprong
Le diable boiteux
Man as he is.
Rokeby.
Ovid's Meamo[r]phoses in Latin
x Wordsworth's Poems
x Spenser's Fairy Queen
x Life of the Philipps
x Fox's History of James II
The Reflector
Wieland.
Fleetwood
Don Carlos
x Peter Wilkins
Rousseau's Confessions.
x Espriella's Letters from England
Lenora - a poem
Emile
x Milton's Paradise Lost
X Life of Lady Hamilton
De l'Alemagne - by Made de Stael
3 vols. of Barruel
x Caliph Vathek
Nouvelle Heloise
x Kotzebue's account of his banishment to Siberia.
Waverly
Clarissa Harlowe
Robertson's Hist. of america
x Virgil
xTale of Tub.
x Milton's speech on Unlicensed printing
x Curse of Kehama
x Madoc
La Bible Expliquee
Lives of Abelard and Heloise
The New Testament
Coleridge's Poems.
1st vol. Syteme de la Nature
x Castle of Indolence
Chattertons Poems.
x Paradise Regained
Don Carlos.
x Lycidas.
x St Leon
Shakespeare's Play. Part of which Shelley reads aloud
Burkes account of civil society
x Excursion
Pope's Homer's Illiad
x Sallust
Micromegas
x Life of Chauser
Canterbury Tales
Peruvian letters.
Voyages round the World
Pluarch's lives.
x 2 vols of Gibbon
Ormond
Hugh Trevor
x Labaume's Hist. of the Russian War
Lewis's tales
Castle of Udolpho
Guy Mannering
Charles XII by Voltaire
Tales of the East'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Godwin
[Mary Shelley's Reading List for 1815. Only those titles not mentioned in journal entries are given separate database entries. xs denote books also read by Percy Shelley - again, only those not mentioned in journal entries are indicated separately in the database]
'Posthumous Works. 3.
Sorrows of Werter
Don Roderick - by Southey
Gibbons Decline & fall.
x Paradise Regained
x Gibbons Life and Letters - 1st edition 2
x Lara
New Arabian Nights 3
Corinna
Fall of the Jesuits
Rinaldo Rinaldini
Fo[n]tenelle's Plurality of the Worlds
Hermsprong
Le diable boiteux
Man as he is.
Rokeby.
Ovid's Metamo[r]phoses in Latin
x Wordsworth's Poems
x Spenser's Fairy Queen
x Life of the Philipps
x Fox's History of James II
The Reflector
Wieland.
Fleetwood
Don Carlos
x Peter Wilkins
Rousseau's Confessions.
x Espriella's Letters from England
Lenora - a poem
Emile
x Milton's Paradise Lost
X Life of Lady Hamilton
De l'Alemagne - by Made de Stael
3 vols. of Barruel
x Caliph Vathek
Nouvelle Heloise
x Kotzebue's account of his banishment to Siberia.
Waverly
Clarissa Harlowe
Robertson's Hist. of america
x Virgil
xTale of Tub.
x Milton's speech on Unlicensed printing
x Curse of Kehama
x Madoc
La Bible Expliquee
Lives of Abelard and Heloise
The New Testament
Coleridge's Poems.
1st vol. Syteme de la Nature
x Castle of Indolence
Chattertons Poems.
x Paradise Regained
Don Carlos.
x Lycidas.
x St Leon
Shakespeare's Play. Part of which Shelley reads aloud
Burkes account of civil society
x Excursion
Pope's Homer's Illiad
x Sallust
Micromegas
x Life of Chauser
Canterbury Tales
Peruvian letters.
Voyages round the World
Pluarch's lives.
x 2 vols of Gibbon
Ormond
Hugh Trevor
x Labaume's Hist. of the Russian War
Lewis's tales
Castle of Udolpho
Guy Mannering
Charles XII by Voltaire
Tales of the East'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Percy Bysshe Shelley Print: Book
Letter to Mrs F--R , April 7 1797 'They are very happy too in their eldest son, who promises to be all that they prayed for; but he is rather delicate in his constitution. The circle is never complete. I think Swift and Co. or some of those old friends of ours, remark, that they have seldom met with superior powers on understanding joined to amiable qualities in a woman, but that there was a balance of bad health to be set on the opposite side of the account?'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Grant [nee MacVicar] Print: Book
Letter to Mrs F--R July 1803 'Think of the dignity and interest attached to a character, that can relish the pure pleasures of taste and beneficence, at a period of life when a parcel of wretched Struldbruggs* become contemptible and wearisome to all about them ? [footnote] *See Swift?s description of them in Gulliver?s Travels to the Island of Laputa.'
Century: 1700-1799 / 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Grant [nee MacVicar] Print: Book
'S. reads Gullivers Travels aloud'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Percy Bysshe Shelley Print: Book
'S reads Lucian and Gulliver in the evening'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Percy Bysshe Shelley Print: Book
'S. finishes Gulliver and begins P.[aradise] L.[ost]'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Percy Bysshe Shelley Print: Book
'Somebody sent Ben an unexpurgated edition of Gulliver for Xmas. He had read most of it before I discovered. It was disguised as a child's book.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Benedict Nicolson Print: Book
'Adam Smith, Sir [-] informed me, was no admirer of the Rambler or the Idler, but was pleased with the pamphlet respecting the Falkland Islands, as it displayed in such forcible language, the madness of modern wars. Of Swift, he made frequent and honourable mention, and regarded him, both in style and sentiment, as a pattern of correctness. He often quoted some of the short poetical addresses to Stella, and was particularly pleased with the couplet,
Say Stella, - feel you no content,
Reflecting on a life well-spent?
Smith had an invincible dislike to blank verse, Milton's only excepted. "they do well", said he, "to call it blank, for blank it is". Beattie's Minstrel he would not allow to be called a poem; for he said it had no plan, beginning or end. He did not much admire Allan Ramsay's "Gentle Shepherd", but preferred the "Pastor Fido", of which he spoke with rapture'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Adam Smith Print: Book
'Affectation is never more tiresome and ridiculous than in a letter. Madame de Sevigne was the best letter-writer that ever existed. I would rank Swift and Lord Chesterfield next. Voltaire to me is charming; but then I suspect he studied his epistles, as Lord Orford certainly did, and so had little merit. Heloise wrote beautifully in the old time; but we are very poor, both in England and Scotland, as to such matters'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mr Sharpe Print: Book
'I had him [Dean Swift] all to myself for near three hours, during which time he made me read to him the Annals of the four last years of the Reign of Queen [italics] Anne [end italics], written by himself; the Intentions of which seemed to be a Vindication of the then Ministry and himself, from having any Design of placing the Pretender on the Throne of [italics] Great Britain [end italics] [Pilkington summarises the content of the work] At the Conclusion of every Period, he demanded of me, "Whether I understood it? for I wou'd", says he, "have it intelligent to the meanest Capacity, and if you comprehend it, 'tis possible every Body may." I bow'd and assured him, I did. And indeed it was written with such Perspicuity and Elegance of Stile, that I must have had no Capacity at all if I did not taste what was so exquisitely beautiful.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington Manuscript: Unknown
'[start of this passage found in database entries 9840-2] 'I cou'd not avoid remarking to the Dean, that notwithstanding the Friendship Mr [italics] Pope [end italics] professed for Mr [italics] Gay [end italics], he cou'd not forbear a great many Satyrical, or if I might be allowed to say so, envious Remarks on the success of the [italics] Beggar's Opera [end italics] The Dean very frankly own'd, he did not think Mr [italics] Pope [end italics] was so candid to the Merits of other Writers, as he ought to be. I then ventur'd to ask the Dean, whether he thought the Lines Mr [italics] Pope [end italics] addresses him with, in the Beginning of the [italics] Dunciad [end italics], were any Compliment to him? [italics] viz
O Thou! whatever Title please thine Ear. [end italics]
'I believe', says he, they were meant as such, but they are very stiff'; - 'Indeed, Sir, said I, 'he is so perfectly a Master of harmonious Numbers, that had his Heart been in the least affected with his Subject, he must have writ better; How cold, how forc'd, are his Lines to you, compared with yours to him.'
[italics] Hail happy [end italics] Pope [italics] whose generous Mind. [end italics]
Here we see the masterly Poet, and the warm, sincere, generous Friend'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington Print: Unknown
'We supp'd at the Dean's, and I had been reading out, by his Command, some of his prosaic Work; he was pleased to say I acquitted myself so well, that I should have a Glass of his best Wine, and sent Mr [italics] Pilkington [end italics] to the Cellar for it'.
Unknown
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington
'The Dean then shew'd me the Poem he wrote on his own death; when I came to that Part of it,
[italics] Behold the fatal Day arrive!
How is the Dean? He's just alive [end italics]
I was so sensibly affected, that my Eyes fill'd with Tears; The Dean observing it, said, "Phoo, I am not dead yet - but you shan't read any more now". I then earnestly requested he would let me take it home with me. [he did this, on condition she neither copy it nor show it to anyone else - she did not, but her memory was very good and she learnt it and "could not forbear delighting some particular Friends with a Rehearsal of it" - when Swift heard others knew it, he thought LP had broken her word and was furious. He would not believe her assurances to the contrary] and produc'd a Poerm something like it, publish'd in [italics] London [end italics], and told me, from my reading it about, that odd Burlesque on it had taken rise. He bade me read it aloud. I did so, and could not forbear laughing, as I plainly perceiv'd, tho' he had endeavour'd to disguise his Stile, that the Dean had burlesqu'd himself'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington Manuscript: Unknown
'The Dean then shew'd me the Poem he wrote on his own death; when I came to that Part of it,
[italics] Behold the fatal Day arrive!
How is the Dean? He's just alive [end italics]
I was so sensibly affected, that my Eyes fill'd with Tears; The Dean observing it, said, "Phoo, I am not dead yet - but you shan't read any more now". I then earnestly requested he would let me take it home with me. [he did this, on condition she neither copy it nor show it to anyone else - she did not, but her memory was very good and she learnt it and "could not forbear delighting some particular Friends with a Rehearsal of it" - when Swift heard others knew it, he thought LP had broken her word and was furious. He would not believe her assurances to the contrary] and produc'd a Poerm something like it, publish'd in [italics] London [end italics], and told me, from my reading it about, that odd Burlesque on it had taken rise. He bade me read it aloud. I did so, and could not forbear laughing, as I plainly perceiv'd, tho' he had endeavour'd to disguise his Stile, that the Dean had burlesqu'd himself'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington Print: Unknown
[Describing a very ugly woman] 'I think I must for the rest refer my Reader to the Lady's Dressing Room, for
[italics] In such a Case few Words are best,
and Strephon bids us guess the rest [end italics]
I really, till I saw this Wretch, imagined the Dean had only mustered up all the dirty Ideas in the World in one Piece, on Purpose to affront the Fair Sex, as he used humorously to stile old Beggar-women, and Cinder-Pickers.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington Print: Unknown
'my Curiosity led me to read the Letter before I examined the Contents of the Paper [plum cake from Jonathan Swift], which, to the best of my Knowledge, was this:
Madam,
I send you a Piece of Plumb-cake, which I did intend should be spent at your Christening [LP's baby had just died]; if you have any Objection to the Plumbs, or do not like to eat them, you may return them to,
Madam,
your sincere Friend and Servant,
J. Swift'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Laetitia Pilkington Manuscript: Letter
'More I reflect on the novel the higher I place it: attempts to read Swift, Miss Burney, Smollett, place it on a pinnacle.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Edward Morgan Forster Print: Book
'Gulliver is Robinson Crusoe in Fairy Land [...]
'[quotes] He said the [italics]Struldbrugs[end italics] commonly acted like Mortals until about thirty Years old, after which, by Degrees, they grew melancholy and dejected -- etc. -- --
'but I will transcribe this passage into my anthology, under Old Age'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Edward Morgan Forster Print: Book
[under heading 'Battle of the Books']: 'How I dislike Swift, and how is it possible to take this ill tempered ill informed stuff [...] seriously as criticism, even as destructive criticism? On [sic] a piece with his other works -- Jerries emptied with the same conscientiousness, same elaborate presentation of blame as praise. I feel, (as usual except perhaps in Laputa) a void behind the much advertised bitterness. I feel he never grows up [goes on to draw detailed comparison with ch. 3 of A Tale of a Tub].'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Edward Morgan Forster Print: Book
[under heading 'Battle of the Books']: 'How I dislike Swift, and how is it possible to take this ill tempered ill informed stuff [...] seriously as criticism, even as destructive criticism? On [sic] a piece with his other works -- Jerries emptied with the same conscientiousness, same elaborate presentation of blame as praise. I feel, (as usual except perhaps in Laputa) a void behind the much advertised bitterness. I feel he never grows up [goes on to draw detailed comparison with ch. 3 of A Tale of a Tub].'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Edward Morgan Forster Print: Book
'I at this time kept up a very frequent correspondence with Sir David [Dalrymple]; and I read to Dr. Johnson to-night the following passage from the letter which I had last received from him:
"It gives me pleasure to think that you have obtained the friendship of Mr. Samnel Johnson. He is one of the best moral writers which England has produced. At the same time, I envy you the free and undisguised converse with such a man. May I beg you to present my respects to him, and to assure him of the veneration which I entertain for the author of the 'Rambler' and of 'Rasselas'? Let me recommend this work to you; with the 'Rambler' you certainly are acquainted. In 'Rasselas' you will see a tender-hearted operator, who probes the wound only to heal it. Swift, on the contrary, mangles human nature. He cuts and slashes, as if he took pleasure in the operation, like the tyrant who said, [italics] Ita feri ut se sentiat emori [end italics]." Johnson seemed to be much gratified by this just and well-turned compliment.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: David Dalrymple Print: Book
'On Thursday, July 28, we again supped in private at the Turk's Head coffee-house. Johnson. "Swift has a higher reputation than he deserves. His excellence is strong sense; for his humour, though very well, is not remarkably good. I doubt whether "The Tale of a Tub" be his; for he never owned it, and it is much above his usual manner."
"Thomson, I think, had as much of the poet about him as most writers. Every thing appeared to him through the medium of his favourite pursuit. He could not have viewed those two candles burning but with a poetical eye."'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'Swift having been mentioned, Johnson, as usual, treated him with little respect as an author. Some of us endeavoured to support the Dean of St. Patrick's, by various arguments. One in particular praised his "Conduct of the Allies." Johnson. "Sir, his 'Conduct of the Allies,' is a performance of very little ability." "Surely, Sir, (said Dr. Douglas,) you must allow it has strong facts." Johnson. "Why yes, Sir; but what is that to the merit of the composition? In the Sessions-paper of the Old Bailey there are strong facts. Housebreaking is a strong fact; and murder is a mighty strong fact; but is great praise due to the historian of those strong facts? No, Sir, Swift has told what he had to tell distinctly enough, but that is all. He had to count ten, and he has counted it right."'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Dr Douglas
'Swift having been mentioned, Johnson, as usual, treated him with little respect as an author. Some of us endeavoured to support the Dean of St. Patrick's, by various arguments. One in particular praised his "Conduct of the Allies." Johnson. "Sir, his 'Conduct of the Allies,' is a performance of very little ability." "Surely, Sir, (said Dr. Douglas,) you must allow it has strong facts." Johnson. "Why yes, Sir; but what is that to the merit of the composition? In the Sessions-paper of the Old Bailey there are strong facts. Housebreaking is a strong fact; and murder is a mighty strong fact; but is great praise due to the historian of those strong facts? No, Sir, Swift has told what he had to tell distinctly enough, but that is all. He had to count ten, and he has counted it right."'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson
'The [Tennyson] boys had one great advantage [as home-educated pupils], the run of their father's excellent library. Amongst the authors most read by them were Shakespeare, Milton, Burke, Goldsmith, Rabelais, Sir William Jones, Addison, Swift, Defoe, Cervantes, Bunyan and Buffon.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Tennyson children (boys) Print: Book
'Johnson was in high spirits this evening at the club, and talked with great animation and success. He attacked Swift, as he used to do upon all occasions. "The 'Tale of a Tub' is so much superiour to his other writings that one can hardly believe he was the authour of it. There is in it such a vigour of mind, such a swarm of thoughts, so much of nature, and art, and life." I wondered to hear him say of "Gulliver's Travels", "When once you have thought of big men and little men, it is very easy to do all the rest." I endeavoured to make a stand for Swift, and tried to rouse those who were much more able to defend him; but in vain. Johnson at last, of his own accord, allowed very great merit to the inventory of articles found in the pocket of [italics] The Man Mountain [end italics], particularly the description of his watch, which, it was conjectured, was his God, as he consulted it upon all occasions. He observed, that "Swift put his name to but two things (after he had a name to put), 'The Plan of the Improvement of the English Language,' and the last 'Drapier's Letter'."'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'Johnson was in high spirits this evening at the club, and talked with great animation and success. He attacked Swift, as he used to do upon all occasions. "The 'Tale of a Tub' is so much superiour to his other writings that one can hardly believe he was the authour of it. There is in it such a vigour of mind, such a swarm of thoughts, so much of nature, and art, and life." I wondered to hear him say of "Gulliver's Travels", "When once you have thought of big men and little men, it is very easy to do all the rest." I endeavoured to make a stand for Swift, and tried to rouse those who were much more able to defend him; but in vain. Johnson at last, of his own accord, allowed very great merit to the inventory of articles found in the pocket of [italics] The Man Mountain [end italics], particularly the description of his watch, which, it was conjectured, was his God, as he consulted it upon all occasions. He observed, that "Swift put his name to but two things (after he had a name to put), 'The Plan of the Improvement of the English Language,' and the last 'Drapier's Letter'."'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'Johnson was in high spirits this evening at the club, and talked with great animation and success. He attacked Swift, as he used to do upon all occasions. "The 'Tale of a Tub' is so much superiour to his other writings that one can hardly believe he was the authour of it. There is in it such a vigour of mind, such a swarm of thoughts, so much of nature, and art, and life." I wondered to hear him say of "Gulliver's Travels", "When once you have thought of big men and little men, it is very easy to do all the rest." I endeavoured to make a stand for Swift, and tried to rouse those who were much more able to defend him; but in vain. Johnson at last, of his own accord, allowed very great merit to the inventory of articles found in the pocket of [italics] The Man Mountain [end italics], particularly the description of his watch, which, it was conjectured, was his God, as he consulted it upon all occasions. He observed, that "Swift put his name to but two things (after he had a name to put), 'The Plan of the Improvement of the English Language,' and the last 'Drapier's Letter'."'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'Johnson was in high spirits this evening at the club, and talked with great animation and success. He attacked Swift, as he used to do upon all occasions. "The 'Tale of a Tub' is so much superiour to his other writings that one can hardly believe he was the authour of it. There is in it such a vigour of mind, such a swarm of thoughts, so much of nature, and art, and life." I wondered to hear him say of "Gulliver's Travels", "When once you have thought of big men and little men, it is very easy to do all the rest." I endeavoured to make a stand for Swift, and tried to rouse those who were much more able to defend him; but in vain. Johnson at last, of his own accord, allowed very great merit to the inventory of articles found in the pocket of [italics] The Man Mountain [end italics], particularly the description of his watch, which, it was conjectured, was his God, as he consulted it upon all occasions. He observed, that "Swift put his name to but two things (after he had a name to put), 'The Plan of the Improvement of the English Language,' and the last 'Drapier's Letter'."'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
From Frederick Locker-Lampson's recollections of Tennyson:
'Tennyson was greatly impressed by the deadly-earnest and savagery, and let me say [italics]sadness[end italics], of Swift's Legion Club. He has more than once read it to me: on the last occasion, Houghton and George Venables, two great friends [...] were present, and they were also impressed by it.'
Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Tennyson Print: Book
From Frederick Locker-Lampson's recollections of Tennyson:
'Tennyson was greatly impressed by the deadly-earnest and savagery, and let me say [italics]sadness[end italics], of Swift's Legion Club. He has more than once read it to me: on the last occasion, Houghton and George Venables, two great friends [...] were present, and they were also impressed by it.'
Century: 1800-1849 / 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Tennyson Print: Book
'Of Swift's Style which I praised as beautiful he observed; that it had only the Beauty of a Bubble, The Colour says he is gay, but the substance slight.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'Of Swift's Style which I praised as beautiful he observed; that it had only the Beauty of a Bubble, The Colour says he is gay, but the substance slight.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
'Rose [in a debate about the relative worth of Scottish and English writers] to make sure of the Victory - named Ferguson on Civil Society: I do not says Johnson perceive the Value of [italics] this new [end italics] Manner, it is only, like Buckinger, who had no hands - & so wrote with his Toes. - Doctor Delap praised Swift's Style; Mr Johnson was not in the humour to subscribe to its Excellence; the Doctor was beat from one of Swift's Performances to another - but says he you must allow that there are [italics] strong Facts [end italics] in the Account of the four last Years of Queen Anne; Yes sure Sir returns Mr Johnson and so there are in the ordinary of Newgates Account'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'Rose [in a debate about the relative worth of Scottish and English writers] to make sure of the Victory - named Ferguson on Civil Society: I do not says Johnson perceive the Value of [italics] this new [end italics] Manner, it is only, like Buckinger, who had no hands - & so wrote with his Toes. - Doctor Delap praised Swift's Style; Mr Johnson was not in the humour to subscribe to its Excellence; the Doctor was beat from one of Swift's Performances to another - but says he you must allow that there are [italics] strong Facts [end italics] in the Account of the four last Years of Queen Anne; Yes sure Sir returns Mr Johnson and so there are in the ordinary of Newgates Account'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Dr Delap Print: Book
'The two [italics] wittiest [end italics] things in our Language in Verse & Prose are Dr Young's Conjectures on Original Composition I think, and Dr Swift's Ballad on the South Sea.
The two Tragedies which go nearest one's Heart I think - in our Language I mean - are Southern's Fatal Marriage and Lillo's Fatal Curiosity.
The two best Comic Scenes in our Language according to my Taste are the Scene between Squire Richard & Myrtilla in the Provoked Husband, and that between Sir Joseph Wittol, Nol Bluff and Sharper in the Old Batchelor - not the kicking scene but the friendly one.
The two best [italics] Declamatory [end italics] Scenes where the Sentiments and Language are most perfect, seem to be the Scene between Juba and Syphax in Addison's Cato, & that between the two Ladies in Johnson's Irene. I know that both are unDramatic, the latter more peculiarly so, than ever was, or ever ought to have been hazarded - but for Language & Sentiment it is most Superb. - Superieure as the French say.
Johnson says the finest Tragic Scene in our Language, for Drama sentiment, Language, Power over the Heart, & every Requisite for Theatre or Closet, is the Tomb Scene in the Mourning Bride.
[italics] I [end italics] think, that trying to be [italics] every [end italics] thing it escapes being [italics] anything [end italics]'
Century: Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Serial / periodical
'I was reading something of Swift one Day & commending him as a Writer - I cannot endure Swift replied my eldest Daughter; every thing of his seems to be [italics] Froth [end italics] I think, and that Froth is [italics] Dirty [end italics].'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Maria Thrale Print: Book
'I was reading something of Swift one Day & commending him as a Writer - I cannot endure Swift replied my eldest Daughter; every thing of his seems to be [italics] Froth [end italics] I think, and that Froth is [italics] Dirty [end italics].'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
'as I looked in the Glass this Morning & kept Bouhours Maniere de bien penser in my Hand - like Swift's Vanessa
Who we know - held Montagne and read-
While Mrs Susan comb's her Head.
I thought of the following enigmatical Verses: those which gave rise to them both in French & in Italian, may be found in the above mentioned little Volume' her verses are given]
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
'Doctor Harrington told Seward, who told me; that Swift had taken his Tale of a Tub from Pallavicini upon Divorces, I always thought it was borrowed from "les trois Anneaux de Fontenelle".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
From John Wilson Croker's Journal of 1818:
'December 16th. -- Before dinner His Royal Highness told me he had been reading Walter
Scott's edition of Swift, which, and particularly the correspondence, amused him; and above
all he was surprised to find Dr. Sheridan's character to be so exactly that of poor Sheridan. He
said he thought the best letters were Lord Bolingbroke's [...] I had shown H.R.H. in the
morning, a copy of a letter written 40 years ago by Mrs. Delany (widow of the Dr. Swift's
friend) giving an account of a visit of the Royal family to Bulstrode, in which H.R.H. was
mentioned; he was pleased at this revival of early reflections, and assured me every word of
the account was true.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Augustus Frederick Prince of Wales Print: Book
'Geo Burrow then read portions of Thackeray's essay on Swift. H. R. Smith read several short extracts from the Journal to Stella. After supper Miss D. Brain read several passages from Gulliver's travels & T. C. Elliott read from the Drapers Letters & explained them Alfred Rawlings read from the Tale of a Tub'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Howard R. Smith Print: Book
'Geo Burrow then read portions of Thackeray's essay on Swift. H. R. Smith read several short extracts from the Journal to Stella. After supper Miss D. Brain read several passages from Gulliver's travels & T. C. Elliott read from the Drapers Letters & explained them Alfred Rawlings read from the Tale of a Tub'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Dorothy Brain Print: Book
'Geo Burrow then read portions of Thackeray's essay on Swift. H. R. Smith read several short extracts from the Journal to Stella. After supper Miss D. Brain read several passages from Gulliver's travels & T. C. Elliott read from the Drapers Letters & explained them Alfred Rawlings read from the Tale of a Tub'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: T. C. Elliott Print: Book
'Geo Burrow then read portions of Thackeray's essay on Swift. H. R. Smith read several short extracts from the Journal to Stella. After supper Miss D. Brain read several passages from Gulliver's travels & T. C. Elliott read from the Drapers Letters & explained them Alfred Rawlings read from the Tale of a Tub'.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Alfred Rawlings Print: Book
[Catherine Talbot to Elizabeth Carter, 23 August 1766, on her pursuit of her 'journal-letter scheme':]
'I shall fancy if I write thus Journal-wise, by bits and scraps, that I am Dean Swift, and you Stella and Mrs Dingley, for we are reading those three new volumes, in which he writes to them in that style [...] I love him in those letters very well'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Catherine Talbot and family Print: Book
'It is comical to read Swift's journal along with Maurice, so undoubting and passionate, angry and affectionate.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Emma Darwin Print: Book
'Last night I read the correspondence between Vanessa and Swift — I wonder if any man, beginning with the man to whom those letters were first addressed has ever understood how much they meant, and if any woman has failed to understand. Swift did not care for her — that's how a man writes who does not care. And how it maims and hurts the woman! One ought to pray every night not to write letters like that — or at least not to send them.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Gertrude Bell Print: Book
'Finished the journal to Stella. What a bitter story!'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Gertrude Bell Print: Book