the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

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Theophrastus : 

I finished the Endymion today. I do not admire it as a fine poem; but I do admire many passages of it, as being very fine poetry. As a whole, it is cumbrous & unwieldy. You don?t know where to put it. Your imagination is confused by it: & your feelings uninterested. And yet a poet wrote it. When I had done with Keats, I took up Theophrastus. Theophrastus has a great deal of vivacity, & power of portraiture about him; & uplifts that veil of distance ? veiling the old Greeks with such sublime mistiness; & shows you how they used to spit & take physic & wear nailed shoes tout comme un autre?Theophrastus does me no good just now: & as I can?t laugh with him, I shall be glad when I have done hearing him laugh.

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett      Print: Book

Theophrastus : [unknown]

Diary entry, August 17, 1831: "Finished Cebes and began Theophrastus. Clouds -& imitation of yesterday's thunderstorm; and fortunately for my nerves, Virgil to Homer!”

Century: 1800-1849     Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett Browning      Print: Book

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