Record Number: 10032
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
?Dear Sir, if you had condescended to write a few lines with these copy Books I should have had greater pleasure in reading them at present I cannot even guess what they are or why you sent them to me. I should have conceived basing[?] a few hard words that it was one of the stories I wrote some fifteen years ago ? as it bears all the marks of that work of premature genius which some romantic children have - & which seldom I think does them any other service than to lead them headlong into love & folly before the usual time I should say it was the production of what Sir Moore properly defines a Girl of Genius unless perchance it is the school effusion of some boy of that sort ? it is very clever, very original in parts ? very imitative in others and tho the whole thing occasioned by having either read some poetry or seen some play that has filled the Authors[sic] head ? with mystery ? wildness & extravagance ? if it is to be published it must of course be reread & rewritten - & if you knew how sick I was of ?Moments of Gloom? mysterious personages ??care worn brows" marble hearts - & the whole of that which deceived me & many others, you would never send me any think of the sort I think however seriously this that if the person who wrote this be young & inexperienced, they will soon write very well & must be very clever. if they be at their best ? I donot [sic] much admire them?
Century:1800-1849
Date:Between 1 Jan 1816 and 1 Dec 1827
Country:England
Timen/a
Place:n/a
Type of Experience(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:n/a
Gender:n/a
Date of Birth:13 Nov 1785
Socio-Economic Group:Royalty / aristocracy
Occupation:socialite, novelist, influential member of the Whig political elite
Religion:Christian
Country of Origin:England
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n?e Ponsonby
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:[copy books]
Genre:Fiction, Poetry
Form of Text:Manuscript: Copy Books
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceborrowed (private library)
Source Information:
Record ID:10032
Source:Manuscript
Author:Lady Caroline Lamb (n?e Ponsonby)
Title:n/a
Location:John Murray Archive
Call No:Acc.12604/4144 B
Page/Folio:unfoliated
Additional Information:
Letter to John Murray, which the archivists have dated after 1816. The John Murray Archive is currently re-cataloging all of the Byron papers, so the manuscript reference for this letter will change.
Citation:
Lady Caroline Lamb (n?e Ponsonby), John Murray Archive, Acc.12604/4144 B, unfoliated, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=10032, accessed: 20 March 2025
Additional Comments:
The word 'basing' is questionable, as Lady Caroline's hand is sometimes quite difficult to read. Transcribed by Lindsey Eckert
