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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

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

Time

n/a

Place:

n/a

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Lady Caroline Lamb

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:

[unknown]

Title:

[copy books]

Genre:

Fiction, Poetry

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Copy Books

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

borrowed (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: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

The word 'basing' is questionable, as Lady Caroline's hand is sometimes quite difficult to read. Transcribed by Lindsey Eckert

   
   
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