Record Number: 18281

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'How do you like Thalaba? There are always so many nothings to be done in London daily, that I have not read ten lines for the last ten weeks, till I came to Holland House, where I have galloped through two volumes of Madame Du Deffand's Letters, and with much amusement, though the anecdotes are in themselves of no great value; still, being written on the spot, and at the moment, they have a vivacity and interest which make one read letter after letter without weariness. The extracts from Lord Orford's letters contain frequently excellent things; and indeed, in Madame Du Deffand's own general observations, there is much good sense and plain truth; but that sense and truth, being generally grounded upon knowledge of the world, it unfortunately follows, of course, that the information which it conveys must be of a disagreeable and humiliating complexion. [Lewis then talks about Lord Orfor'd treatment of a blind woman] Have you read these letters? You know, of course, that they were edited by your friend, Miss Berry, who has also written the Preface, the Life, and the Notes, all of which are most outrageously abused by many persons, though, in my opinion, without any just grounds'.

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Until: 9 Dec 1810

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London
specific address: Holland House

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

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Matthew Lewis

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

9 Jul 1775

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Marrie de Vichy-Chamrond, Marquise du Deffand

Title:

Letters

Genre:

Letters

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

edited by Miss Berry

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

18281

Source:

Print

Author:

Lady Charlotte Bury

Editor:

A.Francis Steuart

Title:

Diary of a Lady-in-Waiting, The

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1908

Vol:

I

Page:

8

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Lady Charlotte Bury, A.Francis Steuart (ed.), Diary of a Lady-in-Waiting, The, (London, 1908), I, p. 8, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=18281, accessed: 19 April 2024

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Additional Comments:

Letter from Lewis to her is included in Charlotte Bury's diary