Record Number: 18674

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

[a long anecdote about how Hogg found his correspondent Janet Stuart's book in an Edinburgh bookshop and had to pay 7/6 for a 'pamphlet' which the bookseller argued was 'a very extraordinary production'] 'I did not only read it I devoured it: the man was right; it is an [italics] extraordinary production [end italics]. I do not think a man is flattering when he tells what he thinks I think there is not a more beautiful poem in the English language of its kind. Some of my friends, though they acknowledge it contains great beauties, blame it for what they are pleased to call a [italics] mysterous [sic] obscurity [end italics], while to me who am luckily versant in ancient ballads, it is as plain as the ABC. Yet I acknowledge I should be happy to see in my Adeline's next piece a little more of the unaffected simplicity so visible in her whole character and deportment'.

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Until: 10 Oct 1808

Country:

Scotland

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

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

James Hogg

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

Nov 1770

Socio-Economic Group:

Labourer (agricultural)

Occupation:

shepherd, became author

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

Scotland

Country of Experience:

Scotland

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Janet Stuart

Title:

'Ode to Dr Thomas Percy'

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Pamphlet

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned
bought in Edinburgh

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Source Information:

Record ID:

18674

Source:

Print

Author:

James Hogg

Editor:

Gillian Hughes

Title:

Collected Letters of James Hogg, The

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh

Date of Publication:

2004

Vol:

I

Page:

95-6

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Hogg, Gillian Hughes (ed.), Collected Letters of James Hogg, The, (Edinburgh, 2004), I, p. 95-6, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=18674, accessed: 04 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

None