Record Number: 19831

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'[her mother having forbidden her to learn to read due to her weak eyes] I was at this time about five Years of Age, and my Mother being one Day abroad, I had happily laid hold on "Alexander's Feast", and found something in it so charming, that I read it aloud; - but how like a condemned Criminal did I look, when my Father, softly opening his Study-door, took in the very Fact; I dropt my Book, and burst into Tears, begging Pardon, and promising never to do so again: But my Sorrow was soon dispell'd, when he bade me not be frighten'd, but read to him, which to his great Surprize, I did very distinctly, and without hurting the beauty of the Numbers. Instead of the whipping, of which I stood in Dread, he took me up in his Arms, and kiss'd me, giving me a whole Shilling, as a Reward, and told me, "He would give me another, as soon as I got a Poem by Heart"; which he put into my Hand, and prov'd to be Mr [italics] Pope[end italics]'s sacred Eclogue, which Task I perform'd before my Mother return'd Home. They were both astonish'd at my Memory, and from that Day forward, I was [permitted to read as much as I pleas'd'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1713 and 31 Dec 1714

Country:

Ireland

Time

daytime

Place:

city: Dublin

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:

Laetitia van Lewen

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

1708

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

doctor's daughter

Religion:

Anglican

Country of Origin:

Ireland

Country of Experience:

Ireland

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

later Laetitia Pilkington

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Text Being Read:

Author:

John Dryden

Title:

Alexander's Feast

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

borrowed (other)
belonged to her parents

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Source Information:

Record ID:

19831

Source:

Print

Author:

Laetitia Pilkington

Editor:

A.C. Elias

Title:

Memoirs of Laetitia Pilkington

Place of Publication:

Athens GA

Date of Publication:

1997

Vol:

I

Page:

13

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Laetitia Pilkington, A.C. Elias (ed.), Memoirs of Laetitia Pilkington, (Athens GA, 1997), I, p. 13, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=19831, accessed: 24 April 2024

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Additional Comments:

Date of birth either 1708 or 1709