Record Number: 19839

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'I had him [Dean Swift] all to myself for near three hours, during which time he made me read to him the Annals of the four last years of the Reign of Queen [italics] Anne [end italics], written by himself; the Intentions of which seemed to be a Vindication of the then Ministry and himself, from having any Design of placing the Pretender on the Throne of [italics] Great Britain [end italics] [Pilkington summarises the content of the work] At the Conclusion of every Period, he demanded of me, "Whether I understood it? for I wou'd", says he, "have it intelligent to the meanest Capacity, and if you comprehend it, 'tis possible every Body may." I bow'd and assured him, I did. And indeed it was written with such Perspicuity and Elegance of Stile, that I must have had no Capacity at all if I did not taste what was so exquisitely beautiful.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

From: 30 Nov 1729

Country:

Ireland

Time

n/a

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

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Laetitia Pilkington

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

1708

Socio-Economic Group:

Clergy (includes all denominations)

Occupation:

clergyman's wife

Religion:

Anglican

Country of Origin:

Ireland

Country of Experience:

Ireland

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

Jonathan Swift

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

Jonathan Swift

Title:

History of the Four Last Years of the Queen

Genre:

History

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Unknown

Publication Details

written 1712, published 1758

Provenance

read in situ
read at Swift's Deanery

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

19839

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:

29

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Laetitia Pilkington, A.C. Elias (ed.), Memoirs of Laetitia Pilkington, (Athens GA, 1997), I, p. 29, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=19839, accessed: 26 April 2024

---

Additional Comments:

None