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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 19845


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'[start of this passage found in database entries 9840-2] 'I cou'd not avoid remarking to the Dean, that notwithstanding the Friendship Mr [italics] Pope [end italics] professed for Mr [italics] Gay [end italics], he cou'd not forbear a great many Satyrical, or if I might be allowed to say so, envious Remarks on the success of the [italics] Beggar's Opera [end italics] The Dean very frankly own'd, he did not think Mr [italics] Pope [end italics] was so candid to the Merits of other Writers, as he ought to be. I then ventur'd to ask the Dean, whether he thought the Lines Mr [italics] Pope [end italics] addresses him with, in the Beginning of the [italics] Dunciad [end italics], were any Compliment to him? [italics] viz O Thou! whatever Title please thine Ear. [end italics] 'I believe', says he, they were meant as such, but they are very stiff'; - 'Indeed, Sir, said I, 'he is so perfectly a Master of harmonious Numbers, that had his Heart been in the least affected with his Subject, he must have writ better; How cold, how forc'd, are his Lines to you, compared with yours to him.' [italics] Hail happy [end italics] Pope [italics] whose generous Mind. [end italics] Here we see the masterly Poet, and the warm, sincere, generous Friend'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

From: 30 Nov 1729

Country:

Ireland

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:

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Jonathan Swift

Title:

'a Libel on Dr Delany and a Certain Great Lord'

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

19845

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:

33-4

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Laetitia Pilkington, A.C. Elias (ed.), Memoirs of Laetitia Pilkington, (Athens GA, 1997), I, p. 33-4, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=19845, accessed: 25 April 2024


Additional Comments:

Pilkington's date of birth was 1708 or 1709.

   
   
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