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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 19863


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'The Dean then shew'd me the Poem he wrote on his own death; when I came to that Part of it, [italics] Behold the fatal Day arrive! How is the Dean? He's just alive [end italics] I was so sensibly affected, that my Eyes fill'd with Tears; The Dean observing it, said, "Phoo, I am not dead yet - but you shan't read any more now". I then earnestly requested he would let me take it home with me. [he did this, on condition she neither copy it nor show it to anyone else - she did not, but her memory was very good and she learnt it and "could not forbear delighting some particular Friends with a Rehearsal of it" - when Swift heard others knew it, he thought LP had broken her word and was furious. He would not believe her assurances to the contrary] and produc'd a Poerm something like it, publish'd in [italics] London [end italics], and told me, from my reading it about, that odd Burlesque on it had taken rise. He bade me read it aloud. I did so, and could not forbear laughing, as I plainly perceiv'd, tho' he had endeavour'd to disguise his Stile, that the Dean had burlesqu'd himself'.

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Apr 1733 and 30 Apr 1733

Country:

Ireland

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Dublin
specific address: Deanery 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


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:

Life and Genuine Character of Dr Swift, The

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

read in situ
read at Swift's Deanery


Source Information:

Record ID:

19863

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:

54-5

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Laetitia Pilkington, A.C. Elias (ed.), Memoirs of Laetitia Pilkington, (Athens GA, 1997), I, p. 54-5, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=19863, accessed: 28 March 2024


Additional Comments:

Date of birth 1708 or 1709.

   
   
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