Record Number: 20966

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'His Majesty having observed to him that he supposed he must have read a great deal; Johnson answered, that he thought more than he read; that he had read a great deal in the early part of his life, but having fallen into ill health, he had not been able to read much, compared with others: for instance, he said, he had not read much, compared with Dr. Warburton.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 28 Feb 1767

Country:

England

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:

Samuel Johnson

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

18 Sep 1709

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer

Religion:

Anglican

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

[unknown]

Title:

[unknown]

Genre:

Unknown

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

20966

Source:

Print

Author:

James Boswell

Editor:

R.C. Chapman

Title:

Life of Johnson

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

n/a

Page:

381

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.C. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 381, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=20966, accessed: 21 March 2025

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Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791. This conversation occurred between George III and Johnson in the library at Queen's house.