Record Number: 21711
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'He [Johnson] observed, that a gentleman of eminence in literature [Thomas Warton] had got into a bad style of poetry of late. "He puts (said he) a very common thing in a strange dress till he does not know it himself, and thinks other people do not know it". BOSWELL. "That is owing to his being so much versant in old English poetry".JOHNSON. "What is the purpose, Sir? If I say a man is drunk, and you tell me it is owing to his taking much drink, the matter is not mended. No, Sir, ---- has taken to an odd mode. For example; he'd write thus: 'Hermit hoar, in solemn cell, Wearing out life's evening gray'. [italics] Gray evening [end italics] is common enough; but [italics] evening gray [end italics] he'd think fine".'[Johnson continues to critique Warton's style]
Century:1700-1799
Date:Until: 18 Sep 1777
Country:England
Timen/a
Place:n/a
Type of Experience(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: 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
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:[poems]
Genre:Poetry
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceunknown
Source Information:
Record ID:21711
Source:James Boswell
Editor:R.W. Chapman
Title:Life of Johnson
Place of Publication:Oxford
Date of Publication:1980
Vol:n/a
Page:842
Additional Comments:
n/a
Citation:
James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 842, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=21711, accessed: 29 March 2024
Additional Comments:
Originally published 1791.