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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 21742


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'He praised Grainger's "Ode on Solitude", in Dodsley's "Collection", and repeated, with great energy, the exordium:- "O Solitude, romantick maid, Whether by nodding towers you tread; Or haunt the desart's trackless gloom, Or hover o'er the yawning tomb; Or climb the Andes' clifted side, Or by the Nile's coy source abide; Or, starting from your half-year's sleep, From Hecla view the thawing deep; Or, at the purple dawn of day, Tadnor's marble waste survey"; observing, "This, Sir, is very noble".'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 23 Sep 1777

Country:

n/a

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:

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:

n/a

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

James Grainger

Title:

'Ode on Solitude'

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

included in Robert Dodsley's 'Collection of Poems by Several Hands'

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

21742

Source:

Print

Author:

James Boswell

Editor:

R.W. Chapman

Title:

Life of Boswell

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

n/a

Page:

873

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Boswell, (Oxford, 1980), p. 873, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=21742, accessed: 20 April 2024


Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791

   
   
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