Switch to English Switch to French

The Open University  |   Study at the OU  |   About the OU  |   Research at the OU  |   Search the OU

Listen to this page  |   Accessibility

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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 22471


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'He seriously entertained the thought of translating "Thuanus". He often talked to me on the subject; and once, in particular, when I was rather wishing that he would favour the world, and gratify his sovereign, by a Life of Spenser (which he said that he would readily have done, had he been able to obtain any new materials for the purpose,) he added, "I have been thinking again, Sir, of "Thuanus": it would not be the laborious task which you have supposed it. I should have no trouble but that of dictation, which would be performed as speedily as an amanuensis could write'.

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 13 Dec 1784

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:

Jacques-Auguste de Thou

Title:

n/a

Genre:

History

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

in French or Latin

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

22471

Source:

Print

Author:

James Boswell

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Life of Johnson

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

n/a

Page:

1387

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 1387, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=22471, accessed: 18 April 2024


Additional Comments:

Original date of publication 1791. Writer known as 'Thuanus'. This may be an anecdote of someone else's related to Boswell - it is ambiguous.

   
   
Green Turtle Web Design