Record Number: 24061
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
Robert Southey to Charles Collins, 10-11 December 1791: 'As I have nothing else to say take a story I read yesterday as a true one which strikes me as an instance of more refined barbarity than any in the annals of cruelty – a prisoner in the dreary cells of the Bastile had familiarized a spider the only tenant except himself of the miserable spot. to a man secluded thus from the light of day & every living creature this reptile was a kind of mournful companion. the Keeper at length took notice of it & told the Governor – the Governor commanded him to tread upon it.'
Century:Date:
10 Dec 1791
Country:England
Timen/a
Place:city: Bath
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:12 Aug 1774
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:writer
Religion:n/a
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:Original Stories from Real Life
Genre:Fiction, Social Science, Biography
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication DetailsLondon, 1791
Provenanceunknown
Source Information:
Record ID:24061
Source - Manuscript:Other
Information:
"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 2. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 17 April 2009.
Additional Information:
n/a
Citation:
"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 2. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 17 April 2009., http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=24061, accessed: 13 May 2025
Additional Comments:
None
