Record Number: 24214

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Robert Peel to John Wilson Croker [undated], to accompany 'a collection of choice documents' on Ireland: 'The little volume called "A Sketch of Irish History" is a more infamous work than Cox's magazine [Irish nationalist publication described earlier in letter, a copy of which also enclosed]. I have the volumes from which it contains some excerpta. They contain a regular history of Ireland, and on the first page are these words, printed at the bottom, "Intended chiefly for the Young Ladies educated at the Ursuline Convents. By a member of the Ursuline Community at Ash." 'This work is written with great care -- most mischievous and inflammatory -- and yet it is thought to be impossible to convict the printer for libel. [...] 'Perhaps the most noteworthy and extraordinary document of all is the letter which I send you. It was written by a priest in Longford to one of his flock, whom he suspected of giving information. He admitted the writing of it to Major Wiles, a police magistrate, but he has not been convicted yet, and therefore names must not be used. Pray read it, it is very curious -- an admirable example of the purposes for which the priests of Ireland exert their spiritual influence.'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

unknown

Country:

(probably) Ireland

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:

Robert Peel

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1788

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Politician

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

(probably) Ireland

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

'a member of the Ursuline Community at Ash'

Title:

A Sketch of Irish History

Genre:

History, Politics

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

24214

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Louis L. Jennings

Title:

The Croker Papers: The Correspondence and Diaries of The Late Right Honourable John Wilson Croker, LL.,D., F.R.S.

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1884

Vol:

1

Page:

89-90; 90

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Louis L. Jennings (ed.), The Croker Papers: The Correspondence and Diaries of The Late Right Honourable John Wilson Croker, LL.,D., F.R.S., (London, 1884), 1, p. 89-90; 90, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=24214, accessed: 06 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

Peel served as Chief Secretary for Ireland 1812-18; letter included in section of source covering period 1814-1816.