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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 30781


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Last night I read the correspondence between Vanessa and Swift — I wonder if any man, beginning with the man to whom those letters were first addressed has ever understood how much they meant, and if any woman has failed to understand. Swift did not care for her — that's how a man writes who does not care. And how it maims and hurts the woman! One ought to pray every night not to write letters like that — or at least not to send them.'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

Between 19 Aug 1894 and 22 Aug 1894

Country:

Austria

Time

evening
night

Place:

city: near Innsbruck

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:

Gertrude Bell

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

16 Jul 1868

Socio-Economic Group:

Gentry

Occupation:

Oxford graduate, language student, yet to take up formal occupation as archaeologist and political advisor

Religion:

Christian (Anglican) later declared herself atheist

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

Austria

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Jonathan Swift

Title:

unknown

Genre:

Autobiog / Diary

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

unknown

Provenance

unknown
probably owned


Source Information:

Record ID:

30781

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Information:

Gertrude Bell Archive, Newcastle University Library University http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk

Additional Information:

Diary entry 20 August 1894. http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk/diary_details.php?diary_id=1551

Citation:

Gertrude Bell Archive, Newcastle University Library University http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=30781, accessed: 24 April 2024


Additional Comments:

See also diary entry 25 August 1894: 'Read Swift's letters to Mother'. Exactly which text Gertrude Bell was reading is unclear.

   
   
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