Record Number: 32432

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Before starting this [ie Macaulay's "History of England", v. 2] I read in a library copy two of F. W. Bain's Indian Tales "The Descent of the Sun" & "The Heifer of the Dawn". They are translations from the Sanskrit and are "really rather adorable". A little too weird, perhaps, for your solid tastes; but you should certainly have a look at them in Lily's copies.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1 Feb 1917 and 7 Feb 1917

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

Great Bookham
Surrey
'Gastons'

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:

Clive Staples Lewis

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

29 Nov 1898

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Student

Religion:

Church of England

Country of Origin:

Northern Ireland

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Francis William Bain

Title:

The Descent of the Sun

Genre:

Other religious, Fiction, pseudofactual fiction, orientalist fantasies based on Hindu mythology

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

Probably J Parker, London (1903)

Provenance

borrowed (public library)

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Source Information:

Record ID:

32432

Source:

Print

Author:

C. S. Lewis

Editor:

Walter Hooper

Title:

C. S. Lewis Collected Letters

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

2000

Vol:

1

Page:

274

Additional Comments:

From a letter to Arthur Greeves, 7 February 1917. 'Lily' is Arthur's sister, Mary Elizabeth Ewart.

Citation:

C. S. Lewis, Walter Hooper (ed.), C. S. Lewis Collected Letters, (London, 2000), 1, p. 274, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=32432, accessed: 03 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

'The Descent of the Sun' is Vol. 2, and 'A Heifer of the Dawn' is Vol. 3 of the 13 vv. set of 'The Indian Stories of F. W. Bain.' The set was published by Riccardi Press Books, (1913-1920). The copies which Lewis was reading may have been from this set, since they come early in the series. During Bain's life, argument raged about whether his stories really were translations; they were not, but although the books probably contained disclaimers, the young Lewis was taken in. He may have read these tales before, in Belfast, since he knows that Arthur's sister has copies of them.