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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 33031


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

‘On return to England [from Jena], by the way, I renewed my acquaintance with R.B. [Robert Browning]. The last line of Mr Sludge the Medium—“yet there is something in it, tricks and all”—converted me, and since them I have used no other. I wish we could recall him from the stars and get him to write a Dramatic Idyll or something, giving a soliloquy of the feelings and motives … that must be going through the poor Kaiser’s mind at present.’

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 15 Aug 1914 and 30 Oct 1914

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Cheriton
county: Kent
specific address: Shorncliffe Camp

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:

Charles Hamilton Sorley

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

19 May 1895

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

2/Lt, 7th Suffolk Regiment

Religion:

Christian by schooling, (no specified beliefs)

Country of Origin:

Scotland

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Robert Browning

Title:

Mr Sludge, "the Medium"

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned
probably owned, an old school copy (?)


Source Information:

Record ID:

33031

Source:

Print

Author:

Charles Hamilton Sorley

Editor:

Jean Moorcroft Wilson

Title:

The Collected Letters of Charles Hamilton Sorley

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1990

Vol:

n/a

Page:

195

Additional Comments:

Letter to Master of Marlborough School, October 1914, Shornliffe.

Citation:

Charles Hamilton Sorley, Jean Moorcroft Wilson (ed.), The Collected Letters of Charles Hamilton Sorley, (London, 1990), p. 195, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=33031, accessed: 25 April 2024


Additional Comments:

The date range is speculative. Sorley returned from Jena to Britain in August 1914, when war was declared, and enlisted immediately after returning.

   
   
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