'What are you reading? I am waiting for an account of "Waverl[e]y" from you. - The principal part of my reading in addition to Mathematics &c has been "the Exiles of Siberia", "Hoole's Tasso['s] Jerusalem", "Oberon" translated from the German by Southeby, "Beatties Minstrel", Savage's poems, Fenelons "lives of ancient Philosophers" and "the Miseries of Human life" 2 vols. If there is any of these that you have not seen - and want my sentiments about - you shall have them in my next'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book
[Percy Shelley's Reading List for 1816. The diary from May 1815-July 1816 is lost, so this list is our only record of Shelley's reading in early 1816. Later in the year texts are referred to in diary entries so as far as possible these works are not given separate database references based on this list.]
'Works of Theocritus Moschus &c - Greek
Prometheus of Eschylus - Greek
Works of Lucian - Greek
x Telemacho
La Nouvelle Heloise
x Blackwell's His. of the Court of August
De Natura Lucretius
Epistolae Plinii
Annals by Tacitus
Several of Plutarchs Lives - Greek
Germania of Tacitus
Memoires d'un Detenu
Histoire de la Revolution par Rabault and Lacretelle
Montaignes Essays
Tasso
Life of Cromwell
Lockes Essay
Political Justice
Lorenzo de Medicis
Coleridges Lay Sermon'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Percy Bysshe Shelley Print: Book
Elizabeth Barrett to her uncle, Samuel Moulton-Barrett, c. December 1816:
'I have finished "Telemaque," and have read one, or two of Racine's plays, which I like very much'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett Print: Book
'Read Lindsays dramas & Telemaque'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book
'When one reads in Fenelon's last Letter to the Kings Confessor "Quand j'aurai l'honneur de voir Dieu, je lui demanderai cette Grace" - speaking of the Life & Health of Louis 14ze one thinks of the Fellow hanged for murder here some Years ago, on his Brother's Evidence: who sayd to the Clergyman that attended him - "When I see God Almighty I will not give my Brother Charles a good Character to him".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
Robert Southey to John May, 26 June, 1797: '...the French never can have a good epic poem till they have republicanized their language; it appears to me a thing impossible in their metres; & for the prose of Fenelon Florian & Bitaubè — I find it peculiarly unpleasant. I have sometimes read the works of Florian aloud; his stories are very interesting & well conducted, but in reading them I have been felt obliged to simplify as I read & omit most of the similes & apostrophes. they disgusted me & I felt ashamed to pronounce them. Ossian is the only book bearable in this stile, there is a melancholy obscurity in the history of Ossian & of almost his heroes that must please — ninety nine readers in an hundred cannot understand Ossian & therefore they like the book. I read it always with renewed pleasure.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Robert Southey Print: Book
