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Record Number: 17100

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Hugh Stuart Boyd to Elizabeth Barrett, in hand of an amanuensis, letter postmarked 19 January 1843: 'Since I last wrote to you, the Poems of Darthula has been read to me again. It appears to me, a thing very extraordannary [sic], that a mind like yours, should not take grate [sic] delight in such Poetry as that of Ossian.'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 10 Jan 1843 and 19 Jan 1843

Country:

England

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:

Listener:

Hugh Stuart Boyd

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1781

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

classicist

Religion:

unknown

Country of Origin:

unknown

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:

James Macpherson (as 'translator' of Ossian)

Title:

Poems of Darthula

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

17100

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Philip Kelley and Ronald Hudson

Title:

The Brownings' Correspondence

Place of Publication:

Winfield

Date of Publication:

1988

Vol:

6

Page:

297

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Philip Kelley and Ronald Hudson (ed.), The Brownings' Correspondence, (Winfield, 1988), 6, p. 297, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=17100, accessed: 18 August 2025

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Additional Comments:

Boyd believed in authenticity of 'Ossian' poems, which he had to have read to him owing to blindness (also the reason why letter in hand of amanuensis).