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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 20970


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'The King then asked him what he thought of Dr. Hill. Johnson answered, he was an ingenious man, but had no veracity; and immediately mentioned, as an instance of it, an assertion of that writer, that he had seen objects magnified to a much greater degree by using three or four microscopes at a time than by using one. "Now, (added Johnson,) every one acquainted with microscopes, knows, that the more of them he looks through, the less the object will appear." "Why, (replied the King,) this is not only telling an untruth, but telling it clumsily; for, if that be the case, every one who can look through a microscope will be able to detect him."'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 28 Feb 1767

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


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Samuel Johnson

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

18 Sep 1709

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer

Religion:

Anglican

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Dr Hill

Title:

[unknown]

Genre:

Science

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

20970

Source:

Print

Author:

James Boswell

Editor:

R.C. Chapman

Title:

Life of Johnson

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

n/a

Page:

382

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.C. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 382, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=20970, accessed: 04 October 2024


Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791. This conversation occurred between George III and Johnson in the library at Queen's house.

   
   
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