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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 21047


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Mrs. Montague, a lady distinguished for having written an Essay on Shakspeare [sic], being mentioned:—Reynolds. "I think that essay does her honour." Johnson. "Yes, Sir; it does her honour, but it would do nobody else honour. I have, indeed, not read it all. But when I take up the end of a web, and find it packthread. I do not expect, by looking further, to find embroidery. Sir, I will venture to say, there is not one sentence of true criticism in her book." Garrick. "But, Sir, surely it shews how much Voltaire has mistaken Shakspeare, which nobody else has done." Johnson. "Sir, nobody else has thought it worth while. And what merit is there in that ? You may as well praise a schoolmaster for whipping a boy who has construed ill".'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1769 and 16 Oct 1769

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:

Joshua Reynolds

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

16 Jul 1723

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

painter

Religion:

n/a

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:

Elizabeth Montagu

Title:

Essay on the Writings and Genius of Shakespear

Genre:

Essays / Criticism

Form of Text:

Print: Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

21047

Source:

Print

Author:

James Boswell

Editor:

R.W. Chapman

Title:

Life of Johnson

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

n/a

Page:

413-14

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 413-14, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=21047, accessed: 06 November 2024


Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791.

   
   
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