Record Number: 21173
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'In Archbishop Laud's Diary I found the following passage, which I read to Dr. Johnson: "1623. February 1, Sunday. I stood by the most illustrious Prince Charles, at dinner. He was then very merry, and talked occasionally of many things with his attendants. Among other things, he said, that if he were necessitated to take any particular profession of life, he could not be a lawyer, adding his reasons: 'I cannot (saith he) defend a bad, nor yield in a good cause.'" Johnson. "Sir, this is false reasoning; because every cause has a bad side: and a lawyer is not overcome, though the cause which he has endeavoured to support be determined against him".'
Century:1700-1799
Date:9 Apr 1773
Country:England
Timen/a
Place:city: London
specific address: Johnson's house
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:29 Oct 1740
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:writer and lawyer
Religion:n/a
Country of Origin:Scotland
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
Samuel Johnson
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:[diary]
Genre:Autobiog / Diary
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceread in situ
read at Johnson's house
Source Information:
Record ID:21173
Source:James Boswell
Editor:R.W. Chapman
Title:Life of Johnson
Place of Publication:Oxford
Date of Publication:1980
Vol:n/a
Page:511
Additional Comments:
n/a
Citation:
James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 511, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=21173, accessed: 26 April 2025
Additional Comments:
Originally published 1791.
