Record Number: 21749

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

I have read, conversed, and thought much upon the subject, and would recommend to all who are capable of conviction, an excellent Tract by my learned and ingenious friend John Ranby, Esq. entitled "Doubts on the Abolition of the Slave Trade." To Mr. Ranby's "Doubts," I will apply Lord Chancellor Hardwicke's expression in praise of a Scotch Law Book, called "Dirleton's Doubts"; "HIS [italics] Doubts [end italics], (said his Lordship,) are better than most people's [italics] Certainties [end italics]."

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1715 and 6 Mar 1764

Country:

n/a

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:

Reader:

Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1 Dec 1690

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

lawyer

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

n/a

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

James Steuart

Title:

Dirleton's Doubts and Questions in the Law of Scotland

Genre:

Law

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

21749

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:

879

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 879, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=21749, accessed: 12 May 2025

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Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791