Record Number: 21936

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Mr. Allen, the printer, brought a book on agriculture, which was printed, and was soon to be published. It was a very strange performance, the authour having mixed in it his own thoughts upon various topicks, along with his remarks on ploughing, sowing, and other farming operations. He seemed to be an absurd profane fellow, and had introduced in his book many sneers at religion, with equal ignorance and conceit. Dr. Johnson permitted me to read some passages aloud.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

17 Apr 1778

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London

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:

James Boswell

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

Dr Johnson

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

William Marshall

Title:

Minutes of Agriculture

Genre:

Agriculture / horticulture / husbandry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

read in situ
brought to Johnson's house by Mr Allen as a gift or loan

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Source Information:

Record ID:

21936

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:

963-4

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 963-4, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=21936, accessed: 09 May 2025

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Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791