Record Number: 24080

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Robert Southey to Thomas Phillips Lamb, 28 October 1792: 'If the Baron of Thundertentroncks castle had not been destroyd (said Dr Pangloss to Candidus) if Miss Cunegonda had not been ript up alive by the Bulgarian soldiers — if I had not been hung, if you had not killd an inquisitor & been burnt by the inquisition, we should not have been now eating pistachio nuts. alls for the best.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

28 Oct 1792

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

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Robert Southey

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

12 Aug 1774

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer

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

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Voltaire

Title:

Candide, ou l'Optimisme

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

24080

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Information:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 29. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 17 April 2009.

Additional Information:

n/a

Citation:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 29. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 17 April 2009., http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=24080, accessed: 26 January 2025

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Additional Comments:

Southey's comment is a paraphrase of Voltaire's "Candide".