Record Number: 24383

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Robert Southey to Horace Walpole Bedford, 24 January - 18 February 1794: 'I need not tell you with what pleasure my frequent perusals of Werter have been attended. for six months I was never without it in my pocket — the character is natural. at least it appeared so when tried by the touch-stone of my own heart. yet there are some minds upon which this would operate differently. to use a vulgar proverb “what's one man's meet [sic] is another man's poison". I consider suicide as a crime — as heinous as irrevocable. if you can suppose a man without connections friends or relations, still suicide would not be justifiable. while there is a possibility that life can be of service to society it is criminal to die.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1793 and 24 Jan 1794

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:

Johann Wilhelm von Goethe

Title:

The Sorrows of Young Werther

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

24383

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Information:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 80. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 24 April 2009.

Additional Information:

n/a

Citation:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 80. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 24 April 2009. , http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=24383, accessed: 27 March 2025

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Additional Comments:

None