Record Number: 24810

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'In H. James " Little Tour of France" (which I will send to Ada [Galsworthy] to take west with her for leisurely reading) there occurs a simple sentence which came forcibly to my mind. He had been looking at some picture in a provincial gallery--and he says: All this is painted in a manner to bring tears into one's eyes. I don't quote literally--(the book is downstairs where it is dark and I feel too fagged out doing nothing to move from my chair)--but that's just it! It [Galsworthy's MS] brings tears into one's eyes literally by the way its done. After finishing my reading I sat perfectly still I don't know for how long as a pilgrim may sit after a long and breathless ascent, on a commanding summit in view of the promised land.' Hence follow 23 lines of praise for the MS.

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 4 Jul 1908 and 25 Jul 1908

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Luton Hoo Estate
county: Bedfordshire
specific address: Someries

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:

Joseph Conrad

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

3 Dec 1857

Socio-Economic Group:

Gentry
'Szlachta', or Polish landed gentry/nobility

Occupation:

Master mariner and author

Religion:

Roman Catholic

Country of Origin:

Poland

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:

John Galsworthy

Title:

Fraternity

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Sheet

Publication Details

subsequently published by Heinemann 1909

Provenance

n/a

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Source Information:

Record ID:

24810

Source:

Print

Author:

Joseph Conrad

Editor:

Karl Frederick R. and Laurence Davies

Title:

The Collected Letters of Joseph Conrad Volume 4 1908-1911

Place of Publication:

Cambridge

Date of Publication:

1990

Vol:

4

Page:

95-96

Additional Comments:

Letter from Joseph Conrad to John Galsworthy probably 25 July 1908, Someries. See fn.1 p.95 of source text

Citation:

Joseph Conrad, Karl Frederick R. and Laurence Davies (ed.), The Collected Letters of Joseph Conrad Volume 4 1908-1911, (Cambridge, 1990), 4, p. 95-96, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=24810, accessed: 17 May 2025

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Additional Comments:

See also letters to Galsworthy dated 4th and 16th July,1908. The MS is inferred as being that of 'Fraternity' see fn.4, p.93 of source text.