Record Number: 25714

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Lady Harriet Cavendish to her sister, Lady Georgiana Morpeth, 23 September 1802: 'I am now going, my dearest G. (depending upon your secrecy), to transcribe for you some of George's verses, which he gave me last night. Some lines are very good and some very bad, but it will give you a good idea of our proceedings and I think them very amusing. It is a parody on Burns' Tim [sic] O'shanter, and called John O'Thanet. The beginning is long and tiresome, so I shall not send it you. You must know that [italics]John[end italics] is making a tour round the Island, and arrives at Ramsgate just in time for the ceremonies' ball:-- [transcribes 17 lines of satirical poem on Ramsgate social life, opening: '"When now the moon shot forth her gleams And ocean glistened in her beams, When winds blow cold and loud and drear And Ladies 'gin to walk the Pier, When chattering teeth by Luna's light Just stammer out a 'charming night'"] 'I send you these merely because they give a faithful account of our evening walks.'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 22 Sep 1802 and 23 Sep 1802

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Ramsgate

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:

Lady Harriet Cavendish

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

Aug 1785

Socio-Economic Group:

Royalty / aristocracy

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

n/a

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:

George Lamb

Title:

'John O'Thanet'

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

25714

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Sir George Leveson Gower and Iris Palmer

Title:

Hary-o: The Letters of Harriet Cavendish 1796-1809

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1940

Vol:

n/a

Page:

36-37

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Sir George Leveson Gower and Iris Palmer (ed.), Hary-o: The Letters of Harriet Cavendish 1796-1809, (London, 1940), p. 36-37, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=25714, accessed: 26 April 2025

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Additional Comments:

None