Record Number: 28230

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

[Catherine Talbot to Elizabeth Carter, 1 August 1761:] 'I am ashamed to say I have not yet sent La Mort d'Abel to Mrs Donnelan; but the truth is, I began reading it to my mother, and cannot find in [sic] my heart to send it away till I have done. It has taught us to be fond of a sweet flowery spot in the garden, which is our reading place, and we impatiently sigh for a quiet hour or two to finish it [...] It is not faultless to be sure, but it seems to me absolutely one of the most charming and instructive things I ever read.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jul 1761 and 1 Aug 1761

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Lambeth
location in dwelling: Garden

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

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Catherine Talbot

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

21 May 1721

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

[Mrs] Secker (reader's mother).

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

Salomon Gessner

Title:

La Mort d'Abel

Genre:

Fiction, Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

In French translation (from High Dutch)

Provenance

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

28230

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Montagu Pennington

Title:

A Series of Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, from the year 1741 to 1770. To which are added, Letters from Mrs Elizabeth Carter to Mrs Vesey, between the years 1763 and 1787

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1809

Vol:

2

Page:

377

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Montagu Pennington (ed.), A Series of Letters between Mrs Elizabeth Carter and Miss Catherine Talbot, from the year 1741 to 1770. To which are added, Letters from Mrs Elizabeth Carter to Mrs Vesey, between the years 1763 and 1787, (London, 1809), 2, p. 377, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=28230, accessed: 27 April 2025

---

Additional Comments:

None