Record Number: 28268

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

[Catherine Talbot to Elizabeth Carter, 9 July 1767:] 'We are deep (for our after supper book) in Lord Lyttleton [i.e. his History of Henry II]. For my own amusement I am glad he digresses so much; but does he not digress too much for a biographer? I am much entertained with the History of the Crusades, though indeed it is terrible. If you ever meet with the History of Nourjahad it will interest and amuse you [...] the only shocking part is when he grows what the author meant for very pious, and aspires after the beatific vision of that rascal Mahomet.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jul 1767 and 9 Jul 1767

Country:

England

Time

evening

Place:

city: Lambeth

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:

Reading Group:

Catherine Talbot and family

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Unknown

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer and family

Religion:

Church of England

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

George Lyttelton

Title:

History of the Life of Henry II

Genre:

History, Biography, Politics

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

28268

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:

3

Page:

153

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), 3, p. 153, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=28268, accessed: 09 May 2025

---

Additional Comments:

Talbot lived in the household of her stepfather, Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury.