Record Number: 28305

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

[Elizabeth Carter to Elizabeth Vesey, 29 July 1774:] 'Lord Chesterfield's Letters are, I think, the most complete system of French morality that ever disgraced the English language. A system founded neither on principles of virtue, nor sentiments of heart, but upon those selfish motives, which aim at nothing higher than mere bienseance, and which never yet, through the general course of life, procured to any character, confidence, or esteem, or love [comments further].'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

unknown

Country:

n/a

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

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Elizabeth Carter

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

1717

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

n/a

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Title:

Letters to His Son

Genre:

Essays / Criticism, Philosophy, Conduct books

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

28305

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:

4

Page:

116-117

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), 4, p. 116-117, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=28305, accessed: 09 May 2025

---

Additional Comments:

None