Record Number: 28714

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Charlotte Bronte to James Taylor, 6 November 1850:

'I have just finished reading the Life of Dr Arnold [...] This is not a character to be dismissed with a few laudatory words [...] pure panegyric would be inappropriate. Dr Arnold (it seems to me) was not quite saintly; his greatness was cast in a mortal mould; he was a little severe — almost a little hard [...] Himself the most indefatigable of workers, I know not whether he could have understood or made allowance for a temperament that required more rest [...] Exacting he might have been then on this point, and granting that he was so, and a little hasty, stern, and positive, those were his sole faults [...] Where can we find justice, firmness, independence, earnestness, sincerity, fuller and purer than in him? [comments further]'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

Between 25 Oct 1850 and 6 Nov 1850

Country:

England

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

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Charlotte Brontë

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

21 Apr 1816

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Arthur Penrhyn Stanley

Title:

Life of Dr Arnold

Genre:

Biography

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

28714

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Thomas James Wise and John Alexander Symington

Title:

The Brontes: Their Lives, Friendships and Correspondence

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

2:3

Page:

177-178

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Thomas James Wise and John Alexander Symington (ed.), The Brontes: Their Lives, Friendships and Correspondence, (Oxford, 1980), 2:3, p. 177-178, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=28714, accessed: 09 May 2025

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Additional Comments:

This text one of various received by Bronte from her publishers on 24 October 1850; see p.174 in source.