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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 28792


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

The Bronte enthusiast Sidney Biddell to Charlotte Bronte's former schoolfriend, Ellen Nussey, 15 May 1883:

'Miss Robinson's "Emily Bronte" is prettily enough written [...]

But I confess to being a little disappointed, as my knowledge of that great woman is not one jot increased by anything Miss R. has written. I prefer Mrs Gaskell's work as being more versatile; Mr Reid's as being more vivacious, and Mr Bayne as being more stern and real [goes on to criticise 'the constant mention of Branwell Bronte' as 'the great blot in the book']

[...]

'It's a pity she did not make her [Emily Bronte] more of a psychological study, and gone a little deeper into the recesses of her mind [...] We owe Miss Robinson a debt of gratitude if only for the beautiful poem she has unearthed and given in at the end of her work, commencing "No coward Soul is mine" —
'It is new to me, at least I don't remember it.'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

Between 1 May 1883 and 15 May 1883

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:

Sidney Biddell

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

n/a

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Emily Brontė

Title:

'No Coward Soul Is Mine'

Genre:

Other religious, Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

Reproduced in Mary Robinson, Emily Bronte (April 1883)

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

28792

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:

2:4

Page:

281

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Thomas James Wise and John Alexander Symington (ed.), The Brontes: Their Lives, Friendships and Correspondence, (Oxford, 1980), 2:4, p. 281, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=28792, accessed: 05 October 2024


Additional Comments:

None

   
   
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