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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 30509


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Meeting held at 39, Eastern Avenue 18th Sept, 1944
    A. Bruce Dilks in the chair.

[...]

2. The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed.

[...]

5. Alice Joselin introduced the subject of the evening by telling us something of the life of William Blake. Born in 1757 he was living through the beginning of the industrial revolution. He had no schooling but showed early artistic ability and was apprenticed for 7 years to an engraver. During this time he wrote some of his early poetry. Becoming himself a professional engraver he experimented with a new method of printing “shown to him in a vision”. As she traced the pattern of his life during the remaining 27 years, Alice Joselin gave us a portrait of an embittered man, never well loved even by his friends and incomprehensible to his contemporaries. She concluded with an extract from a Short Survey of William Blake by Quiller Couch.

6. F. E. Pollard said that he had been reluctant to undertake the task of talking to the Club on the literature of Wm. Blake since he was acquainted with only three of his poems. But as this was 50% more than anyone else knew, he need not have worried. He emphasised Blakes great lyrical gifts and his share in the poetic revolution of the C18th, even suggesting that Blake led the way. Frances Pollard illustrated his remarks by reading from: [“]To the evening star”, “How sweet I roam” and “Memory hither come”. He also read a short extract from Jerusalem throwing out the suggestion that the subject matter showed some influence of Thomas Payne, Quaker.

7. After some refreshment we welcomed to our meeting Mr. George Goyder who is a very keen student and collector of William Blake. It was a great privilege to have among us one whose profound knowledge of and enthusiasm for his subject was absolutely convincing. After listening to Mr. Goyder and looking at his many beautiful examples of Blake’s work, we were willing to allow that he is probably our greatest English artist and equalled as an engraver only by Dürer.

The Chairman expressed our very warmest thanks to Mr. Goyder.

[signed as a true record by] J. Knox Taylor 16/X/44.'

Century:

Date:

Until: 18 Sep 1944

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Reading
county: Berkshire

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:

Francis E. Pollard

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1872

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Formerly schoolmaster, now occasional lecturer and supply teacher, and supported also by wife's unearned income

Religion:

Quaker or associated with the Friends

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

William Blake

Title:

To the Evening Star

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Unknown

Publication Details

from Poetical Sketches

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

30509

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

Margaret Dilks

Title:

XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952)

Location:

private collection

Call No:

n/a

Page/Folio:

17-19

Additional Information:

Margaret Dilks was secretary to the XII Book Club from 1940 to 1970. It is inferred from this, and from the handwriting, that she was the author of this set of minutes.

Citation:

Margaret Dilks, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952), private collection, 17-19, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=30509, accessed: 07 October 2024


Additional Comments:

This was one of the three poems by Blake which he had read before the meeting.
Material by kind permission of the XII Book Club. For further information and permission to quote this source, contact the Reading Experience Database (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/contacts.php).

   
   
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