Record Number: 32419
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
(1) 'Unfortunately we have not got a complete set of Scott here - only odd Everyman copies.... What is "Guy Mannering" like? The alternative title of "The Astrologer" sounds attractive but of course it may not have much to do with it.' (2) 'I tried to start "Guy Mannering" on Saturday but some how it didn't grip me.' (3) '... whether I read "Guy Mannering" or no I shall not take to skimming...'
Century:1900-1945
Date:18 Nov 1916
Country:England
Timen/a
Place:Great Bookham
Surrey
'Gastons'
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Child (0-17)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:29 Nov 1898
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:Student
Religion:Church of England
Country of Origin:Northern Ireland
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer
Genre:Fiction, History, Astrology / alchemy / occult, Historical novel
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication DetailsLondon: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1906 (Everyman's Library, no.133)
Provenanceborrowed (private library)
Source Information:
Record ID:32419
Source:C. S. Lewis
Editor:Walter Hooper
Title:C. S. Lewis Collected Letters
Place of Publication:London
Date of Publication:2000
Vol:1
Page:240, 257, 260
Additional Comments:
(1) From a letter to Arthur Greeves, 25 October 1916 (2) From a letter to the same, 22 November 1916 (3) From a letter to the same, 29 November 1916
Citation:
C. S. Lewis, Walter Hooper (ed.), C. S. Lewis Collected Letters, (London, 2000), 1, p. 240, 257, 260, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=32419, accessed: 06 December 2024
Additional Comments:
Lewis specifies Saturday; in 1916, 18 November was a Saturday, hence the exact date. From his comment 'whether I read "Guy Mannering" or no' I conclude that he pursued it no further on this occasion. From his remarks in the first letter quoted above, I conclude also that the copy he used was an Everyman from Mr Kirkpatrick's collection. Lewis did take up this novel again at some later time: in a letter to his brother (13 April 1929, Letters, v.1, p.788) he writes 'There is something to be said for Julia Mannering.... The beginning of Guy Mannering is excellent.' 'The beginning'? I wonder if he ever finished it? I think he had to, because he had to examine students on their knowledge of it: 'In answer to a question from a paper on "Guy Mannering" "Would you have liked Colonel Mannering as a father?" ... one youth sagely replied that he would. It is true that Mannering was cold, suspicious, autocratic etc., "but he was very rich and I think he would have made an excellent father." That boy should be sent to the City at once...' (Letter to his father, 29 July 1927, Letters, v.1, p.714)