Record Number: 8837

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Mary Berry to Mrs Cholmeley, 11 December 1798: '[William] Roscoe has just sent us a poem of his translation from an Italian poet whose very name was unknown to my shadowy Italian erudition. It is called "The Nurse," from "La Babia" of Luigi Tansillo. I have read it over, tho' not yet with sufficient attention; but I am disappointed in it, because I expect nothing but what is excellent from his pen. The subject, which is reprobating hired nurses and exhorting all women to suckle their own children, does not do in English verse, tho' the [italics]Ariosto-like[end italics] familiarity and simplicity of the original, makes it pretty in the inimitable beauty of the Italian language [...] The poem is published, beautifully printed, with the Italian on the opposite page; it is not long, and you can no doubt get it at York.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Dec 1798 and 11 Dec 1798

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:

Mary Berry

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

1763

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

n/a

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:

Luigi Tansillo

Title:

"The Nurse"

Genre:

Poetry, Childcare

Form of Text:

Unknown

Publication Details

Translated by William Roscoe with original text retained in parallel, 1798

Provenance

owned

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Source Information:

Record ID:

8837

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Lady Theresa Lewis

Title:

Extracts of the Journal and Correspondence of Miss Berry From the Year 1783 to 1852

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1865

Vol:

2

Page:

78

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Lady Theresa Lewis (ed.), Extracts of the Journal and Correspondence of Miss Berry From the Year 1783 to 1852, (London, 1865), 2, p. 78, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=8837, accessed: 26 April 2025

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Additional Comments:

None