Record Number: 9152

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Mary Berry, Journal, August 1809: 'I have been reading a strange poem -- the "Columbiad" of Poet [Joel] Barlow. Who or what he is I know not, except that he is an American, deeply imbued with all the bad taste and all the prejudices which belong to his nation, in its present state of society [makes various negative criticisms] [...] Yet I have been amused at this first American attempt at an epic, with all its faults, all its vulgarisms [...] and all its false reasoning. It is full of ideas, embraces an endless variety of subjects [...] Sets one a thinking, sometimes justly, but oftener to detect and wonder at its commonplace mistakes, and the conceit with which so many false and romantic doctrines are brought forward and dwelt upon [goes on to reflect further].'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 1 Aug 1809 and 31 Aug 1809

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:

16 Mar 1763

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer/editor

Religion:

Anglican

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:

Joel Barlow

Title:

The Columbiad

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

1808

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

9152

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Lady Theresa Lewis

Title:

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

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1865

Vol:

2

Page:

387-88

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Lady Theresa Lewis (ed.), Extracts of the Journals and Correspondence of Miss Berry From the Year 1783 to 1852, (London, 1865), 2, p. 387-88, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=9152, accessed: 19 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

None