Elizabeth Missing Sewell on her reading at home in the Isle of Wight, after leaving her Bath boarding school in 1830:
'I used to study by myself, for I knew that I was woefully ignorant. Such books as Russell's "History of Modern Europe" and Robertson's "Charles the Fifth", I read, and also Watts on the "Improvement of the Mind", and I plodded through an Italian history of the Venetian Doges, lent me by an intimate and valued friend of my father, Mr. Turnbull [...] I taught myself besides to read Spanish -- for having found a Spanish "Don Quixote" lying about, which no one claimed, I took possession of it, bought a grammar and dictionary, and set to work to master the contents of
the books which I knew so well by name. The elements of botany on the Linnean system was another of my attempted acquirements, but I am afraid my studies were very superficial: I knew nothing perfectly, but I read everything that came in my way. There was an excellent town library in Newport, from which I could get any good modern works; and, beside the graver literature, I had always some lighter book on hand, and especially delighted in Walter Scott's novels and poetry. Byron, too was a great favourite.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Sewell Print: Book
'We finished today to read Russels "Modern History", which is perfectly well wrote and in a very intertaining [sic] manner'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth (Betsey) Wynne Print: Book
'Finished the 2d. Vol. of Russell's "History of Modern Europe"...'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Green Print: Book
'I used to study by myself, for I knew that I was wofully ignorant. Such books as Russell's "History of Modern Europe" and Robertson's "Charles the Fifth", I read, and also Watts on the "Improvement of the Mind", and I plodded through an Italian history of the Venetian Doges, lent me by an intimate and valued friend of my father, Mr Turnbull'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Missing Sewell Print: Book
Meeting held at St. Margaret’s, Shinfield Road: 20. 1. 38.
F. E. Pollard in the chair
1. Minutes of last read and approved
[...]
6. C. E. Stansfield opened the proceedings on Æ [A-E ligature, the name adopted by George
William Russell] by a detailed biographical sketch of some length, in the course of which we
gained some idea of the contradictions and complexities of A. E.’s character. [...] An interesting
personal touch was added to the sketch by F. E. Pollard who had been present at one of Æ’s
“salon” receptions.
7. Extracts from A. E’s prose were then read by Mary S. W. Pollard on “Gandhi,” and by F. E.
Pollard on “The one dimensional mind”.
8. Finally F. E. Pollard and V. W. Alexander read three of A.E.’s poems.
9. By this time most of us were more than ready for a little lighter matter, and we thoroughly
appreciated some delightful touches from The Tinker’s Wedding by Synge which Rosamund
Wallis gave with evident relish.
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Pollard Print: Book
'I have just come across these lines by A. E., which I like, because the stars are your only companions on sentry duty in the trenches; and they seem filled with majesty and peace, as does the sunrise too [quotes stanza five of A. E.'s poem "Shadows and Lights"].'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Douglas Herbert Bell Print: Unknown
'In one of the thoughtful editorials to which readers of the "Irish Homestead" are accustomed, I find condensed into a single phrase the idea which I have been struggling to express. "Duty to one's race," says A.E., "is not inevitable. It is the result of education, of intellectual atmosphere, or of the social order."'
Unknown
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Ian Vivian Hay Print: Serial / periodicalManuscript: Sheet
