Record Number: 13424

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Many thanks for Nigel; a far better novel than The Pirate, though not of the highest order of Scott's novels. It is the first novel in which there is no Meg Merrilies. There is, however, a Dominie Sampson in the horologer. The first volume is admirable. Nothing can be better than the apprentices, the shop of old Heriot, the state of the city. James is quite excellent wherever he appears. I do not dislike Alsatia. The miser?s daughter is very good; so is the murder. The story execrable; the gentlemanlike, light, witty conversation always (as in all his novels) very bad. Horrors on humour are his forte. He must avoid running into length?great part of the second volume very long and tiresome; but upon the whole the novel will do?keeps up the reputation of the author; and does not impair the very noble and honourable estate which he has in his brains'.

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Until: 21 Jun 1822

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Foston
county: Yorkshire

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:

Sydney Smith

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

3 Jun 1771

Socio-Economic Group:

Clergy (includes all denominations)

Occupation:

Clergyman

Religion:

Christian

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:

Walter Scott

Title:

The Fortunes of Nigel

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned
sent by Constable

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Source Information:

Record ID:

13424

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Nowell C. Smith

Title:

The Letters of Sydney Smith

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1953

Vol:

I

Page:

386

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Nowell C. Smith (ed.), The Letters of Sydney Smith, (Oxford, 1953), I, p. 386, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=13424, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

Letter to Archibald Constable