Record Number: 19341

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'By the way, we all admire _very greatly_ your beautiful little poem in the Boston Book. I dare say you don't care for the opinion of we three "weaker vessels" [i.e. De Quincey's three daughters], though Papa, like the dutiful parent he is, and though a "vain man", admits that our judgment in such matters is equal if not sometimes better than his. However in this case we one and all came separately to the conclusion that there was exquisite poetic grace and beauty in the lines. Who is the Poet you sent the mosses too [sic]? for we don't know one who has spoken of Venice that has been living since you could have written this. My sister Florence says that with one or two exceptions in the case of Longfellow and that most beautiful of writers Hawthorne, yours is nearly the only good thing in the book. I have not had time to look it over yet.'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

Between 31 Aug 1852 and 1 Nov 1852

Country:

Scotland

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Lasswade
specific address: Mavish Bush

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:

Florence De Quincey

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

1827

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

part-time secretary for Thomas De Quincey

Religion:

unknown

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

Scotland

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

Thomas De Quincey's daughter

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Title:

"Drowne's Wooden Image" in The Boston Book, being Specimens of Metropolitan Literature

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

Boston: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1850

Provenance

owned
gift sent from the publisher

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Source Information:

Record ID:

19341

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Willard Hallam Bonner

Title:

De Quincey at Work

Place of Publication:

Buffalo, NY

Date of Publication:

1936

Vol:

n/a

Page:

19

Additional Comments:

Letter from Margaret De Quincey to James T. Fields, dated November 1, 1852

Citation:

De Quincey, Willard Hallam Bonner (ed.), De Quincey at Work, (Buffalo, NY, 1936), p. 19, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=19341, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

Margaret's letter does not specify the Hawthorne text; however, Hawthorne's only contribution to the 1850 issue of The Boston Book, which Fields sent to the De Quinceys as a gift, was "Drowne's Wooden Image."