Record Number: 19342
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
Timen/a
Place:city: Lasswade
specific address: Mavish Bush
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: 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
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:"Footprints of Angels" in The Boston Book, being Specimens of Metropolitan Literature
Genre:Fiction
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication DetailsBoston: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, 1850
Provenanceowned
gift sent from the publisher
Source Information:
Record ID:19342
Source: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=19342, accessed: 17 August 2024
Additional Comments:
Margaret's letter does not specify the Longfellow text; however, Longfellow's only contribution to the 1850 issue of The Boston Book, which Fields sent to the De Quinceys as a gift, was "Footprints of Angels."