Record Number: 19839
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'I had him [Dean Swift] all to myself for near three hours, during which time he made me read to him the Annals of the four last years of the Reign of Queen [italics] Anne [end italics], written by himself; the Intentions of which seemed to be a Vindication of the then Ministry and himself, from having any Design of placing the Pretender on the Throne of [italics] Great Britain [end italics] [Pilkington summarises the content of the work] At the Conclusion of every Period, he demanded of me, "Whether I understood it? for I wou'd", says he, "have it intelligent to the meanest Capacity, and if you comprehend it, 'tis possible every Body may." I bow'd and assured him, I did. And indeed it was written with such Perspicuity and Elegance of Stile, that I must have had no Capacity at all if I did not taste what was so exquisitely beautiful.'
Century:1700-1799
Date:From: 30 Nov 1729
Country:Ireland
Timen/a
Place:city: Dublin
Type of Experience(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:1708
Socio-Economic Group:Clergy (includes all denominations)
Occupation:clergyman's wife
Religion:Anglican
Country of Origin:Ireland
Country of Experience:Ireland
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
Jonathan Swift
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:History of the Four Last Years of the Queen
Genre:History
Form of Text:Manuscript: Unknown
Publication Detailswritten 1712, published 1758
Provenanceread in situ
read at Swift's Deanery
Source Information:
Record ID:19839
Source:Laetitia Pilkington
Editor:A.C. Elias
Title:Memoirs of Laetitia Pilkington
Place of Publication:Athens GA
Date of Publication:1997
Vol:I
Page:29
Additional Comments:
n/a
Citation:
Laetitia Pilkington, A.C. Elias (ed.), Memoirs of Laetitia Pilkington, (Athens GA, 1997), I, p. 29, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=19839, accessed: 17 August 2024
Additional Comments:
None