Record Number: 20138

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'It was so charming of you to send me your anthology,..............It is particularly interesting to me, because, although your anthology and my second, and third(forthcoming) anthology cover the same period, we rarely cover the same ground. I am jealous, as well as happy, that you have included the four heavenly Keats Odes, and Shelley's "To Night", one of the loveliest of all poems, and the beauties from "Prometheus Unbound". I am especially delighted, too, with your Tennyson, because with the exception of "Tears, idle tears" we touch different ground again, and that means that, when I am travelling, if I take your anthology and my anthologies, I shall be rich with nearly all the beauties I could need. We touch the same ground, again, in the inclusion of Rosetti's "The Woodspurge", but our choice of Christina Rosetti is different, for I have gone completely mad, and have included the whole of "Goblin Market". Your anthology includes more poets than mine; your taste, I think, is more catholic. But under the influence of your anthology I am beginning to feel positively calm about Matthew Arnold - a state which I did not think would ever be mine, on that subject......'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1932 and 31 Mar 1932

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London
specific address: 22 Pembridge Mansions, Moscow Road

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:

Edith Sitwell

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

7 Sep 1887

Socio-Economic Group:

Gentry

Occupation:

Poet

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:

John Hayward

Title:

Nineteenth Century Poetry - An Anthology

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

1932, London, Chatto and Windus ( Phoenix Library)

Provenance

owned
Received as a gift from John Hayward

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Source Information:

Record ID:

20138

Source:

Print

Author:

Edith Sitwell

Editor:

Richard Greene

Title:

Selected Letters of Edith Sitwell

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1998

Vol:

n/a

Page:

133

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Edith Sitwell, Richard Greene (ed.), Selected Letters of Edith Sitwell, (London, 1998), p. 133, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=20138, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

This is part of a letter dated 31st March 1932 written to John Hayward. Edith's references to her own anthologies might be said to be indicative of a little one-upmanship and there are hints of condescension in this letter.