Record Number: 20664

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'By the bye have you read Mr C.'s "Adolphe"? It divides the whole world, and I think the general opinion seems to be that it is not worthy of the talents he is supposed to possess. Nevertheless one must see that it has been written by a man of no common mind, and by a close observer of human nature under the particular situation which he describes. At least I should think he only expresses what hundreds of men have felt when they have been hampered and tied down by an unfortunate connection which they vainly wish but have not force of mind enough to break through. And now I must tell you that I am very bold in defending it for my oracle Mr Whishaw (my husband has not read it), is at the head of a large party who abuse it; but they will talk of it as a novel, and as such I am quite willing to allow that it has no great interest or merit; but take it as he calls it, an anecdote, and read it without the intention of being amused, but merely as a study of character, and surely it has considerable merit. It is impossible that the Lady can be intended for Madame de Stael, altho' many traits point out his own vacillating character in "Adolphe", and perhaps some of the scenes may have been drawn from life. I should very much like to have your opinion, and still more Mr Edgeworth's, for a man must from his knowledge of men in the world, be a better judge of such subjects than a woman'.

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Until: 5 Jul 1816

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London
specific address: Great Russell St

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:

Anne Romilly

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

1773

Socio-Economic Group:

Royalty / aristocracy

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

nee Garbett

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Benjamin Constant

Title:

Adolphe

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

20664

Source:

Print

Author:

Anne Romilly

Editor:

Samuel Henry Romilly

Title:

Romilly-Edgeworth Letters 1813-1818

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1936

Vol:

n/a

Page:

146-7

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Anne Romilly, Samuel Henry Romilly (ed.), Romilly-Edgeworth Letters 1813-1818, (London, 1936), p. 146-7, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=20664, accessed: 24 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

Date of birth a guess: AR was married in Jan 1798, aged about 24