Record Number: 20703
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'When he [Johnson] was a child in petticoats, and had learnt to read, Mrs Johnson one morning put the common prayer-book into his hands, pointed to the collect for the day, and said, "Sam, you must get this by heart". She went upstairs, leaving him to study it: But by the time she had reached the second floor, she heard him following her. "What's the matter?" said she. "I can say it", he replied; and repeated it distinctly, though he ciould not have read it over more than twice'.
Century:1700-1799
Date:Between 1 Jan 1712 and 31 Dec 1712
Country:England
Timemorning
Place:city: Lichfield
county: Staffordshire
(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:Child (0-17)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:18 Sep 1709
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:later writer
Religion:n/a
Country of Origin:England
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:Book of Common Prayer [collect for the day]
Genre:Other religious
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceowned
owned by his mother
Source Information:
Record ID:20703
Source:James Boswell
Editor:R. W. Chapman
Title:Life of Johnson
Place of Publication:Oxford
Date of Publication:1980
Vol:n/a
Page:30
Additional Comments:
n/a
Citation:
James Boswell, R. W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson , (Oxford, 1980), p. 30, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=20703, accessed: 21 October 2024
Additional Comments:
Originally published 1791.