Record Number: 21543

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'I had brought with me a great bundle of Scotch magazines and newspapers, in which his "Journey to the Western Islands" was attacked in every mode; and I read a great part of them to him, knowing they would afford him entertainment. I wish the writers of them had been present: they would have been sufficiently vexed. One ludicrous imitation of his style, by Mr. Maclaurin, now one of the Scotch Judges, with the title of Lord Dreghorn, was distinguished by him from the rude mass. "This (said he) is the best. But I could caricature my own style much better myself." He defended his remark upon the general insufficiency of education in Scotland; and confirmed to me the authenticity of his witty saying on the learning of the Scotch;—"Their learning is like bread in a besieged town : every man gets a little, but no man gets a full meal".'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

18 Apr 1775

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

James Boswell

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

29 Oct 1740

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer and lawyer

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

Scotland

Country of Experience:

England

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

Dr Samuel Johnson

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

[n/a]

Title:

[various Scottish magazine reviews of Johnson's 'Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland']

Genre:

Essays / Criticism

Form of Text:

Print: Serial / periodical

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

21543

Source:

Print

Author:

James Boswell

Editor:

R.W. Chapman

Title:

Life of Johnson

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1980

Vol:

n/a

Page:

626

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 626, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=21543, accessed: 21 December 2024

---

Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791.