Record Number: 22115

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'[from the 1780 Johnsoniana passed to Boswell by Bennet Langton] 'When in good humour he would talk of his own writings with a wonderful frankness and candour, and would even criticise them with the closest severity. One day, having read over one of his "Ramblers", Mr. Langton asked him, how he liked that paper; he shook his head, and answered, "too wordy". At another time, when one was reading his tragedy of "Irene" to a company at a house in the country, he left the room; and somebody having asked him the reason of this, he replied, "Sir, I thought it had been better".'

Century:

Date:

Until: 31 Dec 1780

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

n/a

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:

Samuel Johnson

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

18 Sep 1709

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer

Religion:

Anglican

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:

Samuel Johnson

Title:

Rambler, The

Genre:

Essays / Criticism

Form of Text:

Print: Book, Serial / periodical

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

read in situ

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Source Information:

Record ID:

22115

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:

1068

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 1068, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=22115, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791.