Record Number: 22294

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

' [letter from Johnson to bookseller Mr Dilly] There is in the world a set of books which used to be sold by the booksellers on the bridge, and which I must entreat you to procure me. They are called "Burton's Books"; the title of one is "Admirable Curiosities, Rarities, and Wonders in England". I believe there are about five or six of them; they seem very proper to allure backward readers; be so kind as to get them for me, and send me them with the best printed edition of "Baxter's Call to the Unconverted".'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 6 Jan 1784

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:

Richard Burton

Title:

Admirable Curiosities, Rarities, and Wonders in England

Genre:

Geography / Travel, Miscellany / Anthology

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

22294

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:

1263

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

James Boswell, R.W. Chapman (ed.), Life of Johnson, (Oxford, 1980), p. 1263, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=22294, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

Originally published 1791. From the tone it seems Johnson was familiar with these books already