Record Number: 22356

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'[letter to Mrs --] 'books, for a certain length of time, are a charming substitute for common conversation. I do not know that I ever read one from which my mind received a higher degree of pleasure than "Currie's life of Burns". To me, its charm was enhanced by a thousand pleasing recollections - a thousand associations, that gave a strong additional interest to every word. The strength of Burns's feelings, the character of his mind, had excited an enthusiastic admiration, at a period when my own enthusiastic feelings were in perfect unison with those of the poet; and in him alone did I meet with the expression of a sensibility with which I could perfectly sympathise: in his emotions there was a strength, an energy, that came home to my heart; while the tender sorrows of other poets had to me appeared mawkish and insipid. Even the strong light in which he saw the ridiculous, was, I fear, too agreeable to me. The idea I then formed of his mind has been confirmed by Dr Currie's delineation of it'.

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Until: 30 Apr 1801

Country:

Scotland

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

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Elizabeth Hamilton

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

25 Jul 1758

Socio-Economic Group:

Gentry

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

Episcopalian

Country of Origin:

Ireland

Country of Experience:

Scotland

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

Robert Burns

Title:

n/a

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

22356

Source:

Print

Author:

Elizabeth Hamilton

Editor:

Elizabeth Benger

Title:

Memoirs of the Late Mrs Elizabeth Hamilton

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1818

Vol:

II

Page:

2-3

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Elizabeth Hamilton, Elizabeth Benger (ed.), Memoirs of the Late Mrs Elizabeth Hamilton, (London, 1818), II, p. 2-3, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=22356, accessed: 24 November 2024

---

Additional Comments:

Presumably Hamilton is referring to the period of her youth, in Scotland, but date uncertain