Record Number: 23546

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'I have been reading "Vanity Fair" again & found it even more enjoyable than when I read it for the first time. I really think I like the Book better even than any of those of Dickens. "Becky Sharp" is prodigious. I thought however it to be a great mistake to pull Mr Sedley down so quickly after his bankruptcy & make him so soon appear so dreadfully shabby, humble & contemptible, particularly as "Jos" did what was necessary to prevent his parents being in want as he is stated to have sent instructions to his agents to furnish what money was required. The description given of poor old "Sedley" is the most painful & most truthful description of a ruined man without hopes or friends but the fall to such a condition would be very gradual & Sedley had'ent the time given him to arrive at it any more than his glossy coats had had time to become white in the Seams & Greasy in the collars.'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

26 Jan 1871

Country:

Australia

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Melbourne

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:

John Buckley Castieau

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

15 May 1831

Socio-Economic Group:

Clerk / tradesman / artisan / smallholder

Occupation:

Prison Governor

Religion:

unknown

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

Australia

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

William Makepeace Thackeray

Title:

Vanity Fair

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

23546

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

John Buckley Castieau

Title:

Diaries

Location:

National Library of Australia

Call No:

NLA MS 2218

Page/Folio:

n/a

Additional Information:

n/a

Citation:

John Buckley Castieau, Diaries, National Library of Australia, NLA MS 2218, n/a, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=23546, accessed: 13 March 2025

---

Additional Comments:

None