Record Number: 25093

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Robert Southey to Grosvenor Charles Bedford, 25 September - 14 October, 1796: 'I wish I could give you a satisfactory answer to a very interesting question. I ardently wish for children — yet if God should bless me with any I shall be unhappy to see them poisoned by the air of London. "Sir I do thank God for it, I do hate Most heartily that city." so said John Donne. tis a favorite quotation of mine — my spirits always sunk when I approachd it. green fields are my delight — I am not only better in health, but even in heart in the country — a fine day exhilarates my heart — if it rains I behold the grass assume a richer verdure as it drinks the moisture — every thing that I behold is “very good" except Man — & in London I see nothing but Man & his works.'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Until: 14 Oct 1796

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:

Robert Southey

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

12 Aug 1774

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

writer

Religion:

n/a

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:

John Donne

Title:

Satyre II

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

25093

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Information:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 178. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 28 April 2009.

Additional Information:

n/a

Citation:

"The Collected Letters of Robert Southey," Romantic Circles Electronic Edition, Letter 178. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/southey_letters. Accessed 28 April 2009. , http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=25093, accessed: 10 March 2025

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Additional Comments:

None