Record Number: 27394

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Mary Shelley to John Murray, 19 January 1830: 'Except the occupation of one or two annoyances, I have done nothing but read, since I got "Lord Byron's Life." I have no pretensions to being a critic, yet I know infinitely well what pleases me. Not to mention the judicious arrangement and happy [italics]tact[end italics] displayed by Mr. Moore, which distinguish the book, I must say a word concerning the style, which is elegant and forcible. I was particularly struck by the observations on Lord Byron's character before his departure to Greece, and on his return. There is strength and richness, as well as sweetness. 'The great charm of the work to me, and it will have the same to you, is that the Lord Byron I find there is [italics]our[end italics] Lord Byron -- the fascinating, faulty, philosophical being [...] I live with him in these pages -- getting reconciled (as I used in his lifetime) to those waywardnesses which annoyed me when he was away, through the delightful tone of his conversation and manners. 'His own letters and journals mirror him as he was, and are invaluable. There is something cruelly kind in this first volume. When will the next come? [...] Among its many other virtues, this book is accurate to a miracle. I have not stumbled upon one mistake with regard either to time, place, or feeling.'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1830 and 19 Jan 1830

Country:

n/a

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:

Mary Shelley

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

Sep 1797

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

n/a

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Thomas Moore

Title:

Life of Byron (vol 1)

Genre:

Poetry, Biography

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

Published by John Murray, 1 January 1830

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

27394

Source:

Print

Author:

Samuel Smiles

Editor:

n/a

Title:

A Publisher and His Friends: Memoir and Correspondence of the Late John Murray

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1891

Vol:

2

Page:

318-319

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Samuel Smiles, A Publisher and His Friends: Memoir and Correspondence of the Late John Murray, (London, 1891), 2, p. 318-319, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=27394, accessed: 30 December 2024

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Additional Comments:

None