Record Number: 28579

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'It luckily happened that “Kehama” was on board, and that many of the party, at my recommendation, had become familiar with it during the voyage. By the way, what a vast deal of foolish prejudice exists about Southey and his writings. Of the party on board some had been taught to think him a Jacobin, some an Ultra-Tory, some a Methodist, some an enemy to all religion, and some a madman. None had read a line of his works, but all were inclined to criticise him, and yet all, when they really tried the formidable volume, were delighted both with the man and the poetry.'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

29 Oct 1823

Country:

India, off coast at sea

Time

n/a

Place:

other location: Aboard ship

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:

Reading Group:

Unknown passengers aboard East Indiaman Thomas Grenville, Ramsgate-Calcutta, total duration of voyage June-October 1823

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Unknown

Date of Birth:

21 Apr 1783

Socio-Economic Group:

Clergy (includes all denominations)

Occupation:

Bishop of Calcutta

Religion:

Christianity/Anglican

Country of Origin:

British

Country of Experience:

India, off coast at sea

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Robert Southey

Title:

The Curse of Kehama

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

London: Longman (edition unknown)

Provenance

read in situ

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Source Information:

Record ID:

28579

Source:

Print

Author:

Reginald Heber

Editor:

Amelia Heber

Title:

Narrative of a Journey through the Upper Provinces of India, from Calcutta to Bombay, 1824-1825, (With Notes upon Ceylon)

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1848

Vol:

2

Page:

181

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Reginald Heber, Amelia Heber (ed.), Narrative of a Journey through the Upper Provinces of India, from Calcutta to Bombay, 1824-1825, (With Notes upon Ceylon) , (London, 1848), 2, p. 181, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=28579, accessed: 13 March 2025

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Additional Comments:

This text comes from a letter from Heber to Charles Watkins Williams Wynn dated "Barrackpoor, 29 October 1823".