Record Number: 29293

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'A Meeting held at Grove House May 3rd H. B. Lawson in the chair

Min 1. Minutes of last Read and approved

[...]

[Min] 4 The Subject of the evening "Humour" was then introduced by H. B. Lawson who fascinated us by his thoughtful attempts to define his subject[.] An interesting discussion followed in which the disputants backed their opinions by literary allusion and we were led to wonder if Humour flowed from F E Pollards heart & wit from R H Robsons head.

After Supper the Club settled down to enjoy the following selections chosen to represent English Humour in literature down the Ages[:]

Prologue of Chaucers Canterbury Tales The Prioress & Wife of Bath read by Howard R. Smith

Shakespeares Henry IV The Men in Buckram read by R. H Robson Fallstaff
[ditto] S. A. Reynolds Poins
[ditto] C. E. Stansfield Prince Hall [sic]
[ditto] Geo Burrow Gadshill
Jane Austin Pride & Prejudice Mr. Collins proposes
[ditto] Mrs Robson
Charles Dickens David Copperfield Mrs Micawber on her husbands career[?] Geo Burrow
Charles Lamb A Letter Alfred Rawlings
Lewis Carrols Alice in Wonderland The Lobster Quadrill Mary Reynolds
Jerome K. Jerome Three Men in a Boat Uncle Podger hangs a picture F. E. Pollard
Hilaire Belloc Cautionary Tales "George" recited by Howard R. Smith'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

3 May 1929

Country:

England

Time

evening

Place:

city: Reading
county: Berkshire
specific address: Grove House

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Howard Smith

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1860

Socio-Economic Group:

Unknown/NA

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

Quaker or associated with the Friends

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

England

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

Members of XII Book Club

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Geoffrey Chaucer

Title:

Canterbury Tales (General Prologue)

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

29293

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

Howard Smith

Title:

XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 2 (1915-31)

Location:

private collection

Call No:

n/a

Page/Folio:

189–190

Additional Information:

Howard Smith was secretary to the XII Book Club 1923-1931. It is inferred from this, and from the handwriting, that he was the author of this set of minutes.

Citation:

Howard Smith, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 2 (1915-31), private collection, 189–190, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=29293, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

Material by kind permission of the XII Book Club. For further information and permission to quote this source, contact the Reading Experience Database (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/contacts.php). The description of the readings from Chaucer is ambiguous. I have taken it to refer to The General Prologue, The Prioress's Tale and The Wife of Bath's Tale. Alternatively it might refer to two readings only: from the prologues to the two tales named.