Record Number: 30509
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'Meeting held at 39, Eastern Avenue 18th Sept, 1944
A. Bruce Dilks in the chair.
[...]
2. The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed.
[...]
5. Alice Joselin introduced the subject of the evening by telling us something of the life of William Blake. Born in 1757 he was living through the
beginning of the industrial revolution. He had no schooling but showed early artistic ability and was apprenticed for 7 years to an engraver. During
this time he wrote some of his early poetry. Becoming himself a professional engraver he experimented with a new method of printing “shown
to him in a vision”. As she traced the pattern of his life during the remaining 27 years, Alice Joselin gave us a portrait of an embittered man,
never well loved even by his friends and incomprehensible to his contemporaries. She concluded with an extract from a Short Survey of William
Blake by Quiller Couch.
6. F. E. Pollard said that he had been reluctant to undertake the task of talking to the Club on the literature of Wm. Blake since he was acquainted
with only three of his poems. But as this was 50% more than anyone else knew, he need not have worried. He emphasised Blakes great lyrical
gifts and his share in the poetic revolution of the C18th, even suggesting that Blake led the way. Frances Pollard illustrated his remarks by reading
from: [“]To the evening star”, “How sweet I roam” and “Memory hither come”. He also read a short extract from Jerusalem throwing out the
suggestion that the subject matter showed some influence of Thomas Payne, Quaker.
7. After some refreshment we welcomed to our meeting Mr. George Goyder who is a very keen student and collector of William Blake. It was a
great privilege to have among us one whose profound knowledge of and enthusiasm for his subject was absolutely convincing. After listening to Mr.
Goyder and looking at his many beautiful examples of Blake’s work, we were willing to allow that he is probably our greatest English artist and
equalled as an engraver only by Dürer.
The Chairman expressed our very warmest thanks to Mr. Goyder.
[signed as a true record by] J. Knox Taylor 16/X/44.'
Date:
Until: 18 Sep 1944
Country:England
Timen/a
Place:city: Reading
county: Berkshire
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:1872
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:Formerly schoolmaster, now occasional lecturer and supply teacher, and supported also by wife's unearned income
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
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:To the Evening Star
Genre:Poetry
Form of Text:Unknown
Publication Detailsfrom Poetical Sketches
Provenanceunknown
Source Information:
Record ID:30509
Source:Manuscript
Author:Margaret Dilks
Title:XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952)
Location:private collection
Call No:n/a
Page/Folio:17-19
Additional Information:
Margaret Dilks was secretary to the XII Book Club from 1940 to 1970. It is inferred from this, and from the handwriting, that she was the author of this set of minutes.
Citation:
Margaret Dilks, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952), private collection, 17-19, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=30509, accessed: 22 November 2024
Additional Comments:
This was one of the three poems by Blake which he had read before the meeting.
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).
