Record Number: 30781
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'Last night I read the correspondence between Vanessa and Swift — I wonder if any man, beginning with the man to whom those letters were first addressed has ever understood how much they meant, and if any woman has failed to understand. Swift did not care for her — that's how a man writes who does not care. And how it maims and hurts the woman! One ought to pray every night not to write letters like that — or at least not to send them.'
Century:1850-1899
Date:Between 19 Aug 1894 and 22 Aug 1894
Country:Austria
Timeevening
night
city: near Innsbruck
Type of Experience(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:Female
Date of Birth:16 Jul 1868
Socio-Economic Group:Gentry
Occupation:Oxford graduate, language student, yet to take up formal occupation as archaeologist and political advisor
Religion:Christian (Anglican) later declared herself atheist
Country of Origin:England
Country of Experience:Austria
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:unknown
Genre:Autobiog / Diary
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsunknown
Provenanceunknown
probably owned
Source Information:
Record ID:30781
Source - Manuscript:Other
Information:
Gertrude Bell Archive, Newcastle University Library University http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk
Additional Information:
Diary entry 20 August 1894. http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk/diary_details.php?diary_id=1551
Citation:
Gertrude Bell Archive, Newcastle University Library University http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=30781, accessed: 13 March 2025
Additional Comments:
See also diary entry 25 August 1894: 'Read Swift's letters to Mother'. Exactly which text Gertrude Bell was reading is unclear.
