Record Number: 32427

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

(1) 'You say "Arethusa" is lovely: have you bought it or got a copy from the library? In any case I am very glad you have started it. Isn't Omobono a lovely character, and also the slave dealer's wife? I think it a very good romance all round.' (2) 'I rather expected some fuller criticism of Arethusa, and would like to know your final verdict when you write. Tho' of course it's not in the rank of 'real books', I have a sentimental affection for it from reading it over ever since I was about ten.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1 Nov 1908 and 6 Feb 1917

Country:

Northern Ireland

Time

n/a

Place:

Belfast
Co. Down
'Little Lea', 76 Circular Rd

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:

Clive Staples Lewis

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

29 Nov 1898

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Student

Religion:

Church of England

Country of Origin:

Northern Ireland

Country of Experience:

Northern Ireland

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Francis Marion Crawford

Title:

Arethusa

Genre:

Fiction, History, Geography / Travel, Romance set in 14th century Constantinople, rivalry between Venice and Genoa

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

Most likely edition: Macmillan, London (1907) with illustrations by Gertrude Demain Hammond

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

32427

Source:

Print

Author:

C. S. Lewis

Editor:

Walter Hooper

Title:

C. S. Lewis Collected Letters

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

2000

Vol:

1

Page:

272, 274

Additional Comments:

(1) From a letter to Arthur Greeves, 1 February 1917 (2) From a letter to the same, 7 February 1917

Citation:

C. S. Lewis, Walter Hooper (ed.), C. S. Lewis Collected Letters, (London, 2000), 1, p. 272, 274, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=32427, accessed: 16 February 2025

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Additional Comments:

I don't know whether Greeves ever did give his 'final verdict' on this novel. Crawford was an American who lived most of his life in Italy and had an intimate knowledge and love of that country and its history. 'Arethusa' is a love story set in the context of Venice's place in the Byzantine Empire; although this is the only reference to it in Lewis's correspondence, it seems to have charmed him throughout his life.