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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 33043


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

‘I saw Rupert Brooke’s death in the "Morning Post". The "Morning Post", which has always hitherto disapproved of him, is now loud in its praises because he has conformed to their stupid axiom of literary criticism that the only stuff of poetry is violent physical experience, by dying on active service. I think Brooke’s earlier poems—especially notably "The Fish" and "Grantchester", which you can find in Georgian Poetry—are his best. That last sonnet-sequence of his, of which you sent me the review in Times Lit. Sup. … I find … overpraised. He is far too obsessed with his own sacrifice, regarding the going to war of himself (and others) as a highly intense, remarkable and sacrificial exploit, whereas it is merely the conduct demanded of him (and others) by the turn of circumstances.’

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 24 Apr 1915 and 28 Apr 1915

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Aldershot
county: Hampshire
specific address: Blenheim Barracks

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


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Charles Hamilton Sorley

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

19 May 1895

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Second Lieutenant, 7th Suffolk Regiment

Religion:

Agnostic

Country of Origin:

Scotland

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Rupert Brooke

Title:

[unknown]

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned


Source Information:

Record ID:

33043

Source:

Print

Author:

Charles Hamilton Sorley

Editor:

Jean Moorcroft Wilson

Title:

The Collected Letters of Charles Hamilton Sorley

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1990

Vol:

n/a

Page:

218-9

Additional Comments:

Letter to Mrs Sorley, [Blenheim Barracks], Aldershot, 28 April 1915

Citation:

Charles Hamilton Sorley, Jean Moorcroft Wilson (ed.), The Collected Letters of Charles Hamilton Sorley, (London, 1990), p. 218-9, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=33043, accessed: 22 November 2024


Additional Comments:

None

   
   
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