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

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 5466


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

H. J. Jackson discusses second annotator of 1791 copy of Rousseau, A Treatise on the Social Compact; or, The Principles of Politic Law; ownership inscription in same hand reads "'H. B. L. Webb / Brent House / Master Brace / 30th Dec. 1909. / (Bought at old Bennett's in Castle St.).'" Notes include reference to 1910 elections and comments such as "'very flimsy here'"; "'Pah!'" and (in response to Rousseau's assertion that comparisons between different nations' early religious beliefs "'an absurd part of erudition,'") "'And yet, Jean Jacques, comparitive mythology has told us a different tale about this 'absurd part of erudition'!'"

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1909 and 1910

Country:

n/a

Time

n/a

Place:

n/a

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:

H. B. L. Webb

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Unknown

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

n/a

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Title:

A Treatise on the Social Compact; or, The Principles of Politic Law

Genre:

Politics

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

1791

Provenance

owned


Source Information:

Record ID:

5466

Source:

Print

Author:

H. J. Jackson

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Marginalia: Readers Writing in Books

Place of Publication:

New Haven

Date of Publication:

2001

Vol:

n/a

Page:

79

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

H. J. Jackson, Marginalia: Readers Writing in Books, (New Haven, 2001), p. 79, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=5466, accessed: 22 November 2024


Additional Comments:

Source author conjectures that reader male and "at a school, either as a senior pupil or a junior master". Also (on p.78) reproduces note made by first annotator on front flyleaf, which explains how this owner acquired the book following decision that it (and other radical and reformist texts) be "'expelled'" from Shrewsbury (subscription) Library at meeting on 4 May 1798; no evidence, however, that this owner/annotator read the book.

   
   
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