Record Number: 6561

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'The fault of the great author, whose letters to his friend you have been reading, is, that Tully is wholly concerned for the fame of Cicero; and that for fame and self-exaltation sake. In some of his orations, what is called his vehemence (but really is too often insult and ill manners) so transports him, that a modern pleader... would not be heard, if he were to take the like freedoms... Cicero's constitutional faults seem to be vanity and cowardice. Great geniuses seldom have small faults. You have seen, I presume, Dr Middleton's "Life of Cicero". It is a fine piece; but the Doctor, I humbly think, has played the panegyrist, in some places in it, rather than the historian. The present laureat's performance on the same subject, of which Dr Middleton's is the foundation, is a spirited and pretty piece... You greatly oblige me, Madam, whenever you give me your observations upon what you read'.

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

unknown

Country:

England

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

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Samuel Richardson

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

19 Aug 1689

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

printer and author

Religion:

unknown

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Colley Cibber

Title:

The Character and Conduct of Cicero Considered

Genre:

Biography

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

6561

Source:

Print

Author:

Samuel Richardson

Editor:

John Carroll

Title:

Selected Letters of Samuel Richardson

Place of Publication:

Oxford

Date of Publication:

1964

Vol:

n/a

Page:

211-12

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Samuel Richardson, John Carroll (ed.), Selected Letters of Samuel Richardson, (Oxford, 1964), p. 211-12, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=6561, accessed: 22 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

Letter from Samuel Richardson to Lady Bradshaigh, April 1752