Record Number: 7016

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'In Dublin, she complained that she was not reading a great deal, but in the same breath remarked that books provided her only relaxation. She must have at least browsed in the volume of Cowper's poems and another of sermons by her friend John Hewlett which Johnson sent her. She told Everina at one point that she was reading "some philosophical lectures, and metaphysical sermons - for my own private improvement". These works could well have included the writings of Dr Price. The only writer in this field whom she singled out for comment, however, was the orthodox William Paley, whose "Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy" she commended to Eliza for its definition of virtue: "the doing good to mankind in obedience to the will of God, and for the sake of everlasting happiness".'

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1786 and 31 Dec 1787

Country:

Ireland

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Dublin

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:

Mary Wollstonecraft

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

27 Apr 1759

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

governess, then writer

Religion:

unknown

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

Ireland

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

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

William Cowper

Title:

n/a

Genre:

Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned
sent by friend Joseph Johnson

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Source Information:

Record ID:

7016

Source:

Print

Author:

Mary Wollstonecraft

Editor:

Ralph M. Wardle

Title:

Collected Letters of Mary Wollstonecraft

Place of Publication:

New York

Date of Publication:

1979

Vol:

n/a

Page:

33

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Mary Wollstonecraft, Ralph M. Wardle (ed.), Collected Letters of Mary Wollstonecraft, (New York, 1979), p. 33, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=7016, accessed: 25 November 2024

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Additional Comments:

evidence from Wardle's intro.