Scribleriana

336 than listening to sermons, because it required much more decision-making.’’ Empty pages in cook books allowed women, such as Sarah Harrison in the House-Keeper’s Pocket-Book (1755), to add recipes, to expand received texts. Mr. Hayes devotes time to analyzing the reception of Richardson’s Pamela. The heroine’s implicit advice to women differed greatly from that distributed in conduct literature: ‘‘[w]hile the conduct books advised women that it was permissible for them to read, those works continually stressed that women should not display their learning.’’ In the fourvolume Pamela, however, ‘‘its exemplary title character devoted sixty pages to discussing a work she had read, John Locke’s educational treatise.’’ Pamela’s ‘‘critical remarks about her reading set a standard of behavior which allowed eighteenth-century women to discuss their own reading more freely, without censure.’’ Science books presented as dialogues, for example, Fontenelle’s Plurality of Worlds (1686)—which consisted of dialogues on the Copernican system— permitted colonial woman ‘‘through reading, to participate vicariously in intellectual conversation.’’ Perhaps a richer introductory framework would improve analysis of these texts: readers would receive a stronger sense of the place of colonial women’s reading and what this does for the colonial , American, and Western consciousness . For example, Elizabeth Ashbridge (at one point in her life, an indentured servant), commenting on her master’s prayer book, implied that devout Christians needed to be able to compose their own prayers because ‘‘[p]rayer books caused people to rely too heavily on the printed word and thus made it difficult for them to pray without it.’’ Within the scope of humanism, Ashbridge seeks to liberate women from the confining routine of static texts; she stresses the importance of fashioning one’s own prayer as a personal, validating experience, which ultimately confirms women as thoughtful and dynamic individuals. Mr. Hayes however does not provide this explication . Nor does he position his study within others of women’s reading and how this altered the consciousness of colonial society. Nonetheless, this is a helpful guide to a neglected field of inquiry. Matthew Binney Eastern Washington University SCRIBLERIANA This issue is large due to our reviews of the DNB and CHEL. The entries that we do not cover here will be in following Scriblerians . A reader who noticed that we reviewed an essay that had been published much earlier emailed us, ‘‘That’s quite a time lapse.’’ It happens. Sometimes an essay falls through our net. But we review it when it is noticed. An essay that appeared five years earlier may be necessary for a class or a book; we want the Scrib to be useful. Our special thanks to Elizabeth W. Harries, who is stepping down; Douglas Lane Patey will take on her responsibilities. Richard C. Greene is retiring as our Canadian Advisor. In his place will be Susan Paterson Glover (Laurentian University). We welcome her. 337 We are pleased that Elizabeth and Richard will continue reviewing for us. For this exceptional , large issue, particular thanks go to J. A. Downie, Laura Maria Cecil, Matthew Binney, Samantha Batten, Shiladitya Sen, and Melvyn New. DAVID LEON TALBOT WOOLLEY, A. M., 1924–2005 David L. T. Woolley died in his home in Perth, Western Australia, on October 27, 2005. As a student of the Dean of St Patrick’s, both as editor and annotator, he was nonpareil ; as a human being of exemplary warmth and kindness, he was unique in his generosity and his gift for friendship. Michael Treadwell , himself described, in his own obituary, as ‘‘an iceberg of learning,’’ wrote, ‘‘David Woolley is not only one of the best; he simply is the best.’’ David was born in Shanghai, China, on August 30, 1924 and educated at school in Yokohama, Japan, and, from the age of eleven , at Geelong College, Melbourne, Australia . He subsequently studied Law at Melbourne University. However, he never practiced as a lawyer, but from the late 1940s had a distinguished career as a musician, first in Australia as an oboist with the Melbourne Symphony and Sydney Symphony, then, from 1967, when he moved with his family to London, as co-principal and principal oboe with The Royal Philharmonic...