Een zoet vergif voor verstand en hart. De ontwikkeling van de leescultuur in Leiden, 1760-1860

Samenvatting

In the nineteenth century reading was often considered dangerous, especially for the lower classes. In particulars, orthodox Christians (both from Roman Catholic and Protestant) criticized reading. At the same time there was an increase of the opportunities to read. This article focuses on the Leiden reading culture during the years 1760-1860. Leiden was, partly due to the presence of the university, an important cultural centre in the Netherlands. What reading institutions did the city own? What institutional changes took place in this period? I want to illustrate in which way the Leiden reading culture gradually developed.