Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    W3933/6
  • Title
    Travel Journal of Samuel Whitbread II (aged 21) Journal of a tour of central Europe - continuing from W 3933/5 - visiting Zurich, Basle, Bienne, Solure, Hindelbank, Berne, Lucerne, Zug, Schweith, Hospital, Couvercle, and the mountains, passes and glaciers of the Alps. Accompanied by ...Coxe, the Cliffords, servants, and other guides and acquaintances at various times
  • Date free text
    1 Aug - 9 Sep 1785
  • Production date
    From: 1785 To: 1785
  • Scope and Content
    Also records: N.d. Description of Zurich. 1 Aug. Sightseeing with acquaintances Mr. and Mrs. Swale and Professor Meysters. 2 Aug. More sightseeing with Meysters - the Arsenal, Library, and an admirable Foundling's hospital. Reference to Lavater. More details of Zurich's history, laws, etc. 3 Aug. Visited the artist Gesner. More comments on Lavater. 4 Aug. Continued journey via Baden, the monastery of Konigsfelden, a ruined Hapsburg Castle, and Bruch, to Basle 5-15 Extensive description of Basle - its government Aug. and history, its University Library (including a sketch of More and family), and Cathedral. Mentions the City's unique timekeeping (one hour ahead) and the reasons for this. Basle's visitors are freely fed and ledged but then cannot return within a year. Prisoners wear and iron collar. 15 Aug. Travelled on to the province of Munster via Lauknten, Delemont and Motier; many historical and constitutional details. [A loose page - a notice from Koechlin and Thiery, headmasters of the Academie Preparatoire au commerce at Mulhausen. Warns parents to enter their children in at least three months in advance to ensure a place. Outlines the education provided] 16 Aug. The Pierre Petuit - copied the inscription and speculated on its meaning. Went on to Bienne, passing scenery reminiscent of Scotland; gives details of Bienne's history and constitution. Reference to the Island of St.Peter and J.J.Rousseau. On to Soleure which he describes. 17 Aug. Sightseeing in Soleure with an acquaintance Mr.Aggerer. Comments on the Prison and Penal Law. Details of last Alliance of the 13 cantons with France. 18 Aug. The tomb at Hindlebank described in detail. Arrived in Berne; visual description and details of its history and government. Remarks on playful gathering in of the harvest, with which children helped. 19-21 The public institutions and buildings of Berne. Aug. Visited Mr. Spengle, a naturalist, whose work was ignored by the state which undervalued intellectual matters. Mentions an acquaintance M. de Bonstedt - a friend of the English poet Gray. Describes the prisons - so comfortable that one woman didn't want to leave. 21 Aug. Travelled into the Canton of Lucerne. Describes the peasants and local customs. Reference to the Empiric Michel Shuppach. 22 Aug. The town of Lucerne; more on peasants and local customs; general details on Lucerne. 23 Aug. Visited General Pfieffer, who was working on a plan of Switzerland. Theory on the cause of goiters, and stories about the caves and a statue on the summit of Mount Pilate. 24 Aug. Travelled alone but for a servant into the Canton of Zug, about which he recounts general information; compares the scenery to that of Hertfordshire. Continued journey to the Canton of Underwalden. 25 Aug. [entry marked 26 Aug.] The Abbey of Engelberg. 26 Aug. On to Attdorf via Gersua and Brunnen. Visited the chapel of William Tell. Rejoins Coxe, and describes his innkeeper's admiration for the latter in ironic tone. 27 Aug. Journey to Hospital. 28 Aug. Visit to the hospice of the Capuchins at Gothard. 29 Aug. Travelled into the territory of Veleris. Chortled at some Capuchin monks [This entry continues 21 pages further on] Viewed the Rhone Glacier Suddenly got a bad headache, got lost and had to crawl down a mountain, then passed a "melancholy night" at the Inn of Spital. 30 Aug. On to Meyringen, having viewed the Aar Glacier and talked with a French Chamois hunter about hunts and vertigo. 31 Aug. Continued journey to Grindelwald passing the Reichenbach falls and in sight of the Jungfrau, Matterhorn, Nigerhorn and Aigerhorn mountains; detailed descriptions of the views; several nearby avalanches made them travel in silence. 1 Sept. On to the valley of Lauterbrunnen. Criticises Coxe for ridiculing the names of the mountains 2 Sept. Expedition to visit the glaciers at one end of the Lanterbrunnen valley The views here were so awesome that he could not describe them on paper. [The next entries follow the entry for August 29] 7 Sept. Disappointed at missing sunrise over Mont Blanc. The Glacier d'Arveron The Glacier of Bossons with a guide, Michel Paccard (first attempt at Mont Blanc in 1776). Comments on unenterprising guides in this area. Discusses changes in the size of glaciers. 8 Sept. The Montanvert Mentions a Mr. Exchaquet and a Mr. Basin of Brussels 9 Sept. Vivid and extensive description of the expedition to the summit of the Couvercle; "Nature had put on all her terrors and every object breathed the great creator"; Left their names in a bottle (left by a previous party with their names) at the summit; honestly admits feeling fearful at times. [At end]Pencil sketch of a church, by C.Clifford A piece of blotting paper
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