Seeing Europe with Famous Authors, Volume 2 Great Britain and Ireland, Part 2 — Reading Companion

Literary Shrines and Personal Impressions

The first section, 'English Literary Shrines,' includes stops at Stoke Poges, Haworth, Gad's Hill, Rydal Mount, and Twickenham. The excerpt from Stoke Poges shows Congdon reflecting on Gray's poem while walking the churchyard, noting 'the yew-tree, the ivy-mantled tower, the rugged elms.' The writing is restrained, letting the place evoke the poetry. In contrast, Theodore F. Wolfe's account of Haworth (the Brontës' home) likely adopts a more dramatic tone, given the Brontës' reputation. The variety of authors—American, British, essayists, poets—means each chapter shifts in style and focus.

Readers should note how each writer balances description of the site with personal reaction. Some, like William Howitt on Rydal Mount, emphasize the landscape and Wordsworth's presence; others, like Hawthorne on Chester, inject dry humor. This diversity is the volume's strength, but it also means the tone can change abruptly from one chapter to the next.

Historic Sites and the Weight of the Past

The section 'Other English Scenes' moves to landmarks like Stonehenge, Magna Carta Island, and the Eddystone Lighthouse. Emerson's piece on Stonehenge likely treats the stones as a philosophical object, while Mrs. S. C. Hall's account of Magna Carta Island probably emphasizes the historical event. The excerpt from the Melrose Abbey chapter (in the Scotland section) gives a taste of the historical detail: the abbey's destruction under Henry VIII, the list of 'one hundred and five stones of butter, ten dozens of capons,' and the story of a fanatic weaver breaking statues. This blend of precise fact and anecdote characterizes many entries.

The editor seems to favor writers who can weave historical narrative into travel description. The Melrose piece, by William Howitt, moves from the abbey's founding by Irish monks to its later owners, the Buccleuch family. The prose is dense with names and dates, but it never loses sight of the physical ruin. Readers interested in history will find these chapters rewarding, though the pace can be slow.

Scotland: Landscape and Legend

The Scotland section opens with Robert Louis Stevenson on Edinburgh, then moves to Holyrood, Linlithgow, Stirling, and Abbotsford. The excerpt from the Melrose chapter again shows Howitt's method: he describes the site, then expands into legend, mentioning Michael Scott and Thomas the Rhymer. The writing becomes almost incantatory when listing the figures that haunt Abbotsford: 'The Bruce, the Scottish Jameses, Coeur de Lion, Elizabeth, Leicester, Mary of Scots.' This passage suggests the volume's interest in the romantic associations of place.

Other contributors include Nathaniel Hawthorne on Stirling, John Burroughs on Carlyle's birthplace, and Bayard Taylor on Ben Lomond. The variety is wide: Burroughs, an American naturalist, likely brings a different sensibility than the Scottish novelist Scott. Readers should expect each chapter to stand alone, with little connective tissue. The editor provides no commentary between pieces, so the transitions can feel abrupt.

Ireland: Thackeray and the Halls

The final section on Ireland features contributions from William Makepeace Thackeray and Mr. and Mrs. S. C. Hall. Thackeray's 'A Summer Day in Dublin' opens the section, and his voice is distinctive—ironic, observant, and slightly detached. The Halls, by contrast, write in a more earnest, descriptive style. The excerpt from the table of contents shows entries on Dublin Castle, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Limerick, the Giant's Causeway, Blarney Castle, and Muckross Abbey. Thackeray also contributes pieces on Cork and a journey from Glengarriff to Killarney.

The Irish chapters appear to emphasize the picturesque and the historical, much like the Scottish ones. The Giant's Causeway, described by Bayard Taylor, likely focuses on the natural wonder, while the Halls' account of Blarney Castle probably dwells on the famous stone. The volume ends without a conclusion, simply stopping after the last entry. This abruptness is typical of anthologies, but readers may wish for a final reflection.

This anthology offers a series of discrete literary travelogues, each by a different hand. The best approach is to read selectively, following your interest in a particular author or location. The excerpts show that the editor valued variety over consistency, so expect shifts in tone and depth. The Melrose Abbey chapter, with its blend of history, legend, and precise detail, exemplifies the volume's appeal: it treats a place as a palimpsest of stories, inviting the reader to see through the eyes of famous writers.