The most witching element in the enchantment of this river is its
stillness, its unfathomable, unbroken quietude. In the sixteenth century
it was navigable as far as Toledo, but the mills upon its banks are now
for ever silent; no traffic has deflowered its legendary charms; neither
boat nor barge cuts a way along its inactive waters. -from "The Tagus,
River of Romance," by Hannah Lynch From the era from a trip to the
Continent was rarer but more deeply appreciated comes an enchanting
literary travelogue assembled from the hearts and minds of some of the
greatest wordsmiths in the English language. A Grand Tour in 10 volumes,
these delightful volumes, first published in 1914, gather little-seen
essays from famous erudite explorers in compact collections that will
inspire those who've never been abroad to make the journey, and move
those who have to pack their bags again. Volume IX explores Spain and
Portugal, viewed through the eyes and prose of a panoply of
extraordinary writers: Havelock Ellis journeys to the Dead City of
Segovia, Washington Irving describes the Alhambra, Kate Field takes in a
bullfight, and much more by such notable voices as Augustus J.C. Hare,
Martin Hume, Edward Everett Hale, and others. Beautifully illustrated
with charming photographs, it is a work to treasure... and to take along
on your next trip. OF INTEREST TO: armchair travelers, readers of
classic literature American journalist and historian FRANCIS WHITING
HALSEY (1851-1919) was literary editor of The New York Times from 1892
through 1896. He wrote and lectured extensively on history, and also
edited the two-volume Great Epochs in American History Described by
Famous Writers, From Columbus to Roosevelt (1912).
