1
Preface
This is one of the most important writings about travel, but there
was nothing new in what Nugent said.
Before this the classic writings of Oratio, Strabone and
Pausania understood that dilettare (to give pleasure) and istruire
(to teach) was, and is even today, the goal of good teaching.
These travels, were done by rich British young men, the goal
was to complete their education.
In the 1790’s, in his writings “The Voyage of Italy”, Richard
Lassels called them “The Grand Tour”.
The travels represented a formation and education period
,during which young men matured, so when they returned to their
country they could take their place in society.
For this reason The Grand Tour had to last according to the
family’s wealth.
At the beginning people that went for The Grand Tour usually
visited only Northern Italy, then they also went to Naples and then
even to Sicily.
According to Doctor Johnson, the man who had not been to
Italy was conscious of his inferiority.
This is a passage (from the work of Francis Bacon called “Of
Travel”, written in 1615) that the English travellers know “by
hearth”.
2
Francis Bacon - Of Travel
This passage speaks about Francis Bacon’s ideas about
travelling.
He advises people that want to go to a foreign country, first to
learn the language of the country they want to visit.
He says that travelling is part of young people’s education and
a good experience for all people.
He says that young people should travel with a tutor or a
servant.
“Francis Bacon was writing this for rich people of course,
because only they had servants and tutors”.
The tutors or servants should visit a country before, so they can
give good advice about the places and people that the young men
are going to see.
When they go for sea-voyages young men should write diaries
because during these voyages, there is nothing to see, except the
sky and the sea. In land-travel they shouldn’t write any diaries,
because there are...