“At that time such a thing as a Guide-book for Germany, France, or Spain did not exist.  The only Guides deserving the name were:  Ebel, for Switzerland; Boyce, for Belgium; and Mrs. Starke, for Italy.  Hers was a work of real utility, because, amidst a singular medley of classical lore, borrowed from Lempriere’s Dictionary, interwoven with details regulating the charges in washing-bills at Sorrento and Naples, and an elaborate theory on the origin of Devonshire Cream, in which she proves that it was brought by Phoenician colonists from Asia Minor into the West of England, it contained much practical information gathered on the spot.  But I set forth for the North of Europe unprovided with any guide, excepting a few manuscript notes about towns and inns, etc., in Holland, furnished me by my good friend Dr. Somerville, husband of the learned Mrs. Somerville.  These were of the greatest use.  Sorry was I when, on landing at Hamburg, I found myself destitute of such friendly aid.  It was this that impressed on my mind the value of practical information gathered on the spot, and I set to work to collect for myself all the facts, information, statistics, etc., which an English tourist would be likely to require or find useful.

The first of Mr. John Murray’s Handbooks to the Continent, published 1836, included Holland, Belgium, and North Germany, and was followed at short intervals by South Germany, Switzerland—­in which he was assisted by his intimate friend and fellow-traveller, William Brockedon, the artist, who was then engaged in preparing his own splendid work on “The Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers of the Alps”—­and France.  These were all written by Mr. Murray himself; but, as the series proceeded, it was necessary to call in the aid of other writers and travellers.  Switzerland, which appeared in 1838, was followed in 1839 by Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, and in 1840 by the Handbook to the East, the work of Mr. H. Parish, aided by Mr. Godfrey Levinge.  In 1842 Sir Francis Palgrave completed the Guide to Northern Italy, while Central and Southern Italy were entrusted to Mr. Octavian Blewitt, for many years Secretary of the Royal Literary Fund.

In later years, as well as at the earlier period, the originator of the Handbooks was fortunate enough to secure very able colleagues, among whom it is sufficient to mention Richard Ford for Spain, Sir Gardner Wilkinson for Egypt, Dr. Porter for Palestine, Sir George Bowen for Greece, Sir Lambert Playfair for Algiers and the Mediterranean, and Mr. George Dennis for Sicily.

CHAPTER XXXI

GEORGE BORROW—­RICHARD FORD—­HORACE TWISS—­JOHN STERLING—­MR. GLADSTONE—­DEATH OF SOUTHEY, ETC.