The Letters of John B. S. Morritt of Rokeby
Descriptive of Journeys in Europe and Asia Minor in the Years 1794–1796

The Grand Tour letters of traveller and classical scholar John Bacon Sawrey Morritt (1771–1843), first published in 1914.

John B. S. Morritt (Author), George Eden Marindin (Edited by)

9781108042222, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 29 December 2011

348 pages, 6 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 2 cm, 0.44 kg

This works is an account by John Bacon Sawrey Morritt (1771–1843), traveller, classical scholar and friend of Sir Walter Scott, of his Grand Tour during the years 1794–6. His letters home were edited by G. E. Marindin (1841–1939) and published in 1914. In 1790 Morritt inherited the Rokeby estate, County Durham, and came into a considerable fortune. Educated at St John's College, Cambridge, he graduated in 1794, and soon afterwards set out for the continent. Visiting Constantinople, Troy, the Greek islands, Crete, Naples, Rome and Venice, Morritt developed a lifelong passion for European art and culture (he purchased the Rokeby Venus in 1813). He was well-read in Greek and Latin literature, had a considerable taste for antiquarian research, and was undeterred by the dangers of traversing Europe during the French Revolutionary Wars. According to his editor, 'it would be difficult to imagine a better traveller'.

Preface
1. Journey from Ostend to Dresden
2. Vienna - the Polish insurrection
3. Journey from Vienna to Constantinople, with some digressions about Vienna and Styria
4. Constantinople
5. Travels in Asia Minor and Samos
6. The Troad and the site of the Homeric Troy: the Islands of Chios and Lesbos
7. From Athos and Salonica through Thessaly and Boeotia: Athens
8. Through the Morea, including the territory of the Mainotes in Laconia
9. Aegean Islands: Crete
10. Olympia and the Ionian Islands
11. Naples
12. From Rome, through Trieste and Vienna, to Cuxhaven
Index.

Subject Areas: Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]