Dedicated

ΤΟ

THOSE FIRESIDE TRAVELLERS

WHO SEE FOREIGN LANDS ONLY THROUGH THE EYES OF OTHERS,

AND

WHO THEMSELVES HAVE NEVER TRAVERSED

THE TOURIST-TRAMPLED HIGHWAYS HEREIN REtrodden.

PREFACE.

WHEN I think of the host of writers who have travelled over the ground retrodden in these pages, and of the celebrity of many among them, I feel a strong sense of presumption in adding myself to their number.

My apology is found in the endless variety of the human mind, and the fact that few people are interested in exactly the same things, or impressed by them in the same way. For this reason, it will be found that any traveller who records his own personal impressions will put things, more or less, in a fresh light. Cologne Cathedral and Pompeii, it is true, cannot vary, but the effect they produce on those who see them will vary precisely as the natures of the travellers vary.

The human mind has, I think, much resemblance to a prism, but with this difference -that the analysis by the spectrum will be that of the medium through which the rays have passed, and not that of the objects from which they have proceeded. Some minds are so alert and sensitive to all impressions that they show a spectrum perfect as the rainbow, though the colours in these will probably not be as strong as in others which are closed to all except certain influences, and show only strong lines of brilliancy here and there.

Each will meet with kindred minds in sympathy with his individual spectrum, although the one that gives passage to the greater number of colours will naturally find the greater number of sympathizers.

A true spectrum, however, is rarely presented to us. Travellers have as much of the sheep's instinct in them as the rest of their fellow-men, and this impels the vast majority to follow in the lead of their predecessors, and say what they have said. In this way deep grooves are worn, and are consecrated as paths of good taste and