As someone who adores visiting North Wales, I was intrigued to read Samuel Johnson's account of his tour there in 1774. He travelled with Henry Thrale, Hester Thrale, and their daughter, Hester Maria Thrale, who was affectionately nicknamed, 'Queeney'. Both Johnson and Hester kept travel journals, which neither intended for publication. Johnson's journal is quite dull, but Hester's affords us a window into her thoughts, feelings and what travel was like in the 1700s. The primary reason for the tour was so that Hester could visit her Welsh estate and iron out some issues with it. The journey began from Streatham on July 5, 1774, and ended on September 30, 1774, when Mr. Thrale informed the group that Parliament had dissolved, and they had to return home. Johnson explained the tour route to his friend, John Taylor, in a letter he wrote on October 20, 1774, 'We entered North Wales from Chester and went to the extremities of Caernarvonshire, and passed into Anglesea, and came back by Wrexham and Shrewsbury . . ..'
Dr. Johnson in his travelling dress.
On the way to Wales, the travellers stopped off at Lichfield on July 6, they arrived just after midnight and stayed at the Swan Inn. Johnson was excited to show his friends where he was from. Hester was quite emotional seeing Johnson's Birthplace and wrote about it fondly, 'I saw Johnson's old house too, which filled my mind with emotion, so tender and so pleasing, that I would have been sorry to quit it for the sake of the Vatican till I had reiterated every image it gave me as often as I could feel the impression.'
Whilst in Lichfield, Johnson introduced the Thrales to his friends and stepdaughter, Lucy. Hester wrote, 'We found Mrs. Lucy Porter at Cards with her friends in a pleasing house she has in the Town . . .' They breakfasted with Dr. Erasmus Darwin, and Hester recounts meeting Garrick's brother, 'Mr. Peter Garrick supped with us at our Inn; the resemblance between him and his brother is so striking that I took the liberty to mention it.' On July 9, the party left Lichfield, having only stayed 3 days. Hester wrote how she left with 'regret' after receiving such 'kindness.'
Johnson introduced the Thrales to his stepdaughter, Lucy Porter. This painting depicts Lucy as a child.
On July 28, Johnson unceremoniously records, 'We entered Wales.' The party then stayed with Hester's relations from July 28 – August 17, at a huge house called Llewenny Hall. Hester enjoyed reestablishing family bonds and she also visited the house in which she was born, called Bodvel Hall. However, the Thrales had work to do. When they came to discuss issues with Hester's Welsh estate, Bach-y-Graig, they found the house in a poor state and soon discovered their agent, Edward Bridge, had '. . . plundered us for 20 years most grossly . . .' Hester dismissed the 'scoundrel' and arranged for her tenants to pay all future rent through her cousin.
The tour sparked a mixture of emotions in Hester, and she felt the loss of her mother greatly. She wrote, '. . . every sign, every bush, every stone almost, reminding me of times long past but not forgotten . . . and the remembrance of people now dead, to some of which I was far more dear than to any one now living.' She also wrote the following moving entry in her travel journal, '. . . Here my paper is blistered with tears for the loss of my companion, my fellow traveller, my Mother, . . . who now have I to chat with on the Road? Who have I to tell my adventures to when I return? Every place I see, every thing I hear recalls my Mother . . .' As well as battling feelings of loneliness, Hester was in the early stages of pregnancy and suffering from bouts of sickness.
This miniature shows Hester in mourning after the death of her second husband, Gabriele Mario Piozzi, in 1809.
The tourists partook in much sightseeing, they hiked, saw natural springs, visited many castles and churches, visited a China warehouse in Worcester, silk mills at Derby, and a Papier Mache manufacturer in Birmingham. Johnson excitedly wrote about visiting a copper work and an iron work in Holywel. He tipped a shilling. Although he couldn't see as well as he would have liked, due to his poor eyesight, he remarked, 'I have enlarged my notions.' Johnson also commented on the Welsh language, 'The sound of the Welsh in a continued discourse is not unpleasant.' During the tour he seemed to experience some health improvements, possibly due to the better air and frequent exercise, 'I was less weary, and had better breath as I walked further.'
The group rested at houses and inns. Both Hester and Johnson were not always complimentary of the places they stayed, 'The accommodations at Bangor were very bad; poor Mr. Johnson got only a share of some men's room . . .', Hester exclaimed. Good job there was no Tripadvisor! Although, when they stayed with Lord Sandys, Johnson was happier with his surroundings and wrote, '. . . we were treated with great civility. The house is large. The Hall is a very noble room.'
Ten-year-old Queeney seems to have enjoyed the tour. During her travels she amused herself by counting goats, her father promised her a penny per goat spotted, and Johnson kept score. Her Mother kept a gentle eye on her daughter, Queeney had a bad chesty cough that gave Hester cause for concern, and she was suffering from parasitic worms. (Apologies to those of you who are squeamish!) Hester later praised Queeney in Thraliana for having, '. . . noble Qualities and great performances for a Girl scarce ten Years old . . ..' However, she criticised her as a travelling companion writing that she was, '. . . Sullen, malicious & Perverse . . ..' Hester was upset leaving her other children at home. While she was away, she received regular updates; Harry, her son, suffered a black eye, and he made himself sick eating too many cherries!
Despite seeing and doing so much, Johnson wasn't very complimentary of his tour of North Wales, writing the following to John Taylor, '… I am glad I have seen it, though I have seen nothing, because I now know that there is nothing to be seen.' He wrote to James Boswell, '… Wales is so little different from England, that it offers nothing to the speculation of the traveller.' However, when Johnson wrote to Robert Levy, he exclaimed, 'Wales, so far as I have yet seen of it, is a very beautiful and rich country, all enclosed and planted.' – Perhaps he was in a better mood when he wrote this letter!
* I have kept the original spellings, punctuation and grammar from both journals.
Resources:
- Dr Johnson & Mrs Thrale's Tour in North Wales 1774 by Adrian Bristow.
- The Letters of Samuel Johnson. Redford, Oxford.
- The Thrales of Streatham Park by Mary Hyde
- Life of Johnson by James Boswell.
No comments:
Post a Comment