Tuesday, 22 May 2018

Cassell's National Library

Grandpa acquired six volumes in his travels which were part of a weekly series.  I started reading the first one which contains two travelogues.  These particular books were published in 1894 but the stories within are much older.  Paul Hentzner was a German lawyer who undertook a Grand Tour of Europe in 1597. The journey lasted 3 years. He wrote it all down in Latin and published it in 1612. Two hundred years later the section describing his journey through England was translated and re-published.  The Cassell Publishers were gathering various historical journals and diary's and reselling them at 3d per week in a series of thin blue volumes.
I did a tour of the 'Tower of London" as did Hentzner in 1598.  I was told things like how it housed a zoo as well as prisoners and where they were kept.  Hentzner saw the zoo in action and witnessed the Tower in full use. He counted 30 heads on spikes as he toured the grounds. The jewels and the array of weapons were there, the same as for us.  There was a security check at the door where he surrendered his sword for the tour, picking it up on the way out.  I didn't have a sword but I did get a security check.


Like a 19th century magazine subscription

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