Retrospect of Western Travel, Volume 1 (of 2)
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- Clean text
- Extent:
- ~110,000 words · 541 passages
Cite this work
- APAHarriet Martineau. (n.d.). Retrospect of Western Travel, Volume 1 (of 2). SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/harriet-martineau/retrospect-of-western-travel-volume-1-of-2
- MLAHarriet Martineau. "Retrospect of Western Travel, Volume 1 (of 2)." SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/harriet-martineau/retrospect-of-western-travel-volume-1-of-2.
- ChicagoHarriet Martineau. Retrospect of Western Travel, Volume 1 (of 2). SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/harriet-martineau/retrospect-of-western-travel-volume-1-of-2.
What it is about
The travel book Martineau drew from the same journey through the United States that produced 'Society in America', but written in another way.
Context and history
If that one was the analysis — comparing what the country said of itself with what she found — this is the narrative: the people she met, the conversations, the houses, the roads, the steamboats, a session of the Senate, a plantation, an abolitionist meeting. It was published in 1838, a year after the other, and it is the one her publisher wanted because it sold better. Its strength is the same as all of Martineau's: she looked carefully and wrote what she saw, including when it did not suit her. The two books complement each other, and whoever wants the argument must go to 'Society in America', which is also in the corpus.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
When I finished my late work on Society in America, I had not the most remote idea of writing anything more on the subject of the New World. I have since been strongly solicited to communicate more of my personal narrative, and of the lighter characteristics of men, and incidents of travel, than it suited my purpose to give in the other work. It has also been represented to me that, as my published-book concerns the Americans at least as much as the English, there is room for another which shall supply to the English what the Americans do not want--a picture of the aspect of the country, and of its men and manners. There seems no reason why such a picture should not be appended to an inquiry into the theory and practice of their society; especially as I believe that I have little to tell which will not strengthen the feelings of respect and kindness with which the people of Great Britain are more and more learning to regard the inhabitants of the Western Republic. I have, therefore, willingly acceded to the desire of such of my readers as have requested to be presented with my Retrospect of Western Travel. H. MARTINEAU. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. Page The Voyage 13 First Impressions 35 The Hudson 43 Pine Orchard House 57 Weddings 63 High Road Travelling 71 Fort Erie 90 Niagara 96 Priestley 109 Prisons 123 First Sight of Slavery 139 Life at Washington 143 The Capitol 164 Mount Vernon