DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52059#0059
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thinks it fittest for him to be sent abroad, “ either
when he is younge, under a tutor, or when he is some
years older, without a governor, when he is of age to
govern himself.” The majority of the country gentry,
though, probably did not travel; and Defoe remarks,
in a deleted note on fol. 14, back., “ that whilst the
younger brothers were sent abroad, the eldest son was
thought not to be in need of it.”
The countries ordinarily visited were Italy, France,
Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands, but more espe-
cially the former two, which were then in the forefront
of civilization or, perhaps, more strictly speaking,
civility. Till the seventeenth century Italy and Provence
held the very first rank, and then gradually lost their
place to France. The great dependence of English
manners and fashions on those foreign countries is at
once apparent from the numerous translations of
Italian, Spanish, and French books on civility, educa-
tion, manners, and similar subjects.1
A very interesting account of how young gentlemen
used to spend, or rather should spend, their time during
their travels, is given in a book already mentioned above,
viz., The Compleat Gentleman, or Directions for the
Education of Youth, as to their Breeding at home and
travelling abroad, by J. Gailhard, Gent., 1678 and 1684.
The author knew the subject from personal experience,
as he had himself been much abroad as the tutor of
gentlemen.
On page 7, he remarks that “ because young gentle-
1 For titles of such books see Watts’ Bibliotheca. Britannica, s.v.
Education; from some of them extracts are given in this Introduc-
tion.
thinks it fittest for him to be sent abroad, “ either
when he is younge, under a tutor, or when he is some
years older, without a governor, when he is of age to
govern himself.” The majority of the country gentry,
though, probably did not travel; and Defoe remarks,
in a deleted note on fol. 14, back., “ that whilst the
younger brothers were sent abroad, the eldest son was
thought not to be in need of it.”
The countries ordinarily visited were Italy, France,
Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands, but more espe-
cially the former two, which were then in the forefront
of civilization or, perhaps, more strictly speaking,
civility. Till the seventeenth century Italy and Provence
held the very first rank, and then gradually lost their
place to France. The great dependence of English
manners and fashions on those foreign countries is at
once apparent from the numerous translations of
Italian, Spanish, and French books on civility, educa-
tion, manners, and similar subjects.1
A very interesting account of how young gentlemen
used to spend, or rather should spend, their time during
their travels, is given in a book already mentioned above,
viz., The Compleat Gentleman, or Directions for the
Education of Youth, as to their Breeding at home and
travelling abroad, by J. Gailhard, Gent., 1678 and 1684.
The author knew the subject from personal experience,
as he had himself been much abroad as the tutor of
gentlemen.
On page 7, he remarks that “ because young gentle-
1 For titles of such books see Watts’ Bibliotheca. Britannica, s.v.
Education; from some of them extracts are given in this Introduc-
tion.