Observations and Reflections Made in the Course of a Journey through France, Italy, and Germany

Hester Piozzi's 1789 Observations of her travels around Europe with her second husband is a witty and fascinating account, full of conversational anecdotes and local colour, which today make it a valuable work of social history, as well as the entertaining travel book that it was originally intended to be.

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In the second volume of Piozzi's Observations, the travels continue from Naples and into Germany before the return to England. Well educated and accustomed to society and activity, Hester relished her intellectual collaboration and close friendship with Samuel Johnson, developed during her first marriage to the successful but stifling Henry Thrale. Yet as Johnson became ill he was increasingly demanding of her attention as a nurse and they became susceptible to society gossip. Hester's second marriage, to Italian musician Gabriel Mario Piozzi in 1784, was therefore extremely liberating. The European travels recounted in these volumes were an escape, and Hester revelled in her experiences, a joy which shows through clearly in this development of her own, non-Johnsonian literary tone. The books were well received, even being read at court by Queen Charlotte and Fanny Burney. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=piozhe