Scientific, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour

About this book

"A Scientific, Antiquarian, and Picturesque Tour: John Lee In England, Wales and Ireland, 1806-7, is a critical edition of the travel diaries and sketchbooks of Dr John Lee FRS (née Fiott, 1783-1866), published for the first time. Shortly after graduating from Cambridge University, Lee set out on a seven-month walking tour through England, Wales, and Ireland on 31 July 1806. His itinerary included most of the key sites on the 'home tour', such as Llangollen, the Lakes of Killarney, and the Wicklow Mountains, but also less- visited sites such as the Blasket Islands, Co. Kerry. Best known later in life as an astronomer, antiquary, Liberal campaigner for women's suffrage, and generous philanthropist, Lee's lifelong interest in mineralogy, antiquities, industry, and popular culture, and his concern for the poor, are evident throughout these early diaries. Most of the content relates to Ireland, where Lee arrived on 29 August 1806 and remained until 6 March 1807. His observations paint a picture of Irish social, cultural, and political life in the aftermath of the 1798 and 1803 rebellions, and the 1801 Act of Union"--