TOUR IN GERMANY SWEDEN RUSSIA POLAND IN 1813-14 BY J. T. JAMES A. M. TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. THIRD EDITION LONDON JOHN MURRAY ALBEMARLE ST. 1819. PREFACE. THERE is so much of resemblance between the several nations of the more civilised world at the present day, so much of uniformity in a journey through the countries which they inhabit, that the modern traveller in Europe relinquishes all thought of exciting public attention by the detail of personal adventure. Hence the examples furnished by the simple and interesting stories of our ancient tourists are neglected, and in their stead we are presented with political theories, surveys military, statistical or scientific, collections of historical anecdotes, or, perhaps, a lively essay on the genius and character of a people. In the present work it is not meant either to launch into subjects which do not fall within the province of a common observer, or to publish unauthenticated and doubtful gleanings of private scandal; or yet to undertake disquisitions that require more time than could have been here allotted to the task. But such topics cannot altogether be passed over, and they will be touched upon, though merely en voyageur; that is, as far as is requisite to a faithful description of the various matters that came under observation in the course of the tour. Of these, the changes and revolutions arising out of late events, if a traveller may judge from his own feelings, will not prove the least acceptable. The form of a journal has been pre |