Rolf Potts repackages the 17th century philosopher’s ‘Of Travel’ essay in the manner of a 21st century magazine feature
1) Make travel a part of your life’s education
Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience. He that travelleth into a country, before he hath some entrance into the language, goeth to school, and not to travel.
2) Keep a travel journal, at sea or on land
It is a strange thing, that in sea voyages, where there is nothing to be seen but sky and sea, men should make diaries; but in land travel, wherein so much is to be observed, for the most part they omit it; as if chance were fitter to be registered than observation: let diaries, therefore, be brought in use.
3) Seek interesting sights, such as:
• The courts of princes (especially when they give audience to ambassadors)
• The courts of justice (while they sit and hear causes)
• The churches and monasteries (with the monuments which are therein extant)
• The walls and fortifications of cities and towns
• The havens and harbors, antiquities and ruins
• Treasuries of jewels and robes, cabinets and rarities
• Shipping and navies
• Houses and gardens of state and pleasure, near great cities
• Armories, arsenals, magazines, exchanges, burses, warehouses
4) Seek interesting activities, such as:
• Exercises of horsemanship, fencing, training of soldiers, and the like
• Comedies, such whereunto the better sort of persons do resort
• Libraries, colleges, disputations, and lectures
• Triumphs, masks, feasts, weddings, funerals, capital executions, and such shows
5) Make use of guidebooks and local resources
Let him carry with him also some card, or book, describing the country where he travelleth, which will be a good key to his inquiry. Let him, upon his removes from one place to another, procure recommendation to some person of quality residing in the place whither he removeth, that he may use his favour in those things he desireth to see or know.
6) Seek varieties of experience, even within a single location
Let him not stay long in one city or town, more or less as the place deserveth, but not long. When he stayeth in one city or town, let him change his lodging from one end and part of the town to another, which is a great adamant of acquaintance.
7) Seek out travel companions that will challenge you
Let him sequester himself from the company of his countrymen, and diet in such places where there is good company of the nation where he travelleth. Thus he may abridge his travel with much profit. As for the acquaintance which is to be sought in travel, that which is most of all profitable is acquaintance with the secretaries and employed men of ambassadors; for so in travelling in one country he shall suck the experience of many: See and visit eminent persons in all kinds, which are of great name abroad, that he may be able to tell how the life agreeth with the fame.
8) Avoid traveling with quarrelsome people
For quarrels, they are with care and discretion to be avoided; they are commonly for mistresses, healths, place, and words; and let a man beware how he keepeth company with choleric and quarrelsome persons; for they will engage him into their own quarrels.
9) When coming home, keep your travels alive with intellectual exercise
When a traveller returneth home, let him not leave the countries where he hath travelled altogether behind him, but maintain a correspondence by letters with those of his acquaintance which are of most worth; and let his travel appear rather in his discourse than in his apparel or gesture.
10) Don’t flaunt your travel experiences to the folk back home
In his discourse let him be rather advised in his answers, than forward to tell stories: and let it appear that he doth not change his country manners for those of foreign parts; but only prick in some flowers of that he hath learned abroad into the customs of his own country.
Originally published in World Hum. Illustration by Joe Rivera
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