North America — Volume 1
by Anthony Trollope (1815–1882)
- Free to read
- 9 hours to read
- 20 chapters
- Reading level: 8th & 9th grade
"North America — Volume 1" by Anthony Trollope is a travel narrative and cultural observation written during the mid-19th century, specifically in the period surrounding the American Civil War. The narrative results from Trollope's journey through the United States, wherein he examines various aspects of American life, including politics, society, education, and customs, amidst the climate of national discord. The text provides a lens through which readers can understand the complexities of American society at a pivotal moment in its history. At the start of the volume, Trollope sets the stage for his travels, detailing his motivations and expectations as he embarks on a journey through the United States from August 1861 to May 1862. He candidly discusses the Civil War's impact on his observations, emphasizing that while he aims to describe the American way of life, the ongoing conflict directs much of his commentary. He reflects on prior literary representations of Americans, indicating his desire to strike a balance between critique and admiration for the emerging nation and its people. As he begins his exploration, he notes the contrasting perceptions between Americans and Britons regarding the war, alongside the complex dynamics of their political relationships, thus establishing a rich premise for the travelogue that will unfold in the subsequent chapters.
- United States · Description and travel
- United States · Politics and government · 1861-1865
- Canada · Description and travel
- Trollope, Anthony, 1815-1882 · Travel · North America
Read the opening
Chapter II
NEWPORT—RHODE ISLAND.
We—the we consisting of my wife and myself—left Liverpool for Boston on the 24th August, 1861, in the "Arabia," one of Cunard's North American mail packets. We had determined that my wife should return alone at the beginning of winter, when I intended to go to a part of the country in which, under the existing circumstances of the war, a lady might not feel herself altogether comfortable. I proposed staying in America over the winter, and returning in the spring; and this programme I have carried out with sufficient exactness.
The "Arabia" touched at Halifax; and as the touch extended from 11 A.M. to 6 P.M. we had an opportunity of seeing a good deal of that colony;—not quite sufficient to justify me at this critical age in writing a chapter of travels in Nova Scotia, but enough perhaps to warrant a paragraph. It chanced that a cousin of mine was then in command of the troops there, so that we saw the fort with all the honours. A dinner on shore was, I think, a greater treat to us even than this. We also inspected sundry specimens of the gold which is now being found for the first time in Nova Scotia,—as to the glory and probable profits of which the Nova Scotians seemed to be fully alive. But still, I think, the dinner on shore took rank with us as the most memorable and meritorious of all that we did and saw at Halifax. At seven o'clock on the morning but one after that, we were landed at Boston.
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About this edition
This free edition of North America — Volume 1 by Anthony Trollope comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #1865, released 1999-08-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Travel Writing, History - American.
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